Modlin Arts Presents Step Afrika! The Migration, with special guests The Legendary Ingramettes by Modlin Center for the Arts

October 26, 2024 | 7:30 PM

Carpenter Theatre at Dominion Energy Center

PHOTO: JATI LINDSAY

Thank You

STEP AFRIKA! THE MIGRATION

IS MADE POSSIBLE IN PART BY THE GENEROUS SUPPORT OF

Dewitt Fund for the Arts

Louis S. Booth Arts Fund

E. Rhodes and Leona B. Carpenter Foundation

H. G. Quigg Fund

THANKS TO OUR 2024-25 MODLIN ARTS PRESENTS SEASON SPONSORS & COMMUNITY PARTNERS THIS PRESENTATION OF

A. Dale Mayo Fund

Tucker-Boatwright Festival

Norman and Eleanor Leahy

William and Pamela O'Connor

Specific projects are supported in part by the

Welcome

At Modlin Center for the Arts, we are committed to providing the University of Richmond campus and our broader community with the best in diverse, thoughtprovoking, and captivating performances. Each season is cultivated with our attention to showcasing artists who provide insight into our shared humanity. At the University of Richmond, we pledge to you—our patrons and partners, on campus and in our region—that the arts will provide broad access to rich voices, creative passion, and unforgettable experiences.

Paul Brohan, Executive Director

PHOTO: TERESA CASTRACANE

Fall 2024

 P Ticketed: Paid

 F Free: Tickets Required

 F Free: No Tickets Required

 Modlin Arts Presents

 Department of Theatre and Dance

 Department of Music

 World Premier

 Modlin Commission

September

David Esleck Trio Thu 5 Sep 7:30pm

Family Weekend Concert Fri 13 Sep 7:30pm

Neumann Lecture on Music: Robert Fink Mon 16 Sep 7:30pm

What Belongs to You, an opera for tenor and chamber orchestra Thu 26 Sep 7:30pm Sat 28 Sep 7:30pm

What Belongs to You : Panel Discussion with Creative Team Fri 27 Sep 7pm

October

Stop Kiss

Thu-Sat 3-5 Oct 7:30pm

Sun 6 Oct 2pm   F

Circa, Duck Pond

Thu 10 Oct 7:30pm   P

Las Cafeteras

Fri 18 Oct 7:30pm   P

Family Arts Day: Latin Ballet of Virginia, Fiesta del Sol

Sun 20 Oct

Art Activities 1pm Show 3pm   F

Keith Phares, baritone

Thu Oct 24 7:30pm   F

Master Class:

Keith Phares, baritone

Fri Oct 25 TBD   F

Wagner & Kong Duo: Christoph Wagner, cello, Joanne Kong, piano

Fri 25 Oct 7:30pm   F

14th Annual Celebration of Dance

Fri 25 Oct 7:30pm   F

Step Afrika! Migration: Reflections on Jacob Lawrence

Sat 26 Oct 7:30pm   P

Fall Choral Concert

Sun 27 Oct 3pm   F

The Soul Rebels

Thu 31 Oct 7:30pm   P

November

Tessa Lark (violin), Joshua Roman (cello), and Edgar Meyer (double bass)

