Education & Community Engagement > Meet our Artists

Awal Alhassan

Awal Alhassan is a master dancer and musician from West Africa. Born in Tamale, Ghana and raised by a traditional drumming and dancing family, Awal has worked throughout Africa both independently, and with some of Ghana's most revered performance groups, such as: the Ghana Dance Ensemble, the National Theatre of Ghana, and the Center for National Culture Dance Troupe. Awal specializes in several percussive instruments, including Djembe, the Kpanlogo drum, the "talking drum" called Luna, and bass drums called GunGon. He began studying the music and dance of his native Ghana, West Africa at the age of five. His primary music education was with with Center for National Culture of Ghana and the National Theatre of Ghana. He now resides in the Seattle and is the founder of Sohoyini Music & Dance Company, which performs locally and internationally. Awal teaches ongoing classes, workshops, and residencies regularly across Europe, Canada, and the United States.

Daniela Armendáriz

Daniela Armendáriz (she/her) was born in Mission, TX, but raised in the beautiful Mexican State of Chihuahua and moved to the Pacific Northwest in 2001. She started dancing at a very young age in her father’s dance company and attended Univesidad Autónoma de Chihuahua- Instituto de Bellas Artes (Chihuahua State University). Daniela obtained her BA in Art (Dance Education) when she was only 17 years old and was in many dance companies in Mexico and the USA. In 2009 she joined Bailadores De Bronce as a dancer and later on as a choreographer. In 2013 Daniela was invited to be a guest dance instructor in Herencias Mexicanas and now currently works as their Artistic Director and President. Daniela enjoys Mexican Folk Dance, sports, reading, listening to music, and spending time dancing with her two kids. She loves to share the history of all dances and show others the richness of Mexican culture.

Daniela Armendáriz (ella) Nació en Mission, Tejas, pero creció en el hermoso estado de Chihuahua, México y se mudo a Seattle en el 2001. Daniela empezó a bailar desde temprana edad en la compañía de baile de su padre. Recibió su Licenciatura de Arte en Educación de Danza de la Universidad Autónoma de Chihuahua- Instituto Bellas Artes a los 17 años. Daniela ha bailado con varias compañías en México y Estados Unidos. Se unió a Bailadores de Bronce en el 2009 como bailarina y después como coreógrafa. En el 2013, Daniela fue invitada a ser maestra de danza con Herencias Mexicanas y fue Directora Artística hasta el 2018. Daniela disfruta enseñarles, a sus hijos Danza Folklórica Mexicana, deportes, leer, escuchar música, y pasar tiempo con sus hijos. Ama compartir con otros la historia de los diferentes bailes tradicionales y la riqueza de la cultura mexicana.

Maud Arnold

Known as one of “Tap’s Leading Ladies” and cover girl for Dance Spirit magazine’s Tap issue, Maud Arnold is a member of the female tap band, Syncopated Ladies, widely known for viral videos that have accumulated over 50 million views. The most successful being their tribute to Prince and their cover of Beyoncé’s Formation, which Beyoncé shared on all of her social media and then hired Syncopated Ladies to perform at her Ivy Park active wear clothing line launch at TopShop, London. Maud also performed live with Syncopated Ladies on ABC’s Good Morning America, The Ellen Show with Pharrell Williams and N.E.R.D and sold-out concerts in Los Angeles, Dubai, New York City and Washington, DC, receiving rave reviews in The New York Times and more.

Maud has quickly become a sought after teacher, judge and performer worldwide. Mentored and trained by Debbie Allen, Maud has taught at Debbie Allen Dance Academy in Los Angeles and Allen’s Dance Institute in Texas. Further to teaching in the USA, Maud has taught tap dancing and Afro-Funk in Dubai, Brazil, Japan, Spain, Haiti, United Kingdom, Mexico, Canada, Croatia, Ukraine and Russia.

Maud’s other Television Credits Include: BET Experience: 106 and Park, The Late Late Show With James Corden, HBO’s Boardwalk Empire, Switched at Birth, Secret Talents of the Stars as a featured dancer with Mya, The Today Show and Syncopated Ladies winning Season 11 of FOX’s So You Think You Can Dance: Dance Crew Battle. Maud can be seen in national commercials and print ads for Toyota, GAP and CANTU and has worked with Beyoncé on several commercials and music videos.

Maud is the co-director and producer of the critically acclaimed DC Tap Festival, pioneering new experiences for dancers and artists worldwide and with her sister Chloé Arnold they were recognized by the US House of Representatives as arts preservers and ambassadors.

Maud is also a female entrepreneur that holds a degree from Columbia University and oversees Chloe and Maud Productions and their many entities including their clothing lines: I LOVE TAP and UniLove as well as their tap dance workshops, after school programs, and youth tap company, #NoFilter: Sole Talk.

Kirsten Barron Kinney

Kirsten Barron Kinney graduated cum laude from the University of California, Irvine where she earned her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Choreography and in Dance Performance. While attending UCI, she was a member of Donald McKayle’s modern company Etude Ensemble and Fresno Ballet. She has taught, choreographed, and performed in the Seattle Area for the past 20+ years. Currently, she teaches full-time at Gotta Dance and is the director of the performing team. Kirsten has enjoyed being a part of STG programs Dance This Intensive, Camp and Performance, as well being a teaching artist for the STG Dance for PD®️️ program. Kirsten's dance background includes Ballet, Modern, Contemporary, Lyrical, Jazz, Tap and Hip Hop.

Deborah Birrane

Deborah Birrane (she/her) has a B.A. in Social Work and M.F.A. from the University of Arizona. Deborah has danced in companies in AZ, PA and WA as well as being the Director, Choreographer, Dance Educator and Dancer of Deborah Birrane Dance with Unexpected Company (’99). Her works have been passionately embraced by audiences in Eastern Europe, Israel Canada, China and the U.S. Since 2009, she has performed as a solo artist, via commissioned works. Deborah was invited to St. Petersburg, Russia for a week’s workshop to share the powerful experience of creative movement for children to dance teachers. Currently Deborah is Teacher for Dance for Parkinson’s and Dance with Life. She also works at the YMCA of Greater Seattle as a certified Lifestyle Coach for Diabetes Prevention, Chronic Pain and LiveStrong as well as teaching Yoga. She is a Radiant Health Yoga® certified teacher.

Etienne Cakpo

Etienne Cakpo (he/him) is an award-winning professional dancer, choreographer and musician from Benin, West Africa. He is specialized in instruction and performance of traditional African dance from Benin as well as contemporary African dance styles, and has been building his dance repertoire for nearly thirty years. He is director of Gansango Music & Dance, a dance company registered in Washington State. Gansango works closely with public libraries, schools and independent arts agencies locally and nationally to make performance of dance and music from Africa available to a wide range of audiences, including young children. This year Etienne was honored with the 2020 Dance Educator of the Year Award from DEAW (Dance Educators Association of Washington).

GANSANGO MUSIC & DANCE presents traditional and contemporary dance and music from West Africa – drawing on the stunning talent of multicultural dancers and musicians. Gansango is directed by Etienne Cakpo, originally from Benin and now a choreographer and teacher based in Seattle, Washington. Gansango company collaborating artists perform regularly in the Seattle area, nationally and internationally for audiences of all ages. The company performances fuse music and movement from across the African continent, drawing heavily from the dance and music traditions of Benin, Ghana and Togo, among other countries. More information about Gansango Music and Dance is available at https://gansango.com or contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Sinae Cheh

Sinae Cheh (she/her) is the Artistic Director for Morning Star Korean Cultural Center, where she has been sharing Korean culture with the local community and around the world since 1985. She started dancing with Morning Star at the age of 5 and never stopped. With Morning Star, Sinae has choreographed and produced numerous shows, performed in 27 countries, at over 2500 events. Outside of Morning Star, Sinae has taught Korean dance and music in Boston, New York, and Minnesota for special programs and events, and was also commissioned by the Korean government to share Korean culture in various cities. Sinae is grateful that she’s been able to share her passion through Morning Star.

The MORNING STAR CULTURAL CENTER is committed to enriching the lives of those we encounter through artistic expression, educational opportunities, and cultural appreciation. We proudly serve a global community to promote awareness and encourage positive cultural exchange.

