Jordan W. Carter is an esteemed arts administrator and musician with a genuine dedication to community arts programming. Originally from Atlanta, GA, Jordan’s Southern roots profoundly influence his approach to creativity and community engagement. Formerly the Education and Community Engagement Manager at Harlem Stage, where he developed arts curricula for Black and Indigenous youth as well as recruited and trained a cohort of multidisciplinary teaching artists. Jordan now serves as the Director of Community Outreach at Accent Dance NYC. His distinguished career also includes roles with the Coalition for Hispanic Family Services, the Local Initiatives Support Corporation, and The New School College of Performing Arts.

A passionate music producer and vocalist, Jordan channels his artistry through percussion, hip-hop, and jazz vibraphone to craft fun, forward-thinking narratives that uplift and empower the next generation of Black artists. He also sings tenor in the Concord Baptist Church choir in Brooklyn, NY. Each day, Jordan embraces the opportunity to create something new and is deeply committed to helping young people discover their own sources of happiness.

Jordan earned his Master of Arts in Arts Administration from Teachers College, Columbia University, where he completed his thesis on identifying support structures necessary for the next generation of African American ballet dancers. Prior to this, Jordan graduated summa cum laude from Boston University with a Bachelor of Music in Percussion Performance, and was honored with the Dean’s Award for Community Service. As an Atlanta Posse Foundation Scholar, he received a prestigious full-tuition leadership scholarship, further fueling his passion for arts education and community engagement in his teens.

Jordan currently lives in Harlem with his four year old chihuahua, BiBi.

Sofía Forero was born and raised in Cali, Colombia. She studied at Joffrey Ballet School, The Taylor School as a scholarship student, and graduated from The Ailey School- Certificate Program- with Honors. She has performed pieces by Merce Cunningham, Paul Taylor, Alvin Ailey, Rena Butler, Earl Mosley, Darrel Moultrie, among others. She founded The Heraclitus Project in 2018 and has presented her choreographic work and productions in renowned venues, including, Ajkun BalletTheater, Sony Music Hall, Dixon Place, Davenport Theater, Hudson Guild Theater, Union City PAC, Dance On The Lawn Festival, Hudson Valley Festival, and Greenpoint Gallery. Her work has been commissioned by AVA Gallery, Spoke The Hub, Arts On Site, Works On Water and the American Swiss Ballet Company.

Sofía is a GYROTONIC® Trainer, a Zena Rommett Floor-Barre® Certified Teacher, a Teaching Artist at Ballet Hispánico, and has given lectures about "Creativity in Dance and Choreography" to the creative team of Snapchat, in Silicon Valley. She is the author of the research book “Una Danza Para El Cambio Social'', after her development of a healing technique through movement and dance, in a local community of Colombia.

Ms. Diniz recently completed her time as Artist in Residence at Tribeca BMCC via CUNY Dance Initiative for the 2023 season, fully choreographing and directing her own evening of repertory, and became Co Artistic Director of Jazz Choreography Enterprises at the start of 2024. She choreographed for the Ailey BFA program and New York Dance Project this past fall, made new works for St. Paul's ballet program and Counterpointe this winter and will make a piece for Ballet Hartford in the spring.

She has been commissioned by Jacob's Pillow, Performance Santa Fe, Avant Chamber Ballet, Columbia Ballet Collaborative, Stars of American Ballet, Ballet Hartford, Woman in Motion, Ballet Excel Ohio, Central Utah Ballet, Earl Mosley's Diversity of Dance and the Jamaica Center for Arts and Learning.

She was a featured choreographer for DanceBreak (musical theater's leading platform for upcoming Broadway choreographers), made her Off-Broadway choreographic debut at the AMT Theatre with 'An Unbalanced Mind,' presented work at the McCallum Theatre/Palm Desert Choreography Festival and the New York Theatre Barn Choreography Lab held at Baryshnikov Arts Center and was awarded a grant from the New York Foundation for the Arts/City Artist Corps to present a full evening of her choreography.