Fri 8 Nov 7:30pm

Jazz & Contemporary Combos Wed 13 Nov 7:30pm

Third Practice Festival

Fri 15 Nov 7:30pm Sat 16 Nov 2pm, 7:30pm

Popular Music Ensemble Tue 19 Nov 7:30pm

Jazz Ensemble with guest saxophonist Dr. Dan Puccio Wed 20 Nov 7:30pm

Miguel Zenón & Luis Perdomo, El Arte del Bolero Thu 21 Nov 7:30pm

The House That Will Not Stand

Thu-Sat 21-23 Nov 7:30pm Sun 24 Nov 2pm

Global Sounds Sun 24 Nov 3pm

Wind Ensemble Mon 25 Nov 7:30pm

December

Chamber Ensembles

Mon 2 Dec 7:30pm

University Symphony Orchestra Wed 4 Dec 7:30pm

Cécile McLorin Salvant Fri 6 Dec 7:30pm

51st Annual Festival of Lessons and Carols Sun 8 Dec 5pm, 8pm

Spring 2025

 P Ticketed: Paid

 F Free: Tickets Required

 F Free: No Tickets Required

 Modlin Arts Presents

 Department of Theatre and Dance

 Department of Music

 World Premier

 Modlin Commission

January

BODYTRAFFIC

Fri 24 Jan 7:30pm

February

Manual Cinema, Frankenstein Sat 1 Feb 7:30pm

Ronald Crutcher, cello Sun 2 Feb 3pm

Richard Becker, piano Wed 5 Feb 7:30pm

Lab Project: The Woman in Black Thu-Sat 6-8 Feb 7:30pm Sun 9 Feb 2pm

Billy Childs Quartet with Sean Jones, The Winds of Change Fri 7 Feb 7:30pm

Leyla McCalla Thu 13 Feb 7:30pm

Documentary Film Screening: The Sound of Santiago by Dr. Mike Davison and Ed Tillett Wed 19 Feb 7:30pm

Third Coast Percussion with Zakir Hussain Fri 21 Feb 7:30pm

University Dancers

40th Anniversary Concert Fri-Sat 28 Feb-1 Mar 7:30pm Sun 2 Mar 2pm

March

Kardeş Türküler

Sat 1 Mar 7:30pm

Doris Wylee-Becker, piano

Sun 2 Mar 3pm

Anzû Quartet

Wed 5 Mar 7:30pm

Kronos Quartet with Peni Candra Rini

Fri 21 Mar 7:30pm

Tanya Tagaq

Thu 27 Mar 7:30pm

April

Twyla Tharp Dance with Third Coast Percussion

Sat 5 Apr 7:30pm

Global Sounds Sun 6 Apr 3pm

Jazz & Contemporary Combos

Wed 9 Apr 7:30pm

Simone Dinnerstein, piano

Fri 11 Apr 7:30pm

Spring Choral Concert

Sun 13 Apr 3pm

Wind Ensemble

Mon 14 Apr 7:30pm

Popular Music Ensemble

Tue 15 Apr 7:30pm

Urinetown

Thu-Sat 17-19 Apr 7:30pm Sun 20 Apr 2pm

Chamber Ensembles

Mon 21 Apr 7:30pm

University Symphony Orchestra

Wed 23 Apr 7:30pm

Cuban Spectacular: From Mambo to Motown Thu 24 Apr 7:30pm

MODLIN CENTER FOR THE ARTS PRESENTS

STEP AFRIKA! THE MIGRATION: REFLECTIONS ON JACOB LAWRENCE with THE LEGENDARY INGRAMETTES

ADMINISTRATIVE TEAM

C. Brian Williams, Founder & Executive Producer

Lamar Lovelace, Executive Director

Margo Cunningham, Senior Marketing Manager

Pascha Barnwell, Company Manager

ARTISTIC TEAM

Mfoniso Akpan, Artistic Director

Jakari Sherman, Director, The Migration: Reflections on Jacob Lawrence and Projection Designer

Conrad R. Kelly II, Assistant Artistic Director

Marianne Meadows*, Lighting Designer, Production Manager, and Stage Manager

Trevion Walker, Assistant Stage Manager

Harlen Penn, Original Scenic Design

Kenann Quander, Original Costume Design

Patrick Calhoun, Original Sound Design

Multiband Studio, Additional Sound Design and Sound Engineering

*Member of the United Scenic Artists Local USA 829

THE LEGENDARY INGRAMETTES

Rev. Almeta Ingram-Miller, Elder Christine Ingram-Murphy, Carrie Jackson, and Valerie Stewart

CAST

Kenneth L. Alexander

Ariel Dykes

Agyei Keita-Edwards

Kamala Hargrove

Briona Jackson

Conrad Kelly II

Isaiah O’Connor

Ericka Still

Joseph Vasquez

Robert Warnsley

Nya Christian

Leander Gray

Keomi Givens Jr.

Lionel D. Lyles II

Terrence Johnson

Abdou Muhammed

Valencia Springer

Brie Turner

Pelham Warner Jr.

