CLEO PARKER ROBINSON DANCE
Currently celebrating its 55th Anniversary Season, Cleo Parker Robinson Dance is an international performing arts and educational institution rooted in African American traditions and the Diaspora, dedicated to excellence in providing crosscultural performances, and enrichment programs - empowering all our communities by cultivating healthy mind, body, and spirit development for intergenerational students, artists, and audiences. Viewing dance as a universal language of movement that transcends boundaries of culture, class, and age, Cleo Parker Robinson Dance is committed to honoring all people throughout the global community.
| www.cleoparkerdance.org
Bolero Artistic and Production Team
Cleo Parker Robinson
Founder / Artistic Director
Winifred R. Harris
Associate Artistic Director
Rhetta Shead Production Director
Cedric D. Hall
Cleo II Co-Director
John E. Lambert-Roberts Cleo II Co-Director
Jasmine Francisco Ensemble Rehearsal Coordinator
Trey Grimes Technical Advisor
Conor Morford
Technical Director
Anastazia Coney
Lighting Design
Deborah Powell Wardrobe Construction
Michael Battle Wardrobe Superviso
Caeli Blake Wardrobe Superviso
Gabriela Maduro Props Supervisor
Amelia Dietz-Rowe Playbill Design
Mary Hart Playbill Editor
Stan Obert CPRD Photographer
David Andrews Archival Videographe
The Community
CLEO PARKER ROBINSON DANCE ENSEMBLE
Cleo Parker Robinson | Founder & Artistic Director
Winifred R. Harris | Associate Artistic Director
Michael Battle, Caeli Blake, Corey Boatner, Tori Carter, Adrian D
Jasmine Francisco, Devrae "DJ" Jefferson, Gabriela Maduro, Max Ne
Lamar Rogers, Lauren Slaughter, Nasira Watson*
DAYTON CONTEMPORARY DANCE COMPANY
Debbie Blunden-Diggs | Chief Artistic & Producing Direct
Edgar Kawog Aguirre, Qarrianne Blayr, Alexandria “Peach” Fle
Aaron J. Frisby, Sadale Warner, Countess V. Winfrey
CLEO II
Cedric D. Hall | Co-Director
John E. Lambert-Roberts | Co-Director
Santos Garcia, Faith E. Johnson, India Johnson
Kayla Massey, Jesús Muñoz, Koura Wright
*Apprentice to Ensemble
A letter from Cleo
Welcome Family, Friends and CPRD Alumni to Bolero:
As we launch our 55th Anniversary Season, I have been pondering the significance of this Bolero concert, with the concept of “bridges of legacy” speaking to my mind, heart, and spirit. Artistic legacy and elevation have always been key components in our ongoing vision and mission – connecting us to an iconic past, honoring our shared history, elevating our here-and-now, and shaping our future. This concert proudly affirms the long-standing bridges that exist between Cleo Parker Robinson Dance (CPRD) and two of the visionary companies within the Black Dance Tradition in America: Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre and Dayton Contemporary Dance Company (DCDC).
Choreographer Christopher L. Huggins is an historian and former soloist of the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater. We first brought his work Bolero to the stage of the Newman Center for the Performing Arts 20 years ago, presenting his ingenious interpretation of Maurice Ravel’s iconic score. Now, he brings a cutting-edge update to this wonderful ballet! We’re honored to hold several of his works in our repertoire, with Bolero being one of our favorites to perform.
Lisa Johnson-Willingham (CPRD Alumna and Alvin Ailey Extension Director) premieres an exquisite duet, For All Time – Always, in tribute to the timeless love I shared with my late husband, Tom Robinson, who was my bridge of strength and support in all things. Winifred R. Harris (CPRD Associate Artistic Director) presents her work, Shadows Just Before, which premiered on Dayton Contemporary Dance Co earlier this year We are so honored to have this incredible sister company with us now in Denver to reprise her work on the Ellie Caulkins Opera House stage. My own work, Four Women, having premiered in 1972, remains as assertive today as it was when I first created it –confronting the constant struggles of societal perception for women of color around the world. Each of these works is expressed in the unique movement language of its choreographer, challenging the audience to explore new perspectives within the artistry of dance.
And then of course, there is our signature work Raindance! First set on our company in 1984 by Milton Myers (former artistic director of Joyce Trisler Dance Company, and Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre alumnus). We’re so delighted to have DCDC and members of our own Cleo II join us on stage for this amazing work that has been seen all over the world. This has been Homecoming Week for our CPRD Alumnae Ensemble members, with over thirty of them coming to Denver to share the exhilaration of this concert! If only we’d had enough red skirts for all of them to join us on stage as well! Once you’ve danced Raindance, you never forget the choreography!
If you’ve passed our Five Points home recently, you’ve surely noticed our most extraordinary bridge of legacy, soon to link our historic AME Building with our new 25,000 square foot expansion, the Cleo Parker Robinson Center for the Healing Arts. We plan to hold the Grand Opening of our beautiful new studios, offices, and theatre on January 15, 2026 (Dr. King’s Celebration) and what an iconic event this will be! Who knows, the celebration may last all year!! Of course, our Capital Campaign is on-going, so we invite you to visit our newly updated website at www.cleoparkerdance.org to learn more and join us in achieving this vision as we bring the dream into reality Ask how you can be part of this moment, including unique opportunities for naming rights throughout the new building. (hillary@cleoparkerdance.org)
Our mission and vision, through the outstanding leadership of our President and CEO, Malik Robinson - and the perseverance of our Ensembles, Staff, Faculty, Board of Directors, and Advisory Board – grows ever stronger. With the support of generous individuals, businesses, corporations, and civic organizations, we continue to advance our artistic and educational vision into an ever-expanding community of students and educators, artists and audiences
Earlier this year, our 30th Annual International Summer Dance Institute (ISDI), the region’s finest summer intensive program, along with our Mile High Dance Festival, were some of our most well-attended and energizing events ever, under the guidance of Victoria Shead Johnston, Senior Academy Manager. Both our ISDI (watch for our 2026 dates!) and our year-round Academy offer a diverse and intriguing range of classes, with the physical, mental, and emotional health of our students and teachers remaining our highest priority. There’s an incredible variety of classes to appeal to all ages and abilities! Give yourself or a loved one a special gift - check our website for the latest information on our classes. Make it possible for a young person – or even a notso-young one - to follow their dream!
