Anderson “Poetically Undefined” Allen is an award winning actor, poet, mentor, artist healer, and theater technician based in Rochester, NY. Anderson is a dynamic creator that blends elements of jazz, hip-hop, song, and theatre to synthesize poetry and movement in riveting ways to convey storytelling in three dimensions. He is on a mission to unearth the hopes, dreams, and untold truths that exist between tragedy and joy to bring forth new imaginings in our personal and collective lives.

Anderson launched his career as a professional writer and performer in 2014 and soon joined Rochester’s only adult poetry slam team, Roc Bottom Slam Team (RBS), where he later served as Creative Director. He is the co-author of several productions, including the critically acclaimed Anatomy of a Black Man and 12 Dollars, featured at Keybank Rochester Fringe Festival. 

Anderson brings almost two decades of experience working with youth. He uses his craft as a tool to build community and enrich the lives of young people so they are encouraged to use their art as a form of resistance and radical self-love. In 2016-2017, Anderson coached a youth slam poetry team, Breathing Fire, in Brave New Voices and their work was featured in the Washington Post. 

In 2018, Anderson began volunteering and training in theater tech at The Avenue Blackbox Theatre under Reenah Golden’s direction where he serves as a volunteer light technician and stage hand. In 2022-2023, he worked as Assistant Theater Technician at MCC and currently works as the theater tech for the Rochester Bronze Collective Theatre Festival during Black History Month. To date, he’s worked on over 120 plays and productions.

Anderson is a certified yoga instructor and graduate of Yoga 4 A Good Hood's Teacher Training Program. His yoga practice is rooted in gentle power and deep inquiry, fusing Vinyasa and the philosophy of Ashtanga yoga to create harmony between flow and stillness. Allen has presented his work at conferences and has keynoted on the healing powers and benefits an active yoga and writing practice offer people of all ages to build a healthy self-image or to address experiences of trauma.

Anderson’s honors include 2023 Rochester’s Ten, 2018 Big Pencil Award for inspiring the creation and appreciation of literature as a teacher of youth, a 2018 ESTA Festival Outstanding Actor Award, a two-time TANYS awardee for outstanding acting, 2nd place in 2017 Individual QEW International Poetry Slam, a featured speaker at TEDxAllendaleColumbia, and 2016 Roc Awards Best Male Poet.