Marianne Chikos

Marianne Chikos trained at Pacific Northwest Ballet and the School of the Richmond Ballet, and danced with Charleston Ballet Theatre, Sacramento Ballet, and the Ruth Rosenberg Dance Ensemble, a Sacramento based modern dance company. During her time in northern California, Marianne taught ballet extensively to students of all levels and ages. It is through Ruth Rosenberg that Marianne was introduced to the Mark Morris Dance Group’s Dance for PD® program; she attended teacher training with David Leventhal in Davis, CA in 2011 and began teaching for Seattle Theater Group shortly thereafter. Marianne lives in Seattle with her husband and two children. She loves the opportunity to spark creativity and share the joy of movement with Dance for PD® participants each week.

Niecey Chong

After spending over a decade in Los Angeles, Niecey is back home in Seattle and excited to share her experiences with the next generation of dancers. She is a Monsters of Hip Hop alumni and a past faculty member of the beloved Debbie Reynolds Legacy studios. Niecey has had the privilege of training under Chonique & Lisette, Marty Kudelka, Galen Hooks, and completed her training in commercial acting at Killian's Workshop and improv at United Citizens Brigade.

Her past credits include Amazon Prime Day Commercial, Budweiser Commercial, Target Commercial, Nickelodeon's "How to Rock", Magic Mike, and Fox's "Mobbed".

Danny Gallardo

Daniela (Danny) Gallardo (she/her) is originally from Mexico. Her love for music and dancing started at a young age leading her to be one of the principal dancers at the music festivals in her school. She then got invited to create her first choreography at the age of 15 where she discovered her passion for teaching. Daniela’s salsa background started in 2009 giving her the opportunity to dance in Canada and Mexico. Soon after, she got invited to join a team back in Mexico where she was able to discover new skills, which in turn led her to grow as a dancer. As soon as she moved to Seattle, WA, Daniela got invited to join “La Clave Cubana” team and right away she started performing and traveling around the US. La Clave Cubana developed her skills as an instructor, which has given her the opportunity to share her knowledge and love for dancing to everyone from kids to adults. She also works as a Teaching Artist and has taught for STG’s Disney Musicals In Schools program for several years. Daniela is now the Co-Director of “La Clave Cubana” and teaches alongside Reinier Valdes at their dance academy and at Congresses all over the US sharing her passion and talent everywhere she goes.

Daniela (Danny) Gallardo (ella) es originaria de México. Su amor por la música y danza empezó a temprana edad y la llevo a ser una de las bailarinas principales en festivales musicales en su escuela. Daniela fue invitada a coreografiar cuando tenia 15 años y es así donde descubrió su pasión por dar clases. Su trayectoria en Salsa empezó en 2009 cuando tuvo la oportunidad de bailar en Canadá y México. Poco después, fue invitada a ser parte de un equipo de danza en México donde tuvo la oportunidad de descubrir nuevas habilidades, y eso la llevo a crecer como bailarina. En cuanto se mudo a Seattle, WA, Daniela fue invitada a unirse al equipo de “La Clave Cubana” y empezó a presentarse y a viajar alrededor del país. En “La Clave Cubana” Daniela desarrollo su habilidad como instructora y maestra, y eso le ha dado la oportunidad de compartir su conocimiento y amor por la danza con todo el mundo desde niños hasta adultos. También ha trabajado como Artista-Docente con los Musicales de Disney en las Escuelas con STG por varios años. Daniela es la Co-Directora de “La Clave Cubana” y da clases junto con Reinier Valdes en su academia de danza y en congresos en todo el país donde puede compartir su pasión y talento ha donde vaya.

Naomi Glass

Naomi Glass (she/her) enjoyed a decade-long career as a Soloist with the Houston Ballet, where she was nominated by Ben Stevenson, OBE, to represent Houston Ballet for the Princess Grace of Monaco Award. Amongst Naomi’s favorite works were those of Stanton Welch, Jiri Kylian, Trey McIntyre, George Balanchine, Nacho Duato, William Forsythe and Sir Kenneth MacMillan. Naomi has taught in every dance sector, including serving as faculty at the Houston Ballet Academy, University of Houston, and Cornish College of the Arts. Naomi is delighted to manage Pacific Northwest Ballet’s DanceChance program and to as serve as PNB School faculty. It is her great honor to teach STG Dance for PD® classes, in which she is continually inspired by the compassion of her colleagues and the creativity of the dancers within her classes. Naomi holds a Bachelor of Science degree and is completing a Master of Arts in Education.

Akoiya Harris

Akoiya Harris was born and raised in Seattle, Washington and is an alumni of Garfield High School. She is in her first season as a company artist with Spectrum Dance Theater. Akoiya is a graduate of The Ailey School’s Certificate program and has attended summer intensives at The Ailey School and Dance Theater of Harlem. While at Ailey, Akoiya worked with master teachers such as Milton Myers, Ana Marie Forsythe, Renee Robinson, and Mathew Rushing. Akoiya has also had the opportunity to perform works in the AAADT repertoire such as Grace by Ronald K Brown, and excerpts from Mr. Ailey’s Night Creature and Revelations.

Heather Harris

Heather Harris was born in Seattle, Washington and began her training at the Cornish School of the Arts. She furthered her studies at the Joffrey Ballet School in New York. She has studied with Joffrey, Complexions and Spectrum Dance Theater. Heather has performed with the Joffrey Concert Group, Ballet El Paso, Aluja Brazilian Dance and Spectrum Dance Theater. She currently teaches in the Spectrum Dance Theater School under the direction of Donald Byrd. She is the proud mother of two daughters and continues to teach and do dance outreach at several Seattle schools.

Deborah Kenner

Deborah Kenner received her BFA from the University of Arizona on a full academic and dance scholarship and a MS in Kinesiology from A. T. Still University. Ms. Kenner performed professionally with Colorado Ballet, David Taylor Dance Theatre and State Street Ballet. She holds a Pilates certification through the Pilates Method Alliance (PMA), specializes in neurological disorders, barre training through Balanced Body, and has been certified in Progressive Ballet Technique (PBT). Ms. Kenner is also part of the Balanced Body Faculty to train Pilates Instructors.

Jess Klein

Jess graduated from Cornish College of the Arts with a BFA in dance magna cum laude after studying at Reed College and the London Contemporary Dance School. Jess has studied yoga for 20 years with luminaries Kathleen Hunt, Shiva Rea, Dharma Mittra and Mittra Rawat. In 2018 she received a grant to further her studies in Rishikesh, India. Jess teaches at Velocity Dance Center, the Gage Academy of Art and at UPrep, where she’s been on the Fine Arts Faculty for 12 years working with students in grades 6-12. For two decades Jess has danced with many notable choreographers and companies including the Seattle Opera, Pat Graney, Macklemore, Molly Scott, Rainbow Fletcher and more. In Seattle she has performed at On The Boards, Velocity, Seattle Art Museum, McCaw Hall, MoPop and Chop Suey. She has toured work to the Southern Theater, PICA's TBA Festival, the Myrna Loy Center, Dance Theater Workshop, the Joyce Theater, American Dance Festival, Colegio San Jose in Barranquilla, Colombia and the ArtDanThe Festival in Paris, France. In 2015 she performed with Mark Haim's piece This Land Is Your Land which was named "one of the most influential works in the past 15 years." -Dance Magazine.

Nikki Long

Nikki is a California native but has lived and danced all over the country and in other parts of the world. She is a mother of two, professional dancer, choreographer, photographer, Pilates instructor & is a current vacation swing for Aladdin Broadway and 1st National Tour, and assists in the casting of Aladdin on Broadway & it’s touring companies. She is an original cast member and dance captain for Aladdin on Broadway. She was formerly a cast member of Disney’s The Lion King Broadway and 1st National Tour, Monty Python’s Spamalot 1st National Tour (original cast), and a Radio City Rockette in NYC. Her regional theater credits include Elf, Cinderella, Catch Me If You Can, On The Town, White Christmas, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, and Mame. She is a former dancer for Gloria Estefan, Toni Braxton, and Monica. Other highlights include performances on The Tony Awards, Good Morning America, The View, The American Music Awards, The Image Awards, The Today Show, Regis & Kelly, 106 & Park, Nightline and various music videos and commercials. Nikki teaches and choreographs locally at various theatres, universities, and schools.  Most recently choreographing at Shoreline Community College (Little Shop of Horrors), The University of Washington (various master classes), Cornish School of the Arts (Jesus Christ Superstar), Cafe Nordo (Champagne Widow: Spring 2019), The 5th Avenue Theatre (Associate Choreographer for Ragtime and Annie), and will be one of the choreographers in the Village Theatre’s upcoming season.  She has a B.A. from Santa Clara University, with a double major in Spanish and Dance, and an International Business minor.  

