DBDT: Encore! Dancers
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Maia Bedford
Apprentice
A native of Baltimore, MD, graduated with honors from the Ailey/Fordham Bachelor of Fine Arts Program, with majors in Dance and American Studies, and later completed the Independent Study Program at The Ailey School. Maia began her dance training at Baltimore DanceTech under the direction of Stephanie Powell and Yvonne Walker she continued training at the Baltimore School for the Arts, where she studied both dance and acting. Ms. Bedford has danced with Sydnie L. Mosley Dances and as a guest artist with the Blue Morph Collective, Janis Brenner & Dancers, and REDi Dance. She has assisted Luis Salgado and Marcus Jarrell Willis and performed notable works by Jae Man Joo, Matthew Rushing, Jacinta Vlach, Luis Salgado, Laurie Taylor, Igal Perry and Alvin Ailey. She has trained at the Alonzo King LINES Ballet, Broadway Artists’ Alliance, Atlanta Ballet, and Bates Dance Festival, where she was a Merit Scholar, and participated in The Ailey School’s New Directions Choreography Lab and R. Evolución Latina’s Beyond Workshop Series. She is a 2017 New York Innovative Theatre Award winner for “Raisin” at the Astoria Performing Arts Center. This marks her first season as an apprentice with DBDT: Encore!
A native of Baltimore, MD, graduated with honors from the Ailey/Fordham Bachelor of Fine Arts Program, with majors in Dance and American Studies, and later completed the Independent Study Program at The Ailey School. Maia began her dance training at Baltimore DanceTech under the direction of Stephanie Powell and Yvonne Walker she continued training at the Baltimore School for the Arts, where she studied both dance and acting. Ms. Bedford has danced with Sydnie L. Mosley Dances and as a guest artist with the Blue Morph Collective, Janis Brenner & Dancers, and REDi Dance. She has assisted Luis Salgado and Marcus Jarrell Willis and performed notable works by Jae Man Joo, Matthew Rushing, Jacinta Vlach, Luis Salgado, Laurie Taylor, Igal Perry and Alvin Ailey. She has trained at the Alonzo King LINES Ballet, Broadway Artists’ Alliance, Atlanta Ballet, and Bates Dance Festival, where she was a Merit Scholar, and participated in The Ailey School’s New Directions Choreography Lab and R. Evolución Latina’s Beyond Workshop Series. She is a 2017 New York Innovative Theatre Award winner for “Raisin” at the Astoria Performing Arts Center. This marks her first season as an apprentice with DBDT: Encore!
Carmen Cage
A native of Jacksonville, Florida, Carmen began her pre-professional training at the Jacksonville Center for the arts and the Douglas Anderson School of the arts. She is a 2018 graduate of SUNY Purchase Conservatory of Dance, with a Bachelors of Fine Arts in Dance, and a minor in Arts Management. Carmen has performed renowned works by Kevin Wynn, Doug Varone, Martha Graham, Trisha Brown, Christopher Huggins, Levi Marsman and José Limón. She has completed intensives at The Ailey School, Dance Italia, Movement Invention Project, Bates Dance Festival and Dallas Black Dance Theatre. She has performed at the Kuandu Arts Festival in Taipei Taiwan, New York live Arts, New York City Center, and Peridance Capezio Center. This is Carmen’s first season with DBDT: Encore!
Taylor Diggs
Born and raised in Baltimore, MD, Taylor began her formal dance training at Carver Center for the Arts and Technology and Towson University’s Community Dance Program. This lead her to earn a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance and Choreography and Certificate in Global Education from Virginia Commonwealth University. She has also completed training programs with the Ailey School, PhilaDanco!, and ArcDanz Mexico. In addition, Taylor has had the opportunity to perform works by notable artists such as Liz Lerman and Dance Exchange, MK Abadoo, and André Zachery. This is Taylor’s first season with DBDT: Encore!
Kayleigh Eidson
A native of San Francisco Bay Area, Kayleigh received her pre-professional training from Studio A Dance, Inc. She is a 2017 graduate of Point Park University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, where she earned her Bachelors of Fine Arts in Dance. Kayleigh has performed works by José Limón, David Norsworthy and Ruben Graciani. She has trained at Hubbard Street Dance Chicago and the San Francisco Conservatory summer programs. She has performed in Samson and Dalilah with The Dallas Opera. Additionally, Kayleigh teaches dance to students in grades Pre-K through high school. This is Kayleigh’s second season with DBDT: Encore!
