WHO'S WHO IN PHILADANCO?
JOAN MYERS BROWN, DFA, DHL, DA (Founder), the Visionary Founder of the International Conference of Black Dance Companies in 1988, is also the founder and honorary chairwoman for the International Association of Blacks in Dance (IABD) an organization she established in 1991. In 2013, she received the prestigious National Medal of Arts Award from President Barak Obama and in 2023 President Joe Biden presented Brown, who was representing (IABD) with the National Medal of Arts, making Brown the first American to receive two National Medal of Arts awards, from two different sitting Presidents. Brown’s global recognition includes the Ambassador’s Award for Cultural Diplomacy from the American Embassy in Skopje, Macedonia and awarded the MENADA Award for Exceptional Achievements in the field of dance, by Dance Fest Skopje, the first American to receive such an honor. In 2024, Brown received the Martha Hill Lifetime Achievement Award. Most recently, Brown was honored by the Kimmel Center and the Philadelphia Orchestra, at the prestigious 2025 ‘Great Stages Gala’ for her vision and leadership that made a transformative impact on Philadelphia’s arts and culture community.
Choreographers
THANG DAO (Without Witness) is an award-winning choreographer whose work explores movement as language, memory, and embodied resistance. His choreography has been commissioned and presented by leading dance companies and institutions across the United States, Europe, and Asia, including Ballet Austin, Ailey II, Philadanco, BalletX, Hubbard Street Dance Chicago, Sacramento Ballet, and Jacob’s Pillow. Dao’s work is known for its physical rigor, musical sensitivity, and philosophical depth, often examining how bodies navigate systems of power, identity, and belonging. A Princess Grace Fellow and Vilcek Award finalist, he is also a dedicated educator who has taught internationally at universities and conservatories, including University of Arizona, Kennesaw State University, Troy University, Rutgers University. Through dance, Dao seeks to create spaces where movement becomes a site of listening, awakening, and quiet transformation.
RENNIE HARRIS ('To Philly...Love, Rennie') is a leading ambassador for Hip-hop. Harris grew up entrenched in Hip-hop culture and was immersed in all its forms — music, dance, language. Throughout his career, he has embraced the culture and sought to honor its legacy. He believes Hip-hop and Street Dance is the purest form of movement in that it honors both its heritage from African and African American-Latino culture. His life has been devoted to bringing Hip-hop and Street dance to all people. Harris’s artistic philosophy reflects a deeper understanding of people that extends beyond racial, religious, and economic boundaries. He believes that Hiphop, because of its cross-racial and transnational popularity, can help bridge these divisions. Harris’s work encompasses the diverse and rich traditions of the past, while simultaneously presenting the voice of a new generation through its ever-evolving interpretations of dance. Harris has been awarded three Bessie Awards, four Alvin Ailey Black Choreographers Award for Rome & Jewels, a Guggenheim Fellowship, PEW Fellowship, USA Artist of the Year Fellowship as well as the coveted “Philadelphia Rocky” Award, and Governor’s Artist of the year to name just a few. Harris received an honorary doctorate from Bates College and Columbia College. The first choreographer (street dancer) to set a sixty-minute work on Alvin American Dance Theater Harris received a Dance Magazine's Legend Award, Palm Desert Festivals LifeTime Achievement Award and is the recent recipient of the Doris Duke Artist Award.
TOMMIE-WAHEED EVANS (Co-Artistic Director/ Promise me You Won't Call), a 2021 Guggenheim Fellow, is a dance maker from Los Angeles. He trained with Karen McDonald, earned a fellowship at The Ailey School, and received an MFA in Choreography from Jacksonville University. A former company member of Lula Washington Dance Theatre, Complexions Contemporary Ballet, and PHILADANCO, he has choreographed over 50 works for companies including BalletX, Dallas Black Dance Theatre, Dayton Contemporary Dance Company, PHILADANCO, and Louisville Ballet. As the founder of Waheedworks, he created bold, gospel-infused contemporary works
presented by Jacob’s Pillow, The Joyce Theater, and SummerStage NYC. A former assistant professor at The University of the Arts, he has received honors, including the Princess Grace Honoraria Award, Howard Gilman Foundation Fellowship, Joffrey Ballet Winning Works, and the Dance Research Fellowship at NYPL for the Performing Arts.
CHRISTOPHER L. HUGGINS (Enemy Behind the Gates), a 2021 Guggenheim Choreography Fellow, is a visionary, dance innovator. He is an Alvin Ailey disciple, and historian; developing multilayered, storytelling through dance. Christopher attended Purchase University, the Juilliard 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 held residencies at over 25 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.