Nia-Amina Minor

Nia-Amina Minor is a movement artist and dance educator from South Central Los Angeles. She studied at the Debbie Allen Dance Academy, received her BA from Stanford University, and holds an MFA in Dance from UC Irvine. Nia-Amina's work is interdisciplinary focusing on the body in social, political, and digital contexts. Through dance, she investigates black realities through the intersection of movement, memory, and rhythm. In 2014, Nia-Amina co-founded No)one Art House, a Los Angeles based multi-disciplinary collective. She is currently in her fourth season with Spectrum Dance Theater as a Company Dancer and Community Engagement Artist Liaison.

Ana Montes

Ana Montes is considered to be one of the finest female flamenco dancers in the U.S., and beloved flamenco teacher and choreographer to both adults, children and youth. Ana's students learn musicality, discipline, focus, the importance of setting a high standard of excellence in both their dance and everything in life, and just expressing the pure joy and fun of dance! Ana studied flamenco in Sevilla and Madrid, with many famous flamenco artists, including El Ciro, La Tati, José Galván, El Guito, and then performed in Spain and around the world professionally in flamenco dance troupes for 7 years. Ana now has been teaching and performing in the Seattle area for decades. Ana is known for her powerful and charismatic presence onstage, her graceful and elegant arms and hand movements (which in part defines the female flamenco dancer), yet still containing that tension and passion which makes flamenco so exciting, her incredible rhythm in both her footwork and her "palmas" (percussive clapping) .... she has been called "a master of rhythm" , and has many times brought audience members to tears and unexpected emotion. One audience member wrote to her, "that was the most #! awesome thing I have ever seen! It brought chills to my spine!" , and another wrote "Ana Montes' dancing was, as closely as I can describe, nearly transcendental and had an effect on me that I could never anticipate or understand. This is surely the height of performance dance." Olé Flamenco!

Pia Monique Murray

Pia Monique Murray is known as a jack of all trades in the dance industry, having been a choreographer, performer, teacher, arts administrator, stage, tour/company manager, and rehearsal assistant. She has worked with nora chipaumire, Jawole Willa Jo Zollar, Paloma McGregor, Dianne McIntyre, Blondell Cummings, Vangeline, Katsura Kan, Pedro Ruiz, and Michelle Gibson in various capacities. Pia has been a teaching artist for Camille A. Brown & Dancers, Urban Arts Partnership, Dreamyard Project, Brooklyn Arts Council, Dancewave, and Mark DeGarmo & Dancers. As a Lincoln Center Scholar, she obtained a master’s degree in dance education from Hunter College and graduated with high honors as a member of the National Honors Society for Dance. Pia performs contemporary dance with RAKIA!, traditional dance from Côte d’Ivoire with Vado Diomande’s Kotchegna Dance Company, and leads Pia Monique Murray Dance Collective (PMMDC).

As an educator Pia's pedagogy combines art education (expanding student experiences through various art media) and aesthetic education (engaging with works of art through various learning modalities). By creating, performing, responding, and connecting to dance, students learn to apply tools, skills, and concepts in various situations in order to achieve a goal or express an idea. Pia's classes do not just develop strong and flexible dancers, but more importantly smart dancers that can apply their acquired skills to any endeavor they pursue in life.

Daniel Nery Dos Santos Filho & Aileen Panke

Daniel and Aileen's story began in Daniel’s native city of Salvador, Brazil where they met in 2004 studying dance. They shared a dream of opening a studio which offered a place to build community and promote cross-cultural understanding through their love of dance. Daniel has been studying, performing and teaching Afro-Brazilian dance and Capoeira for 24 years and holds the rank of Mestre in Capoeira. With much enthusiasm, Daniel joyfully shares his native Afro-Brazilian culture through Capoeira and dance, two of the most significant artistic expressions of Black Brazilian culture. As a native New Yorker, Aileen began her dance training at an early age and advanced her studies at Broadway Dance Center, Steps and Phil Black. She performed and choreographed with local theatre productions and expanded her studies to include Afro-Cuban, West African, Salsa, Tango, Orixa Dance Movement and the Silvestre Technique in New York, Seattle, Brazil and Argentina. Aileen’s charisma and enthusiasm radiates her belief in dance as an art form which allows expression, joy, balance, and the cultivation of cross-cultural understanding through a common corporal language. In 2008 Daniel and Aileen married and moved to Seattle. They have worked diligently over the past 10 years to create Bahia In Motion and their Capoeira school: Moringa de Barro. In June 2012, they opened Balance Studio where they currently teach Brazilian Dance and Capoeira classes.

Ayanna Omar

Ayanna Omar (she/her) is a Seattle based dancer/choreographer trained in hip hop, house, modern, tap and ballet. She currently coaches for Purple Reign Dance at Washington Middle School and works for Northwest Tap Connection, a dance studio that focuses much of their work through the lens of race and social justice. Ayanna has participated in STG’s DANCE This and in the nationally recognized dance number by the legendary Donald McKayle "Shaker Life" in 2017 at the Moore Theatre. Her credits include participation in Hamilton's mixed tape "Immigrants (We Get The Job Done)" choreographed by Shakiah Danielson, the GROOVEMENT, and various dance performances through Northwest Tap Connection.

Kara O'Toole

Kara O'Toole is thrilled to be a Dance for Parkinson's teaching artist. She and her family currently live in Tacoma where she teaches dance to diverse populations at the Tacoma Urban Performing Arts Center and the Tacoma Art Museum. Kara has been on faculty in the Dance Departments of the University of Washington, the University of Memphis, George Mason University, and Cornish College of the Arts. She was the Executive/Artistic Director of Orcas Center on Orcas Island and before that she was the Executive/Artistic Director of Velocity Dance Center. As a performer, Kara danced professionally in the work of many notable choreographers including Jose Limon, Bebe Miller, Mark Morris, Vaslav Nijinsky, Paul Taylor, and Pat Graney. She holds an MFA in Dance from the University of Washington and a BA from Mount Holyoke College.

Lex Ramirez

Lex Ramirez (she/her) is a Latinx teaching artist, performer, choreographer and arts administrator from Oakland, Ca.  Lex created and runs STG Young Ambassadors, a program aimed at removing financial barriers so that youth from diverse backgrounds have the opportunity to learn about career paths in the arts while getting fairly compensated.

Additionally, Lex teaches Hip Hop dance classes for Velocity Dance Center and Westlake Dance Center. Her main mission is to make dance accessible and less intimidating to all people so that they can experience the joy of movement. She mainly focuses on introducing beginner adults to the world of Hip Hop dance and running Drop Squad, a crew open to dancers of all experience levels. Lex has also choreographed live sets and music videos for local musicians.

She values community, authenticity and equity above all else. Connect with Lex Ramirez on Instagram or Facebook at @lexsmoove or visit her website at www.lexramirez.com.

Moeifaga “Lorna” Sailiai

Moeifaga “Lorna” Sailiai is an original member of the dance group NIU Roots. NIU Roots consisted of middle and high school Polynesian students from both Seattle and Highline school districts who performed cultural dances from the islands of Samoa and Tonga.Lorna participated in several events sponsored by STG such as performing in More Music @ The Moore and DANCE This for 2 consecutive years and had the honor of being on stage with the legendary Sheila E.

Ellie Sandstrom

Ellie Sandstrom, a Seattle Magazine "Spotlight Award Winner" and Velocity Dance Center's "2016 Dance Champion", is originally from Minneapolis, where she began her movement training with Minnesota Dance Theater and later BalletArts Minnesota. She has studied various forms of dance technique, body conditioning, composition, improvisation and performance at dance festivals and schools across the country including Cornish College of the Arts, where she received her Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Dance.  

