Where are you from?

I was born and raised in Dayton, Ohio

What inspires you?

Music (specifically the beat and the melody), personal things going on in my life, and blackness – people, culture, love, history, ancestry, and experiences.

What materials do you gravitate towards to create your dances?

I gravitate towards poems, the messages that I am trying to portray, my dance notebook, people ( I ask people a lot of questions), and spirituality.

What is your work?

My work right now is the dance workshop. It’s a dream of mine to take this to a larger level. Teach a variety of classes, with panels and performance for people of all ages. Help people expand their horizons about dance in a festival that really gives to the dance community!

Who do you look up to or look towards for inspiration?

I look up to the people that I have chosen to call family – my mother, my adopted father, my dance mothers and fathers, the students I teach, and the promise of the future God will bless me with.

How do you manage your time?

MY CALENDAR!!!! If I could show my calendar right now, people would be like OH my gosh. If it’s not in my calendar, it will not get done. Outside of my work (teaching and freelancing), I try to leave time for me. Those few hours of nothing, I choose to watch tv, play video games, dance for myself, or spend time with the ones I love. I am bad with turning my brain o in those times when I should. It’s an ongoing thing because I’m so used to being a busybody!

What advice do you have for other creatives?

I say the same thing every time but I truly stick by it: You can do it all! Growing up, I wish I knew of the different avenues to take inside the dance world (i.e the different styles, freelancing). Now that I do know, I try to show people that through these avenues there is a support for my overall love of dance. It all comes together

What is your favorite thing to cook and/or eat?

I love to cook pasta, pizza, and chicken but I love to eat sushi, any soul food, and Italian!

Where is somewhere in the world you hope to visit?

PARIS, FRANCE! I have been obsessed with France since I was a little girl. I learned French in school and it was the first time learning about something that was different. My heart feels close to Paris even though I’ve never been there. As I’ve grown up, I’ve come to learn that Paris has a wonderful love for the arts so I am more than wishing to go!

What does the world need more of right now?

Grace! People need to feel okay with messing up, taking a day o, trying something new, or going back to something old. Us humans do not give others grace because we don’t give ourselves grace. Mostly because people do not feel they are worthy to be appreciated, accepted, and/or understood. This world would be kinder, loving, and grateful if they believed that everyone was doing the best they could, rather than striving to be perfect or something that they are not all the time.