This year’s Dancing With the Denver Stars (DWTDS) Gala took place on Saturday August 23, with a new location at the Sheraton Downtown! This was a particularly significant anniversary – our 15th Anniversary DWTDS Gala, as part of our 55th Anniversary Season! We had an incredible line-up of community, civic, and business leaders taking the stage to show off their dance moves! This was our largest Gala yet –with 14 stars, over 850 attendees, and we reached an outstanding financial goal in support of our educational and wellness programs!
Just a few weeks ago, I had the profound experience, at the invitation of Presenting Denver, of performing a solo set on me by my dear friend, colleague, collaborator - and former CPRD Ensemble member - Chris Page Sanders. Dedicated to my dear husband Tom, this ten-minute work reminded me, even though I've appeared on a myriad of stages nationally and internationally throughout our CPRD history, that I had not performed a work of this nature in nearly 40 years. What a deeply spiritual, emotionaland physical - reminder of my origin-roots as a dancer!
As you’ll see from the back cover of your program, it’s almost time for the 35 Anniversary Season of Granny Dances to a Holiday Drum! This will be the show’s last run in our current theatre before we move the entire production over into our new theatre in 2026! Every year, this Holiday favorite introduces new elements, so don’t miss the fun and excitement! th
Now, as each day presents new challenges which may at times feel overwhelming, let each and every one of us move forward in a shared Spirit of Family and Community – knowing that we are all building bridges, and that in every aspect of our daily lives - our songs and dances, our languages, rituals and traditions, the stories we tell, the ways in which we honor one another in both sorrow and joy, trauma and triumph – we carry LEGACY! May our bridges remain strong, elevating us all in COURAGE and LOVE!!
In the Spirit o
CLEO PARKER ROBINSON
Founder/ArtisticDirector/Choreographer/Producer
CLEO PARKER ROBINSON is founder and artistic director of the 55-year-old Denver-based artistic institution, CLEO PARKER ROBINSON DANCE (CPRD), leading a professional Ensemble (CPRDE), Cleo II (her 2nd company), a Youth Ensemble, an Academy of Dance, an International Summer Dance Institute, a 240seat theatre, and numerous community outreach programs nationally and internationally. CPRD’s current home in the 100-year-old Shorter Building in Denver’s Historic Five Points District is about to expand with an adjacent 25,000 square foot extension, scheduled to open in January 2026 with new studios, theatre, and office facilities.
Ms. Robinson has received honors and awards from corporate, civic, community, and artistic entities world-wide, bringing CPRDE to myriad organizations and venues for performances, teaching residencies and community engagement programming. A master teacher/choreographer and
cultural ambassador, she and CPRDE have performed nationwide and throughout Europe, the Caribbean, Asia, and the African continent, with their most recent international tours taking them to Bogota, Colombia in Spring of 2019 and Mexico in Fall 2019 and again in Fall of 2024. In early summer of 2025, Ms. Parker Robinson joined an artistic consortium in Bahia, Brazil, for seven weeks as a guest of the internationally renowned Sacatar Institute.
Ms. Parker Robinson’s awards and honors include the Colorado Governor’s Award for Excellence (1974), Denver Mayor’s Award (1979), induction into the Colorado Women's Hall of Fame (1989) and the Blacks in Colorado Hall of Fame (1994). Recognized in Who’s Who in America Colleges and Universities she holds an Honorary Doctorates from Denver University (1991), an Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters from Colorado College (2003), an Honorary Doctorate of Public Service from Regis University in Denver (2008), an Alumni Award from University of Denver (2021), the 2020 Honorary Degree, Doctor of Humane Letters, Honous Causa from CU Boulder, and was named an Honorary Member of the International Association of Dance Medicine and Science (2021).
In 1991, Ms. Parker served on the task force creating a permanent location for the Denver School of the Arts (DSA), Denver’s first performing arts magnet school, and was subsequently honored In September 2017 at their 7th Annual Fall Gala, in recognition of her long-term commitment to excellence in arts education She is also co-founder of the National Bahamian Dance Company, based in Nassau. In 2011, Ms. Parker Robinson was voted an Honorary Lifetime Trustee of the Denver Performing Arts Complex, in recognition of her longtime commitment and lasting impact. In June 2017, she received the highly prestigious DanceUSA Honor Award and in September 2017, the Randy Weeks Arts Leadership Award from the Denver School of the Arts In March 2023,
Ms. Parker Robinson, along with the other four founders of the International Association of Blacks in Dance (IABD), was honored at the White House as the IABD received the 2021 National Medal of the Arts. In 2024, she was named as the Professor for the Rachel B. Noel Distinguished Visiting Professorship.
Ms. Robinson has served on NEA panels on Dance, Expansion Arts, Arts America, and Inter-Arts panels for the USIS, and for the National Foundation for Advancement in the Arts as well as other national task forces, boards, and committees on the arts. In April 1999, she was appointed by then-President William Jefferson Clinton, with Senate confirmation, to serve for four years on the National Council on the Arts, a 14-member panel advising the Chairman of the NEA on agency policy and programs, evaluating and making recommendations on grant applications.