Learn more about Step Afrika! Share your experience! #StepAfrika www.stepafrika.org

SHOW DESCRIPTION

Step Afrika!’s signature work The Migration: Reflections on Jacob Lawrence charts the story of African Americans moving from the rural South to the industrial North to escape Jim Crow, racial oppression, and lynchings in the early 1900s. Inspired by Jacob Lawrence’s iconic 60-panel “The Migration Series” (1940-41), this signature work from the award-winning dance company uses the images, color palette, and motifs in the painting series to tell this astonishing story through pulsating rhythms and visually stunning movement.

Tonight’s performance will last about 90 minutes, with intermission.

PHOTO: JATI LINDSAY

PROGRAM

“Must we remain in the South or go elsewhere? Where can we go to feel that security which other people feel?” - A Colored Woman in Alabama, 1902

DRUM CALL

Choreographed/Composed by Jakari Sherman and W.E. Smith

Original Recording of “African Villages” by W.E. Smith

The drum has always been essential to African culture everywhere and is critical to the rhythm of Migration. Drum Call depicts an African village, the arrival of foreign ships, and the ensuing turmoil.

GO WEST: circa 1890

Choreographed by Makeda Abraham, Mfoniso Akpan and Delaunce Jackson

Drumming by Abdou Muhammed, Agyei Keita-Edwards, and Conrad Kelly II

Flute by Lionel B Lyles II

PHOTO: TERESA CASTRACANE

When Africans arrived in America, their music and dance traditions were ingrained in the culture. Go West explores how West African dance and drum traditions spread and maintained their vitality in the New World.

DRUMFOLK

Choreographed by David Pleasant

Flute by Lionel B Lyles II

Drumfolk is a celebration of the early development of African American percussive traditions including patting juba, hambone, and ring shout – giving way to art forms like tap dance and stepping. While exploring this heritage, Drumfolk reflects on the harsh conditions in the South that coincided with the practice of these transcendent musical forms. The work shows how the progression of such hardships preempted escape and migration, and how the fortitude of the enslaved led to the creation of new traditions like spirituals, field hollers and shouts.

WADE SUITE

Choreographed by Kirsten Ledford, LeeAnet Noble and Paul Woodruff Vocal Arrangement by Greg Watkins

Wade shows the continuity in African and African-American percussive dance traditions by blending the South African Gumboot Dance, tap and stepping with the African-American spiritual.

Movement One: THE DEACON’S DANCE

Vocals by Briona Jackson

The African American spiritual played a significant role in lifting the spirit in troubled times. In The Deacon’s Dance, two deacons prepare for Sunday services.

Movement Two: WADE

Vocals by The Legendary Ingramettes

After the abolition of slavery, the church remained a center of refuge and community-building amidst the harsh conditions and served as a primary means of communication for industries recruiting labor during World War I. Wade highlights the importance of the church in helping African Americans survive the South, and its critical role in helping vulnerable people resettle in the North.

“I was leaving the South to fling myself into the unknown. I was taking a part of the South to transplant in alien soil, to see if it could grow differently, if it could drink of new and cool rains, bend in strange winds, respond to the warmth of other suns, and, perhaps, to bloom.” - Richard Wright

TRANE SUITE

Original Recording of “Trane” by W. E. Smith

Saxophone by Lionel B. Lyles II

Throughout the Great Migration, the train was an important means of transporting people to the North. The entire railroad industry recruited heavily in the South and thus, economically, became a primary means of African American’s “one-way ticket” to a new life. Named in reference to John Coltrane and paying homage to Duke Ellington’s Take the A Train, Trane is a journey in three parts, following the story of the Great Migration.

Movement One: TRANE

Choreographed by Jakari Sherman

Creation of Trane made possible by the DC Jazz Festival.

The opening movement, Trane, establishes the connection between past and present: the rhythm of the train north; Ellington’s classic score; and the Alpha “train,” a time-honored element of stepping practiced by brothers of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc.

Movement Two: OFF THE TRAIN

Choreographed by Jakari Sherman

PHOTO: JATI LINDSAY

Three men arrive in the North, luggage in hand…thrilled about the possibilities.

