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CAMILLE A. BROWN, ARTISTIC DIRECTOR & CHOREOGRAPHER  

Brown is a prolific Black female choreographer who brilliantly combines multiple genres to create a theatrical, pulsing experience that reclaims and elevates African-American cultural identity to new and important levels of presentation.

Ms. Brown has received numerous honors for her powerful body of concert dance work created for her Company. She is the recipient of the 2021 ISPA/International Society for the Performing Arts Distinguished Artist Award, a 2020 Dance Magazine Award, and the 2020 Obie Award for Sustained Excellence in Choreography. She is a Ford Foundation Art of Change Fellow, Guggenheim Fellow, and a 2020 Emerson Fellow, and the recipient of a Jacob’s Pillow Dance Award, a Doris Duke Artist Award, and a United States Artist Award. She is a 5-time Princess Grace Award-winner and a Bessie Award-winner. Most recently she was named one of The Kennedy Center’s Next 50 artists. Her work has been commissioned by renowned dance organizations such as Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, Urban Bush Women, and Complexions, to name a few. Her work, City of Rain, originally created on Camille A. Brown & Dancers in 2010, entered the repertory of the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater in December 2019. Brown has created 13 dances for her Company, including the three evening-long works that comprise The Trilogy. In the fall of 2022, Brown premiered a new work, Journey, Movements I, II, III, created for her dancers to an original score by Wynton Marsalis, to celebrate the opening of the David R. Rockefeller Creative Arts Center. Her work, Mr. TOL E. RAncE received a Bessie nomination for Outstanding Revival in 2023.  

A three-time Tony nominated Director and Choreographer, Brown became the first Black female to direct and choreograph a Broadway show since Katherine Dunham, over 65 years ago, with the 2022 Broadway revival of Ntozake Shange’s for colored girls who have considered suicide / when the rainbow is enuf, and she’s the first Black female to be nominated for a Tony Award as both director and choreographer of a play on Broadway. The production received 7 Tony nominations and multiple award nominations from the Outer Critics Circle, the Drama League, Drama Desk, and the Chita Rivera Awards.  And she is the 2023 winner of the Broadway Black award for Best Direction/Broadway for for colored girls...  Brown also recently made history as the first Black director of a mainstage production at the Metropolitan Opera for her work as co-director, with James Robinson, of Terence Blanchard’s Fire Shut Up in My Bones (fall of 2021), for which she received a 2022 Bessie Outstanding Choreographer nomination.  

Other Broadway, Off-Broadway theater, opera, film, and television choreography credits include: Tony Award-Winning Broadway revival Once On This Island (Drama Desk, Outer Critics, and Chita Rivera nominations); Toni Stone (Drama Desk, Lortel nominee); Emmy Award-winning Jesus Christ Superstar Live on NBC;  Broadway’s A Streetcar Named Desire; The Fortress of Solitude (Lortel nomination); Much Ado About Nothing (Broadcast live on PBS) for The Public Theater’s Shakespeare in the Park; Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom (Netflix); and Tracy Oliver’s television series Harlem (Amazon Prime). She is also the choreographer for The Metropolitan Opera’s productions of Porgy and Bess and Terrence Blanchard’s Champion. Most recently, Brown choreographed Hippest Trip—The Soul Train Musical (A.C.T., San Francisco), directed by Kamilah Forbes and written by Dominque Morisseau, and Hell’s Kitchen (Public Theater), with music by Alicia Keys and directed by Michael Greif.

Brown began her professional career as a dancer with Ronald K. Brown/EVIDENCE, a dance company from 2001-2007. Ms. Brown is a graduate of the LaGuardia High School of the Performing Arts and received a B.F.A. from the University of North Carolina School of the Arts. She holds Honorary Doctorates from the North Carolina School of the Arts and Drew University. Brown is grateful for the incredible opportunities she has had in both concert and commercial dance and their mutual influence on her ability to create the work you are seeing this evening.