Since 2011, Ms. Parker Robinson has significantly returned to her greatest passion as a choreographer, creating and presenting Dreamcatchers: The Untold Stories of the Americas and the world premiere of her Romeo and Juliet, in collaboration with the Colorado Symphony Orchestra. Her work On the Edge… Reaching to Higher Ground premiered in October of 2014 in answer to resurging racial and human rights infractions world-wide. In Spring 2017, she re-staged two works, melding classical and jazz composition with the power, passion and beauty of modern dance – Romeo and Juliet and Porgy and Bess. Fall 2017 saw the premiere of Copacetic: A Tribute to Jonathon “JP” Parker, honoring her late father. In Spring of 2018, she premiered Lark Ascending in collaboration with the Boulder Philharmonic Her Rhapsody in Black, created in collaboration with CPRD Associate Artistic Director, Winifred R. Harris, premiered at the Newman Center for the Performing Arts, University of Denver In January 2019, in collaboration with the Denver Brass, she choreographed an innovative interpretation of Bernstein’s On the Town and Spring 2019 saw a collaboration with the Colorado Ballet entitled The MOVE/ment as part of the Tour de Force series at the Ellie Caulkins Opera House, Denver Performing Arts Complex In 2019, she traveled to UMKC, Kansas City, to set a work on the students of CPRDE alum Gary Abbot, entitled Check Cashing Day in tribute to the jazz genius of Bobby Watson and Milt Abel. In August 2021, she premiered Standing On the Shoulders, a work commissioned by the Vail Dance Festival. September 2021 saw the debut of her work Freedom Dance, created in collaboration with jazz icon Dianne Reeves and CPRD co-founder and poet, Schyleen Qualls and in October 2021, she premiered R.I.Power, an original work commissioned by the Colorado College Fine Arts Center in Colorado Springs. Her newest work, Sacred Spaces? set to an original score by Adonis Rose, Director of the New Orleans Jazz Orchestra, premiered in September 2022 at the Denver Performing Arts Complex. September 2023 saw the reprise of her innovative interpretation of The Firebird, set amidst the pantheon and legacy of Hawaiian culture. In October 2023, she choreographed and co-produced the production of Mozart Requiem Evermore in collaboration with Dr. Dennis Law.
As part of its mission and vision to preserve the legacy of Black Dance in America, the Cleo Parker Robinson Dance Ensemble also proudly holds within its extensive repertoire the works of many of the icons of American dance, including those of Katherine Dunham, Donald McKayle, Alvin Ailey, and Eleo Pomare.
Cleo Parker Robinson remains dedicated to celebrating the human experience and potential through the Arts and Education. Her life-long vision of “One Spirit, Many Voices” remains strong and steadfast, expanding to welcome, embrace, and sustain all people.
LISA JOHNSON-WILLINGHAM
A native of Washington, D.C., Lisa Johnson-Willingham has served as Director of Ailey Extension since 2011, carrying forward Alvin Ailey’s legacy that "dance is for everybody." Under her leadership, Ailey Extension continues to offer innovative and accessible dance programs to students of all ages, levels, and backgrounds.
Lisa’s dance journey began at the Duke Ellington School of the Arts, followed by her graduation from the University of the Arts in Philadelphia Shortly after, she joined the renowned Cleo Parker Robinson Dance Ensemble in Denver, where she began her professional career and formed a lifelong connection with a community that deeply nurtured her artistic growth. Cleo Parker
Robinson became not only a mentor but a guiding force in Lisa’sdevelopment as a dancer, teacher, and choreographer The opportunities and support Lisa received during her time with Cleo laid a strong foundation for her continued success in the dance world
Over the years, Lisa and Cleo have maintained a meaningful partnership. Most recently, in 2024, they collaborated to bring Ailey Experience Denver to life at Cleo Parker Robinson Dance Academy celebrating their shared mission of community, culture, and the transformative power of dance.
She was a member of Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, under the artistic direction of Judith Jamison During her time with Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, Johnson-Willingham choreographed a new work titled Restricted (1998) during the Company’s 40th Anniversary Season While living in Chicago, she choreographed for many prominent dance companies, theater productions, and musicals at the Goodman Theater, Steppenwolf Theater, Chicago Dramatist, and Congo Square Theater Company.
Johnson-Willingham has been actively involved in the field of dance education and community engagement for many years, including a decade-long position as Director of AileyCamp Chicago. As an educator, Johnson-Willingham was chosen to be the founding Dance Conservatory Head at The Chicago High School of the Arts She has served as an artist-in-residence, a guest lecturer, and an adjunct faculty member at colleges and universities
“It is an honor to return home to my dance family as we celebrate 55 years of the visionary spirit of Cleo Parker Robinson and her beloved husband, Tom Robinson. I dedicate this performance to Tom and to all the quiet heroes who have lifted and supported Cleo’s journey those whose strength, love, and presence have helped sustain this legacy of excellence, resilience, and joy.”
CHRISTOPHER L. HUGGINS
Christopher L. Huggins is a visionary, dance innovator. He is an Alvin Ailey disciple, and historian, developing multilayered, storytelling through dance. Christopher attended Purchase University, the Julliard School and was a merit scholar at the Ailey School. He’s a former soloist of the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater and Aterballetto of Reggio Emilia, Italy. His work is rooted in research that memorializes our darkest history This is found in his ballet THE LIST, a story about the systemic genocide of a Jewish family and those in concentration camps. His ballet NEW FRUIT, inspired by Nina Simone’s music, documents terror lynching.
Through his dance initiative, he provides access to emerging dancers and choreographers to study abroad with him. He works around the globe and has held residencies at over twenty-five universities and colleges.
Christopher is a multi-award winner including: two Alvin Ailey Awards from Black Theater Alliance, a Walt Disney Diversity award, a Critics Choice award and silver medalist of the International Dance Competition in Seoul, Korea He holds the distinction of being “repetiteur” of Mr. Ailey’s ballets. As he continues his dance legacy, Christopher wants his work to heal, entertain and inspire mankind.
WINIFRED R. HARRIS
ctor for Cleo Parker Robinson Dance, honoring both the company’s new and historical repertoire She is co-creator of Dance for Schools, a codified curriculum for public education that is currently being taught in different high school programs throughout the United States.
It has been written Harris is “a visionary who creates art as conversation, viewing it as connective tissue to the world. A means to see beyond what we think of as limits”. Her choreography is story-telling with a balance of technical prowess and expression
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As a dance artist, she had the opportunity to perform long before she began her formal training, as part of To My Father’s House, choreographed by her first dance teacher Cleo Parker Robinson. Through that work she learned to love dance and advanced her training at such a rapid rate that she became a company member at a young age. She is grateful for the long list of dance luminaries with whom she has trained or performed their works, including the incredible faculty at California Institute of the Arts.