Movement Three: MY MAN’S GONE NOW

Choreographed by Mfoniso Akpan, Aseelah Allen, Dionne Eleby, Kevin Marr and Jakari Sherman

Recording of “My Man’s Gone Now” by Nina Simone

During the migration, it was common for men to journey north without their wives or children because of the high cost of travel. This left many women at home in the South caring for children and struggling to find work. My Man’s Gone Now is the story of three women, each in a different phase of their transition to the North and ready to be reunited with their loved one.

CHICAGO

Choreographed by Jakari Sherman

Between the 1910s and 1920, more than 400,000 African Americans left the South for many Northern and Western cities, including Philadelphia, Minneapolis, Seattle, Los Angeles, and Chicago. By the end of the 1920s, that number exceeded 1.2 million.

Chicago finds the migrant’s new rhythm in everyday situations. It is a percussive symphony using body percussion and vocals to highlight the collective self-transformation of these brave men and women once they arrived “Up North.”

THE STORY OF STEP AFRIKA!

Founded in 1994 by C. Brian Williams, Step Afrika! is the world’s leading authority on the artform of stepping. Under Mr. Williams’ leadership, stepping has evolved into one of America’s cultural exports, touring more than 60 countries across the globe and ranking as one of the top 10 African American Dance Companies in the US.

Step Afrika! blends percussive dance styles practiced by historically African American fraternities and sororities; traditional African dances; and an array of contemporary dance and art forms into a cohesive, compelling artistic experience. Performances are much more than dance shows; they integrate songs, storytelling, humor and audience participation. The blend of technique, agility, and pure energy makes each performance unique and leaves the audience with their hearts pounding.

Step Afrika! promotes stepping as an educational tool for young people, focusing on teamwork, academic achievement and cross-cultural understanding. The Company reaches tens of thousands of Americans each year through a 50city tour of colleges and theaters and performs globally as Washington, DC’s one and only Cultural Ambassador.

Step Afrika! has earned Mayor’s Arts Awards for Outstanding Contribution to Arts Education, Innovation in the Arts, Excellence in an Artistic Discipline, and was inducted into the National Association of Campus Activities (NACA) Hall of Fame, the first Dance Company to earn this honor. Step Afrika! headlined President Barack Obama’s Black History Month Reception and performed at the first ever Juneteenth Celebration at the White House. The Company is featured prominently at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History & Culture with the world’s first stepping interactive exhibit.

ABOUT THE LEGENDARY INGRAMETTES

Widely celebrated as the “First Family of Gospel Music” in Richmond, Virginia, The Legendary Ingramettes have been blowing the roof off performance stages for more than six decades. The Legendary Ingramettes were originally formed by Evangelist “Mama” Maggie Ingram, born July 4, 1930, on Mulholland’s Plantation in Coffee County, Georgia, where she would later work the cotton and tobacco fields with her parents. Maggie began playing the piano and singing as a child, without any formal training. God gifted her with a great love for the church and gospel music. While on the plantation, she met and married Thomas J. Ingram. The family moved to Miami, Florida in the early fifties, hoping to find better job opportunities to support their family of five children. In the late fifties,

Maggie found herself a single parent, having to raise her 5 children alone. In an answer to her prayer “to keep her family together”, God directed Maggie to teach her children to sing, and the Ingramettes began singing.

In 1961 Maggie moved herself and her five children to Richmond, Virginia, and there created Evangelist Maggie Ingram and the Ingramettes; a family singing group that became one of the most beloved groups in Richmond’s storied gospel tradition.

Maggie passed away in 2015 at the age of 84, but the group has continued to soar, led by the powerfully incomparable singing of her two daughters, Rev. Almeta Ingram-Miller, and Elder Christine Ingram-Murphy, daughter-in-love Carrie Jackson, and Maggie’s God Daughter Valerie Stewart. Backed by their rock-solid house-shaking rhythm section, which includes Min. Kenneth Heath, Calvin “Kool Aid” Curry, and Min. Patrick Newby, the Legendary Ingramettes continue to bring the electric energy and spirit of a Sunday morning service to the performance stage, enthralling diverse audiences at such prestigious venues and festivals as the Kennedy Center, The Library of Congress, the Smithsonian Folklife Festival, National Folk Festival, Floydfest, Strawberry Music Festival, and countless others across the US and abroad.