Ellie worked and toured with dance companies locust and Scott/Powell Performance from 2000-2010. Her choreography, under the name SANDSTROMMOVEMENT, has received funding from the Seattle Office of Arts & Culture and from Artist Trust. Her work has been produced locally and nationally by organizations such as On the Boards, Velocity Dance Center and Perpich Center for the Arts, and commissioned by Seattle Dance Project, Creative Dance Center and Washington Ensemble Theater, among others. She has been teaching contemporary styles and dance performance to middle school and high school students at The Northwest School in Seattle since 2006 and was the Dance Department Chair from 2013-2018. She has been a Teaching Artist for STG's Dance This programming since 2007.

Sheree Seretse

Sheree Seretse (she/her) graduated from the University of Washington and studied the world of Zimbabwean Music and dance through Dr. Dumisani Maraire. Sheree was instrumental in developing several performing ensembles through the Langston Hughes Cultural Arts Center. Seretse has also taught at a number of locations including multiple schools in the Northwest, Northeast and Canada. She is currently teaching at the Spruce Street School in Seattle and Jewish Day School in Bellevue. Sheree is the music director of Anzanga, Zambuko and Simba Marimba Ensembles. Sheree’s mission is to make the music known and accessible for all ages by inspiring and highlighting the rich culture of the Shona people of Zimbabwe.

ZAMBUKO MARIMBA ENSEMBLE performs traditional and contemporary marimba of Zimbabwe. The music is joyful to listen to and very conducive for dancing. Zambuko has been performing for over 10 years throughout the Northwest.

SIMBA YOUTH MARIMBA ENSEMBLE has been together for about 8 years with members ranging in ages from 13-18. The group has performed throughout Washington and Oregon.

Elise Walker

Elise Walker fell in love with dance at the age of 3 in Chesapeake, VA. Throughout the next 17 years of her life, she studied many forms of dance from ballet, pointe, modern, jazz, and hip hop at Woodinville Dance Academy under the tutelage of Julie McMurray and various other instructors. Throughout her adolescence, Elise participated in several seasons of Seattle Theatre Group’s Dance This and Global Dance Party productions, working with Sonia Dawkins, Daniel Cruz, and Mark Morris’ Joe Bowie. Upon graduating from high school and completing the Running Start program, she attended Cornish College of the Arts for a year to continue studying dance before completing her BA at the University of Washington Seattle. At Cornish College of the Arts, Elise had the pleasure of receiving instruction from former Ailey II company dance member Iyun Harrison as well as Wade Madsen, Patricia Hon, Lodi Mclellen, and Michelle Miller. In college, she performed in two seasons of The Black Nativity from 2009-2010 – spending 2009 working with the late Kabby Mitchell III and 2010 working with Donald Byrd. In 2016, Elise attended the Hubbard Street Dance Chicago intensive to work with former Hubbard Street Dance company members Penny Saunders and Pablo Piantino. Elise then joined the contemporary jazz company 3rd Shift Dance in Seattle where she not only spent 4 seasons as dancer, but also created her work To Build A Home on the company in 2019. Elise has developed a love for teaching youth of all ages. She began her 8-year teaching journey by spending 4 years teaching modern at Northwest Tap Connection and transitioned to teaching another 6 years at Woodinville Dance Academy teaching ballet, pointe, jazz, modern, and hip hop. Elise is honored to be a part of the teaching staff for Ailey Camp this summer and looks forward to sharing her love of dance with her future students.

Gaynell Walker

Gaynell T. Walker (she/her) is a former elementary teacher and retired elementary principal. She taught Kindergarten, 4th and 6th grade and was Principal of a Title I K-6 school all in the Kent School District. She holds a Bachelor of Arts and Teacher Certification from the University of Washington. She holds a Masters of Education and Principal Certification from Seattle University. Gaynell also has a passion for dance which began as a teen. Her dance training was under the supervision of the late Dr. Darrlyn Smith, owner and artistic director of TTAAPP Central Studio. She has participated in trainings with the late Cholly Atkins and Diane Walker at the New York Dance Festival. Currently Gaynell works with former owner and artistic director of Ewajo Centre, Edna Daigre, focusing on health and wellness through dance. She has performed at events sponsored by the Central Area Senior Center, MLKFame Community Center, Dance This 2015 and with the Women's Steel Pan Band at Folklife Festival 2016. Gaynell also taught low impact dance classes for healthy aging participants and was a guest dance instructor for an STG student workshop teaching dances of the Motown era.

Tracey Wong

Tracey Wong 黃麗塋 (she/her) is a queer Chinese-American dancer, educator, and community space holder. She was born and raised on Duwamish Land/ Seattle, WA in The SouthEnd by her loving refugee and immigrant parents. Tracey takes pride in representing her city and wishes to inspire and hold community spaces that empower many, especially queer, women, and communities of color.

Tracey is the co-director of Malicious Vixens, a dance crew and sisterhood of Asian American women that creates work with the values of joy, community care, and collaboration. Her current work centers on community care and building a strong & sustainable virtual community with her peers through her online classes and gatherings — Honey n Sensualitea, Waacking/ Whacking class, and Wacking Open Mic Nights. She also is the Program & Communications Manager and an artist mentor at Totem Star, a community-based organization that empowers youth voice through mentorship and making music that allows for the youth to honestly express themselves.

Tracey has founded many community arts organizing events such as Queen of the Hill, an all-ladies dance event series and Punk N Funk, Seattle's largest Waacking/ Whacking battle. For the past 3 years, she has also been a co-organizer and host for Sweet 16, an annual international open-styles dance jam that happens in her favorite neighborhood, Seattle's Chinatown-ID.

Yoshi Wright

Yoshi Wright has been a professional dancer and choreographer for 15+ years. He started his dance journey as a Bboy with Seattle based crew, Art of Movement. In 2011, Yoshi moved to Los Angeles where he spent 9 years working in the professional dance industry. Yoshi has worked on and choreographed for multiple Music Videos, Television Shows, Commercials, World Tours, Corporate Events and has been fortunate enough to dance for artists such as Britney Spears, Ariana Grande and Selena Gomez.

Yoshi hopes to provide a fun and supportive environment for dancers of all levels to learn and grow in his class.

Angie Bolton

Angie Bolton (she/her) has been an instructor with the STG Dance for Parkinson’s program since it began in 2008. She is an ACE certified instructor teaching Fitness for Living, a program she developed at Spectrum Dance Studio The class is focuses on people 40 years old and up. Some of her students are in their 80’s and many of them have exercised with her for over 10 years. Angie is an actress, singer, dancer and teaching artist. She is performer with Tickle Tune Typhoon an award winning children’s and family music group. Angie came to Seattle to study with the Bill Evans summer institute in 1979 and decided to stay. In the 40 years living here she has been a teacher for Powerful Schools and numerous other school residencies. Angie has performed for the Bathhouse Theatre, Alice B. Theatre, Village Theatre, Mirror Stage, Seattle Public Theatre, Arts West and numerous other venues.

Niyafath Cakpo

Niyafath Cakpo is an Afrobeat dancer from Benin Republic and has been teaching Afro beat in Seattle since 2017. Niyafath discovered her love for dance after arriving in the States at the age of 14. Her father’s company Gansango helped her unfold her passion for dance which led her to discover her love for Afro beat. Afro beat is a diverse style originating from Sub Saharan Africa. It is an evolution from Traditional African dance styles following the creation of Afro beat music. Throughout Niyafath’s dance career, she performed in Canada as an open stage dancer for one of the Nigeria biggest Artist “Burna Boy”. Besides performing, she teaches beginners and advanced level afro classes in different studios in Seattle and is looking to merge into teaching all around Washington and around the world. As she started to grow in her dance career, she decided to gravitate into her other passion which is her love for social work. Niyafath graduated with her Masters in Social work from the University of Washington. She strongly believes in the importance of human relationship and has the ability to address social problems while serving people in need. She’s incredibly passionate about the improvement of child and family conditions, especially for families experiencing complex circumstances mental health decline, poverty, and environmental barriers. She strives to empower individuals to become the best versions of themselves. She strongly believes in equity, advocating for silenced communities and working alongside those communities to implement strategies that will be successful. Niyafath believes in Dance Movement Therapy and is looking forward to merge both her passion to assist communities in need and her love of dance.

