Basic Information

• Artist Statement

  Artist's Statement
  
  First and foremost I am a true artist. I believe that a true artist is one that makes his or her living by selling, contracting, educating, creating and continuously exposing others to their art form in a professional and personnel manner. I believe in innovation, however, only when there is a need for such a process. If the environment has been void of art programming and the development of and availability of art has been limited, I do not feel that a true artist should go into that environment trying to be innovative. I do not believe in “art for art sake”. I believe that art is just as important as math, science, biology, reading and writing. Why? Because, in every movie/film that you view, where the world is on the brink of destruction, humanity always turn to art for salvation and to prove that we are a civilized people and so it is in real life. That is why the United States of America during the time of war offered its troops the U.S.O.

• Resume

  Resume
  
  
  
  DEGREES
  
  1987 - Present 6 hours toward my Ph.D - Texas Womens’ University
  
  1983 - M.A. in Dance - University of Houston
  
  1974 - B.S. Marketing Management- Florida A&M University
  
  Teaching Experience
  
  8/2005 - Present - Artistic Director of Inter City Row Modern Dance Company
  
  2001 - 8/2005 - Dance Coordinator, Southern University- Shreveport, concurrent with
  
  Artistic Director of Inter City Row Modern Dance Company
  
  2001 - 1998 - Artistic Director of Inter City Row Modern Dance Company
  
  1998 - 1994 - Enrichment Instructor, Fairfield Elementary School, Mrs. C. Burton,
  
  Principal
  
  1994 - 1988 - Instructor - Arts In Education, Shreveport Regional Arts Council.
  
  1987 - 1986 - Assistant Professor of Dance at the University of Southwestern, Lafayette
  
  Louisiana.
  
  1985 - 1981 - Artistic Director of Inter City Row Modern Dance Company.
  
  1981 - 1975 - Dance Director for the Theatre of Performing Arts, Shreveport, LA
  
  Areas of teaching competence: Beginning through Advanced Modern, Graham and Horton technique. Beginning through Advanced Jazz, Beginning through Intermediate Ballet, plus Pointe’ and West African. Dance Composition, Beginning through Advance Choreography, History & Philosophy of Dance, Dance Pedagogy and Dance Production.
  
  Dance Training
  
  Modern Dance Technique & West African - 1971-1974 Florida A&M University, Tallahassee, Florida under the direction of Mrs. Beverly A. Barber, Graham based technique.
  
  Graham Technique - Mr. Clive Thompson - Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre
  
  Horton Technique - Mr. Chuck Davis, Chuck Davis African-American Dance Ensemble
  
  Martha Graham School of Contemporary Dance, New York, New York, 1986-1987.
  
  Martha Graham School of Contemporary Dance, New York, New York, 1991-1992
  
  Martha Graham School of contemporary Dance, New York, New York, 6/1998-8/1998
  
  6/87-8/87 - Ethel Winter of the Julliard School and the Graham School, in the pursuit of my Ph.D, while attending Texas Womens’ University.
  
  Ballet Training, Cecchetti technique - Madame Cecilia Kelly - 1976-1977 - Shreveport Symphony Ballet. Mrs. Denise Williams 1982-1983 University of Houston. Madame Eloine, 1980-1981 Texas Christian University
  
  Jazz Dance- George Faison, while attending Florida A&M University 1973-1974, Grambling State University - 1975, University of Houston 1982-83
  
  West African - Chuck Davis of the Chuck Davis African-American Dance Ensemble 1976-1979.
  
  1995-Studied aboard with Chuck Davis in West Africa: Senegal, Dekar, Benjul and the Gambia.
  
  Supervising and Directing Experience
  
  April - 2003 - Supervised dancers in Pamoja Art Society production of the”Sankofa
  
  “Series.
  
  September 2003 - Directed - “Ritual Murder” by Tom Dent, produced by Theatre on the
  
  Square, Mrs. Juanita Gordon, producer, Natchitoche, LA
  
  May 2002 - Directed- “Livin’ Fat” by Judy Mason, produced by Theatre on the Square,
  
  Mrs. Juanita Gordon, producer, Natchatoche, LA
  
  November - 2002 - Directed & supervised Phi Beta Sigma “Blue Revue Ball”
  
  Sept. 2001 - Directed - “Revolutionary Song” produced by Inter City Cultural Arts
  
  Institute
  
  August 2000 - Directed & produced - “Strange Fruit”- for the Player Family Reunion
  
  Choreographic Experience
  
  2009 – Choreographer for Sanaa Lathan, starring in the film production Wonderful World by Millinenum Studios.
  
  Nov. & December 2004-2010 – Choreographed Annual Company Concert and Children’s Concert in Dance for Inter City Row Modern Dance Company and Institute
  
  April 2003 - Choreographed for Pamoja Art Society, Sankofa Series
  
  September 2001 - Served as choreographer for “The Fantasticks; Produced by East Bank Theatre
  
  October 2000 - Served as choreographer for Southern University-Shreveport Royal
  
  Court Ball.
  
  January 2000-Januay 1995 - Served as Inter City Row Modern Dance Company resident
  
  Artistic Director
  
  November 1995 - Choreographed solo for “Aida” Shreveport Opera-Moorish Dancer.
  
  January 1995-January 1993- Continued choreographing for Inter City Row Modern
  
  Dance Company
  
  March 1993 - Served as Dance Captain and actor for Shreveport Little Theatre
  
  Production “A Chorus Line”
  
  Awards/Professional Activities
  
  2011 – Received Community Service Award, from the MLK Community Development Corporation, Shreveport, LA.
  
  2009 – Received “Trail Blazer” award from Mahoney Theatre Ensemble, during its annual Black Theatre Festival.
  
  2008 – Received Special Service Award from the Shreveport Federal Credit Union.
  
  2003 - Received a proclamation from the Mayor as being one of the oldest operating
  
  black dance companies in the State.
  
  1998 - Received the Shreveport Regional Arts Council, Dance Fellowship Award and the
  
  Louisiana Division of the Arts Dance Fellowship Award in Choreography.
  
  1995 - Received a technical assistance grant from the State to study in West Africa with
  
  the Chuck Davis African American Dance Ensemble.
  
  1995- Received a fellowship from the Lillac Wallace Readers Digest Foundation, for study in Boston in Arts Management and Developing Community Schools of the Arts.