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ABOUT THE DANCERS

Quilan “Cue” Arnold is a movement artist based out of Union City, NJ. Quilan currently dances for Camille A. Brown & Dancers (NY), and has been a member of Rennie Harris Puremovement (PA), Netta Yerushalmy Dance Company (NY), and more. Quilan was a New Directions Choreography Lab artist at The Ailey School in 2022. His works– True Move: Quilan and Club KINGDOM-- were presented at Green Space Theater (NY) and University of Texas–Austin in 2022. Quilan hosts The Good Foot Podcast, and is the executive director of the Street/Club Dance documentary, Build’N Shop. A few of Quilan’s educational commissions include University of Texas–Austin’s (TX), Hunter College (NY), Marymount Manhattan College (NY), and Towson University (MD). Quilan also hosts an online Hip-Hop course, Get Groovy.

Dorse Brown began his dance career in his hometown of Little Rock, AR.  He graduated from the University of Memphis with a Bachelor’s Degree in Music and a minor in Dance. While training, Brown received a Young Artist Talent Scholarship to attend the American Dance Festival and also had the opportunity to appear and compete on the 5th season of the television show, “So You Think You Can Dance.”  He trained and danced with the Dayton Contemporary Dance Company in Ohio from 2011-2015. While in Dayton, he led various Hip-Hop cyphers and participated on Hip-Hop Culture panels. Subsequently, Brown moved to Nashville, TN where his traveling opportunities continued with guest artist residencies at various universities and companies. He returned to his Hip-Hop roots with a Royal Caribbean Cruise line contract, giving him the chance to train and perform as an Aerialist, while being a Hip-Hop soloist. He recently was selected for Mojuba Dance Collective’s Emerging Black Choreographer Incubator and was a dancer in the production of Fire Shut Up In My Bones, which opened the Metropolitan Opera’s 2021-2022 season. Traveling to so many different places, fulfilling his dreams and passions, he gives all of the glory and honor to God and thanks to his wife, family, and friends for their continuous support. This is his third season with CABD.

Mikhail Calliste, a native of the beautiful Islands of Trinidad and Tobago, never saw dance as his way of life. With there being such a rich and lively culture, Calliste's understanding of movement derived at a very young age watching local carnivals and folk dance performances that were presented to the public. Once Calliste moved to New York, he was exposed to different languages of movement which allowed him to indulge more and build a strong appreciation for the arts. Under the direction of Donna Faye Burchfield, Calliste attended the University of The Arts as a Suzanne B. Glazer Full Scholarship recipient, where he graduated with a Bachelors of Fine Arts in Dance. There, Calliste was able to work with a community of explorers that always challenged Calliste’s mind to explore; Ronald K. Brown, Mark Haim, Douglas Becker, Netta Yerushalmy, Helen Simoneau, Andrea Miller, Milton Myers and many others; including an apprenticeship with Ballet Preljocaj. The tools that these choreographers passed along to Calliste were used to deepen his personal understanding during undergrad and as he transitioned into his professional career. It is Calliste’s hope to continue to indulge in movement creation and research with intention to further cultivate his voice and define his artistry.

Tatiana Marie, a Los Angeles native, started her pre-professional journey at the Debbie Allen Dance Academy. She secured her BFA in Dance from Alonzo King LINES Ballet/Dominican University of CA in 2016. Currently residing in New York, Tatiana wears multiple hats as a movement artist, certified Classical Pilates instructor, and a versatile figure in dance, theater, choreography, and creative curation. Her professional ventures include performances at the Metropolitan Opera, appearances on Netflix and Apple TV, as well as involvement in Puma NYFW and a tour with Yaeji. Notably, Tatiana recently took part in her second original cast show, Malcom X, at The Met Opera, and showcased her talent in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade for Jon Baptiste and Disney Cruise Line. Beyond her artistic endeavors, Tatiana passionately serves as a Teaching Artist, imparting her love for movement and wellness in New York City's public schools throughout all five boroughs.

 

Courtney Ross hails from New Orleans, LA. Courtney earned her B.F.A., with honors, from The Ailey School/Fordham University. She has toured with Ailey II and later, Ronald K. Brown/EVIDENCE. She has worked and performed closely with Tank & the Bangas, Jon Batiste, Jemel McWilliams, Jeffrey Page, Ray Mercer, Darrell Moultrie, and The Dynamite Experience. Other credits include Porgy and Bess (Metropolitan Opera), 2021 Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade (NBC), Broadway Bares: Takeoff (Chor. Laya Barak), POWERPLAY (The Shed), 2016 VMA's: Beyoncé (MTV), and release industrials for The Wheel of Time (Amazon Prime) and Samsung S8 Release (Chor. Rich & Tone Talauega). Recently, she founded BLOOM Dance, Inc, a 501(c)(3) organization that aims to fortify mental/emotional health and wellness of youth. Courtney joined CABD in 2019. She gives thanks to God, her family, and chosen tribe for the unwavering support!

