Mohamed Lamine Bangoura is the Musical & Artistic Director of Afrique Sogue Percussion and Dance, a traditional West African performing arts company based in the Bay Area. Afrique Sogue, “The Sun of Africa,” celebrates the dance and musical culture of the Manding and the Mandinka people, those descendants of the great pre-colonial empire of what is now considered Guinea, Gambia, Senegal, Mali, Ivory Coast, and Burkina Faso. Lamine’s passion for preserving history and tradition is revealed through his open hearted eagerness to share his culture through performance art and arts education. Lamine offers West African dance, creative movement, and musical arts enrichment as part of after school programs and academic year residencies. He gives children an opportunity to exercise their creative side, embrace their own voices, and develop global and cultural awareness. Lamine engages audiences and participants in cross-cultural dialogue, collaboration, and innovation through live entertainment, education, instruction and workshops.

Vernon is a singer, composer, musician, recording artist and actor who worked closely with Whitney Houston (stars in her music video,”You Give Good Love”) and has worked with jazz legend, Nancy Wilson. With his groups, (“The Vernon Bush Group” and “VSOUL”), he has opened for artists as Gladys Knight, Stanley Jordan, Mickey Hart, Michael Franti & Spearhead, and has toured all over the world. He is a member of the highly imaginative a cappella group, Sovoso, and is a featured vocalist with the Glide Ensemble Choir at the world-renowned Glide Memorial Church in San Francisco (as seen in movie, “The Pursuit of Happyness”). The son of a prominent Baptist minister in New York City, he grew up in a church community and has been singing from the time he could walk. He directed his first choir at the age of 15 and works with several choirs as a musical director. A passionate and consummate voice teacher and coach, Vernon has taught professional performers and aspiring singers privately in New York, Los Angeles, London, Holland, France, South Africa, and San Francisco and conducts popular Gospel Sing-A-Longs and workshops. 

Brigette is the Artistic Director & Choreographer of B. Dunn Movement, a dance educator and performing artist. She holds an MFA in choreography from the California Institute of the Arts and a B.A. in Dance from the University of Massachusetts Amherst. Brigette is an Assistant Professor of Dance at CSU, Northridge. Her work has appeared at the Bootleg Theater (L.A., CA), REDCAT (L.A., CA), Miles Memorial Playhouse (Santa Monica, CA) and Multicultural Arts Center Cambridge (Camb., MA). Performance credits include: dance captain and dancer swing with the 1st National U.S. Tour of The Lion King (2001-2010) and the Cleo Parker Robinson Dance Ensemble (1996-2000).

Andrea trained in the National Ballet School of Mexico with ballet masters, Sonia Castañeda, Giselle Colás and Joaquín Banegas. She has danced and choreographed in Mexico for Compañía Nacional de Teatro, Compañía Titular de Teatro de la Universidad Veracruzana, Danza Efímera, Grupo Génesis, Compañía de Ópera de la Universidad Veracruzana, México. She has danced classical repertoire and original pieces by contemporary Mexican and international choreographers: Emmanuelle Lecomte, Rocío Sagaón, Elena Jordán and Jorge Chanona. She has been a ballet teacher since 1979, and has done research regarding the theme "Natural Pedagogy and Skill Transfer of Movement" in alliance with the Department of Cognitive Science of the Central European University. Her Aretha Franklin Ballet is currently being performed in St. Petersburg, Russia.

Jayson is a multi-instrumentalist, percussionist & drummer specializing in Pan African percussion and drums, with a special emphasis in Afro Cuban folkloric, Ghanaian, Yoruba, Jazz, hip Hop, Brazilian, Flamenco and Middle Eastern music. He has performed and toured worldwide with many groups, including Iyeoka Okoawo Group. Jayson has been a special quest with John Nava Latin Jazz Collective, Anaseli Middle Eastern Ensemble, Samurai Gypsy Flamenco Jazz emsemble, Diva Latina and the Easter Island Noki Collaboration, bringing together performers from Chile, Easter Island, Peru, Spain and the U.S. The founder and director of the Ashe Ensemble, he has performed and recorded with the Legendary Babatundi Olatunji and the Drums of Passion Ensemble, recorded and toured with renowned Chilean artist, Viviana Guzman, performed with legendary Brazilian artists, Airto Moreira and Flora Purim, Jazz artist Renee Wilson, gospel and soul artist, Vernon Bush, Jazz artist, Hannibal Lakumbe, Brazilian jazz singer, Claudia Villela, Alegria Latin Jazz Ensemble, Jackeline Rago and the Venezuelan project, Danjuma.