Harris was also a member of Dallas Black Dance Theater, where she headed the professional dance division Subsequently, she traveled to New York, working with an array of companies She later returned to California where she performed with different companies and music artists, and for industry events and film projects. Her passion for choreography and her connection to the wonders and concerns of our society helped birth the artist she is continually becoming.
Her teaching career spans residencies with the California University system: Long Beach, Northridge, and Los Angeles, the Orange County Performing Arts High School, the Los Angeles Music Center teaching division, Reykjavík Iceland, and London England. She continued choreographing for her company, as well as musicals, stage plays, fashion shows and other dance companies Motivated by engagement and purpose in the choreographic space that engages the heart and mind, Harris spent time teaching within shelters for women and children, engaging them in the art of dance, helping strengthen their voice in the world. She was also part of The Heart Project, a special engagement for youth in a critical place within their lives, either being released or on their way to lockup facilities. This purpose-driven work was awarded with the Mayor’s Award for Community Engagement.
Along with a nomination for the Lester Horton Award Harris is grateful to be a Legends of Dance
MILTON MYERS
Milton Myers is a resident choreographer and instructor for PHILADANCO! and a faculty member at The School at Jacob’s Pillow, The Ailey School, Peridance, STEPS on Broadway, and Juilliard School. He performed with Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater and directed the Joyce Trisler Danscompany. He has choreographed for Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, Danish Dance Theater, and PHILADANCO!, and for dancers including Judith Jamison and Carmen de Lavallade.
Myers has been honored by the International Association of Blacks in Dance for his extraordinary teaching and mentorship to dancers. He teaches and choreographs for prominent companies and dance centers worldwide including in Italy, Japan, and Paris
THECLEOPARKERROBINSON
MICHAEL BATTLE
Ensemble Member + Wardrobe Supervisor
A native of Detroit, MI, Mr. Battle began his dance training at Detroit School of the Arts at the age of 14. In 2009, he joined the Lula Washington Dance Theatre as a company member, and in 2019, joined Ronald K Brown/ Evidence, A Dance Company as a company member. Mr. Battle has traveled to China, Russia, Haiti, Mexico, Brazil, the United Kingdom, Spain, and Italyperforming works by nationally and internationally acclaimed choreographers worldwide. He has performed with Grammy Award Winning and Nominated artists Kamasi Washington, Meshell Ndegeocello, Terence Blanchard, Aurturo O’Farrill, and Jody Watley. After guesting with the Ensemble in 2022, he is now in his fourth season as an Ensemble member with Cleo Parker Robinson Dance.
CAELI BLAKE
Ensemble Member + Wardrobe Supervisor
From Washington, DC, Ms. Blake began her formal training at BalletNova Center for Dance in Arlington, VA. She attended Duke Ellington School of the Arts under the tutelage of Charles Augins, Sandra Fortune-Greene, & Katherine Smith. Ms. Blake has also studied with various company institutions such as Deeply Rooted Dance Theater, Dance Theater of Harlem at the Strathmore, and Joffrey Ballet Summer Intensive. Blake graduated from Southern Methodist University, with a BFA in Dance Performance and BS in Education & Human Development. While being a full-time student at SMU, she joined B.Moore Dance. She has performed in choreographic works by Katherine Dunham, Alvin Ailey, Donald McKayle, Robert Battle, Christopher Huggins, Kevin Iega Jeff, Silas Farley, Nicole Clarke-Springer, and many more Ms. Blake joined the Ensemble in 2022. Now in her fourth season, Ms. Blake has performed at Jacob’s Pillow & Vail Dance Festival with the CPRD Ensemble.
TORI CARTER
Ensemble Member
A Dallas, TX native, Ms Carter began training at Dallas Black Dance Academy and Ozsoy’s School of Ballet. She graduated Valedictorian from Grand Prairie Fine Arts Academy and earned her BFA in Dance Arts with a minor in AfroAmerican Studies from Howard University. In 2022, she showcased her choreography set on Company | E at the Richmond Dance Festival. Upon graduation, she performed for two seasons with Dallas Black Dance Theatre’s DBDT: Encore! under the direction of Nycole Ray. She’s had the privilege of performing works by Kevin Iega Jeff, Ronald K. Brown, Dwight Rhoden, Tommie-Waheed Evans, and more. Ms. Carter now joins the Cleo Parker Robinson Dance Ensemble for her first season.
ADRIAN DOMINGUEZ
Ensemble Member
A native of Denver, CO, Mr. Dominguez graduated from Anderson University with a B.A. in Dance Performance and has since made significant strides in his dance career. Most recently, he performed with Dance Kaleidoscope under the direction of Joshua Blake Carter, and previously under the guidance of David Hochoy He has also had the privilege of dancing with Gregory Hancock Dance Theater, where he further developed his artistry. He has had the pleasure of performing works by renowned choreographers including David Hochoy, Joshua Blake Carter, Earl Mosley, Nicole Springer, Eddy Ocampo, Sidra Bell, Christal Brown, Alexander Diaz, Vincent Hardy, and Matthew Rushing. Additionally, he spent his summers training at Earl Mosley's Institute of the Arts, enhancing his skills and artistic expression. Having been a guest artist with Cleo II, and an Apprentice to the Ensemble for one year, he is now in his first season as an Ensemble member
DANCE ENSEMBLE MEMBERS
JASMINE FRANCISCO
EnsembleMember+EnsembleRehearsalCoordinator
Originally from Houston, TX, Ms. Francisco began her training at the Fine Arts Magnet School and graduated from The High School of Performing and Visual Arts as a dance major under the directions of Luanne Carter and Janie Carothers in 2012. She continued her education and received her Bachelors of Fine Arts 2016 from Point Park University while having an esteemed repertoire from Jessica Lang, Terrance Marling, Troy Powell, Bennyroyce Royon, Garfield Lemonius and MADBOOTS In her sophomore year of 2010, her student choreography project Tales of Courage was chosen to be featured at ACDA for the University. Six months after graduating from Point Park, she joined the Lula Washington Dance Theater in Los Angeles, CA for two seasons performing works by Kyle Abraham, Donald Bryd, Rennie Harris, Christopher Huggins and David Roussève Ms Francisco moved to Denver, CO to begin her journey with the Cleo Parker Robinson Dance Ensemble. She is now in her seventh season as an Ensemble member and also serves as the Ensemble Rehearsal Coordinator.