Shakiah

Shakiah is a Seattle-based emcee and choreographer. She enjoys fusing different genres of music and dance to broaden the scope, language and usage of hip-hop. As a choreographer, Shakiah saw over the Hip Hop program at NW Tap Connection and with that group her piece, "Hell You Talmbout", went viral with its pressing and vital message. As an emcee, she has collaborated with Gabriel Teodros, Rell Be Free, Debra Kendrick and more. Shakiah is inspired by her community in the South Sound and Tacoma area. Listen to some of her work on Spotify.

Kyle Danielson

Kyle is a Seattle based spoken word artist with Restoration of the Arts (ROTA) a non-profit performing arts organization (under the direction of Debra Kendrick) that utilizes the creative expression of the arts to reach the community. He enjoys the creative element of raw truth and transparency interlaced within his spoken word pieces. His artistry is intense, revelatory, relatable and provocative. He has an undeniable ability to use his art to capture emotions and confront your inside voice.

QuiQui Dominguez

Marquicia Dominguez (they/them), known as QuiQui to most, is a Director, Actor, and Teaching Artist in the Seattle area. In 2012 they received a B.F.A in theatre from Cornish College of the Arts and in 2018 received a Master’s in Education: Applied Behavior Analysis Programing and Instruction from Arizona State University. QuiQui has worked with companies such as ACT, Book-It, Greenstage, Seattle Repertory, and Seattle Shakespeare Company. Outside of teaching, QuiQui is a Licensed Assistant Behavioral Analyst where they use theatre and creativity to teach life skills to individuals with autism. Their desire is to create inclusive arts programs for all individuals, no matter that individual’s abilities.

Sydnii Hodge

Sydnii Hodge (she/her) started dancing when she was four years old and has maintained a love of the arts ever since. In her youth she participated in the productions of MAAFA put on by the Sankofa Theater and Macbeth put on by the UW Actors Group. She has been working with kids younger than her since she was in high school, mentoring middle school students to do better in school and extra-curricular activities. All while staying active in the arts by participating in Honor Choir as well as school plays. After graduating she worked in the educational field as an after- school program assistant through Puget Sound Educational Service District. She has found her passion in teaching and helping to inspire a love of dance and the arts in our youth. For the past two years she has spent her summers as a Group Leader for STG's AileyCamp.

Sadiqua Iman

Sadiqua Iman is a space holder, a director, teacher, healer, and performing artist. She founded the non-profit organization Earth Pearl Collective, a queer black woman social justice arts collective dedicated to healing communities through creative collaboration. Her most recent project was directing August Wilson’s Gem of the Ocean at Chattanooga Theatre Centre in Tennessee in January 2020. Sadiqua Iman earned her Master's of Fine Arts in Arts Leadership at Seattle University and was awarded the 2019 Arc Fellowship award by 4Culture and used the funds to establish Nile’s Edge Healing Arts.

Nakeya Isabell

Nakeya Isabell is a native of Seattle, WA. She is one of nine children. She uses her voice, creativity, and compassion to spread hope. Nakeya is a former student athlete participating in basketball. She is a Cleveland High alum (2004) and Pepperdine University alum (2009). Currently, her title is a Case Manager and Success Coordinator at Cleveland High School. Nakeya continues her community outreach speaking within organizations utilizing her art to inform, motivate, and encourage. She released a spoken word album entitled “Love, Justice & Truth.” Nakeya says “I’ve had the opportunity to travel the world." The greatest gift has been connecting with people and creating safe spaces. My aspiration is to create impactful art that gives vision and words to my thoughts and experiences. My goal is to inspire generations to use their voices and be the pillars for our communities. Our stories are imperative to history. I will live full so that I can die empty. @nakeya.isabell, @nisabell3, FB: Nakeya Isabell

Aishé Keita

Raw vulnerability, exquisite poise and wide emotional range are some words used to describe Aishé Keita on stage. Aishé is a two-time award-winning actress. She is based in Seattle, WA but has been seen on stages throughout the US. Aishé appeared in Seattle Magazine's 2019 issue as must-see artist. Where she also received recognition for her work at Seattle Repertory Theater and The Guthrie Theater for the co-production of Familiar by Danai Gurira. Aishe's first solo show, Griot, produced by Earth Pearl Collective premiered in 2018 and still tours today. She holds a B.F.A from Cornish College of the Arts in Original Works (playwriting, acting, directing) with a minor in applied theater. Aishé has taught healing through creative expression at Gig Harbor Women Correctional Facilities for five years and currently teaches acting/improv to first year students at her alma mater, Cornish.

Neve Mazique

NEVE (they/he) is a multiply Disabled multigender femme fop mixed-race {Indigenous} Black Choreographer/Dancer, Composer/Singer, Writer/Actor, Painter/Model, Hoodoo Voodoo Magician, and Performance Artist based in Duwamish (Seattle) and other Unceded Coast Salish Territories (Puget Sound), though they hail from other waters, growing up in occupied Lenni Lenape land (New Jersey). NEVE creates body-based storytelling through a mixture of dance, music, and theatre particularly for people with body, space, and place-based trauma, in order to continue our true evolution towards liberation. Vice President/President-Elect of the Dance Educator’s Association of Washington. Selected participant in the Intiman Theatre Emerging Artist program 2018 and 2020, cast in ensemble devised THE RACE 2020. 2020/21 Pina Bausch Fellow for Dance and Choreography. Anarchist, Abolitionist, AntiCapitalist. Unitarian Universalist. Vodouisant. Cofounder of Access-Centered Movement, Mouthwater, and Lover of Low Creatures LLC. Neve is currently an arts writer contributing poet at The South Seattle Emerald. He has also been published in Curve, The Black Scholar, Everyday Feminism, and MaximumRockNRoll among others. Levar Burton, Reading, and Rainbow Lover. Great Great Grandchild of the Author of The Velveteen Rabbit. A river fairy and a merqueer and chip of hard sap shimmering down to the bottom if there ever was one. They love drinking wine, tea, water, tears, other fluids, and sinking into the dance. He is not afraid to rescue you from the sunken place or assist you in seeing her more clearly. They are polyamorously gay married, and they talk to animals, including their two King Charles Spaniels, but the talking to animals came first and shed light on future relating. Much like the aforementioned rabbit, they are magic, mutable, and real.

Follow them and support on:

Instagram, Twitter, Patreon, Facebook, YouTube

@nevebebad & nevebebad.com, AllMyLinks.com/nevebebad

Rachel McKinney

Rachel McKinney (she/her) is a Seattle native and currently a student at Greenriver College. Her passion for dance started at the age of five. She was a member of the young performing company, Totally Tap Kids. Her love for dance grew and she began to study all types of dance from ballet, modern, hip hop, and African but her main focus was rhythm tap. Rachel is currently a tap instructor at Northwest Tap Connection. She has performed at Floripa Tap Festival in Brazil, Cross Cultural Exchange trip in Barbados, Chicago Human Rhythm Project, Kennedy Center in Washington DC, and STG’s DANCE This and Global Party. She has also been a member of Youth Tap Ensemble, Color Lines Dance Ensemble. Over the 17 years of dancing, Rachel has trained under Pamela Yasutake, Shaina Mitchell-Proctor, Alexander Jackson, Dormeshia Sumbry-Edwards, Jason Samuel Smith, Diane Walker, Chloe Arnold, Shakiah Danielson, Dani Long and numerous others. Rachel loves working with young kids and sharing her passion for dance.

Tia Nache` Yarbrough

Seattle Native, Educator, and Spoken Word artist Tia Nache` has been sharing her gift of truth and power throughout the Seattle community and beyond for almost two decades. Her passion for social justice and spirituality often serve as themes for many of her poetic pieces. As a teaching artist, Tia Nache’ has facilitated and led a number of professional developments and trainings for school districts, and community organizations. She is a believer of speaking truth to power and being a living example of the message, she shares.

A dynamic orator, Tia Nache’ has shared the stage with a number of national recording Artist, as well as Social Media influencers. Whether its writing tributary poems for gospel icons like, The Clark Sisters or Marvin Sapp, opening for Dr. Maya Sotoro Ng, (Barack Obama’s Sister) or KevOnStage Studios, Tia Nache` is using her voice to influence the heart of others. A deep passion for social justice and community, Tia Nache` served as one of the community organizers and leaders, for the “We Want To Live” March & rally, attended by more than 10,000 people, gaining national attention during the protests that swept the nation on the heels of the country’s racial reawakening in 2020.