She is a winner of the New York Dance Project Choreography Competition, a junior board member of Jazz Choreography Enterprises and a choreographic mentor for We Are Queens. She also choreographed 'My Way' at Theatre by the Sea, the AEA production of the Vaudevillian musical 'On the Air,' currently choreographs and assistant directs intermittent musical theater showcases at The American Musical and Dramatic Academy and has served as Associate Choreographer for Lorin Latarro.

She is on faculty at Kanyok Arts Initiative and Manhattan Youth Ballet and also enjoys teaching for Steps on Broadway, Mark Morris and Peridance.

Ms. Diniz has a B.A. in English (concentration in Shakespearean Studies, minor in Dance) from Cornell University.

Uila Marx (they/she) is a nonbinary movement artist and educator from O’ahu, Hawai’i, based in Brooklyn, New York. Uila’s movement work is informed by a lifelong education in hula and traditional practices of land and body care. They are interested in actualizing safe spaces and queer-forward, accessible consent education through movement. As a dance maker, their work centers tenderness, community care, play, and silliness via improvisation and collaborative physical theater. Uila is a graduate of Barnard College of Columbia University in Harlem, New York. They have had the honor of performing works by Okwui Okpokwasili, David Thomson, Mark Morris, David Dorfman, Colleen Thomas, Davalois Fearon, and Neta Pulvermacher. Uila creates, performs, and engages in research with interdisciplinary movement artists including Edisa Weeks (DELIRIOUS Dances), Will A. Ervin Jr, The Why Collective, and Lucia Gagliardone. Uila is also a Community Actionist in Gibney’s Hands Are for Holding program, which uses dance to have conversations with youth in New York City public schools about healthy relationships, consent, boundaries, and choice making. This is Uila’s first season with Accent Dance NYC.

Amina Konaté is from La Rochelle, France, where she began dancing at the age of five, studying at the Conservatoire of Music and Dance of La Rochelle. After graduating high school in 2019, Amina joined the Rudra Béjart School, in Switzerland. Two years later, she moved to New York City, attending The Alvin Ailey School. Amina spent the following summer as a Philadanco 2 (D/2) member as well as in New York with Jamel Gaines Creative Outlet and the Borne dance company. Later that year, she also joined TORCH Dance Theatre and Caterina Rago Dance Company. Ms. Konaté also has had the opportunity to dance with Felice Lesser Dance Theatre, Yaa!Samar Dance Theatre, Linda Diamond & Company and to learn and perform works by Maurice Béjart, Julio Arozarena, Tancredo Tavarez, Janice Rosario, Christopher Huggins, Jeroboam Bozeman, Djassi Dacosta Johnson, Will A. Ervin, Jr., and Walter Rutledge. This is Amina’s first season with Accent Dance NYC.

Justin Bowen, born and raised in New York City, is an artist of many mediums. In high school, he attended the Ailey School’s Junior Division and thereafter graduated from The University of the Arts with a BFA in dance, with a solid foundation in illustration and animation. Justin’s versatility has allowed him to work with choreographers including Maria Torres, Matthew Rushing, and Rennie Harris. Heavily inspired by animation and video games, Justin creates dance works that bring these worlds together through mixed media. With the use of video editing, the principles of animation and the likeness of video games, he aims to show his audience that these forms of entertainment are also beautiful amalgamations of the art forms. This is Justin’s first season with Accent Dance NYC.

(He/him), originally from Baltimore, MD, graduated from the California Institute of the Arts, majoring in dance. Damontae is a choreographer, dancer, director, and model looking to create and explore the boundaries of Black art and the physicality of bodies, intimacy, shape, and the overall development of the human consciousness through dance, choreography, cinema, photography, and voice work. Damontae enjoys a wide range of dance styles, including ballet, contemporary, and hip hop, and has worked with artists Garret Ammon, Pina Bausch, Marissa Brown, Dimitri Chamblas, Nina Flagg, James Gregg, Gerard & Kelly, Solange Knowles, Ralph Lemon, and rubberlegz, among others. He is committed to, and curious about, transforming what people perceive art to be.

