Photo by Antoine TempÈ

Christal Brown (choreographer, educator, performer, writer, activist) is a native of Kinston, North Carolina and received her BFA in dance and minor in Business from the University of NC at Greensboro.  Upon graduation, Brown went on to tour nationally with Chuck Davis' African-American Dance Ensemble and internationally with Andrea E. Woods/Souloworks.  Immediately following those experiences Brown performed with and managed Gesel Mason Performance Projects while apprenticing with the Liz Lerman Dance Exchange in Takoma Park, MD. Upon relocating to New York Brown apprenticed with the Bill T Jones/Arnie Zane Dance Company before finding a home with Urban Bush Women; where she spent three seasons as a principal performer, community specialist and apprentice program coordinator.  Aside from performing Brown is the Founding Artistic Director of INSPIRIT (formerly Women @ Work) a performance ensemble and educational conglomerate dedicated to  bringing female choreographers together to collaborate and show new work, expanding the views of women of all ages, and being a constant source of inspiration to its audience as well as members.  Founded in 2000 INSPIRIT has been honored to show work at Aaron Davis Hall, St. Marks Church, Joyce Soho, The Lincoln Theater of Washington, DC, and various other venues across the country.  Combining her athleticism, creativity, and love for people, and knack for teaching Brown continues to teach and create works that redefine the art of dance and the structure of the field. 

DeWanda Wise
DeWanda is a native of Columbia, MD. Upon graduating from high school as a Maryland Distinguished Scholar in the Arts, she attended NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts. There she performed in theater productions of Electra, The Death of the Last Black Man in the Whole Entire World, Love Suicides at Schofield Barracks, and the student devised pieces Unspoken, the Ism Project, and Re/Rites. In film and television DeWanda co-starred in Soul Mates written and directed by Philip Jones, Steamroom by Kyle Schickner, and she will also be seen as Claudia Thompson in the upcoming indie Spinning into Butter. She has also been a guest star on Law and Order: Criminal Intent. DeWanda is a Tisch scholar award recipient, and graduates in the Spring of 2006 with a BFA in Drama and Metropolitan Studies.

Toni Renee Johnson
Toni Renee Johnson is a native of Plainfield, New Jersey.  She is a freelance artist:  performer, choreographer, dance educator who holds a BS degree in Communications from Drexel University in Philadelphia and an MFA degree in Dance with honors from Florida State University.  She studied dance on scholarship at Drexel University and Florida State University, spent a summer at the Ailey School, earned a merit scholarship to Bates Dance Festival as well as apprenticed with Urban Bush Women  in 2006.  She has had her choreography commissioned at the Alabama Shakespeare Festival and Drexel University. Currently, Toni Renee is Artistic Director of her company:  BOLDE (Breath of Life Dance Experience) for which she creates socially conscious work to underscore the human experience.  Toni Renee performs with Blacksmith’s Daughter, under direction of Nia Love and is excited to be in her first season with INSPIRIT.

Juri Nishio
Juri Nishio was born and grew up in Tokyo Japan, graduated from Nihon University of Art (Majoring in Drama). Juri finished the International Student Independent Study program at the Ailey School,  in 2006. Juri is happy to be in her second year with INSPIRIT and also feels very thankful for unconditional support and love from her family.

Jema Taylor
Jema Taylor, from Lake Park, Fl., is a graduate of North Carolina School of The Arts. She began her dance training under the fabulous direction of Joan Miller at Palm Beach Ballet Center. While in attendance at NCSA, she worked with Alberto del Saz, Scott Rink, Kraig "Bopi" Patterson, Neta Pulvemacher, and Andrea E. Woods. Jema is very thankful to be in her third season of Inspirit Dance. She would also like to thank her parents, her sister, Matthew, and Christal Brown for their love and support.

Sharon Manuel
Sharon Manuel, born and raised in Cleveland, Ohio, moved to New York in January of 2006, and has been privileged to dance with INSPIRIT since.  Manuel received a BA in History and Theater Arts (2002), and subsequently an MFA in Contemporary Danc (2004) from Case Western Reserve University.  While the majority of her training has been Graham-based technique; having performed in major works by Martha Graham, Diane Gray, and Pascal Rioult, she has immensely enjoyed this foray into new territory.

