DBDT: Encore! Dancers
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Lindzay Duplessis
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!.
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 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!.
Imani English
A native of Madison, WI, Imani began her dance training under the direction of Jean Adams at the Monona Academy of Dance and the Madison Profession Dance Center’s pre-professional company. She has received scholarships from The Wisconsin Dance Council, The Anthony Quinn Foundation, Dance Chicago and was also awarded the Rahm Emmanuel Scholarship to attend intensive programs at River North Dance Chicago. Ms. English is a 2014 graduate and Valedictorian of the Chicago High School for the Arts. There, she performed repertoire from Hubbard Street Dance Chicago, Muntu Dance Theater, the Joffrey Ballet and performed with the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater in Memoria. Imani joined DanceWorks Chicago in 2014, touring internationally and performing works by renowned choreographers Brian Enos, Harrison McEldowney, Kristofer Storey, Demis Volpi, among others. This is Imani’s second season with DBDT: Encore!.
Herman Houston III
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!.
Devrae Jefferson
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!.
Aminah Michelle Maddox
Raised in Frisco, TX, Aminah is a 2013 graduate from Booker T. Washington High School for the Performing and Visual Arts in Dallas. She has received a Bachelor’s in Fine Arts in Dance and a Bachelor’s of Science in Exercise Science with a minor in Athletic Health Care from The University of Texas at Austin in 2017. Aminah has had the pleasure of working with notable artists including Clifford Williams, Alex Ketley, Charles O. Anderson, Sidra Bell, Rennie Harris, and Christian von Howard. Additionally, she has performed at American College Dance Association’s 2016 National Festival at The Kennedy Center in Washington D.C. This is Ms. Maddox’s first season with DBDT: Encore!.
Asya Melan Shaw
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!.
Chad Vaught
Born and raised in Haysville, KS, trained under various directors such as Jana Owen, Trudy Souba, and Amy Bertrand-Faimon, Chad has attended the Generation IV and The Juilliard School Summer Intensives, as well as the San Francisco Conservatory of Dance. In 2017, he graduated from New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts, earning a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance, studying under Sean Curran, Giada Ferrone and Pamela Pietro. Prior to graduation, Vaught spent his time in Europe studying dance under Johannes Weiland, Judith Sanchez-Ruiz, Dominique Duszynski, Ayman Harper and Eleanor Bauer. Chad has performed works by world renowned choreographers such as Jeremy Nelson, Trisha Brown, Cherylyn Lavagnino, Stefanie Batten Bland, Ori Flomin, James Sewell, among others and has appeared films such as choreographing and dancing in Broken Record by Saint Victoria, We Cheer, Dance League USA: Pilot and others. This is Chad’s first season as a member of DBDT: Encore!.
Christen Ashley Williams
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!.
Photography by: The Dallas Dance Project and Steven Ray