Jessica has performed around the Bay Area with theatre companies such as American Musical Theatre of San Jose, Theatreworks, The Willows Theatre Company, Broadway by the Bay, and 42nd Street Moon. In 2006 she received a Bay Area Theatre Critics Circle Award for her portrayal of Annie Oakley in "Annie Get Your Gun" at Foothill Music Theatre. Jessica has also been featured in many regional commercials and industrials, as well as her latest film "The Wisdom Tree". Jessica has produced two albums, "Unity" and "Merry Little Christmas," and is currently working on developing a fun and educational video series about anatomy. Her company, "VocalTone," incorporates Pilates techniques into performance instruction. www.JessicaRaaum.com.

Mindy is a New Yorker that has been dancing since age five. She was trained by ballet master Madame Gabriela Taub-Darvash and Alvin Ailey American Dance Center. She has performed in numerous Broadway, Equity and International productions including Will Ferrells’ “You’re Welcome America, A Final Night with George Bush,” Metropolitan Opera’s Romeo & Juliet, Stomp!, Aida, Forum, Sweet Charity, Chicago and the Academy Awards. A dancer in Jubilation! Dance Company, Alpha Omega, Theatrical Dance Company and Clive Thompson Dance Company, she can be seen flying around the country with Marvel Appearances as The Xmen’s Storm.

Aliyah was born and raised in San Diego, California. She started dancing at the Ballet Conservatory under the direction of Ms. Paz Soriano (R.A.D. Syllabus, French and Cuban technique). Many years later, she relocated to the Lemon Grove Arts Complex where she received much of her ballet training under the direction of Teresa Wells. She performed in many L.G. Arts productions and became a company member of Mirabile Ballet at the age of 14. She was a staff teacher, choreographer and featured performer with the San Diego Civic Youth Ballet. Ms. Hassan has also received recognition for her talents with offers from the Alvin Ailey summer and year round programs in New York and the Deeply Rooted Dance Co. in Chicago. She has been featured and starred in many productions such as the Snow Queen and Sugar Plum Fairy from the Nutcracker Suite and many other notable roles throughout her dance career. She is a principal dancer and the rehearsal coach for LaDiego Dance Theater.

Elayne is an 88 year young, world-class concert timpanist with a career that spans close to half a century. She attended Juilliard School of Music in 1945 as one of three (the only African American and the only woman) chosen to receive the prestigious Duke Ellington scholarship. In 1949, Mrs. Jones gained national attention as the first African American to be hired by the New York Opera and the first to hold a principal position in a major symphony orchestra in the United States. In 1962, she was invited by world-renowned maestro Leopold Stokowski to play in his American Symphony Orchestra. From 1950 through the early 1970’s, Mrs. Jones was the most sought after freelance musician in New York City and played under the leading conductors of our time including Duke Ellington, Leonard Bernstein, and Kurt Adler.   She was also a founding member and the president of New York City’s first, fully integrated Symphony of the New World. The mission of this organization was to right the wrongs in hiring practices in major symphony orchestras. In 1972, Mrs. Jones beat out 40 other musicians for the position of timpanist with the San Francisco Symphony Orchestra.  In 1998, Mrs. Jones retired from the San Francisco Opera orchestra. She conducts lecture demonstrations for children and adults in schools and community centers. Grown Women Dance Collective is honored to have such a cultural treasure share her talent and wisdom with us.

Halili Knox was most recently part of the acting company for the 44th Humana Festival of New American Plays at Actors Theatre of Louisville (FLEX). Her artistic home is Oakland Theater Project, where she last appeared in The Gospel of Loving Kindness (Theatre Bay Area Award nomination, Outstanding Female Actor). She led Aurora Theatre Company's production of Detroit '67 (Bay Area Critics Circle Award nomination, Principal Actress in a Play) and appeared in Barbecue at SF Playhouse. Halili is an Emmy nominated television host who made her national debut on HGTV; she has also performed internationally as a jazz vocalist.

Gary Lewis a native of St. Thomas, U.S., Virgin Islands, started his dance training at the age of 12 at the St. Thomas School Of Dance under the directorship of Kay Atchison. He trained at the Dance Theater of Harlem, Washington School of Ballet and Alvin Ailey American Center. He has danced professionally for Capitol Ballet, toured nationally and internationally with Cleo Parker Robinson Dance Ensemble, Colorado Ballet, and Evidence/Ron K. Brown.  Mr. Lewis made his Broadway debut in the original cast of The Lion King and toured with The Lion King “Gazelle” National Tour. He  has been a judge and Master Class teacher for Youth Grand Prix for 6 years and has taught summer intensives at Ballet West (Salt Lake City, Utah), Brooksher Ballet (Mesa, Arizona) and Classical Dance Academy (Denver, Colorado). Mr Lewis has been a certified Master for Zena Rommett Floor Barre since 2006. 