Their 2012 release Maggie Ingram and the Ingramettes: Live in Richmond won the Independent Music Awards Gospel Album of the Year. In 2019 they completed their first international tour with dates in Serbia and Bulgaria. This led to international tours in Canada and Ireland. Their much-anticipated new release Take A Look in the Book , released in the spring of 2020 has garnered world-wide acclaim. On June 28, 2022, The Legendary Ingramettes were named National Heritage Fellows by the National Endowment for the Arts. The NEA National Heritage Fellowships is the nation’s highest honor in folk and traditional arts. Each year since 1982, the program recognizes recipients’ artistic excellence, lifetime achievement, and contributions to our nation’s traditional arts heritage.

ABOUT THE STEP AFRIKA! CREATIVE TEAM

C. BRIAN WILLIAMS (Founder and Executive Producer)

C. Brian Williams is a native of Houston, Texas, and a graduate of Howard University. Brian first learned to step as a member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. – Beta Chapter, in the Spring of 1989. While living in Southern Africa, he began to research the percussive dance tradition of stepping, exploring the many sides of this exciting, yet under-recognized American art form, and founded Step Afrika! in 1994. Williams has performed, lectured, and taught in Europe, Central and South America, Africa, Asia, the Middle East, the Caribbean, and throughout the United States. Through Williams’ leadership, stepping has evolved into one of America’s newest cultural exports and inspired the designation of Step Afrika! as Washington, DC’s official “Cultural Ambassador.”

In 2022, the National Endowment of the Arts designated Williams as a National Heritage Fellow, the nation’s highest honor in folk and traditional arts. He is the recipient of numerous Artist Fellowships; the World Alive! Distinguished Artist Award by Arts Emerson; the Mayor’s Arts Award for Visionary Leadership from the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities; Distinguished Arts Award from the Coalition for African Americans in the Performing Arts; and the Pola Nirenska Award for Contemporary Achievement in Dance. He is also featured in Soulstepping, the first book to document the history of stepping. He also earned the Mayor’s Art Award for Innovation in the Arts and has led the company to multiple Metro DC Dance Awards for “Outstanding New Work,” “Excellence in Stage Design/Multimedia,” and “Outstanding Group Performance.” Williams has been cited as a “civic/community visionary” by NV Magazine, a “nation builder” by the National Black Caucus of State Legislators and a “minority business leader” by the Washington Business Journal. His work is featured prominently at the Smithsonian Museum of African-American History and Culture in Washington, DC.

LAMAR LOVELACE (Executive Director)

As Executive Director for Step Afrika!, Lamar Lovelace is responsible for the organization’s strategy and operations, leading its staff, programs, and the execution of its mission. Working closely with Step Afrika!’s board of directors, he spearheads fundraising, marketing, operations, and long-range planning for the organization. He brings deep expertise from academia and has

managed the organization’s humanities-based partnerships.

In July 2017, Lamar joined Step Afrika! as Deputy Executive Director, where he oversaw the dance company’s communications and marketing strategy, fundraising efforts, and financial operations. Previously, Lamar spent 8 years at Columbia University as Assistant Director in the Office of Community Outreach and Education and Director of Public Programs and Events. At the New York City-based campus, he managed community-based partnerships and special events and produced large-scale, humanities-based programming opportunities to engage students, faculty, and staff.

At Broward College in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, Lamar was Director of Cultural Affairs and Student Engagement, where he created arts-based social justice programs and exhibitions. He holds Master’s degrees in Arts Management and Oral History from Carnegie Mellon and Columbia, respectively, and a BA in Speech and Hearing Science from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Lovelace is a member of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc.

MFONISO AKPAN (Artistic Director)

Mfoniso Akpan has trained extensively in tap, ballet, jazz, modern, African dance, and step. While attending the State University of New York at Stony Brook, she majored in biochemistry and cultivated her stepping skills as a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. Mfon began her training at the Bernice Johnson Cultural Arts Center and has performed at Carnegie Hall, Avery Fisher Hall, the Apollo Theater, the Brooklyn Academy of Music, and Lincoln Center. Mfon toured with the off-Broadway show Hoofin’ 2 Hittin, where she was a featured stepper and dancer.