Dancers
KAYLAH ARIELLE (Baltimore, Maryland) studied at Baltimore School for the Arts, Dance Theatre of Harlem and the Ailey School as well as graduated from Spelman College with her BA in Dance Performance and Choreography. Kaylah also performed with the Atlanta Dance Connection. She is currently the Artistic Director of our D/3 Youth Ensemble at Philadanco.
ERIN BANKS (Atlanta, Georgia) began training at Eagles Landing Dance Center, then pre-professionally at Anthony Burrell Center for Dance. She trained at American Ballet Theatre, Dance Theatre of Harlem, and Complexions Contemporary Ballet. Erin has worked commercially in movies, televised award shows, and on networks. She earned her BFA from Texas Christian University in 2024.
ANDREW BRYANT (Miami, Florida) began his training at the Young Contemporary Dance Theatre. He received his BFA from Towson University studying works by Linda-Denise Fisher-Harrell and Darrell Grand Moultrie. He trained at The Ailey School then joined Ailey II, performing works by William Forsythe, Alvin Ailey, and Francesca Harper.
WILLIAM E. BURDEN (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) trained at the Creative & Performing Arts H.S., The Rock School of Dance Education and Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre. He trained with Tap Team Two & Company and was a member with Eleone’s Dance Connection, Dance Theater and Spectrum Dance Theatre. William received his BFA from the University of the Arts.
ALIYAH CLAY (Newark, Delaware) studied at Christina Cultural Arts Center, Dance4Life School of The Arts, Jacob’s Pillow Contemporary Program, Lines Ballet, and Complexions Contemporary Ballet. She is a 2022 BFA graduate with a minor in Business from the University of the Arts, and has performed works by choreographers Ulysses Dove and Helen Pickett.
MIKAELA FENTON (Sicklerville, New Jersey) graduated with a BFA in Dance from The University of the Arts in Philadelphia. She was a member of D/2 Apprentice Company, later joining PHILADANCO! for seven seasons. Mikaela works as the Contemporary Division Program Coordinator at The School of Philadelphia Ballet and is also an Adjudicator and Educator with Sheer Elite amongst other artistic endeavors.
ADDISON HILL (Los Angeles, California) joined Edge Performing Arts Center Teen Company at an early age. She has performed works by Ohad Naharin, Jìřì Kylián and others. She was a dance trainee with Zeitgeist Dance Theater, later continuing her training at Ailey School where she performed Ailey’s Night Creatures.
ISRAEL HILTON (Tuscaloosa, Alabama) studied multiple dance styles as well as Musical Theatre at The Dance Centre. He is a BFA graduate from Alabama State University receiving the Ware-Spencer Best Male Ballet Dancer Award, and worked with choreographers, Ja’Morris Rivers, James Atkinson, and more.
YASIR JONES (Newark, New Jersey) began studying dance at Newark School of the Arts and the AileyCamp on Scholarship in the Junior Division. He received a BFA in Dance at Johns Hopkins University and completed the Certificate Program at Ailey. He performed as a guest artist with Dance Theatre of Harlem in Dougla and Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater in Memoria
FLOYD MCLEAN JR (East Orange, New Jersey) trained at Sharon Miller’s Academy for the Performing Arts, and The Dance Theatre of Harlem. He received his Bachelor’s of Fine Arts from Point Park University on scholarship. He later joined the Dallas Black Dance Theatre’s: DBDT Encore prior to PHILADANCO! He has performed works by Rennie Harris, Ulysses Dove, Talley Beatty and many more.
NATHAN E. MCNATT JR. (Washington, DC) received his Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Dance from the University of the Arts in Philadelphia, PA with minors in Music Business, Entrepreneurship, and Technology. His professional credentials include Eleone’ Dance Theater and Garth Fagan Dance Company.
KIRI MOORE (Culpeper, Virginia) trained at the Orange School of Performing Arts and at The Rock School for Dance Education. A graduate of The Ailey School Certificate Program, she later became a member of Ailey II, where she had the opportunity to tour nationally and internationally.
L. JAMES O'GILVIE (Boston, Massachusetts) began his dance education with Boston Ballet’s City Dance and Pre-professional Programs as well as The Ailey School. He received his BFA from University of Hartford studying Ballet, Limon, Graham and Contemporary. During collage he traveled abroad to study Gaga and Crystal Site Rep at the Henny Jurriëns Studio in Amsterdam.
KALEB K. SMITH (Dallas, Texas) began his dance training at Dallas Black Dance Theatre Academy and at Dance Theatre of Harlem as a scholarship student. He graduated from Booker T. Washington High School for Performing and Visual Arts and recently completed the Certificate Program at The Ailey School.