 

Mora-Amina Parker (Rehearsal Director) began her formal dance training at 15 years-old at the San Francisco High school of the Arts under the tutelage of Reginald Ray Savage. Upon graduation, Ms. Parker became a member of the Savage Jazz Dance Company in Oakland, California. She then went on to work with Robert Moses’ Kin, Philadanco II, Dallas Black Dance Theater, Jeanne Ruddy, Reflections Dance Company, and Philadanco. In 2009, Ms. Parker began working with Camille A. Brown and was a founding member of Camille A. Brown and Dancers. In 2014, while she was a member of the company, it was awarded a Bessie Award for outstanding production for Mr. TOL E. RAncE. Currently, Ms. Parker is a custodian for Ms. Brown’s work and rehearsal director for Camille A. Brown and Dancers. She has assisted Ms. Brown in staging her choreography for the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater (2019) and has staged Ms. Brown’s works at George Mason University (2021), San Jose State (2022), and in 2023, The Juilliard School. Ms. Parker had the honor of assisting Ms. Brown on the Broadway revival of for colored girls who have considered suicide/ when the rainbow is enuf, (2022). This production was nominated for seven Tony Awards including best choreography.  Alongside her work in the dance field, Ms. Parker is an academic in Dance Studies with a concentration in African American modern concert dance. Ms. Parker received her MFA in Performance and Performance Studies in 2019 from Pratt Institute. She is currently a PhD candidate drafting her dissertation at Temple University. 

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ABOUT THE MUSICIANS

Kwinton Gray (Piano) was born and raised in Dallas, Texas, where he was home-schooled. He continued his education at Eastfield Community College where he studied music. Kwinton is a founding member of the band Friday’s Foolery and started his own fusion group Kwinton Gray Project, both groups perform all over the Dallas Metroplex. Kwinton is currently a member of the Dallas based jazz group, The Funky Knuckles, who are working on their fourth album. Kwinton released his debut album titled Leap of Faith with his group the Kwinton Gray Project in the Spring of 2017. Kwinton was awarded the Dallas Observer Music Award for Best Keyboardist in 2017. Kwinton performs as a freelance musician playing for artists across the world.  He has had the opportunity to perform at the a’ la Villette Jazz Festival in Paris, France with Foley, Kenny Garrett, Darryl Jones, Larry Dunn, Bobby Sparks and Derek Winkley. Kwinton also has a love for theater. In 2014, he performed in his first musical, Rocky Horror Show, at Dallas Theater Center. Since then, Kwinton has conducted and played in several musicals, most recently at the Tony Award-winning Dallas Theater Center for the world premiere of Hood: The Robin Hood Musical and the 50th Anniversary production of Hair: The American Tribal Love-Rock Musical.

 

Juliette Jones (Violin) is a multi-genre live and studio recording violinist, BMI composer and founder of Rootstock Republic—a broad-based string production company. Under the company, she has scored, recorded and contracted for a number of live, television and multimedia events, including the People's Choice Awards, NBC’s Grammy-nominated and Emmy-award winning broadcast of Jesus Chris Superstar Live and the Oscar-nominated film, Mudbound; and as a performer, she has worked with a veritable list of "who's who" including Beyoncé, Lady Gaga, Jon Batiste, Stevie Wonder, Aretha Franklin, Ms. Lauryn Hill, Justin Timberlake, Common, Lizzo, Robert Glasper, Janelle Monáe, Hans Zimmer, John Legend, Adele and One Republic; and dancer-choreographers, Camille A. Brown, Michelle Dorrance and Marjani Forte-Saunders.

 

Nyemba Seales (Percussion) was born from parents Shawne Lee and Tyrone Seales. He received his first drum on his first birthday which laid the path to a life of culture through the arts. Nyemba received professional Djembe drum lessons from his first instructor, Gene Osborne. Nyemba would become a member of Preston Ridick’s Indoda Entsha Cultural Arts Center. There, under the tutelage of Master drummers M’bemba Bangoura and Gregory Ince, he honed his skills by performing at various community events, Tri-state shows, and festivals. At the age of six, he was invited to drum in Gene Osborne’s company D’jole African. Nyemba has since performed on various stages throughout the country, from California to Tennessee, mesmerizing audiences of all ages. He has graced the stage with legends Chief Bey, Papa Ladji Camara, Baba Neil Clarke, Forces of Nature Dance Ensemble and Camille A. Brown & Dancers.  He currently teaches drumming for The Department of Education in the City of New York, and is a percussionist for Preston Riddick’s Resura Arkestra.