Her artistic style and performance presence has earned her the respect and admiration of her peers. Her voice is only rivaled by the weight of her message. Her poetry transforms and transcends space, leaving those who listen longing for more.

Currently serving as an assistant principal for Seattle Public Schools, she is also an advocate for education and youth voice. When Tia Nache` is not writing and performing, she is spending time with her loving husband and three daughters. She is in the process of releasing her children’s book, and a work of selected poems in the Spring of 2021.

Aaron Reader

Aaron Reader, an Oakland native is a practitioner, poet, activist and educator, with extensive experience in diversity, equity & inclusion in higher education. He has served higher education in a number of capacities over the last decade from teaching, presenting on social justice and education equity, and currently is the Vice President of Student Services at Highline College. In addition to his work in higher education he has a passion for poetry and spoken word. Aaron has been identified as workshop leader, facilitator and speaker for colleges, summits and conferences. Aaron has been recognized as a local spoken word artist who has a powerful, emotional, real, and conscious style.

Den’ea Simone

Den'ea Simone is the Co-Programmer and Production Stage Manager for the long running Seattle Parks and Recreation, Teen Summer Musical. Ms. Simone has more than 20 years experience with Stage Managing theatre productions and concert shows for National musicians such as Gerald Albright, David Sanborn, Sheila E., Boney James, Marcus Miller, the late great George Duke and more. Den'ea is a board member of the high school dance competition, Bubblin' Brown Sugar as well as the Event Coordinator. Extending her insight of Seattle’s talented youth, she serves as a consultant to the Seattle Seahawks Dance Teams' annual camp. In 2018 the socially conscious rap group, Black Stax, granted Den'ea Simone the opportunity to accomplish a longtime dream of becoming a Tour Manager.

Ms. Simone resides in her hometown of Seattle with her husband, Francis Williams and their three children.

Nina Williams-Teramachi

Nina Williams-Teramachi (they/them) is a Japanese- American multidisciplinary artist and educator originally from Sapporo, Japan and Portland, Oregon working in Seattle. Nina recently worked on multiple shows as part of the Edinburgh Fringe Festival and Dublin Fringe Festival in the UK and had their Off-Broadway debut with the Obie-Award winning production, Suicide Forest. Nina also works with students on a variety of different styles of theatre and visual art all across various residencies across Washington state. Nina believes that students of all backgrounds should be represented in the materials and be presented an opportunity to create their own stories and let their lives inform their work. More at NinaWilliamsTeramachi.com

Travis Corwin

Bio coming soon!

Justin S Davis

Justin S Davis is one of Seattle’s most in demand guitarists. Initially known for his work as the lead guitarist for Star Anna and the Laughing Dogs, Justin has gone on to perform with some of the world’s finest musicians, including Mike McCready and Matt Cameron of Pearl Jam, Shawn Smith of BRAD, Santana’s drummer Michael Shrieve, Alan White of YES and The Plastic Ono Band, Brendan Hill of Blues Traveler, Howard Leese of Heart, Chad Channing of Nirvana, the Seattle Symphony, and many others. Justin has been a featured performer on the stages of Benaroya Hall, McCaw Hall, The Paramount, The 5th Avenue Theatre, The Moore, The Neptune Theatre, The Showbox, and he has toured the U.S.A. many times, both with his own bands and as a hired sideman.

In addition to his busy performance schedule, Justin loves teaching music and is passionate about the craft of songwriting. Teaching is fulfilling, joyful work that he has done with success since 1999 and has been, for him, a constant reminder that music is a gift. “When a student reaches past a previous goal, writes a first song, or their eyes light up with a sudden new understanding, it makes everything feel fresh again for me too,” Justin says. “I feel incredibly grateful to be able to teach and share with my students.”

Justin is the author of The Guitar Player’s Notebook, a theory primer for creative guitarists, and his formal musical training includes having earned a BA in Music from Central Washington University for classical guitar performance, Jazz guitar performance studies at Cornish College of the Arts, and Flamenco guitar lessons with Miguel Serrano in Salamanca, Spain. Justin’s most valuable training, however, comes from being out there, writing music and performing. It’s his real-world experience that is often the biggest benefit to students who want to become professional musicians, or who just want to sound better when jamming with friends.

Learn more about Justin online at JustinSDavis.com.

Art Koshi

Art Koshi is a pianist from Honolulu, HI, who has been accompanying ballet and modern dance classes since 1997. Art works as a dance accompanist for Cornish College of the Arts, Seattle Theatre Group, The University of Washington, Dance Fremont, and All That Dance. In addition to the piano, he plays percussion, guitar, and bass. Art has had the honor of being the musician for AileyCamp since 2016. He has also accompanied improv theater groups such as Jet City Improv and On the Spot, with whom he’s performed in improv festivals throughout the US in Honolulu, Chicago, Austin, & Arizona.

Mashud Neindow

Mashud Neindow - Born in Tamale, Ghana, Mashud arrived in the United States through the Homowo African Arts and Culture from Accra. A drummer since the age of six, Neindow was a member of the National Dance Company of Ghana for 13 years. He started building drums at the age of ten, learning from his father and continues this tradition today when he is not performing. He has toured all over the world. Highlights include Africa Contemporary Festival in Nigeria, Expo 2000 in Germany, the 1996 US Olympic Games, and the Harare International Festival in Zimbabwe as well as performances for President Bill Clinton, Dr. Maya Angelou and The Queen of England. Neindow now resides in Portland, Oregon with his wife and children, where he continues his family tradition of Lunga (Talking Drum) drumming music. This is Mashud's 4th year teaching at AileyCamp.

Angela Rinaldi

Angela has been a dance musician in the Seattle area since 1979 at Pacific Northwest Ballet, Cornish College of the Arts, University of Washington, Spectrum Dance Theater, Dance Fremont and the Summer Dance Lab at Whitman College, to name a few. As a trained dancer, herself, Angela's extensive dance background has given her great insight as an accompanist. She has been a musical theater Teaching Artist since 2003 at Seattle Children’s Theater and has been accompanying Dance for Parkinson’s classes for the past 10 years. Along with performing professionally as an actor, she has composed over 250 songs for Variety Plus Theater, which she cofounded with her husband in 1995 - www.varietyplus.org. As a recording artist, she has four Ballet CDs available in iTunes, Apple music, Spotify, etc., along with original Meditation Music on You Tube. She is a proud Union Member of Musician’s Association Local-76.

Aria Storm

Aria Storm was born in Pasadena, CA and currently resides in Seattle, WA. She holds a BA in the Composition and Theory of Music from UCLA, where she also studied modern art. She has enjoyed being a multi-instrumentalist dance musician since 2000, working with Seattle Theater Group, various dance studios and Universities across the west coast. She is a singer/songwriter/producer, currently working on her third album with husband Kai Ariel, performing and recording as the duo Ariel Storm. Aria is an abstract painter, having sold her works through cafes and galleries. You may view her paintings and listen to her original music at www.arielstorm.com.

Maria Boxhill

Maria Boxill is a licensed Mental Health Counselor Associate (LMHCA), Maria has an MA in Counseling Psychology from Northwest University. Maria walks alongside youth and adults to address trauma through a multicultural / social justice lens. Maria’s counseling experience results from many years of service to and within marginalized communities in various inner cities around the world. Maria believes that wholistic attunement is key to healthy development of individual and communal identity. She works tirelessly to increase understanding about and to deconstruct systems that hinder advancement while increasing a sense of healing, self-awareness, and resilience.

“We are not created to exist in isolation. When we are at our best, we serve as beacons of hope shining light on lessons learned and experiences weaving a beautiful tapestry of endurance, determination, pride, unity, and hope.” – Maria Boxill (LMHCA, MACP)

Elba Moise

Elba Moise is a bilingual Afro-Latina and proud daughter of immigrant padres de Haiti y El Salvador. Born and raised in Houston Tejas, she is an education PhD student at the University of Washington (UW), and works for UW’s Center for Teaching and Learning. She is an actor and facilitator for UW's Theater for Change Program, which uses Theater of the Oppressed, an interactive theater approach, as a pedagogical tool creating transformational learning experiences around systems of power and privilege. She has worked with youth and adults, locally and abroad, for several years. For Elba, educación is a liberating tool that can guide learners to increase consciousness of positionalities and societal issues for change. Elba cares for the souls of students and acknowledges students’ diverse lived experiences as assets to the classroom.