Aundrea Love is an RID-certified American Sign Language Interpreter with over 20 years of experience working in a variety of settings both domestically and internationally. She completed her Interpreting degree at Ohlone College and her undergraduate degree at Cal State East Bay.

Daniel began his dance career in California at the San Diego Creative School of Performing Arts. Soon after Graduation, he went to New York to accept a scholarship at the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater. By 1997, Mr. Marshall became Artistic Director of the San Diego Contemporary Dance Ensemble. During this time, he set several pieces including “Blessed Assurance”, which received the 1997 Tommy Award for Best Male Performer/Choreographer. In 1999, become a member of the Dayton Contemporary Dance Company, and become one of the premiere dancers. In 2001, Dance Magazine named Mr. Marshall one of its “25 to Watch”. Mr. Marshall has set ballets for Vineland Regional Dance Company and South Dayton Ballet. Mr. Marshall Received National Choreography Award NE in 2002. In 2006, Mr. Marshall set work on San Diego Dance Theater and directed “Cats” The Musical for San Diego Junior Theater. He is now Artistic Director of LaDiego Dance Theater and The Dance Conservatory.

Michael currently serves as an Assistant Professor of Dance and the Director of Alabama State University’s BFA/Dance Program. Medcalf’s early training in dance began in high school at Cleveland School of the Arts (Ohio). As a scholarship student, he attended the University of the Arts, The Philadelphia School of Dance Arts (Philadanco), The Chautauqua Institute and the Ailey School in New York City. In 2013, Medcalf graduated from The University of Iowa with a Master of Fine Arts degree in dance. Highlighting his professional performing career is his work as a soloist and principal ensemble member of the Denver based Cleo Parker Robinson Dance Ensemble and his very own Cleveland Contemporary Dance Theatre, The Greene/Medcalf Movement Project, and his current endeavor, Michael Medcalf/Inventions, an avenue for solo performance exploration.

Destiny Muhammad is a recording/performing artist, band leader, composer and producer. She has opened for The Oakland East Bay Symphony and Gerald Albright. She has headlined for Women in Jazz concert series, the AfroSolo/ Yerba Buena Gardens Concert Festival series, Sundays in the Redwoods, Seattle’s Fest Sundiata and performed at SFJAZZ Center in her tribute to Alice Coltrane. Dance/music collaborations in- clude: Dimensions Dance Theater/ Rites of Passage, Dance Theater of The Gospel, Robert Henry Johnson, and El Wah Movement Theater. She is the principal harpist for The In- ner Peace Orchestra and The Oakland Community Orchestra. Destiny also serves as Governor Emeritus and Educational Chair Emeritus of the Recording Academy, Jazz Heritage Center of San Francisco Ambassador, ASCAP Songwriter Awardee and is a proud Nor Cal Entertainers Music Awards Winner.

Cathleen Riddley is proud to be a part of this important project. She has performed in numerous Bay Area theaters including African American Shakespeare Company, SF Playhouse, Marin Theatre Company, Central Works, ACT, TheatreWorks, Lorraine Hansberry Theatre, and Center Rep. Cathleen is a proud member of AEA and TBA, an Associate Artist with AlterTheater, and a PlayGround company member. She is an alumna of The Juilliard School, a certified ASL Interpreter and has an MA from the U Penn. A current project close to her heart is working with incarcerated men in San Quentin in their violence prevention program called No More Tears/Healing Circle.

Christina danced for Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, Ballet Hispanico of NYC, Complexions Contemporary Ballet (under the direction of Dwight Rhoden and Desmond Richardson) and Buglisi/Foreman Dance (under the direction of Jacqulyn Buglisi, former Martha Graham principal), touring and teaching extensively throughout the U.S. and abroad. Christina is currently a member of UCSB’s resident dance company, Santa Barbara Dance Theater and teaches Modern Dance technique at Westmont College. Christina resides in Santa Barbara, CA is married, and has two beautiful girls.

Victor Templeis an internationally known dancer, cho- reographer, and teacher. He has been Artistic Director of New World Ballet since 2005. He has danced with the Dance Theatre of Harlem, Cirque Du Soleil, American Repertory Ballet, Oakland Ballet, Alabama Ballet, New Jersey Ballet, Honzhou Song and Dance Group, Shanghai Ballet, and the Central Ballet of China. While living in China, he won a gold medal for the Asian Choreography Competition and was the first Westerner member of the Chinese Dancers’ Association, as a liaison of western dance styles. Mr. Temple choreographed the opening of the China and Hong Kong reunification ceremony and was honored with a statue of his likeness at the theater entrance of the Arts University of Mongolia.