Kaylan Tamaiya Bria Bradford is a professional performing artist from Brooklyn, New York with a BFA in dance from George Mason University where she completed three choreographic works. Kaylan started dancing at Rosie’s Theater Kids, training in musical theater, and thereafter was a scholarship student at Broadway Dance Center in Manhattan. After moving to Chesapeake, Virginia, she joined Academie de Ballet where she expanded her training in pointe, jazz, tap, lyrical, and hip-hop. For two years, she was homeschooled to focus on her voice, acting, and dance training and thereafter attended the Governor’s School for the Arts in Norfolk, Virginia while also studying at the Academy of Classical Contemporary Dance. Kaylan also has trained with The Kirov Academy of Washington, DC, Nutmeg Conservatory, Carolyn Dorfman Dance, and Complexions Contemporary Ballet. In addition to working professionally with the VISIONS Contemporary Ballet Company, Kaylan joins Accent Dance NYC this season in Will Ervin’s newly commissioned work for the company.

Zaki A’Jani Marshall hails from East Orange, New Jersey. He is a graduate of the University of the Arts where he received a full tuition scholarship towards earning his BFA in dance performance. He is the 2019 Recipient of the University of the Arts Academic Achievement for Service and Leadership. Zaki started his choreography and performance career at 19 years old dancing two seasons with Eleone Dance Theater. In 2019, he was commissioned to travel to Bermuda to teach and choreograph on United Dance Productions. In order to deepen his understanding of ballet technique, Zaki relocated to San Francisco to become a trainee at Alonzo King Lines Ballet. His unforgettable time there included rehearsing with Alonzo King and performing his original repertoire. He also was hired to teach open contemporary and jazz classes at the Lines school, and was chosen through an application process to choreograph an original work on the Lines Training Program. The experience at Lines greatly influenced Zaki, sharpening his skills as an educator, dancer and dancemaker. Zaki thereafter joined and completed one full season with Dayton Contemporary Dance Company in Dayton Ohio.

Currently, Zaki is in his second season with Battery Dance Company in New York City where he is curating and facilitating cultural exchange programs. Zaki travels internationally, teaching and choreographing on artists around the globe and enjoys educating and building movement material on any body type, challenging and engaging all of his students and fellow artists. This is Zaki’s first partnership with Accent Dance NYC.

Madison Dyke (she/her) is a freelance movement artist specializing in contemporary dance, floorwork, and dance theater. Madison is based in New York City, and hails originally from Detroit, Michigan. She graduated from the Dance Conservatory at SUNY Purchase with a Bachelor’s of Fine Arts degree in dance and a concentration in choreography. Madison received additional training from RubberbandDance, B12, Orsolina28, and Hubbard Street Dance Chicago and has performed works by Jason Ciancuilli, Victor Quijada, Annie Rigney, Martha Graham and Rena Butler. Madison currently is performing with Coredance Contemporary Dance Company and is in her first season with Accent Dance NYC.

Yu Fujiwara hails from Kanagawa, Japan. She trained as a dancer in the Japan Women’s College of Physical Education and The Alvin Ailey School. Previous experience includes performing for Drye/Marinaro Dance Company, Yu. S. Artistry, Balasole Dance Company, Brooklyn Royals Dance team, Belly Trans Entertainment, and Fish Leong’s 2016 U.S. tour. In addition to performing, Yu’s original choreography has been performed at KoDaFe, Queens Dance Festival, MODArts Dance Company’s Collective Thread, Camden's Festival of Dance, and Fertile Ground. Outside of performance work, Yu enjoys teaching dance and sports at the Japanese Children's Society. This is Yu’s first season with Accent Dance NYC.

Will A. Ervin, Jr. is an East Coast native. He earned his BFA in dance from Montclair State University and graduated with an MFA in dance from the University of Illinois. Will also has trained with Joffrey Ballet, EMIA Rennie Harris, Jacobs Pillow, and Alonzo King’s Lines Ballet.