JAKARI SHERMAN (Director, The Migration: Reflections on Jacob Lawrence) is a passionate choreographer, ethnochoreologist, and performer whose experience extends over 20 years. Rooted in the African American tradition of stepping, his work pushes the boundaries of percussive dance using technology, storytelling, and diverse musical scores. Jakari served as Step Afrika!’s Artistic Director for seven years. He directed Drumfolk, Green is the New Black, and Symphony in Step, among others. Jakari received an M.A. in Ethnochoreology from the Irish World Academy of Music and Dance and is undertaking groundbreaking ethnographic work

related to structural analysis, teaching methodologies and historical archiving of stepping in the U.S. Jakari has lectured on stepping throughout the world, including Greece, Kazakhstan, the U.K., and Belgium.

MARIANNE MEADOWS (Lighting Designer/Production Manager) is a member of United Scenic Artists local 829 with a BA from Sarah Lawrence College, MFA from the University of Washington with additional training at Lester Polakovs’ Studio and Forum of Stage Design, NYC

ABOUT THE COMPANY

KENNETH L. ALEXANDER is a native of Savannah, GA, with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Interior Design from Valdosta State University. First introduced to stepping through the Sigma Beta Club, Kenneth became a proud member of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc., and Delta Phi Delta Dance Fraternity, Inc., where he served as Step and Stroll Master for both organizations, choreographing for various shows and productions. He has trained in hiphop under VYB Dance Company and has taught weekly hip-hop classes in and around the Tampa Bay area. Most recently, Kenneth had the honor of performing at the Super Bowl LV Halftime Show. This is Kenneth’s second season with the Company.

NYA CHRISTIAN is a native of Cleveland, OH, with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science, Sociology, and Dance Arts from Howard University. A proud member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated, she has served as the Alpha Chapter Parliamentarian, Step Mistress, and Stroll Captain. Nya has choreographed performances for Taste of Howard, the White House Initiative on HBCUs, Howard University’s 2022 Homecoming Step Show, and Alpha Kappa Alpha’s 2023 North Atlantic Regional Step Show’s winning number. She has represented Howard’s National Panhellenic Council and her Sorority on Good Morning America for the Black History Month segment “The Story of 9 Historically Black Fraternities and Sororities.” Nya also competed in various World of Dance Competitions and earned 1st place nationally with her former dance team, ELEVĀTED Crew. This is Nya’s second season with the Company.

ARIEL DYKES is a native of Gainesville, FL, with an Associate of Arts in Musical Theatre from Santa Fe College and a BFA in Dance from the University of Florida.

She was introduced to stepping and strolling as a member of the Iota Lambda Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., where she choreographed step routines for her chapter and UF’s National Panhellenic Council. Ariel has trained in Ballet, Jazz, West African, traditional, and post-modern dance, as well as voice and acting. She has worked with notable artists such as Ailey Dancers Nathaniel Hunt and Samantha Barriento, Tony Award winner Scott Coulter, and 2x Grammy Award-winning Gospel artist Smokey Norful. This is Ariel’s third season with the Company.

AGYEI KEITA-EDWARDS is a professional drummer and percussionist who made his debut as a performer at the age of three. With a rich history of performances at venues such as the Brooklyn Academy of Music and the Millennium Stage of The Kennedy Center, Agyei has collaborated with celebrated artists like Sheila E. In 2021, as a choreographer, dancer, and drummer, he performed with Busta Rhymes for the MTV Video Music Awards. Agyei has worked in West African percussion for over 20 years and is a sought-after artist, performing nationally and internationally, including as a guest artist with Step Afrika!. He serves as the Musical Director of Farafina Kan Percussion Ensemble and is known for his spiritually grounded approach to music. Agyei’s motto is, “Do it with excellence or don’t do it at all,” a level of dedication he brings to every performance.