Anuhea Brown

Anuhea Brown is an emerging actor, playwright, and activist earning her Bachelors of Fine Arts in Theatre with a notable minor in Playwriting and Directing at Cornish College of the Arts. Notable collaborations include Seattle Shakespeare Company, Live Girls Theatre, and One Coast Collaboration. Her new work has been workshopped at Live Girls Theatre as well as Cornish College of the Arts' Annual New Works Festival in 2019. Anuhea's original work focuses on creating stories for marginalized communities such as the brown queer experience. Anuhea Brown is a proud Hawaiian Portuguese Filipino womxn that hopes to decolonize theatre and create a theatrical space that is fearless, daring, and inclusive.

Samantha Canela

Samantha Canela (she/her) is a proud mixed latinx artist-creative-type and San Diego native currently exploring South Korea as an English teacher, learning about the world, and deepening her work as an educator. She’s a graduate of Cornish College of the Arts where she majored in Theatre with an emphasis in Original Works. Her most recent projects include assistant directing both Juan Palmieri with Thriving Artists and El Niño de Cabeza/The Upside Down Boy for Book-It’s educational tour. As a performer, she was last seen playing Medjo in The Great Inconvenience with Annex theatre and understudying for The Prince in The Little Prince at the Seattle Children’s Theatre. Additionally, Samantha has worked as a Teaching Artist for Seattle Theatre Group's Disney Musicals In Schools.

Faith Howes

Faith Howes (she/her) is a theatre educator and performer who has taught and performed with theatre companies across the United States and internationally in Canada, Japan, India, and the UK. She’s worked with companies such as Showstopper! The Improvised Musical, Disney Theatricals, Warner Bros. Pictures, The Brit School, Seattle Repertory Theatre, and Seattle Children's Theatre. Faith is passionate about arts education, arts outreach, and improvised musical theatre. faithmargarethowes.com

Cassidy Huff

Cassidy Huff (she/her) is an eighteen-year-old actress, singer-songwriter, best-selling author, and voice-over artist from Seattle, WA. Cassidy has performed on stages all over the world, including the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles and Lincoln Center in New York City, and she is looking forward to pursuing her BFA in Musical Theater at AMDA in Los Angeles starting in the Fall of 2020! Cassidy has participated in several of Seattle Theatre Group’s (STG) programs and events including performing with Maya Rudolph at the DOORS Fundraiser in 2019, performing in More Music @ The Moore in 2019, participating in the Young Ambassador cohort for two years, and volunteering with the Sensory Friendly Performances at The Paramount Theatre and STG + MCP In Hospitals (a partnership with Melodic Caring Project). Cassidy is thrilled to be continuing her journey with STG through the Broadway Inclusion Program as a Teaching Artist! Cass has recently become a best-selling author with a book that she co-authored called Becoming An Exceptional Leader, and you can catch Cass in the new season of Dreamworks “Spirit Riding Free: Riding Academy” available on Netflix.

Amberlee Joers

Amberlee Joers (she/her) endeavors to build and support greater equity, accessibility, and inclusion in the arts through her work as an arts administrator, teaching artist, and theatre artist.

Most recently, she was Seattle Theatre Group's (STG) Education Manager, overseeing programs such as Disney Musicals In Schools, a free musical theatre program for Title I elementary schools in partnership with Disney Theatrical Group, and the Broadway Inclusion Program, a free musical theatre program for disabled and/or neurodivergent community members of all ages and their families and caregivers. Her other work at STG includes collaborating with Teaching Artists to create a free library of digital arts content for STG's Art Sessions program, supporting Sensory Friendly & Inclusive Performances in partnership with Sensory Access, creating theatre arts programming for refugee students in partnership with the International Rescue Committee (IRC), and STG+MCP (Melodic Caring Project) in Hospitals program that brings local and national artists to hospital patients.

Amberlee recently served on the Education Materials Team in collaboration with Seattle Children’s Theatre to create a free Active Audience Guide for A Kids Play About Racism, which includes curated activities as a resource for families to learn and engage on the topic of racism. She has also facilitated professional development workshops and events for educators and teaching artists and has taught with Seattle Children's Theatre, Village Theatre's KIDSTAGE program, and Youth Theatre Northwest, among others.

She received her B.A. from Oklahoma State University and is a graduate of Washington's Teaching Artist Training Lab and Creative Dance Center's Summer Institute for Teachers, which focuses on brain compatible methodology through movement. Amberlee strives to foster arts environments and experiences where people can connect, create, and celebrate.

Adrienne Mendoza

Adrienne Mendoza (she/her) is a theater and opera stage manager based in Seattle. She is passionate about equity and inclusion, and bringing those values to the spaces she’s in. STG Credits include: More Music at the Moore 2020, DANCE This 20th Anniversary (2018), DANCE This 2019, Disney Musicals in Schools 2019 (Seattle Theater Group). Other credits include: Public Works: As You Like It, Nina Simone: Four Women, Here Lies Love (Seattle Rep); The Elixir of Love, Charlie Parker’s Yardbird, Eugene Onegin, The Falling and the Rising, The (R)evolution of Steve Jobs (Seattle Opera); And in This Corner: Cassius Clay, The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, Mwindo (Seattle Children’s Theatre); The Hunchback of Notre Dame, Kiss Me, Kate, Mamma Mia!, Holiday Inn, Ragtime, Paint Your Wagon, A Night With Janis Joplin, How to Succeed in Business... (5th Avenue Theatre)

Mara Palma

Mara Elissa Palma (she/her) is a teaching artist, writer, and multi-passionate person. Originally from the Philippines, she calls Seattle and Los Angeles home. Mara’s teaching experience includes the Unusual Suspects Theatre Company, Center Theatre Group, Seattle Theatre Group, and Seattle Public Theater. She earned her Bachelor of Arts Degree in Theatre Studies and Political Science at Wellesley College in Wellesley, MA. She is also a Creative Consultant, which means she helps aspiring artists how to figure out if a creative career is their calling in order to set up a firm foundation for a long fulfilling career, write their own hero’s story, and learn how to have a productive conversation with family and friends. Connect with her: www.marapalma.com @marapalma.creative

Teague Parker

Teague M. Parker (he/him) is an actor, playwright, improviser, producer, and teaching artist. A graduate from Western Washington University, he received a BA in Theatre with concentrations in Acting and Playwriting. He founded Come Up Productions which highlights up-and-coming artists, while bringing Free Theatre & Live Events to the Washington community. As a teaching artist, he brings Improv for wellness workshops/classes/training to various groups, organizations, and people looking to develop a better love and awareness of themselves. Teague has performed around the country and internationally in plays such as Topdog/Underdog by Suzan-Lori Parks, won the KCACTF Region VII Award for best full-length play, and provides Improv workshops & masterclasses ranging from local theaters including Seattle Theatre Group, Seattle Children’s Theatre, and VillageTheatre: Kidstage, to graduate programs such as University of Florida. His goal is to unite artist and audiences to form mindful communities.

Brodrick Santeze Ryans

Brodrick Santeze Ryans (He, Him) is currently serving as the Education Coordinator at Seattle Children’s Theatre, supporting the Drama School, Community Engagement and Arts Based Learning Programs. Brodrick is a current 2020 TYA/USA Emerging Leader in TYA Fellowship. He is an arts leader, actor, teaching artists and podcast founder and host. His podcasts TIMEOUT w/ Brodrick is dedicated to bridging the gap between BIPOC culture, creative art forms and educational theatre. Brodrick strongly believes in the work of arts education. “It is through arts education that we can inspire, direct and implement creative change in young people and how they move through society. It is our job as artists and educators to help young people tell their stories.” Brodrick’s background as a performer helped him to morph into the position of teaching artists and coordinator. He has worked as the Operations Coordinator for the School of Social Work at The University of Alabama, a tour director and actor for Missoula Children’s Theatre, and as a professional freelance actor and artist. Brodrick holds a degree in Behavioral Sciences and Humanities from The University of Mobile, where he took classes focusing on Music, Theatre, Education, and Communications. Some of his past credits include; The Wiz, Dreamgirls, Disney’s Newsies, Footloose, Ragtime, Carmen Ghia in The Producers, Major Metcalf in Mousetrap and Sweaty Eddie in Sister Act. “Our future success is dependent on the work that we are doing with young people now.”