Since graduating, Ervin has performed at the Alexander Kasser Theatre, the Joyce Theatre, and the Brooklyn Academy of Music with the Hearts of Men ensemble. As Artistic Director of his company, Erv Works Dance, he has presented choreography at the University of Illinois, the Dumbo Dance Festival, Bronx Academy of Arts and Dance, and Krannert Center for the Performing Arts. Recent works include choreographing for Kemar Jewels Dance Film project headlining 2021’s Global Black Pride event where Kemar’s work was presented after the keynote speaker President Joe Biden; Battery Dance Festival; Maria Torres’s Sol El Barrio; and the Joyce Theatre in partnership with Future Dance Festival, the 92nd Street Y, and The Martha Graham Dance Company.

Other accomplishments include apprenticing with Camille A. Brown & Dancers, interning with American Ballet Theatre’s Major Gifts Department, and previously serving as the Co-Director of Dance at Brooklyn Center for the Arts and as Resident Choreographer of Judah International Dance Theater. Will was named a resident choreographer in Dance Lab NY by Josh Prince during the 2022 fall cycle, and as Dance on the Lawn's 2022 emerging commissioned choreographer. Will recently set work on Dimensions Dance Theater of Miami. In the summer of 2023, he completed Accent Dance NYC’s commission, Narcissus, a new work combining elements of contemporary dance, ballet, and street styles.

Leonel Linares started dancing in his hometown of Merida, Venezuela where his studies included Venezuelan folklore, latin jazz, hip hop, contemporary, acrobatics, modern and ballet. He was awarded a scholarship to study with the Joffrey Ballet School in New York City and went on to dance professionally with Ballet Nuevo Mundo de Caracas, Ballet Teresa Carreno, Compania Danza Actual, and Ballet de Marjorie Flores. He worked as a choreographer for one of Venezuela’s TV networks, performing for many Latin singers, Dancing with the Stars, and for one of the largest beauty pageants in Venezuela. He performs with Accent Dance NYC and has also performed with Imagen Latina in Los Angeles, Ajkun Ballet Theater, Contemporary Ballet Theater, Revolución Latina, Morales Dance, among others. Leonel is the ballet master of Staten Island Ballet and is the Executive and Artistic Director of Sol Dance Center in Queens, New York.

Pedro Ruíz is a well-known choreographer and dancer who was born and trained in Cuba, as well as in Venezuela. Pedro had a 21-year career with Ballet Hispanico as a principal dancer during which he also choreographed for the company. Ruiz is the recipient of The Bessie Award, the Choo-San Goh Award, The Cuban Artists’ Fund Award and The Joyce Foundation Award. He has been the subject of two PBS documentaries: “Pas de Deux” and “Coming Home”.

Erin Gallagher began her formal dance training at the Academy of Dance Arts in her hometown of Red Bank, New Jersey. She continued her studies at Studio Maestro (currently Manhattan Youth Ballet) in New York City with Deborah Wingert and François Perron. Erin also participated in training programs at The Rock School of Dance Education, Pittsburgh Ballet Theater School, American Ballet Theatre, as well as several summers in Washington D.C. studying with Suzanne Farrell at the Kennedy Center for Performing Arts. Professionally, Erin has worked with New Chamber Ballet, Connecticut Ballet, Staten Island Ballet, Rebecca Kelly Ballet, Neglia Ballet Artists, TranscenDance Group, Accent Dance NYC, and Ballets with a Twist. Erin Gallagher is a graduate of the Eugene Lang College of Liberal Arts at The New School.

Tsubasa Nishioka was born in Japan where he started taking ballet classes and later began studying modern and contemporary dance. In 2017, Tsubasa was accepted to The Alvin Ailey School where he subsequently became a scholarship student. He has performed as part of Ailey’s Spirit Gala and “Battlefield” at Lincoln Center. Tsubasa currently performs with Accent Dance NYC, i KADA Dance Company, Vashti Dance Theater, and Yu.S.Artistry.

Josh Johnson is a Harlem-born and raised tap dance artist, speaker, and published author. His life and work have been featured on the Ellen DeGeneres show, in the New York Times, and in many other news stories. Most recently, Josh performed with Accent Dance NYC as a tap dance artist in connection with our educational performances celebrating Black History Month.