KEOMI GIVENS JR. is a native of Miami, FL, where he trained with Ricardo Dume, Traci Young-Byron, Jakari Sherman, Conrad Kelly II, Tanisha Cidel, Maribel Trujillo, and Robert Battle. He has studied at the New World School of the Arts and The Mahogany Dance Theatre, where he served as Rehearsal Director and choreographer. Keomi has danced with Gravity Dance Troupe and Young Contemporary Dance Theatre (YCDT), and he previously toured nationally with Step Afrika! as a guest artist. In addition to his work as a dancer, Keomi has choreographed for The Marching 100 of Florida A&M University, RickyDanco, and the Booker T. Washington Lady Twisters. This is Keomi’s second season with the Company.

LEANDER GRAY is a native of Washington, D.C., and was a BFA candidate with a Contemporary Dance Concentration at the University of North Carolina

School of the Arts. Leander has performed at the Black Leaves Project, CityDance Creating the Magic Concerts, Art All Night DC, the Elements Urban Arts Collective Annual Showcase, and the DC Youth Freestyle Battle. He has participated in the prestigious Monsters of Hip Hop Intensive and the Kennedy Center Dance Lab and was featured in a music video by Revolution Marz. This is Leander’s first season with the Company.

KAMALA HARGROVE is a native of the Bronx, NY, with a BA in Mathematics, Theater, and Dance from Trinity College. Kamala studied at The Ailey School and Dance Theatre of Harlem and has appeared in various music videos and live performances. She has performed with artists including Estelle, Mr. Vegas, Wizkid, and French Montana. Kamala has also worked as a Teaching Artist in New York City, instructing elementary, middle, and high school students. This is Kamala’s third season with the Company.

LIONEL D. LYLES II, born in Boulder, Colorado, graduated from Morgan State University in 2002 with a major in music education. He founded The Lionel Lyles Quintet, which released its first album, The September Sessions, in 2006. Afterward, Lionel pursued a Master of Music in Jazz Studies with a focus on Saxophone Performance at North Carolina Central University, graduating in 2008. While there, he studied with renowned jazz artists such as Branford Marsalis, Joey Calderazzo, Jimmy Heath, Roy Hargrove, and Brian Horton. The Quintet has since produced three albums: The September Sessions (2006), At The Precipice (2014), and Simplistically Complex (2019). Lionel received multiple honors, including Best Jazz Tenor at the Washington City Paper’s JAZZY Awards in 2015 and Best Performing Artist across all genres in 2016. Lionel is currently the Director of Jazz at Morgan State University, where he continues to perform, teach, and inspire through his dedication to jazz and education.

BRIONA JACKSON is a vocalist, actress, songwriter, and teaching artist reigning from Washington, DC. She graduated from the prestigious Duke Ellington School

of the Arts and earned her B.M. in Vocal Performance from George Mason University. As a multi-generist performer, Briona has starred in a variety of roles across opera, theater, film, and musical tours. Her credits include “One Mo’ Time” (Anacostia Playhouse), “Waldy Street” (Broadway), and “Step” with Kevin Ross (Today Show/National Tour).

TERRENCE JOHNSON is a native of Broward County, FL, with a BA in General Studies from the University of Central Florida. Terrence has stepped with ADIMU: Men of Excellence Step Team and is a co-founder, former president, and performer of the Hazard Step Team. He was inducted into the UCF Chapter of Progressive Black Men, Inc. in 2015. This is Terrence’s second season with the Company.

CONRAD R. KELLY II is a native of Fort Lauderdale, FL, who studied Criminal Justice at Florida A&M University. During his time at FAMU, he performed with the Marching 100 and The Strikers. Conrad later became a soloist for The Rolle Project in Las Vegas and a dance instructor at Studio 305, where he taught hip-hop, contemporary, and jazz. He has won numerous awards as a choreographer and dancer, including being a two-time recipient of the DC Commission on Arts and Humanities’ prestigious Arts and Humanities Fellowship Program. A long-standing member of the Company, Conrad serves as Step Afrika!’s Assistant Artistic Director and recently choreographed The Movement, an epic tribute to Black Lives Matter and the wave of activism in 2020. This is Conrad’s eighth season with the Company.

ABDOU MUHAMMAD, a Washington, D.C. native, began studying West African drumming at the age of two.