COREYJAMEL
Ensemble Member + Youth Ensemble Asst. Director
Born in Chicago, IL and growing up in Hammond IN, Mr. Jamel trained in multiple dance techniques at the Hammond Academy for the Performing Arts. An alum of Indiana University, he performed there in notable works including Kyle Abrahams Radio Show,Jose Limon’s Psalm, Andrea Millers Spill, Jerome Robbins Fanfare, and the original restaging of Twyla Tharp’s Deuce Coupe and Rennie Harris’ Home. He has also toured professionally with Elizabeth Shea Dance in Philadelphia and New York, performed overseas with Norwegian Creative Studios and toured with Anita Baker during her Songstress tour After one season as an apprentice, Mr. Jamel is now in his sixth season as a Cleo Parker Robinson Dance Ensemble member, and his first season as Youth Ensemble Assistant Director.
DEVRAE JEFFERSON
Ensemble Member
A native of Atlanta, GA., Devrae “DJ” Jefferson began his training in the Magnet Program for Visual and Performing arts at Tri-Cities HS where he focused on all genres of dance. With a special affinity for ballet, he attended summer programs including Metropolitan Ballet Theater and Lines Contemporary Ballet Having furthered his training, he subsequently received a BFA from the University of North Carolina School of the Arts in WinstonSalem NC. Mr. Jefferson has performed with BallethnicDance Company and Dallas Black Dance Theater Encore. With extensive experience in coaching gymnastics and teaching a variety of dance techniques, he first joined Cleo Parker Robinson Dance as a guest artist for the holiday production Granny Dances to a Holiday Drum before becoming an Apprentice to the Ensemble. He is now in his second season as an Ensemble member.
GABRIELA MADURO
Ensemble Member + Props Supervisor
Originally from Fremont CA, Ms. Maduro began her dance training at Yoko’s Dance and Performing Arts Academy and Nor Cal Dance Arts. She has attended Summer Intensives with the Ailey School, the Martha Graham School, and the San Francisco Conservatory of Dance. She is a graduate of the University of California, Irvine where she graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree in Dance Performance. While at UCI, she was honored to perform as part of the distinguished Donald McKayle’s Etude Ensemble. She has performed works by Donald McKayle, Martha Graham, Darshan Singh Bhuller among others. Upon graduation, Ms. Maduro joined Cleo II. After one season with the second company, she joined the Ensemble, where she is now in her sixth season
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MAX NELSON-STEINHOFF
Apprentice to the Ensemble
Originally from Denver, Max Nelson-Steinhoff began his dance training at the Cleo Parker Robinson Dance Academy in 2009. He is a graduate of the University of Missouri–Kansas City Conservatory, where he earned his BFA in Dance Performance and Choreography, with an emphasis in Ballet and Modern. Mr. Steinhoff has trained on full scholarship at the Ailey School and the Kansas City Ballet, furthering his training at The School at Jacob’s Pillow under the direction of Milton Myers. During his time at UMKC, Mr. Steinhoff performed with companies such as Wylliams/Henry Contemporary Dance Company, the Kansas City Lyric Opera, and Owen/Cox Dance Group. He is honored to have performed works by José Limón, Gary Abbott, Jennifer Archibald, Omar Román De Jesús, and Jae Man Joo This is his first season as an Apprentice with the Cleo Parker Robinson Dance Ensemble
LAMAR D. ROGERS
Ensemble Member
Mr Rogers is a performer and choreographer hailing from Philadelphia, PA Having graduated from The Philadelphia High School for the Creative and Performing Arts, he later earned a Bachelors of Fine Arts in Dance Performance from The University of the Arts under the direction of Donna Faye Burchfield. During his college career, he toured and performed with Eleone Dance Theatre under the direction and mentorship of Shawn-Lamere Williams. He has trained at various institutions throughout the Philadelphia area as a scholarship student attending Koresh School of Dance, DCNS Summer Dance Intensive and the Rock School for Dance Education. Following graduation, he joined the Philadelphia Dance Company (PHILADANCO!) as a full-time company artist. He has performed works by Sidra Bell, Kyle & Dinita Clark, Merce Cunningham, Ulysses Dove, Tommie-Waheed Evans, Helen Simoneau, Rennie Harris and other acclaimed choreographers. He is now in his third season with the Ensemble
LAUREN SLAUGHTER
Ensemble Member
Lauren Slaughter, a Colorado native, began her dance training at Miller’s Dance Studio where her love for dance grew through ballets, showcases, and ompetitions. Lauren is a 2020 graduate of Washington University in St. Louis where she earned a B.A. in Biology and a Minor in Dance. At the University, he danced with the Washington University Dance Collective and performed works by choreographers such as Ting-Ting Chang, Diadie Bathily, Kirven Douthit-Boyd, and Dana Tai Soon Burgess. Following graduation, Lauren eturned to Colorado where she began her professional dance career with Cleo Parker Robinson Dance. With the company, she has performed works by Donald McKayle, Christopher Huggins, Milton Myers, and Gary Abbott among several others, as well as toured at the Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival. Lauren first joined the company as a Cleo II member, and after a season as an Apprentice, is now in her second season as an Ensemble member.