David Fernandez is a New York-based choreographer. One of David's most acclaimed works, Five Variations on a Theme, was created for New York City Ballet Principal Dancer Joaquin De Luz. The work premiered as part of the acclaimed Kings of the Dance tour and was performed to standing ovations in New York City, Los Angeles, London, Paris, Rome, Moscow, Kiev, and Odessa. Other notable choreography commissions include David’s “Vitruvian Man”, which has over 800,000 views on YouTube, and pieces created for leading dancers of the American Ballet Theatre, New York City Ballet, Kings of the Dance Tour, Dance Theatre of Harlem Ensemble, Youth America Grand Prix Gala Concert, and his whimsical work based upon Mexican folklore creatures, commissioned by Accent Dance NYC, El Regalo de los Alebrijes.

Christopher Francis is a New York-based actor, artist, choreographer and educator. He graduated from the University of Southern California in Los Angeles and is currently working on his MFA in Choreography. Moving to New York in 2017, Chris passionately practices and teaches yoga, holistic health, art, and dance to all ages. Chris also teaches jazz fusion classes at Gramercy Dance Studios and acts as an assistant teacher at Broadway Dance Center. He is an avid photographer and videographer. Career highlights include working on the film, ‘Marry Me’ starring Jennifer Lopez, Maluma and Owen Wilson, performing at Lincoln Center, acting in commercials, dancing in music videos, dancing in the Iguzzini Showroom in Paris, France, and performing dance works by beloved mentors and colleagues globally and at home. Chris loves the community, joy, and connections that dance inherently creates and is enjoying his professional experience with Accent Dance NYC.

Paige Cowen started their dance training in Oklahoma under the direction of Kristin McQuaid, Joshua Stayton, José Antonio Checa and Manny Cross. They continued their training in New York at Marymount Manhattan College, where they graduated with a B.A. in Dance Studies. While in school, Paige performed works by Michael Thomas, Nancy Lushington, and Andrea Markus. In 2016, they performed in a flash mob choreography by Celia Rowlson-Hall. In addition to their extensive training at Marymount, Paige has trained with artists such as Ximena Carnica, Jennifer Monson, Alexandra Beller, Andrea Miller, Mary John Frank, Mårten Spångberg and Laura Aris. Paige has had the pleasure of performing with Accent Dance NYC, Arsenal Movement dance project, The Lowcoco, and the LEIMAY Ensemble.

Rose Barbantan is from the village of Barbentane in the South of France. She was a finalist in the Youth America Grand Prix (Paris). At the age of 15, she moved to Portugal to pursue a professional dance career. Rose is a graduate of the Certificate Program of The Alvin Ailey School and has performed “Memoria” alongside the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre Company and Ailey II. Rose is quadrilingual in French, Portuguese, Spanish and English. Rose currently performs with Accent Dance NYC, Jamel Gaines Creative Outlet, and the Shift Dance Company. She also has performed as part of “Table of Silence” at Lincoln Center with the Buglisi Dance Theater.

Astria (Sarita) Apel was born in Wiesbaden, Germany. After receiving the Prins Bernhard Cultuurfonds scholarship of the Netherlands, she went on to study at the The Alvin Ailey School. Subsequently, she was a member of Graham 2. In addition to her regular appearances with Accent Dance NYC, Sarita performs with several other professional dance companies both in the United States and Europe. Sarita also has performed at various prestigious tango venues and was a 2019 U.S. Tango Salon Champion and a Tango Salon Champion at the SoCal Tango Championship.

Zay P is a Bronx native and a professional creative director, choreographer, dancer and teaching artist. He works and tours regularly with many well-known hip hop artists. Zay P. also loves teaching students of all ages, and has worked in many public school and community center settings. He has led the Saturday Academy program for Accent Dance NYC at PS 246 in the Bronx and guest teaches for us throughout New York City and Westchester. Zay P’s ultimate goal is to inspire, motivate, and lead other creatives to be the best versions of themselves and to build their own creative platforms.