 

Dillon Vado (Percussion) is a drummer and vibraphonist who plays music that is an honest representation of a broad range of influences. Dillon is known for making music that is dynamic and complex but memorable and relatable. As comfortable laying down Brazilian grooves on drum set as he is improvising with poets and dancers on vibraphone, Dillon can be found playing vibes with many of his own projects including The Table Trio, and Heart Matter with Amy D. and drumming/composing for Never Weather, who released their debut album, Blissonance, on Ridgeway Records in 2020. As a sideman, Dillon can be found performing with skilled vocalists like Christelle Durandy, Danielle Wertz and Amy Dabalos, Brazilian music with Marcos Silva, the Oakland Samba Revue and Sandy Cressman, and many other projects including The Electric Squeezebox Orchestra, Silvestre Martinez and his Bad Hombres, The Michael Echaniz trio and the Marcus Shelby Jazz Orchestra.

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ABOUT THE CREATIVES 

David L. Arsenault (Lighting & Scenic Design), a designer and associate, has had his work seen on Broadway, Off-Broadway, regionally, and internationally. Recent designs in NYC include: Peer Gynt (Classic Stage Company, directed by John Doyle) and A Better Place (The Duke on 42nd Street). Recent regional designs include: The Norman Conquests (Northern Stage, Dorset Theatre Festival, and Weston Playhouse), The Lake Effect (Geva Theatre), Gypsy (Cape Playhouse), and Sex With Strangers (Kitchen Theatre Company). Other regional design credits include productions at Bay Street Theatre, Kitchen Theatre Company, Geva Theatre, Hangar Theatre, Northern Stage, Merry Go Round Playhouse, Gulfshore Playhouse, Urban Arias, and Bucks County Playhouse, among others. Internationally, he has worked at English Theatre Berlin in Germany. Broadway (Associate) work includes: Les Liaisons Dangereuses, The Color Purple (Tony-winning revival, also London and National Tour), and King Charles III. David is a graduate of Ithaca College and a member of United Scenic Artists Local 829. For more of his work, please visit www.DavidArsenaultDesign.

 

Daniel Banks (Dramaturg) is a director, deviser, and dance dramaturg. He is co-director of DNAWORKS, a Fort Worth, Texas-based arts and service organization dedicated to dialogue and healing through the arts. Co-founded in 2006 by Banks and Adam W. McKinney, DNAWORKS centers Global Majority and LGBTQQ2SPIAA+ voices to create more complex representations of identity, culture, class, and heritage in dance, theatre, film, and writing. Daniel has directed, led workshops, and/or instigated projects in 36 states and 23 countries, at such venues at the Belarussian National Drama Theatre, The Market Theater Lab (South Africa), National Theatre of Uganda, McCarter Theatre Center, the NYC and DC Hip Hop Theatre Festivals, Playhouse Square, PlayMakers Rep, and The Public Theater. He has served on the faculties of NYU, CUNY, Naropa University, and as Chair of Performing Arts at the Institute of American Indian Arts. Daniel is Associate Director of Theatre Without Borders, Founder of the Hip Hop Theatre Initiative, and the 2020 recipient of TCG’s Alan Schneider Director Award.

 