ASIRA WATSON
Apprentice to the Ensemble
Ms. Watson is a dance artist born and raised in Cleveland, Ohio. She began her ormal dance training at Cleveland School of the Arts where she studied ballet, odern, jazz, and contemporary styles for nine years. She subsequently ontinued her training at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts, ith a focus in contemporary dance She then went on to study at the Ailey chool in New York City. Ms. Watson has trained, studied and worked with umerous world- renowned dance artists and choreographers including Robert attle, Christopher Huggins, Troy Powell, Darrell Moultrie, Ronald Alexander and Caridad Martinez, among others. After a season with Cleo II, she now joins the Ensemble for her first season as an Apprentice
DAYTON CONTEMPORARY DANCE COMPANY
DEBBIE BLUNDEN-DIGGS
Chief Executive & Artistic Director
Debbie Blunden-Diggs (Chief Executive & Artistic Director) became Chief Executive & Artistic Director in 2024. She became Artistic Director for Dayton Contemporary Dance Company (DCDC) in 2007
In 2019, she was named ChiefArtistic & Producing Director For over 20 years she performed with the company, appearing in most of the company’s repertoire. Before becoming Artistic Director, she served as the company’s Associate Artistic Director, Deputy Director forArts and Operations, and Resident Choreographer. In addition to her choreographic and artistic leadership, Ms Blunden-Diggs is the
Executive Director of Jeraldyne’s School of the Dance, the cornerstone to Dayton Contemporary Dance Company, and she works closely with DCDC’s pre-professional company, DCDC2. She has created works for the company, which have become part of the company’s artistic blueprint. Her notable works include Configurations, Kaleidoscope, Fragments, In My Father’s House, and Traffic Her first piece, Variations in Blue, composed when she was 17, was submitted as an entry in the Young Choreographers Showcase and selected for inclusion in the National Choreographic Plan. She has contributed an impressive body of work, including No Room, No Place, No Where, for which she received a Monticello Award in 1982.
In May 2002, she adjudicated the Regional Dance America Northeast Competitions Ms BlundenDiggs was Co-Director/Choreographer forThe Human Race Theatre’s production of Crowns, as well as Director/Choreographer for Central State University’s original production of In The Pursuit of Wind among others. She created ballets for and worked with students at the University of Dayton, Sinclair Community College, Wright State University, Central State University, South Dayton Dance Theatre, and Stivers School for the Arts.
She served on the Board of Directors for "The International Association of Blacks in Dance (IABD)" from 2000 to 2006 She has received numerous awards and accolades Among them are honors from Regional Dance America, Monticello Choreographic Fellowships in 1979 and 1980, and two Individual Fellowship Awards from the Ohio Arts Council in 1981 and 1984. Congressman Mike Turner (OH-10) awarded her the Black History Month Congressional Award for Community Service in recognition of 40 years of serving the community through dance and dance education.
The Fisk UniversityAlumni Association honored her with an Excellence in ArtistryAward, and she was awarded a Montgomery CountyArts and Cultural District Master Fellowship for artistic excellence and community outreach initiatives in 2000. In 2014, she received the Image of Hope Youth AdvocacyAward for her contributions to improving the lives of youth in the Greater Dayton area Ms Blunden-Diggs is an adjunct professor at the University of Dayton in the Theatre, Dance, and Performance Technology Program and serves on numerous boards: membership chair of the IABD, secretary for the National Board of Trustees of Dance/USA since 2020, and the Seedling Foundation Board for Stivers School for the Arts.
DAYTON CONTEMPORARY DANCE COMPANY Dancers
EDGAR KAWOQAGUIRRE
Mr. Aguirre joined DCDC in 2024 and has since held featured roles in Soon by Rennie Harris and Pressed byJoshua Ishmon. His DCDC accolades include seven performances at NewYork’s Joyce Theater (2024) and premiering Splendor byAmy Hall Garner at American Dance Festival (2025) in collaboration with the Paul Taylor Dance Company Prior to DCDC, he danced with Los Angeles Contemporary Dance Company, CONTRATIEMPO Activist Dance Theater, Cleo Parker Robinson Dance Ensemble and was a Guest Artist with Robert Moses’ Kin, Heidi Duckler Dance, Bernard Brown/bbmoves and David Herrera Performance Company He has performed master works by Donald McKayle, Katherine Dunham, Paul Taylor, Lar Lubovich, Micaela Taylor, Milton Myers and more. Having performed nation-wide and in Mexico, Italy, Scotland and China, he has been a Guest Choreographer / Teaching Artist at California State University, Fullerton, a Choreographer / Restaging Assistant of Donald McKayle’s repertory at Cleo Parker Robinson Dance, a Teaching Artist with CONTRA-TIEMPO Activist Dance Theater and a Freelance Choreographer in both San Francisco and Los Angeles. Edgar has presented his works at Festivals and Conferences throughout California, Denver CO, Orlando Fl, Rome, Italy and Bari, Italy A graduate of the University of California, Irvine in 2019 with a BFA in Dance Performance, he is proudest of dancing in Donald McKayle's Étude Ensemble and receiving the Donald McKayle Scholarship.
QARRIANNE BLAYR
After two seasons in DCDC2, the company’s pre-professional ensemble, Ms. Blayr joined DCDC’s first company in 2012 She earned her BFA degree at Howard University, studying under Sherrill Berryman-Johnson, Pat Thomas, Sandra Fortune-Green, Katherine Smith, Akua Kouyate, and Assane Konte. She also studied traditional Jamaican dance at University of West Indies at Mona. She names Ms. Berryman-Johnson as the choreographer who has been the most influential in helping her become a “moving/thinking vessel” Her favorite DCDC repertory piece to perform is The Amen Corner from the dance concert BodyTalk.b In 2004, Ms. Blayr founded the performing arts group Arts International.
ALEXANDRIA“PEACH” FLEWELLEN
Alexandria “Peach” Flewellen joined DCDC2 in 2016 during her junioryear at Wright State University. The following year she would become an apprentice with the first company Upon graduation in 2018 with a BFA, she joined DCDC as a full company member. In 2018 she was a part of the original cast of Indestructible, choreographed by Abby Zbiowski whose work premiered at the American Dance Festival. Upon her return to ADF in 2025, she was a part of the collaborative cast between DCDC and Paul Taylor Dance Company in the world premiere of Splendor by nationally acclaimed choreographerAmy Hall Garner. DCDC’s Dayton premiere of Esplanade by Paul Taylor in 2024, restaged by original cast member Ruth Andrien, unveiled Flewellen in the role of the “falling girl.” Additionally, she has performed works and originated roles by renowned choreographers such as Charles Anderson, Qarrianne Blayr, Tommie-Waheed Evans, Joshua L. Ishmon, Rennie Harris, Winifred Harris, Ray Merce, Katherine Smith, Countess V. Winfrey, and Kevin Ward.