Falosha Martin studied throughout her youth a wide range of dance styles, including West African dance, ballet, tap, salsa, capoeira, flamenco, modern, and jazz. She teaches, performs, and choreographs West African and other dance styles, and has performed with several professional companies, including Kow Teff, Harambee, Bambara Drum and Dance Ensemble, and the African circus company, Cirque Zuma Zuma. She also has had the honor of performing with Dance Africa, with the headlining company Wula, as the only American dancer representing Guinean dance. Falosha partners frequently with world-renowned percussionists, drummers, and other musicians, and has choreographed West African work for Accent Dance NYC, which features prominently in our Black History educational performances. Falosha also teaches for us at Webster Elementary School in New Rochelle through our comprehensive YMCA dance program, as well as with several of our partner schools in the Bronx, including PS 246, PS 226, and PS 140.

Kim Johnson is the Director of Educational Programming and Outreach of Accent Dance NY. She is an experienced teaching artist, arts administrator and performing artist with over thirty years of experience and a demonstrated history of working, teaching and performing in non-profit organizations, especially in their work with the NYC DoE and arts placements in the NYC public schools. She has a Bachelor of Arts from Northwestern University and has extensive training as a dancer, particularly coming through the professional program at the Ailey School. She has years of experience working as an administrator in the arts and in youth development, especially for her own non-profit performing arts company in NYC, Artists In Search Of ... (1989-1998). As an Educator, she has taught all ages, from toddlers to adults. She is skilled teaching classes in Dance, Theatre and Integrated Art Education, and through the years has been a teaching artist doing residencies in NYC Public Schools for Brooklyn Academy of Music, Alvin Ailey American Dance, LEAP, Center for Arts Education and Henry Street Settlement, and for many years was on the faculty at Bronx House School of Performing Arts, and at Summer-on-the-Hill at Horace Mann, and was the Performing Arts Director at the Horace Mann day camp. She has experience teaching several styles and curriculums in Dance from Creative Movement, and Ballet to Contemporary. In Theatre, she has taught Acting, Musical Theatre, Improvisation, Storytelling and Playwriting. She also has created and taught curriculums that integrate the performing arts with History, Literature and Poetry. She is a triple threat performer - dancer, actor, singer - who also directs and choreographs, and most recently has performed with LEAP Artists Live! Kim joined the team at Accent Dance NYC as their Director of Educational Programming & Outreach in February 2023.

Christie Coleman is a teaching artist, professional dancer and choreographer with a Masters in Education in Dance from New York University. Christie is a lead teaching artist and curriculum development consultant for Accent Dance NYC in connection with both its in-school dance residency program as well as its youth programming for the YMCA Christie was raised within The Coleman School of Dance and founded Illuminations Dance Company. In addition to the Coleman School of Dance, Christie taught dance at Achievement First Charter School in East New York, New Rochelle High School, and Sacred Heart University.

Andrea Ziegelman is the Executive and Artistic Director of Accent Dance NYC and the President of the Erwin and Isabelle Ziegelman Foundation, a 501(c)(3) charitable organization. Andrea was born in Detroit, Michigan and comes from a family of classically-trained pianists, cellists, singers, and violinists who held leading positions in professional symphonies and opera companies in the United States, Europe, and the former Soviet Union.

Along with the study of piano, Andrea pursued rigorous ballet training throughout her youth, enrolling after high school in the ballet department of the University of Utah. Andrea also holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in French literature from the University of Michigan and attended Georgetown University School of Law and Columbia Law School. In addition to maintaining a law practice in Manhattan, and being appointed by judges to represent children in family law cases as their attorney and as guardian ad litem, Andrea continues to enjoy taking regular dance classes, performing, and teaching dance to children of all ages. As a long-time patron of the arts, Andrea started Accent Dance NYC with her fellow teaching and performing artists to bring the highest quality of dance education programming to school-aged children in New York City and in neighboring areas.