BRITTANY WRIGHT (Shady Grove, Maryland) trained at the Olney Ballet Center, Hope Garden Ballet and City Dance. She continued her training at Towson University, receiving her BFA in Dance Performance under professors including Linda-Denise Fisher-Harrell and Catherine Horta-Hayden to name a few. Staff
MARLISA BROWN-SWINT (Managing Director) is currently managing operations for PHILADANCO! and Special Events where she supervises over 20 dancers and staff members. She is a part of every aspect of the management team at PHILADANCO! including working with Ms. Joan Myers Brown daily. Mrs. Brown Swint partners and collaborates with the development team, marketing, finance, artistic, touring, and production departments. Along with her many duties, she also enjoys fundraising and event planning, which are two of her stand-out achievements. She created the Legacy Conversations in the newly renovated Danco Theater and The Joanie Awards. These programs ensure that PHILADANCO!’s strong history of holding the integrity of dance is sustained and preserved through conversations with legendary and emerging artists. Marlisa also oversees PHILADANCO!’s youth ensemble with organizing classes, rehearsals, developmental programs, and performance schedules.
KIM Y. BEARS-BAILEY (Co-Artistic Director), a Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) graduate of The University of Arts, joined PHILADANCO! in 1981. A 1992 "Bessie" Award recipient, (The New York Dance and Performance Award), Kim represented PHILADANCO! at the 1988 American Dance Festival performing works of Dr. Pearl Primus and appeared in the movie Beloved. Bears-Bailey was an Associate Professor of Dance at the University of the Arts for twenty-three years where she received the Mary Louise Beitzel Award for Distinguished Teaching and the Silver Star Alumni Award. Kim is one of the few artists granted permission to remount the works of many world-renowned choreographers including Talley Beatty, Milton Myers, Pearl Primus, Gene Hill Sagan and Louis Johnson. Kim’s likeness is immortalized in an artists’ mural located in the heart of Center City Philadelphia. She has taught at Howard University, Spelman College, Swarthmore College, Temple University, University of Massachusetts, in Bermuda and Beijing China to name a few. The key to PHILADANCO’S many successful productions is due to her diligence.
TRACY VOGT (Rehearsal Director/Coach) received scholarships to the PA Governor’s School for the Arts, Jacob’s Pillow Modern Intensive, Point Park and attended the University of the Arts in Philadelphia, PA. At the Alvin Ailey American Dance Center, she demonstrated the Graham technique. For 12 years, Ms. Vogt was a principal dancer and Assistant Rehearsal Director with PHILADANCO! She was Rehearsal Director and principal dancer with the Wylliams Henry Contemporary Dance Company and Cleveland Contemporary Dance Theater. Vogt also danced with Verb Ballet. She received the Philadelphia Rocky Award for Dance Excellence and has performed works by several world-renowned choreographers. Vogt taught in Uganda, Rwanda, and Guinea, Africa, for the NGO MindLeaps. In 2023, Vogt received her Master’s Degree in Dance from Hollins University.
NICK KOLIN (Lighting Designer) Previous works for the company include collaborations with Christopher Huggins, Nijawwon Matthews, Tommy Waheed-Evans, Dawn Marie Bazemore, Rennie Harris, Ephrat Asherie, Bernard Gaddis, Thang Dao, Ray Mercer, Francisco Gella, Dianne McIntyre, and Sonia Dawkins. Nick is also Lighting Director and Lighting Designer for the Philadelphia Ballet, with designs for recent new works by Angel Corella, Matthew Neenan, and Juliano Nunes. Other work includes Lighting Designer for the Mark Morris Dance Group, with over a dozen works in the repertory including the full evening Pepperland; previous work as Lighting Supervisor for the Trisha Brown Dance Company, Daniil Simpkin’s Intensio, Wendy Whelan’s Restless Creature, Dance Heginbotham, NY City Center’s Fall for Dance Festival, and Lincoln Center Festival. Additional projects include collaborations with the New York City Ballet Choreographic Institute, English National Ballet, Cincinnati Ballet, and Hubbard Street Dance Chicago. Assistant Professor and Lighting Area Coordinator, Department of Theatre and Dance, Montclair State University. MFA, New York University Tisch School of the Arts.
PAMELA M. HOBSON (Production Manager/Lighting Director), a native of Up-State New York, found her passion for the Arts at Howard University. Pamela has been honored to be featured in Dance Magazine as a Lighting Designer to watch and interviewed on Soul of a Nation Presents as one of the few women of color Tour Managers in the music industry. Over the past 35 years, she has had the privilege to be the Production Manager, Lighting Designer, and/or Tour Manager for over 50 shows including Rennie Harris PureMovement, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre, Cyndi Lauper, Patti LaBelle, Stevie Wonder, Reframing the Narrative (Kennedy Center 2020 & 2024), Donald Byrd, Porgy and Bess directed by Hope Clark, Pope Fransis's visit to Philadelphia among others. Pamela is extremely excited to be working with Philadanco.