CHRISTEN REYES

Horton Technique

CHRISTEN ASHLEY is a BFA recipient from Howard University, and a proud legacy of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated. She has had the opportunity to work with Camille A. Brown, Ray Mercer, Hope Boykin and a host of many others. Mrs. Reyes served as a dancer with Dallas Black Dance Theatre: Encore! for 3 seasons, simultaneously serving as the rehearsal assistant to Nycole Ray. After the completion of dancing for 3 seasons, she then served as Artistic Assistant for DBDT: Encore! Mrs. Reyes was a principal dancer with the Dallas Opera. Following, she founded the dance program at I.M. Terrell Academy for STEM & VPA in 2018. Since its inception, she has been named Teacher of the Year and Broadway at the Bass Teaching Chair of Excellence. She is also the founder and curator of Fort Worth Dance Festival, a dance festival in Fort Worth that gives performance and master class opportunities to the dance community of the DFW metroplex from Middle School to College Leveled Dancers. She is a certified Horton Technique teacher, and enjoys her time teaching and coaching this next generation of dancers!

TRACEY FRANKLIN

Horton Technique

TRACEY FRANKLIN, a Chicago native, began her training at the age of 16 at Joseph Holmes Dance Theater. In 1999 she became a graduate of the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater Certificate Program. In 2000, Franklin got her first contract as a company member of Dallas Black Dance Theater, where she danced for four years. In 2004 she returned to Chicago and became a company member of Deeply Rooted Dance Theater, where she danced for 12 years. Ms. Franklin was also the Dance Education Director for Deeply Rooted Dance Theater from 2021-2023. Ms. Franklin is currently the Department Head and Horton technique instructor at The Chicago High School for the Arts. 

ALFONSINA TRENEMAN

Ballet Technique

MARIA ALFONSINA TRENEMAN was born in Argentina, where she trained as a Ballet dancer with the “Instituto de Danzas Jairo Benitez”. At the age of 17, she was invited to study in Brazil at the “Escola de Dancas Maria Olenewa”. She trained under the direction of Dennis Gray, Sergio Lobato, Jorge Teixeira, Luis Carlos Nogueira, Emilio Martins, Tatiana Helene Leskova and Maria Angelica Fiorani, Brazil. Later she became a professional dancer at the “Companhia de Ballet da Cidade de Niterói” and the “Companhia Brasileira de Ballet,” among others. She is also a trained Ballet teacher since 1996 and has worked as such for the “Petite Dance Escola de Ballet” in Brazil, Tuzer Dance Center, in Richardson Texas and the Texas Ballet Theater School. From 2019-2023, she was part of the Master Faculty team for Joffrey Ballet School. As well, Mrs. Treneman works as an international Guest Ballet Master in the UK, Italy, Portugal, Mexico, Peru, Argentina, and Brazil. This year she joined the Guest Master Teachers at Dallas Black Ballet Company.

T. AYO ALSTON

West African Technique

T. AYO ALSTON teaches and practices a signature theatrical style of West African drum and dance culture that captures the strength and power of women and community.

 Ayo is the Founder, Executive Director, composer, choreographer and playwright of Ayodele Drum and Dance, a performance training organization created for women to affirm their self-confidence and strength. Through Ayodele, Ayo produces and presents annual sold-out concerts, dance conferences, collaborative workshops, lectures, community classes, young women’s rites of passage programs and a host of other community engagement initiatives.

 She has performed, educated, fostered community, and created artistic work from a foundation of traditional African cultures fused with contemporary dance styles. This 2018 3Arts and 2022 USA Artists Fellowship Awardee prides her queered, afro-diasporic work in cultivating supportive and healthy communities.

 Ayo serves as an adjunct professor at Columbia College Chicago and dance faculty at Chicago High School of the Arts, where she is codifying and building the voice of African dance in the world of academia. She also has developed dance curriculum that are thriving in prestigious Chicago schools, such as Jones College Prep and Walter Payton College Prep.

Ayo is skilled playing the d’jembe and dundun drums; flaunting her unique DunDance Style. Ayo also composes music on African instruments, such as the Kalimba, Balaphone and Krin drums, resulting in her role as an actress and composer/musician for Meis Julie at Victory Gardens Theater and for The Lion King JR. musical in Illinois.