Melana Lloyd
Melana L. Lloyd is a native of Lafayette, Louisiana.  There she began counting out rhythms at PJ's School of Dance.  She was a member of the high school dance team, receiving recognition from the state of Louisiana and Universal Dance Association.  At age 16, she was introduced to contemporary modern dance and has not stopped since.  Ms. Lloyd performed provocative multimedia work with of Moving Colors Productions in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.  She thanks Garland Goodwin Wilson for opening the door to a career as a dancer; and for providing the opportunity to work with choreographers such as Joe Allegado, Stephen Wynn, Irene Rampino, Palo Zustiak and more.

In addition to a Bachelor's of Science in Education, she also possesses a Master of Fine Arts degree in dance from New York University. She currently teaches Kindergarten at .S. 56 and performs with Ase Dance Theater Collective, directed by Adia Whitaker and Inspirit Dance Company.  She thanks God for his continuous lessons and blessings, all those who have crossed her path, and Ms. Brown for warmly providing her an opportunity to continue dancing.

Beatrice Capote
Beatrice Capote, West New York, NJ, is a graduate from The North Carolina School of the Arts. She began her dance training at Amarylis American Dance Center in New Jersey.  Then she continued her training at Alvin Ailey American Dance Center Junior Division Program.  She has studied and performed works during her dance training by Camille Brown, Kevin Wynn, Milton Myers, Oliver Steele, Dianne Markham, Troy Powell, Ruth Barnes, Craig Patterson, Paul Matteson, Jenn Nugent, Ellen Commendador, and Denise Jefferson.  Ms. Capote is currently teaching in various after school programs and is delighted and blessed to have joined the company.

Laurie Taylor
Laurie Taylor is the best of so many worlds; part collard greens, part fufu and palm butter. She has been blessed to re-enter the dance world via training in Toronto with Ballet Creole, under the direction of Patrick Parson. She has also been graced by the tutelage of many great teachers and choreographers in the Baltimore/Washington metropolitan area and is pleased to be a movement performer with INSPIRIT. She owes great honor to God, who allows her to live, love, dream and touch souls through movement.
 

Alex Houston
Alexandra Joye Houston is a native of the Washington, D.C. Metro area.  She began her intense training as a dance major at Suitland High School for Visual and Performing Arts.  She is also a 2003 graduate of Spelman College and a 2006 graduate of University of North Carolina at Greensboro’s M.F.A. in Dance Performance.  This is Alexandra’s first season with INSPIRIT and is grateful to be working with such amazing women.

Samara Gaev
New York based dancer actor and educator, Samara Gaev began her dance training at the Hampshire Dance Academy in Northampton, Massachusetts and continued her studies at the Five College Dance Department. Samara received a BA from New York University's Gallatin School of Individualized Studies. She also lived in Brazil and traveled to Cuba to study both contemporary and folkloric dance traditions.  Samara has trained with Ron K. Brown, Garth Fagan, Bill T.Jones, Urban Bush Women, Jose Limon Co. She has performed works by Marcia Daiter, Julio Letao, Nia Love, JoAnna Norris and Shani Collins. She has toured with The Beat to Zimbabwe where she taught and performed at the Harare International Festival for the Arts.  Samara teaches in New York City public schools, shelters and community centers as a teaching artist and is currently an artist in residence at the Brooklyn Children's Museum. This is Samara’s first season with INSPIRIT.

Chevon Stewart
Chevon Stewart is a dancer and teaching artist in the New York metropolitan area.  She received her formal training from Ballet Arts Studio in Beacon, NY and The Ailey School/ Junior division program. Chevon graduated from Hobart and William Smith Colleges with a B.A. in Dance and Psychology. While in New York she has had the opportunity to work with Urban Bush Women Apprentice program, Richard Rivera/Physual Dance Company, Keila Cordova Dances and Arthur Aviles Typical Dance Theater.  This is Chevon’s first season with INSPIRIT.

Tina Vasquez
Tina Louise Vasquez is a Certified Movement Analyst and a senior at New York University's Gallatin School of Individualized Study. She received her primary dance training from Coupe Dance Studio in Nanuet, New York, and at the age of 15, she attended the Contemporary Traditions Program at Jacob's Pillow. She has also studied in dance programs in Cuba and Italy. In 2001, she was awarded the Rockland County Executive Arts Award in Arts Education. She is a dancer for INSPIRIT directed by Christal Brown, for Von Ussar Dance Works directed by Astrid von Ussar, as well as for independent choreographers,  Lisa Parra and Sita Fredrick. At NYU, she has created a dance club, Dancers Choreographers Alliance, which assists student dancers and choreographers in the creation and production of their work.  Tina has showcased her own choreography at Joe's Pub, BAAD Theater in the Bronx, and the Laban Insititute's Mosaic.