AARON J. FRISBY
Mr. Frisby began his DCDC journey in 2021 joining the first company. Since then, he has continued to establish himself as a dynamic artist with a growing body of work. He originated the “Pastor” role in Countess Winfrey’s huMAN/NAture and has been privileged to collaborate with renowned choreographers including Ray Mercer, Rennie Harris, Amy Hall-Garner, and others. His training includes earning a two-year certificate in Theater Dance from the American Musical and Dramatic Academy in NewYork City, followed by two years as a scholarship student at The Ailey School During his time there, he was a member of the Ailey Student Performance Group, performing works by Alvin Ailey, Kirven Boyd, and Ronald K. Brown experiences that further shaped his artistry and deepened his commitment to the craft. In 2024, he achieved a major milestone, performing Talley Beatty’s iconic solo, Mourner’s Bench, a work celebrated for its historical and cultural significance in American dance.
SADALE WARNER
Ms. Warner began her DCDC career in 2020 as a first company member. Her training began at Broadway Bound Dance Academywhere she was introduced to tap before branching off to ballet, jazz, hip-hop and other techniques She also became a dance artist at the Philadelphia High School for Performing Arts Spending her undergrad years at The University of the Arts, Sadale received her BFA in Dance under the direction of Donna Faye Burchfield. During undergrad she performed works by GaryJeter, Robert Battle, Katie Sword, and in her senioryear she joined Eleone Dance Theatre (Philadelphia, PA) as a first company member (2017-2019) During this first professional experience, under the Direction of Shawn-Lamere Williams, she performed works by Dara J Meredith, Wayne St. David, and Molly Misgalla. Her DCDC career has enabled her to work with varied choreographers including Tommie-Waheed Evans, Rennie Harris, Amy Hall Garner, Winifred Harris and more! She’s been blessed to receive the roll “Blue Girl” in Talley Beaty’s The Stack Up and Paul Taylor’s Esplanade at DCDC’s home theatre (The Victoria Theatre) at The Joyce and at American Dance Festival (2025).
COUNTESSV. WINFREY
Countess V. Winfrey is a performer, choreographer, teaching artist, and rehearsal director with Dayton Contemporary Dance Company (DCDC) Beginning with DCDC2 under the direction of Shonna Hickman-Matlock, she joined the professional company in 2014. Her career has also included work with ClancyWorks Dance Company (Washington, DC) before returning to DCDC in 2016, where she continues to perform, create, and mentor emerging artists Touring both nationally and internationally, performing in Bermuda, China, Kazakhstan, and Russia, she has danced works byworldrenowned choreographers including Ulysses Dove, Talley Beatty, Rennie Harris, Paul Taylor, Dwight Rhoden, Ron K. Brown, Donald McKayle, Ray Mercer, and Abby Zbikowski Highlights include performing at Moscow’s Bolshoi Theater (2018), Lincoln Center for the Donald McKayle Memorial Concert (2019), The Joyce Theater (2020, 2024), and the American Dance Festival (2018, 2025). Since 2016, she has also embodied the beloved lead role in DCDC’s holiday classic The Littlest Angel. She has created several works for DCDC, including Stepping into Season (with Qarrianne Blayr, 2017), Nourishing Routes (2019), huMAN/NAture (2022), and an upcoming cochoreographed project entitled Promised Land (2025). Having choreographed for regional companies such as Oyo Dance Company and Mutual Dance Theater, and in 2022, she also created a site-specific work for the Cincinnati Art Museum Dedicated to arts education, Countess has taught at University of Memphis, Ohio State University, Miami University, Ohio University, and Cincinnati’s School for Creative and Performing Arts. Now in her 11th season with DCDC’s professional company and 13th year with the organization, she continues to make a lasting impact as both performer and creator
CLEO II
CEDRIC D. HALL Cleo II Co-Director
JOHN E. LAMBERT-ROBERTS Cleo II Co-Director
Dancers: Santos Garcia, Faith E. Johnson , India Johnson , Kayla Massey, Jésus Muñoz, Koura Wright
BOLE
For All Time - Always
Cleo Parker Robinson Dance World Premiere
“This piece was born from silence. Each movement reflects a quiet conversation I've had with grief, hope, and healing - a return to my roots, a grounding sense of self. It celebrates a love that feels timeless, deep, and often effortless - not perfect, but profoundly right. Inspired by the divine, spiritual love shared between Cleo and Tom Robinson. I invite the audience to witness, to feel, and to find your own reflections in the stillness between the steps.”
Lisa Johnson-Willingham
Choreographer | Lisa Johnson-Willingham
Music | Roberta Flack, Jon Baptiste, Tom Robinson
Lighting Design | Anastazia Coney
Dancers | Corey Jamel, Lauren Slaughter
Four Women
Cleo Parker Robinson Dance World Premiere 1972
Written by jazz singer, composer, pianist and arranger Nina Simone, Four Women was released on the 1966 album “Wild Is the Wind”. It tells the story of four African American women, each representing an African American stereotype in society. Thulani Davis of The Village Voice called the song "an instantly accessible analysis of the damning legacy of slavery, that made iconographic the real women we knew and would become."
Choreographer | Cleo Parker Robinson
Music | Nina Simone
Dancers | Jasmine Francisco “Aunt Sarah”
Gabriela Maduro “Saffronia”
Caeli Blake “Sweet Thing”
Tori Carter “Peaches”
Raindance
Cleo Parker Robinson Dance World Premiere 1984
Milton Myers, former artistic director of the Joyce Trisler Dance Company, and member of the Alvin AileyAmerican Dance Company, came to Denver in 1984 at the invitation of Cleo Parker Robinson to create this unique work solely for performance by the Cleo Parker Robinson Dance Ensemble. Inspired by the afternoon thunderstorms that would build each day over the Rockies, Myers created “Raindance” which has since become the Ensemble’s signature work, symbolically uniting people of all ages and cultures through the dance. This work has been performed all over the world - from Masai villages to the world's greatest performance venues.