Known by the stage name “CleanHandz” for his precise and clean drumming sound, Abdou is a dedicated ethnomusicologist committed to preserving music within its cultural context. His expertise spans performance, research, and education, with a focus on West African culture. Abdou has collaborated with numerous African dance companies in the DMV area, including African Heritage Dancers & Drummers, Kankouran West African Dance Company, and Farafina Kan. He has performed at venues such as BAM, The Kennedy Center, Howard University, and the Paramount Theater in Texas (now Stateside Theater),

as well as museums and universities across the nation. As the founder of Takes a Village Learning Services, Abdou continues to share his extensive knowledge and skills with learners worldwide.

ISAIAH O’CONNOR is a native of Miami, FL, with a BS in Biology from Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University. A student of hip-hop, modern, and urban soul, Isaiah has previously stepped with the Strikers Dance Troupe under the direction of Shepiro Hardemon. This is Isaiah’s third season with the Company.

VALENCIA ODEYKA EMONNI SPRINGER is a native of Brooklyn, NY, with a BA in Elementary Education from Virginia Union University. Valencia is a proud member of the Nu Chapter of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority Inc. and the Eta Psi Chapter of Tau Beta Sigma National Honorary Band Sorority, where she served as the first “Stand Queen” (captain) with the Ambassadors of Sound Marching Band. Previously a student of Restoration Youth Arts Academy, Valencia has performed with Forces of Nature, Dance Africa (Brooklyn), and as part of a live installation entitled “A Primordial Place.” She has also worked as a social studies and science teacher, dance teacher/ coach, guest choreographer for local New York and Virginia majorette teams, and as a model for New York and Richmond, Virginia, fashion weeks. This is Valencia’s sixth season with the Company.

ERICKA STILL is a native of St. Petersburg, FL, with a BS in Health Science, Pre-Occupational Therapy, and a Minor in Rehabilitation Management from Florida A&M University. Ericka previously stepped with AKAdemy Exquisite Gems and studied under the direction of Paulette W. Johnson and Shepiro Hardemon as a member and Co-Assistant Artistic Director of Mahogany Dance Theatre. This is Ericka’s third season with the Company.

BRIE TURNER is a native of Lithonia, GA, with a BA in Strategic, Legal, and Management Communications from Howard University’s Cathy Hughes School of Communications, where she graduated magna cum laude. During her undergraduate career, Brie became a

member of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority Inc., serving as president and nurturing her passion for stepping. She also pursued a minor in Theater Arts Administration, rising to captain and co-captain roles in the Howard University Bisonettes Dance Ensemble. Brie has dedicated over 10 years to technical dance training, studying under various professionals, and working with numerous companies. This is Brie’s third season with the Company.

JOSEPH VASQUEZ hails from Guttenberg, NJ, and has received a bachelor’s degree in Exercise Science from Rutgers University in New Brunswick, NJ. In college, Joseph danced with the Rutgers Bachata Performance Team, where he choreographed and led the team for four years. He is a member of Lambda Sigma Upsilon Latino Fraternity Incorporated, the first Latin fraternity to step and stroll, and The Revels Stroll Team, where he was led by former team captains Francisco Pozo and Carlos Zapata. This is Joseph’s third season with the Company.

PELHAM WARNER JR. is a native of the Bronx, NY, and has a BA from Dutchess Community College. Pelham is a member of The Order of the Feather Fraternity, where he served as the team’s Step Master and captain for five years, and has previously danced with The Players Club Steppers. Pelham has worked as a dance instructor in the greater New York City area and recently performed in the a cappella musical The Movement by Kathy D. Harrison at The National Black Theater Festival. This is Pelham’s sixth year with the Company.

ROBERT WARNSLEY is a native of Chicago, IL, with a BS in Information Technology from Illinois State University. A member of the Eta Tau chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., Robert served as the step and stroll master for four years and has organized, competed in, and placed first in numerous step shows. He partnered with the Boys & Girls Clubs of America, where he routinely taught students how to step, and he actively participates in community service projects in Chicago. Robert also studies, practices, and teaches dancehall and various Afro styles in the Chicagoland, DMV, and NYC areas. This is Robert’s sixth season with the Company.