BodyMoves Instructional Staff

Katherine Smith (Ms. Smith)
BCDC Company Director

Katherine, a native Washingtonian, is a 1979 graduate of The Duke Ellington School of the Arts. In 1983, she received her Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from the Philadelphia College of Performing Arts [currently named University of the Arts]. She has worked with renowned choreographers James Truitte, Talley Beatty, Ulysses Dove, Donald McKayle, Kevin “Iega” Jeff and Faye Snow. Her concert experiences include Dayton Contemporary, Rod Rodgers, Forces of Nature, New World, D.C. Contemporary and Juba Dance Companies. Katherine has toured Africa in “Spirit”; Beijing, China in the first Pacific Cultural Exchange; Vienna, Austria for the 6th Annual Summer Dance Festival and Seoul, Korea sponsored by American Dance Festival. Her theatre credits include Debbie Allen’s “Soul Possessed” at the Kennedy Center in Washington and the Alliance Theatre in Atlanta; George Faison’s “For Colored Girls” at American Place Theatre in New York (Off Broadway) and Baltimore’s Center Stage; Mike Malone’s “Black Nativity” in which she received the O’Keefer Award for Best Female Dancer in a Musical Production; “Bessie’s Blues” at Studio Theatre (Helen Hayes Award); “Purlie” at the Fox Theatre in Atlanta; and the national tour of “The Wiz.” Katherine received an Honor’s Award in recognition for her achievements as a performer and instructor from the International Association of Blacks in Dance. She is the former Co-Director of The Adrian Bolton & Katherine Smith Dance Center, and is currently on the Dance Faculties of The Duke Ellington School of the Arts and Howard University.

B. Renee Lindsay-Henry (Ms. Renee)
Artistic Program Manager

B. Renee Lindsay-Henry is a graduate of the University of Maryland Baltimore County with a bachelor of science in Information Systems Management and a bachelor of art in Visual and Performing Arts with a Concentration in Dance. She was the co-founder, co-owner and co-director of RJV School of Dance/RJV Performing Arts Center, Inc. for 22 years. She was co-founder/co-director of Positive Image Dance Company and founder and director of Glory to God Dance Ministry. She was a member of the Adrain Bolton Dance Company, Momentum Dance Theatre, Arlington Dance Theatre, Phoenix Repertory Company, the Laverne Reed Dancers, and the Ruth Shelton Dancers. Renee was also a founding member of Soul Winners for Christ Dance Ministry. She has performed in a number of musical theater productions including Debbie Allen’s “Soul Possesed” and has worked with many choreographers including Debbie Allen, Arlene Kennedy, Adrain Bolton, Hannah Khan, Victoria Uris, Roberta Rothstein, Lori Durst, Jason Taylor, David Holmes & LaVerne Reed. She has been teaching dance for 30 years. Renee is married to Michael Henry and is the mother of Michael Frederick, Jr. and Sabina Monet. Renee is also an IT Specialist at the Census Bureau.

Zahra Carpenter (Ms. Carpenter)
Instructor – Ballet, BabySteps Ballet & Tap

Zahra, a native Washingtonian, whose name means “flower”, began dancing at the age of five. Through elementary and junior high school she participated in cheerleading, pom-pom, and volleyball in addition to her dance training. Her love of dance lead her to The Duke Ellington School of the Arts, where her knowledge of dance expanded and her passion for teaching began. While at Duke Ellington she was a member of the DESA Dance Ellington, where she performed all over the Washington Metropolitan area as well as touring internationally in Hong Kong, China, and Amsterdam. Zahra received her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Modern Dance with a secondary concentration in Dance Education at the University of the Arts in Philadelphia. She has studied with some of the best in dance including, but not limited to, Gabriel Masson, Wayne St. David, Pat Thomas, Jeanine Osayande, Ruth Andrien-O’Neil, Faye Snow, Andrew Pap, Barbara Sandanato, Carol Skarloff, Ronen Koresh and LaVaughn Robinson. Her intensive training included Philadanco II and the Philadanco Training Program under the direction of Donald Lunsford III; U/Arts World of Dance; 2000 Feet; International Dance Festival; The Ailey School Summer Program and Koresh School of Dance. Zahra’s experience at U/Arts nourished her choreographic skills resulting in a review in the Philadelphia Inquirer where she was considered “appealing and emotionally charged”.

Nicole Childress (Ms. Nikki)
Instructor – African Dance

A native of Queens, New York, Nikki aspired to be a dancer at the tender age of four. As one of the youngest members of the Dance Street Company, Nikki’s natural ability and creative talent became very apparent as she excelled at multiple disciplines, including African, Ballet and Modern Dance. While growing up in New York, Nikki performed with many well known companies including Gloria Jackson, Alvin Ailey and the Brooklyn Academy of Music. By the age of 13, Nikki had also added choreography to her list of artistic endeavors. After traveling abroad for ten years, Nikki and her husband settled in the Washington, DC area where Nikki studied under Melvin Deal at African Heritage and Asaan Konte at Koncoran. Niki is currently a member of the Soul In Motion Players, Inc. Dance Company.