Nellesa Walthour trained at the Alvin Ailey School and danced with The Metropolitan Opera, Dallas Black Dance Theater (DBDT), Patricia Kenney Dance Collection, and Earl Mosely’s Diversity of Dance. She has worked with Ron Brown, Hope Clarke, Sean Curran, Louis Johnson, Alonzo King and Donald McKayle, and performed works of Elisa Monte, David Parsons, José Limón, and Donald Byrd. Her choreography includes works for DBDT, Trav’lin, Boston’s Jazz Dance Recovery Project. Theater credits: Dis- ney’s The Lion King, Ragtime (Kennedy Center), Frankenstein (DCPA), The Call (Rebecca), Once on This Island (Andrea), and Pippin (Fastrada u/s). TV credits include: High Fidelity, Bull, The Good Wife, Flight of the Conchords, short films and industrials. Nellesa is a Harvard graduate, GYROTONIC® instructor, and a member of SAG-AFTRA, AEA, and AGMA. 

Afia Walking Tree, for over 25 years, she has served her destiny as visionary director of her brainchild, Spirit Drumz, an international organization that prioritizes women & youth of all cultures to utilize African Diasporic drumming, dancing and story-telling to activate empowerment & healing. While her own message has inspired multitudes over the years, she has been moved by her beloved colleagues: Queen Hollins, Zemaya Martinez, Jules Stept, Elizabeth Bourbion, among others. Her holistic humanist approach is evident in her affirmation-based-sound-powah-transpersonal-workshops and energizing performances. She is called a luminary trailblazer because of her innovative and joyful approach to envisioning, awakening, & freeing our collective voices.

Ellis’ career spans 30 years of professional experience in dance, dance instruction choreography, acting, and singing. Ellis toured the world as a modern principal dancer with regional modern dance companies such as Alvin Ailey Repertory Ensemble, Dayton Contemporary Dance Company, and Philadanco. He is a graduate of Duke Ellington School of the Arts and received his MFA in dance from Hollins University in Frankfurt, Germany. Mr. Ellis has choreographed for Ballet Hispanico, Alvin Ailey Scholarship Program, American Heritage School of the Arts and Dance Theater of Syracuse. He has a long list of theatre credits, as well as television, film, and commercials, including Sisters and the Shrink Pt. 2, and Ben Stiller’s “Dannemora.”

KAHLIL LENEUS is an actor who recently graduated high school as valedictorian. Favorite projects include Merrily We Roll Along (Charles) and RENT (Collins) at Youth Musical Theater Company, Into the Woods (Cinderella’s Prince) at ACT’s Young Conservatory, Les Miserables (Jean Valjean) at Berkeley Playhouse Teenstage, The Amen Corner at AlterTheater, The Gathering (Michael) with Jones Street Productions, Queenie Pie with Oakland Opera Theater, Caroline, or Change (Joe) at Pacific Conservatory Theatre, Show Boat at San Francisco Opera and writing and performing the monologue “6 Steps on How to Crack a Relationship (Quarantine Edition)” for Neighborhood Stories.

Tracy Camp is an actor, activist and mother to a Black son. She has performed with TheatreWorks, AlterTheater, PCPA, San Francisco Opera and the Aurora Fox. Tracy serves on the Brain Trust for Those Women Productions and she is in The Coalition of Black Women Professional Theatre Makers in the Bay Area, California. Tracy is a recipient of the Equity Award from Stanford University and the Arts Enabler Award from Arts for a Better Bay Area (both for her work on representation in theater) and a Theater Bay Area Titan Award. She is a proud member of AEA and AGMA.

A member of Elisa Monte Dance for 10 years, Fabrice Lamego won praise not only for his technical and artistic proficiency, but also for the energy and sheer joy that infuses his performances. His magnetic presence onstage prompted Monte to choreograph Run To The Rock, a 10-minute solo tour de force, for Fabrice after he had been with the Company only seven months; it premiered in 1998 to universal critical acclaim. He has been featured in nine additional Company world premieres as well as three repertory revivals, and he became Rehearsal Director in June 2002. He is an alumnus of the Alvin Ailey School, which he attended on a French government scholarship the year after he won First Prize in the 1996 National Competition of Dance in Paris, France.

The Reverend Adriene Thorne enjoyed a 20 year career in the performing arts before exiting stage right to pursue other passions. Performance credits include Virginia Ballet, Dance Theatre of Harlem, The Metropolitan Opera, and the world-famous Radio City Rockettes. Adriene toured the US and Canada with the Tony award winning, Gershwin musical, Crazy For You. She recorded the same production for PBS’s Great Performances. When Adriene is not parenting, pastoring, creating, or mentoring, she is probably on the squash court or in the dance studio fantasizing about what is newly possible. She resides in Brooklyn, NY with her super-cool middle-schooler, Petal.