Choreographer | Milton Myers
Music | “Equinoxe” byJean Michel Jarre
Costume Design | Milton Myers
Opening | Cleo Parker Robinson Dance Ensemble
Members of Dayton Contemporary Dance Company Cleo II
Duet | Jasmine Francisco and CoreyJamel
Sextet | Gabriela Maduro and Michael Battle
Lauren Slaughter and Max Nelson-Steinhoff*
Nasira Watson* and Adrian Dominguez
Men’s Quartet | Aaron J. Frisby^, CoreyJamel, DJ Jefferson, Lamar D. Rogers
Trio | Caeli Blake, DJ Jefferson, Lamar D Rogers
Women’s Section | Qarrianne Blayr^, Tori Carter, Alexandria "Peach" Flewellen^ Jasmine Francisco, India Johnson**, Gabriela Maduro, Kayla Massey**, Lauren Slaughter, Nasira Watson*,
Countess V. Winfrey^, Koura Wright**
Men’s Section | Michael Battle, Adrian Dominguez, Santos Garcia**, CoreyJamel
DJ Jefferson, Max Nelson Steinhoff, Lamar D. Rogers
Group Duets | Jasmine Francisco and CoreyJamel
Gabriela Maduro and Michael Battle
Sadale Warner^ and Edgar Kawoq Aguirre^
Tori Carter and Lamar D. Rogers
Lauren Slaughter and DJ Jefferson
Solo | Jasmine Francisco
Closing | Cleo Parker Robinson Dance Ensemble
Members of Dayton Contemporary Dance Company Cleo II
^Dayton Contemporary Dance Co / *Apprentice to Cleo Parker Robinson Dance Ensemble / ** Cleo II
Intermission
Shadows Just Before
Dayton Contemporary Dance World Premiere Spring 2025
Cleo Parker Robinson Dance Premiere Fall 2025
“This work explores the expansion and the decrease of the companion that is always with us our shadow. Be it an internal feeling or an external expression, we carry thoughts that move us from place to place in exploring the expansion of ourselves.”
Winifred R. Harris
Choreographer | Winifred R Harris
Original Lighting Design | Matthew J. Evans
Lighting Adaptation | Anastazia Coney
Costume Design | Winifred R. Harris
Costume Build | Deborah Powell
Sound Design | Willie Lindsey
Music | Steve Reich, Alan Pierson & Ossia Claude Young, Jon Baptiste Chad Smith & Bill Laswell
Dancers | Members of Dayton Contemporary Dance Company: Qarrianne Blayr
Alexandria "Peach" Flewellen, Aaron J. Frisby, Edgar Kawoq Aguirre, Sadale Warner, Countess V. Winfrey
Bolero
Cleo Parker Robinson Dance World Premiere September 2005
“A playful contemporary ballet that reimagines Ravel’s Bolero as a cheeky parody set in Amsterdam’s Redlight District. Sometimes sleek, provocative and humorous, “Bolero” blends classical technique and contemporary grooves with a streetwise swagger, neon lights, and a ‘ wink, wink’ humor delivering both athletic prowess and riotous entertainment.”
Christopher L. Huggins
Choreographer | Christopher L. Huggins
Composer | Maurice Ravel
Assistant to the Choreographer | Kayoko Amemiya
Original Lighting Design | Meghan Hart and Chris Brady
Lighting Adaptation | Anastazia Coney
Costume Design | Joey Santos
Original Set Design | Christopher L. Huggins, Meghan Hart, Chris Brady
Set Adaptation | Conor Morford |
CPRD Behind the Scenes
Administrative Staff
Cleo ParkerRobinson | Founder /Artistic Director
Malik Robinson | President and CEO
Rhetta Shead | Vice President ofTheatre Operations
HillaryHarding | Vice President of Development and Communications
ShelbyJarosz | Vice President of Educational Programs
IsaacTafoya | Comptroller
MaryHart | Director of Booking andTouring
Derrick Hinton | Arts and Wellness Manager
dessi | Marketing Manager
keting Communications Specialist
n | Advancement Manager
nston | SeniorAcademyManager
aub | AcademyManager
ubertot | AcademyAssistant
son | AcademyAssistant
aduro | AcademyAssistant
oples | AcademyAssistant
encia | AcademyAssistant
z-Rowe | Graphic Designer
mes | TechnicalAdvisor
rford | Technical Director
Coney| SeniorTechnician
mit Grant Strategies) | Grant Writ
OnTarget) | Public Relations
rtistic Staff
ris | AssociateArtistic Director
Hall | Cleo II Co-Director
t-Roberts | Cleo II Co-Director
| Ensemble Rehearsal Coordinato
n | Youth Ensemble Director
uth EnsembleAssistant Director
uniorYouth Ensemble Director
d of Directors
en Brewer | Chair
son* | Founder /Artistic Director
nson | President and CEO
asurer - Shale Wong |Vice-Chair - Darryl Collier -Tim Davis - Zeld
a Hogan - Eric Itambo - Kelli Kelly
tThornton -Alfred Walker -Jacob
Emeritus Board of Directors
Judge Raymond DeanJonesJ.D.* | Chairman Emeritus
Les Franklin - Helen Franzgrote - Marceline Freeman - HenryLowenstein - NancyMcClosky
Dawn Nakamura-Kessler - Edmond “Buddy” Noel - Schyleen Qualls Brown *
Tom Robinson* - LesterWard - Faye & Reggie Washington
*Founding Members of the Cleo Parker Robinson Dance Board of Directors
Tom Robinson
Abuelita Olga Gonzalez In Memoriam
Jonathon “JP” Parker, Martha Parker, James Wallace, Marceline Freeman, Roberta Freeman, Carl Bourgeois
Special thanks...
to the Ensembles, Board of Directors, Sponsors, Donors & Foundations, Education
Artistic & Technical Staff, Faculty, Stud CLEO PARKER ROBINSON D
the following for the David Andrew
Pat Brooks Dazzle Denv
Denver Ballet G
Kristen Nelson-St Stan and Chris O
Reina Parker and Malik and Vianey R
The Parker and Robins
Shae Isaacs
Jazz Repertory Orchest Safeway
tific and Cultural Facilit
The Shead Fam
The Stream Team (Andre
Leslie Sue Parker W
Letitia William