 Throughout her career Ayo has taught, choreographed, and performed at schools and universities locally and nationally, in African and Brazilian countries, as an independent artist with companies and organizations, such as Dance Africa, Drum Cafe West, Ballet Bagatai of Guinea, Les Amazons de Guinee, and Muntu Dance Theatre of Chicago.

 Ayo is a Level II certified ASA! fitness instructor, full of vibrant colorful energy, sharing her artistic experience with others. As Ayo passes on her artistic experience and excellence to others, she honors, respects, and expresses gratitude for her own teachers, Ancestors and those who have blessed and supported her path.

NYCOLE RAY

Dunham Technique

A Detroit native, NYCOLE RAY graduated from The California Institute of the Arts with a Bachelors of Fine Arts in dance.  She received additional training at the California State Summer School of the Arts, Wayne State University, and as an exchange student at the London Contemporary Dance School in England.  Mrs. Ray has performed with Dallas Black Dance Theatre, Bruce Wood Dance, Walt Disney World Entertainment, Christopher and Friends directed by Christopher L. Huggins, the Lula Washington Dance Theater, Dayton Contemporary Dance Company II and the Zadonu African Dance Company. She has worked with noted choreographers such as Donald McKayle, Dianne McIntyre, Christopher L. Huggins, Alonzo King, Donald Byrd, Bruce Wood®, Rennie Harris and Camille A. Brown.  

Nycole is the 2013 recipient of the Natalie Skelton Award for Artistic Excellence and the 2011 Artful Dancewear Teachers Scholarship from the Dance Council of North Texas. She is also a certified Dunham Technique Instructor.

Mrs. Ray Nycole is a guest artist with Dallas Black Dance Theatre and is the  Director of DBDT’s Summer Intensive program and has served as a past rehearsal director for the Bruce Wood ® Dance Project, Assistant Rehearsal Director for Dallas Black Dance Theatre and the Director of Bloom, Dallas Black Dance Academy’s Performing Ensemble.

Nycole Is a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., and is the Director of Dallas Black Dance Theatre’s Summer Intensive program and has served in the past as Rehearsal Director for the Bruce Wood Dance, Assistant Rehearsal Director for Dallas Black Dance Theatre and the Director of Bloom, Dallas Black Dance Academy’s Performing Ensemble. This is her 12th year as the Artistic Director of DBDT: Encore! and is a guest artist with DBDT. In 2021, Nycole has been named one of the “Women Who Make Dallas Great” by D Magazine. This, marks her 25th season with Dallas Black Dance Theatre.

RICHARD A. FREEMAN, JR.

Jazz Technique

A native of Washington, D.C.,RICHARD A. FREEMAN, JR. began his training with District of Columbia Youth Ensemble and the Washington Ballet. He received additional training from Duke Ellington School of the Arts, as well as Virginia Commonwealth University. Richard danced professionally with Elisa Monte Dance, Dallas Black Dance Theatre, Arts Unlimited, and Houston Grand Opera, and has had the pleasure to perform in Operas/Musicals such as Casa Blanca, Brothers of the Knight, Dreams, Porgy and Bess, The WIZ and Rusalka. He has also choreographed works for the Atlanta Dance Connection, Texas Ballet Theater School, Dallas Black Dance Theatre, DBDT: Encore!, Urban Souls Dance Company, Duke Ellington School of the Arts, Booker T. Washington High School for the Performing and Visual Arts, I.M. Terrell Academy for STEM and VPA, and Texas Christian University. Richard has held many roles at Dallas Black Dance Theatre including Dancer, Academy Instructor, Company Instructor, Resident Choreographer, DBDT: Encore! Artistic Assistant, Costume Manager, Stage Manager, and Artistic Project Coordinator. He has performed works by world renowned choreographers such as Alvin Ailey, Talley Beatty, Ben Stevenson, Debbie Allen, Christopher L. Huggins, Nejla Y. Yatkin, Alonzo King and many others. This is his 17th season with the organization.