Herman Houston III
A Dallas native, graduated from the Dallas Can Academy and attended the American Music and Dramatic Academy (AMDA) in Los Angeles, CA. He has performed with Happy Nia Dance Theatre and was a past member of Bloom, Dallas Black Dance Academy’s Performing Ensemble. Herman has attended the Complexions Contemporary Ballet Summer Intensive, as well as, numerous Dallas Black Dance Theatre Summer Intensives and Dallas Black Dance Academy’s Summer Enrichment Programs. Mr. has performed in Samson and Dalilah and Show Boat with The Dallas Opera. This marks Herman’s sixth season with DBDT: Encore!
Floyd Mclean Jr.
A native of East Orange, NJ, began his pre-professional dance training at Sharron Miller’s Academy for The Performing Arts In Montclair, NJ and The Cicely L. Tyson High School of Performing and Fine Arts. He has trained at The Dance Theater of Harlem, Complexions Contemporary Ballet, NYU Future Dancers and Dance makers and Dallas Black Dance Theatre intensives. Floyd is a 2018 graduate with a BFA in Dance from Point Park University where he was awarded the Don Craig Scholarship. He has trained with and danced in works by Garfield Lemonius, Jason McDole, Kiesha Lalama, Joshua Peugh, Stephanie Batten-Bland, Doug Bentz, Christopher L. Huggins, and many more. This is his first Season with DBDT: Encore!
Bianca Melidor
A native of Atlanta, Georgia, Bianca received her dance training at the Gwinnett Ballet Theater under the artistic direction of Lisa Sheppard Robson and Wade Walthall. Bianca furthered her training at Point Park University, with professors Jason McDole, Judith Leifer-Bentz, and many others. In 2018, Bianca graduated from Point Park receiving her Bachelor in Fine Arts with Magna Cum Laude. Having been part of a conservatory directed under Ruben Graciani and Garfield Lemonius, Bianca has had opportunities to work with choreographers such as Troy Powell, Sidra Bell, Helen Simoneau, Kiesha Lalama and many others along with performing works by Mark Morris and Jose Limon. In addition, Bianca has spent many of her summers training at intensives like Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, Mark Morris Dance Group, Ballet West, Atlanta Ballet, and Dallas Black Dance Theatre. Along with her training, Bianca enjoys teaching students of all ages in ballet, jazz, modern, and Haitian folklore dance. Bianca is excited to participate in her first season with DBDT: Encore!
Amauris Ortega
Born and raised in Boston, Massachusetts, began his career studying at OrigiNation Cultural Arts Center before training at the Boston Arts Academy. Prior to graduating in 2011, Amauris had the honor of performing a new work directed and choreographed by Kirven Douthit-Boyd. He continued his studies at Earl Mosley’s Institute of the Arts, and later, at the The Ailey School’s Certificate Program. During that time, Amauris has had the opportunity to work with Ray Mercer and perform Alvin Ailey’s Memoria. Amauris was a member of the Ailey Student Performance Group and graduated in May 2018. Amauris had the pleasure to apprentice with Ronald K. Brown’s Evidence, a Dance Company and performed Dancing Spirits with the company at The Joyce Theater. This is Amauris’ first season with DBDT: Encore!
Terrell Rogers Jr.
A native of Baltimore, MD, is a recent graduate from Point Park University Conservatory of Performing Arts under the direction of Garfield Lemonius. He began his dance training with the Ava Fields Dance Company under the direction of Ava Fields. He later received a full scholarship to study at Johns Hopkins Peabody Conservatory. He has attended summer intensives at Complexions Contemporary Ballet and Dallas Black Dance Theatre. During his time at Point Park, he trained and performed works by master choreographers and teachers, Jose Limon, Lucinda Childs, Jennifer Archibald, Ori Flomin, Judith Leifer-Bentz, Garfield Lemonius, Jason McDole, and Kiesha Lalama. This will be Terrell’s first season with DBDT: Encore!
Jeremy Rooks
A native of Mobile, Alabama, Jeremy received his Bachelor of Fine Arts from the University of Southern Mississippi in dance performance and choreography. He also attended The Ailey School and completed the independent study program and summer intensive. Jeremy spearheaded the dance programs at KIPP: Pleasant Grove Primary Charter School in Dallas, Texas, as well as a dance program at a local recreational center in Mesquite, Texas. Alongside teaching, Jeremy has performed with the Norwegian Cruise Line. This marks his first season with DBDT: Encore!
Photography by: Brian Guilliaux
Jeremy Rooks photo by Tios Photography