Lucía Jackson, the daughter of a jazz musician-father and painter-mother, began vocal and dance training in Madrid, Spain, studying dance at the Professional Dance Conservatory of Madrid while also studying music at the school of Musica Creativa. At the age of eighteen, Lucía returned to her birthplace, New York, after being accepted into The Alvin Ailey School. Lucía has been a lead teaching artist with Accent Dance NYC in connection with its comprehensive dance programming at the YMCA as well as in connection with its virtual education program Project Access. Lucia enjoys sharing her wide-ranging musical, theatrical and dance talents with her students, teaching and choreographing works which incorporate elements of ballet, modern, tango, flamenco, jazz, and contemporary movement. As a jazz singer, Lucía has performed with various well-known jazz bands in New York City as well as toured throughout Russia.

Elisa Toro Franky is a professional dancer, teaching artist, and choreographer from Bogotá, Colombia based in New York City. Elisa has been a teaching artist with Accent Dance NYC since its inception, leading several of its programs, including at the Casita Maria Center for Arts and Education in the South Bronx. Elisa has performed in the majority of Accent Dance NYC’s educational performances as well as performed professionally with the New Jersey Ballet, FJK Dance, Dardo Galletto Dance, and with Christopher Caines Dance. In May of 2021, Elisa was invited to collaborate with El Puente Presente and a New York Philharmonic string quartet as part of the Bandwagon series. In September of 2021, she was a featured ballerina in Rhina Valentin's 'Sancocho' production, in celebration of the Hispanic Heritage Month at Lincoln Center Restart Stages.

Dannys Gonzalez, a native of Cuba, trained and graduated from the Cuban National Ballet School in Havana, and began his professional career in the Cuban National Ballet directed by the famed ballerina, Alicia Alonso. In 2009, Dannys became a soloist in the Ballet de Cuba Company. His classical repertoire includes major roles in Swan Lake, Coppelia, Don Quixote, La Bayadére, La Sylphide, La Fille Mal Gardée, Paquita and The Nutcracker. Dannys has toured internationally with “Ballet Revolucion” as well as with other dance companies. After moving to New York City, Dannys joined the Alvin Ailey School and thereafter performed with various ballet and contemporary companies throughout the United States. Dannys is an exuberant, passionate, and committed teaching artist and choreographer who celebrates each student’s individuality, artistry, and creativity. Dannys is on the ballet faculty of the well-known School at Steps on the Upper West Side of Manhattan. He also maintains an active dance teaching career for both adults and children at several studios in Connecticut and Westchester.

Dardo is from Cordoba, Argentina, where he began acting a the age of 12. Originally studying dance as a supplement to his acting, he gradually recognized it as his true passion and began to train intensively. Dardo graduated from a 3-year program at the prestigious school of dance, “Teatro General San Martín” in Buenos Aires, studying ballet, modern jazz and composition. He also studied at the “Teatro Colón” and coached with leading ballet masters of Argentina including Haichi Acamine, Enrique Lommi and Olga Ferri. After graduation, Dardo was invited to become a member of the world-renowed “Ballet Argentino”, directed by Julio Bocca, and toured with the company for one year. In late 2001, Dardo moved to New York City, and began performing with a number of U.S. modern and ballet companies.

Dardo is currently one of New York’s leading tango dancers and has created a unique method for teaching tango technique, combining elements of different dance disciplines and emphasizing the understanding of energy flow.

Mara Driscoll comes to New York from Boulder, Colorado, where she began her training at the Boulder Ballet. She also trained at the North Carolina School of the Arts and participated in workshops at Springboard Danse Montreal, Juilliard and American Ballet Theatre. Mara began her career at the Richmond Ballet and has since danced with Metropolitan Opera Ballet, FJK Dance, Dardo Galletto Dance, Armitage Gone! Dance and others. Alongside performing, Mara enjoys choreographing, teaching ballet, and teaching the GYROTONIC® expansion system. She has taught and designed workshops for the Young Artists' Exchange program and for Artists Striving to End Poverty. Mara holds a B.A. from New York University's Gallatin School for Individualized Study, where she focused on relationships between art, religion and society.