Instagram: @i3rodier – Personal; @timeoutbrodrick – Podcast; @blacksouthernvegan – Foodie Brodrick’s Podcast Links: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | SoundCloud

Brad Walker

Brad Walker (he/him) is an actor, director, and teaching artist. Seattle born and raised, he is an alumnus of the University of Washington, where he studied Theatre and Communications. Brad has directed shows with Second Story Rep, Pork Filled Productions, Burien Little Theater, and school plays at Bryant Elementary, McDonald International, and Sacajawea Elementary. While Brad loves to direct, he works predominantly in theatre as an actor. He has performed with Seattle Children's Theatre, Book-It Rep, Taproot Theatre Company, Village Theatre, Harlequin Productions, and StoryBook Theater. He currently teaches with Seattle Theatre Group’s Disney Musicals In Schools program and collaborates with educators to create sustainable theatre arts programs. www.walkerbrad.com

Jazz Brown

Jazz Brown is an autodidact who uses acrylic paint to create vivid, expressive compositions. His artistic approach presents intense vibration through contrasting hues, shapes, and textures. He is inspired by both the Minimalism art movement and the Bebop jazz offspring from the 1960s. Brown describes his technique as "consciousnesses on canvas."

Inquires can be made via This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Romson Regarde Bustillo

Romson Regarde Bustillo is a Pacific Northwest Artist with a rich layered background. Born in the Philippines on the large multi-ethnic/multi-faith island of Mindanao; his family immigrated to the United Sates in 1978. He is a 2018 Artist Trust Fellowship recipient.

Instagram @romsonbustillo

Ari Glass

Ari Glass is a painter and designer born and raised in Seattle. He currently lives and works in Seattle’s South End, one of the most culturally diverse places in the United States. In his works, Ari tells a story about his ideas of “The King” and “The Kingdom.” He deals with concepts and stories of historical and fictional kings, queens and deities that he feels a personal connection with. The idea is that everyone is a sovereign ruler in their own kingdom, empowering the artist and the viewer. Ari uses gold as his primary medium, the element that has represented royalty and divinity since time immemorial. As a self-taught artist, Ari regularly demonstrates how art has a positive effect on people in Seattle and the world right now. Ari has shown work at Gallery 2312, Bellevue Arts Museum, King Street Station, The Paramount Theatre and The Pacific Tower, painted prominent murals in South Seattle and taught classes at The Center School, Franklin High School, Seward Park Clay Studio and more. He has been creating artwork his whole life and will never quit.

Inquires can be made via This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Aramis O. Hamer

Aramis O. Hamer is a visual artist and muralist living in Seattle, WA. Her subject matter is inspired by the cosmos, music, nature, divine femininity, and the complexities throughout the Black culture. From a very young age she always loved to create, but at the age of fifteen she discovered her love for acrylic paints. With the supportive art community in the Pacific Northwest, Aramis has been able to exhibit her colorful creations at many different exhibitions in the greater Seattle area- including the EMP Museum, Paramount Theatre, Martyr Sauce Gallery, Columbia City Gallery, and more. In 2019, she was awarded the Cornish College of Arts Neddy Award in the painting category. As a self-taught artist, Aramis lets the pull of her imagination be her guide. Her adventure is just beginning, and she invites others to join her on this journey.

Learn more about Aramis’ work at aohamer.com.

Margie Morris

Margie Morris is a Raven/Frog clan Tlingit from Alaska who is currently a resident in the Pacific Northwest. She has been hand making elk hide drums with her intricate and detailed form line designs for over 30 years. In addition, Ms. Morris has been studying with master artists and cultural leaders in the areas of song, dance, carving and regalia making. Her work is found in Native Artist Markets in Washington State including at Folklife Festival, Daybreak Star, Evergreen State Community College Longhouse, Duwamish Longhouse, Kirshner Museum, Celebration in Juneau, Alaska Federation of Native in Anchorage, and in New York and DC at the National Museum of the American Indian. She loves creating new designs and to remind people that, “ Natives are not the past; We are still here and carrying on our traditional art.”

For more information, please contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Jessica Rycheal

Jessica Rycheal is a multi-disciplinary Storyteller, Photographer, and Creative Director from Macon, Georgia. Her work embraces vulnerability as an act of resistance, as she weaves themes of healing, resilience, and self-preservation across a loom of visual arts and spoken word. She has been featured in the Northwest African American Museum, Bainbridge Island Museum of Art, NPR, Seattle Times, and City Arts Magazine.

Learn more about Jessica’s work at jessicarycheal.com.

Maria Luisa Guillen Valdovinos

Maria Luisa Guillen Valdovinos (Poesia Mariarte) (she/her/they) is a visual creative thinker/artist, illustrator & graphic designer, writer, educator, art therapist and Indigenous Rights observer in environmental, food, and social justice movements. Based in occupied Coast Salish Territories with Art ingrained in cultural experience; she graduated in 2010 from the University of Washington in Bio-Cultural Anthropology with a minor in Women, Gender & Sexuality Studies. Maria was born in Zihuatanejo, Guerrero Mexico and after studying graffiti in Lima, Peru in 2009 with Jorge Miyagui & drawing flowers in Biology projects, began building creatively in cultural political movements. A Published Writer featured in “Chapter 9: Travels of a Diaspora Community: From La Sierra Madre Y Tierra Caliente to the Pacific Northwest” MEXICAN-ORIGIN FOODS, FOODWAYS, AND SOCIAL MOVEMENTS: A DECOLONIAL PERSPECTIVES, The University of Arkansas Press 2017; and an academic publication “Xin Fronteras” with Seattle Journal for Social Justice Seattle University School of Law. Maria loves flowers and all things creatively expressive.

Angelina Villalobos

Angelina Villalobos, pseudonym 179, grew up in Seattle, Washington within a mosaic of cultures and ideas. Having been raised Americanized Mexican Catholic, Angelina’s work mixes the elements of her upbringing along with her interests to create a very unique style exclusive to her personality. Angelina received her Associate of Applied Science from Seattle Central Community College Graphic Design Program in 2008, but discovered she liked the tangibility of creating art by hand rather than the distant world of computers. The inspiration for her body of work are stories humans have created to explain the unknown; tales about animals and their wit especially peak her interest. In combining these elements, Angelina creates a fairy-tale land filtered through the eyes of an anime and comic book lover.

Learn more about Angelina's work at onesevennine.myportfolio.com.

Tariqa Waters

Curator for RE:DEFINITION: Born in Virginia, Waters developed an early interest in oil painting. Self-taught, she started working as a muralist while in Sicily where she lived from 2003–2007. Returning to the States, she began exhibiting work in Washington DC and Atlanta. Tariqa relocated to Seattle in 2012, where she opened a gallery in the historic arts district of Pioneer Square showcasing underrepresented artists called Martyr Sauce. Waters’ own artwork has been garnering support and critical acclaim in the region and abroad. In 2016, her popular solo exhibition, 100% Kanekalon: The Untold Story of the Marginalized Matriarch, exhibited at the Northwest African American Museum. In spring 2017, she was featured in issues of Rolling Stone France and Madame Figaro magazines, while that summer Martyr Sauce became a Cultural Partner to the Seattle Art Fair where Waters was a featured speaker. That same year Waters was nominated for the prestigious James W. Ray Distinguished Artist Award and she was awarded the Conductive Garboil Grant. In 2018, she received the Artist Trust Fellowship Award. She is one of the founding co-curators of STG’s RE:DEFINITION Gallery.

Junko Yamamoto

Junko Yamamoto is a visual artist born and raised in Tokyo, Japan. She graduated from Cornish College of the Arts in Seattle with Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree Cum Laude in 1999. Her main medium has been oil painting; she also produces printmaking and mixed media installations.

Recent past and present exhibitions include, an installation at ART at King Street Station in 2019-2020, Out of Sight 2017, an installation at OFF THE WALLS at Seattle Asian Art Museum, an installation at Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum in 2018. Junko is a recipient of the Emerging Artist Award from Allied Arts Foundation in 2017, Artist Trust GAP Grant 2015 and Pratt Fine Arts Center Professional Artist Residency in 2015. She is going to be participating Cornish Incubation Residency as a member of Art Beasties in January of 2020.

Learn more about Junko’s work at junkoyamamoto.com