Apprentice
Lindzay Duplessis, New Orleans native, graduated from Sam Houston State University getting her Bachelors of Fine Arts in Dance. Her training includes three years of Cecchetti from Chamberlain School of Ballet. (CDE) Collin Dance Ensemble, and has done summer intensives with Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre. Lindzay has performed in work by Teoma Naccarato, Elijah Gibson, and Dionne Noble. She has also performed in work by David Cross from Dark Circles in the Wanderlust Dance Project performed at the Majestic Theatre. She is coming into her second year as a company member with IMPulse Dance Project and (M2DT) Muscle Memory Dance and this is her first season with DBDT: Encore!.

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 San Francisco Conservatory summer programs. Additionally, Kayleigh teaches dance to students in grades Pre-K through high school. This is Kayleigh’s first season with DBDT: Encore!.

A Dallas native, Houston is a graduate 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. Houston’s ultimate goal is to converge all he has learned under the direction of Nycole Ray, DBDT, and AMDA to become a successful artist in the film industry. This marks Herman’s fifth season with DBDT: Encore!.

Born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and raised on the south side of Atlanta, GA, Devrae began is training at the Tri-Cities High School of the Visual and Performing Arts program. After receiving full scholarships to the Metropolitan Ballet Theater and Alonzo King Lines Ballet Summer Programs, Mr.  Jefferson received his Bachelors of Fine Arts in Dance from the University of North Carolina School of the Arts. Devrae has performed with Ballethnic Dance Company. This is Mr. Jefferson’s first season with DBDT: Encore!.

A native of Burtonsville, Maryland, began his dance training under the direction of Monica Harris and went on to train at the Dance Institute of Washington. He is a graduate of the University of the Arts in Philadelphia, PA where he earned a Bachelor’s of Fine Arts in Dance. Shomari received scholarships to summer intensives to the Rock School for Dance Education, Alonzo King Lines Ballet and the Dance Theatre of Harlem. He has studied at The Ailey School from 2013-2016 as a fellowship and independent study student. Shomari is a recipient of the Nadia Chilkovsky Founders Award and the Pennsylvania Ballet’s Choreographic Award. He has performed works by Alvin Ailey, William Forsythe, Alonzo King, Ray Mercer, Matthew Rushing, Zane Booker and Meredith Rainey. While at The Ailey School, Shomari performed Memoria with the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater in 2014 and in 2016 he perform Buked from Mr. Ailey’s Revelations during the company’s opening night at Lincoln Center. In 2015, Shomari joined the Teaching Artist roster of Ailey’s Arts In Education & Community Programs. This marks his first season with DBDT: Encore!.

Baltimore native Asya, is a 2013 graduate of The Baltimore School for the Arts and a 2017 graduate of Towson University earning a Bachelor’s of Fine Arts degree in Dance Performance and Choreography. During those four years, Shaw performed works set on the Towson University Dance Company and Virginia Tech Dance Company. She has also completed intensive programs with Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater and Dance Theatre of Harlem. Along with her many performances as a dancer, Shaw’s teaching experience includes working with The Baltimore School for the Arts TWIGS Program and Ailey Camp Baltimore. Shaw is a proud member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Incorporated and a dedicated arts advocate for inner city youth. This is Asya’s first season as a member of DBDT: Encore!.

Artistic Assistant
Christen Ashley earned her Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from Howard University. She has had the opportunity to work with noted choreographers such as Hope Boykin, Assane Konte, Ray Mercer, Kim Bears-Bailey, Sidra Bell and many others. She has had the privilege to perform works by Dr. Sherill Berryman-Johnson, Pearl Primus, and Ronald K. Brown. She has performed with Alfre Woodard at the Lincoln Memorial for Constitution Day, performed at two Inaugural Celebration’s for the re-election of President Barack Obama and performed with recording artist, Anthony Hamilton. Most recently, she was a featured choreographer for Deeply Rooted Dance Theater’s Emerging Choreographer’s program. Ms. Williams was a principal dancer with The Dallas Opera’s Show Boat. Touring nationally and internationally, Christen has performed with DBDT: Encore! for three seasons and served as Encore’s Assistant to the Director for two seasons. She has been a part of the Dallas Black Dance Academy faculty for three years and currently serves as the Director for Dallas Black Dance Academy’s Junior Performing Ensemble. This marks Ms. Williams’ first season as the Artistic Assistant for DBDT: Encore!.