Monique Burt (Ms. Monique)
Instructor - Ballet

Monique began dancing since age five at St. Marks Dance Studio in Washington, DC. Throughout her dance career she has studied ballet, tap, jazz, Ponte, African and modern at Linda Natoli; Taps and Company; Joyce Laverne School of Dance and Umoja Creative Dance School. Monique auditioned for Suitland High School’s Visual and Performing Arts Program, where she studied dance. While in high school, she performed at the Kennedy Center for Performing Arts with The Dance Theatre of Harlem Community Residency Program from (1993 – 1995), where she studied under Lowell Smith and Arthur Mitchell. She was also accepted into Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre’s summer intensive program in New York. Upon graduation, Monique was granted dance scholarships from Goucher College, Temple University, New World School for the Arts and Towson University where she graduated Cum Lade in 2003 with a B.F.A. in Dance Performance. While at Towson University, Monique performed with their dance company for several years, where she worked with Troy Powell, Septime Weber, Juan Carlos Rincones and Stephanie Powell to name a few.

Grandmaster Wayne "Tea" Thomas
Instructor – Tae Kwon Do

Grandmaster Wayne “Tea” Thomas is a native of Washington, DC. He attended D.C. Public Schools and graduated from McKinley Technical Senior High School in 1973. In addition, he attended Howard University, Federal City College, Catholic University and Stratford Career Institute. Grandmaster Wayne Thomas is also known as “Grandmaster Tea”. At the age of 10, his parents enrolled him in Tae Kwon Do. Over the years he has studied other styles of Martial Arts and has an extensive and outstanding list of martial arts awards. He is the President, Founder and CEO of the Power Punches Tae Kwon Do Club, Inc. Grandmaster Tea holds the rank of 9th Dan from the U.S.H.O.F.M.A.A. International Supreme Elite Warrior’s Council under Dr. Joe L. Parrish and Dr. Abdul Hakim Bilal. He is one of a few non-Asian Korean style martial arts with the rank of 9th Dan from the World Korean Martial Arts Union under Grandmaster Chang H. Park. Grandmaster Tea was awarded rank of 9th Dan from the Song Do Kong Soo Do from Grandmaster John M. Crudup. He has his 8th Dan from The World Tae Kwon Do Federation, 8th Dan from the International Sokeship Council under Dr. Robert N. Braff, Soke. He also has his 8th Dan from the World Organizer of Martial Arts (WOMA) and is a lifetime member of the International Grandmaster Society. Grandmaster Wayne Thomas is an Executive Advisory Board member, Public Relations Chief and Recording Secretary of the United States Head of Family Martial Arts Association and a member of the Eastern U.S.A. International Martial Arts Association. He is a lifetime member of many organizations such as: Nihon To-Jutsu Karate-Do Kai and the International San Ryu Do Federation. He has been appointed by the United States Head Of Family Martial Arts Association and International Supreme Elite Warrior’s Council to the Tae Kwon Do Certification Board of Examiners and the Korean Martial Arts Board of Directors Region (1).

Cherdise Foy
Instructor - Jazz, BCDC Ballet

 

Cherdise began dancing, at age nine, at Jr. Mode Dance Studio. She then moved to Joyce LaVerne School of Dance and then to Umoja Creative Dance Studio where she studied ballet, tap, jazz, african, modern and pointe. She has performed on Teen Summit (BET TV) and at the Apollo (New York City). She has modeled with Unity Productions and has practiced gymnastics at Elite Gymnasium. Cherdise has participated in the Dance Theater of Harlem’s Residency Program and has performed with dancer/actress, Debbie Allen; actress, Vanessa Bell-Calloway and singer, James Ingram in the Kennedy Center musical production of “Brothers of the Knight". (1998) Cherdise has also worked for Six Flags America, performing for Octoberfest’ Brutal Planet. She performed and choreographed a duet for “Project Exposure” directed by Waylon Anderson at the Atlas Theater. Cherdise also performed in “La Familia” choreographed by Alvin Mayes, at the Dance Place in Washington, DC. Cherdise has taught many types of dance to all ages at Umoja Creative Dance Studio, Jacire Dance School, Dance Makers Dance Studio & BodyMoves. At Suitland Sr. High School, Cherdise studied modern, jazz, ballet and pointe under the instruction of Mrs. Barbara Marks, Mrs. Linda Hallman-Darr, and guest choreographer Kim Bears of Philadanco. As a dance major in Suitland Senior High School’s Visual and Performing Arts Program, Cherdise has choreographed and won first and second place honors for her choreography in several dance competitions. She is a former student of Towson University & the University of Maryland College Park, where she studied Dance Performance and Education under the direction of Alvin Mayes, among others. Cherdise danced, taught and choreographed at Junior Mode Dance Studio, where she was the Artistic Director. Cherdise’s love, besides dance, is her daughter Kiyara & her son Christian. She one day hopes to own a dance studio.

Jennelye Todman
Instructor - Tumble Tots

Jennelye Todman was born in Washington, DC and raised in the Virgin Islands and Maryland. From Suitland High School, she attended Howard University. Studying at Howard University provided Jennelye with the opportunity to works and study with artists such as Katherine Smith, Patricia Thomas, Saundra Fortune-Green, Assane Konte, Ronald K. Brown, Kevin Iega Jeff, Eleo Pomare and Dr. Sherrill Berryman-Johnson just to name a few. Jennelye has interned with dance companies such as Dallas Black Dance Theatre, Ronald K. Brown/Evidence Company and UmFundalai with Dr. Kariamn Welsh-Assante. After graduation from Howard University, Jennelye decided to pass on the knowledge to young driven dancers by becoming a dance teacher in Prince George’s County Maryland. Jennelye believes that knowledge has no limitations and that each student (child or adult) should soak up all information like a sponge. Aim for the stars and believe in yourself…!

 

Photos By,

Christine Schaeffer - Digital Photography

Meeting Minutes

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