Steven Vilsaint was born and raised in Haiti and obtained a passion for dance at the age of 13. In 2014, Steven came to the United States to pursue his dream of becoming a professional hip hop dancer. Over the course of Steven’s career, he has performed alongside many well-known hip hop artists. Steven also performed for several years with a traditional Haitian dance company known as Ayikodans, and toured internationally with the company. Steven is a versatile artist, willing and able to learn new dance forms, and working collaboratively with professional ballet, tap, and other dancers. Steven currently is employed by the NYC DOE as a dance educator in Queens while continuing to teach for Accent Dance NYC, both at our partner schools and community centers in New York City and Westchester County.

Shoko Tamai is a classically-trained ballet dancer who has performed with leading dance companies in various venues around the world. Since early childhood, and in keeping with Accent Dance NYC's own mission to promote multiculturalism, Shoko has studied various dance styles, including ballet, classical Japanese and Chinese dance, jazz fusion, African, Middle Eastern and Indian dance. Shoko’s period of study with Jamie H.J. Guan, martial arts trainer for the Beijing Opera, initially ignited in her a burning passion for martial arts.

Shoko studied at the Central School of Ballet (London, UK), The American Academy of Ballet (NYC), The Paris Opera (France), and The Madrid Ballet School (Spain). She has performed with many well-known dance companies, including Dance Theater of Harlem, Tokyo Ballet, and Cirque du Soleil, and has performed at venues including London’s Royal Opera House, Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre, The Theatre Royal in Glasgow, Lincoln Center, and Jacob’s Pillow, among others. Shoko has competed internationally, receiving the Solo Seal award from the Royal Academy of Dance in London, a Gold Medal in the New York Ballet Competition (American Academy of Ballet) and was a Finalist in The World Ballet Competition. Shoko was invited to represent Ninja Ballet at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe as part of the 77th International Choreographer’s Festival with Dance Forms Professional in 2019, and was nominated for a New York Innovative Theater Award for Outstanding Choreography for her work in “The Tempest”, directed by Owen Thompson, at the Plaxall Gallery in New York City. Her work has been featured in numerous publications, including BroadwayWorld, Dance Enthusiast magazine, Metro US, and TimeOut New York.

Accent Dance NYC and Ninja Ballet have collaborated closely on several projects, including an exhibition of dance for college students, educators, and administrators at Boricua College in New York City. Shoko also has participated in other educational programming, including Accent Dance NYC's virtual educational performance series, Project Access, as both a performer and as a teaching artist.

A native from Córdoba, Argentina, Agostina Mocibob began her dance studies at Estudio de Ballet Sanda Recedo and then moved to Buenos Aires to study at the world-renowned Instituto de Arte Teatro Colón. Agostina thereafter moved to New York City to continue her studies at The Alvin Ailey School and with Dardo Galletto. Agostina has danced professionally as part of the Table of Silence, directed by Jacqulyn Bulgisi and performed at The Lincoln Center Plaza, as well as with the Ajkun Ballet Theater, the Benjamin Briones Ballet Company, Dardo Galletto Dance, the Enoble dance company, and the Calpulli Mexican dance company. She is a teaching artist for Accent Dance NYC in connection with both its adult and youth development programs with the YMCA as well as a teaching artist for Ballet Hispanico.

A native of Puerto Rico, Alonso dedicated his early life to the study of martial arts. At the age of 17, Alonso moved to New York City and studied on scholarship at the Alvin Ailey School. Alonso has performed professionally with many well-known dance companies, including Ballet Hispanico, Armitage Gone!, New York Theater Ballet, the Deborah Abel Dance Company, the Metropolitan Opera ballet company, and Dardo Galletto Dance. Alonso also started a not-for-profit entity, Alonso Guzman Dance Inc. to help promote understanding and appreciation among people from the United States, Latin America, and the Caribbean. Alonso has appeared in many of Accent Dance NYC’s educational and professional performance initiatives, and also participates regularly in its open-access dance workshops.

Monica Deane is the Chief Operating Officer of Accent Dance NYC.

Monica possesses an astonishingly diverse set of skills, including in the world of dance as a choreographer, company director, and professional dancer, and in business, leading and growing organizations in media, technology, management, educational programming, and communications. Monica also epitomizes the heart and soul of our mission to inspire the younger generation to move, dance, and dream. We are thrilled to bring Monica into our Accent Dance NYC family!⠀