Kamilah Forbes (Dramaturg) is the Executive Producer of the Apollo Theater in addition to her work as an esteemed award-winning director and producer for theater and television. She has received awards for both directing and producing, including the 2019 NBTF Larry Leon Hamlin Producer Award and an NAACP Image Award. She was recently named one of the Kennedy Center’s NEXT 50. Recent directing credits include HBO’s: Between the World and Me; Signature Theater: By the Way, Meet Vera Stark; People’s Light: All My Sons and Fences; Arena Stage: Blood Quilt; True Colors, Baltimore Center Stage, and Detroit Public Theatre: Detroit ’67; Labyrinth: Sunset Baby; 651 Arts: Circle Unbroken; SummerStage: Sweet Billy and the Zooloos; and Kennedy Center: Tribute to Marvin Gaye featuring John Legend, Nas, and the National Symphony Orchestra celebrate Illmatic. Broadway associate director credits include: Holler if Ya Hear Me, A Raisin in the Sun, Lucky Guy, Stick Fly, The Mountaintop, and Def Poetry Jam (tour). Other credits include: Lincoln Center Theater, The Public Theater, Lark Play Development Center, and artistic director of Hip Hop Theater Festival. Television credits include: The Wiz Live (associate director, NBC); HBO’s Def Poetry Jam (producer); and HBO’s Brave New Voices (executive producer). Professional credits include Hi Arts/Hip-Hop Theater Festival: Producing Artistic Director; Kennedy Center: curator-in-residence. Education: Howard University.

 

Mayte Natalio (Costume Designer/Stylist) is from Queens, New York. She trained at LaGuardia High School and SUNY Purchase (BFA). She has performed with the Parsons Dance Company, Nathan Trice Rituals, Roger C. Jeffrey, Darrell Grand Moultrie, Kyle Abraham and Camille A. Brown.  She has performed with French pop singer, Mylene Farmer as well as Kanye West. Regional musical theater credits include the Ogunquit Playhouse, Dallas Theater Center and Pregones Theater in New York. New York theater credits include City Center Encores, the original cast of the immersive production Queen of the Night and Third Rail Productions, The Grand Paradise. TV & Film credits include Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, Jesus Christ Super Star Live, Harlem, and Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom. Mayte is also a choreographer and her favorite credits include Love In Hate Nation (Two River Theater), Into the Woods (Barrington Stage), Kiss My Aztec (Hartford Stage) and How to Dance in Ohio (Syracuse Stage). 

 

Amy Page (Costume Supervisor) is a NY based Dance Costume Creator.  Her past experiences with Dorrance Dance, Dance Theater of Harlem, Alvin Ailey, Hubbard Street 2, Camille A. Brown & Dancers, Ballet Hispanico, LA Dance Project, Keigwin + Co, RIOULT, HoustonMET, Yehuda Hyman's Mystical Feet, Ballet Academy East, American Opera Project's Hagoromo starring Wendy Whelan and Jock Soto, Mark Morris' The Hard Nut, and ABT's Education Department inform her current choices and aesthetics.  As the Dance Costumer at Sarah Lawrence College, she loves to work with creative individuals to hone their design ideas and make them a reality.   She is well versed at the specific needs of dance costuming, engineering garments to withstand the rigorous demands of exceptional movement range and creativity.  Additionally, she works on the wardrobe crew at Hamilton: An American Musical on Broadway.  She's a graduate of North Carolina School of the Arts (NCSA) and is honored to support the artists of CABD.  

 

Talvin Wilks (Dramaturg) is a playwright, director and dramaturg based in Minneapolis and New York City. His plays include Tod, the boy, Tod, The Trial of Uncle S&M, Bread of Heaven, An American Triptych, Jimmy and Lorraine: A Musing, and As I Remember It with Carmen de Lavallade. Directing Credits: The White Card/This Bitter Earth/Benevolence/The Ballad of Emmett Till (Penumbra Theatre), The Peculiar Patriot (NBT/Woolly Mammoth), Parks (History Theatre), Cannabis: A Viper Vaudeville (HERE Arts/La Mama), Charlie Brown Black (Pillsbury House + Theatre) and The Till Trilogy (Mosaic Theatre). Dramaturgy Credits:  for colored girls who have considered suicide/when the rainbow is enuf (Broadway Revival), Dreaming Zenzile (New York Theatre Workshop), Between the World and Me (The Apollo), Scat!/Walkin’ with ‘Trane (Urban Bush Women), ink/Black Girl: Linguistic Play/ Mr. TOL E. RAncE (Camille A. Brown and Dancers), In a Rhythm/A History/Necessary Beauty/Landing-Place/Verge (Bebe Miller Company). He is an Associate Professor in the Theatre Arts and Dance Department, University of Minnesota/Twin Cities and is a 2020 McKnight Theater Artist Fellow and a 2022 McKnight Presidential Fellow.

 The Lighting and Scenic Designer of ink are represented by United Scenic Artists, Local USA-829 of the IATSE.