Biography

Monifa Kincaid is an accomplished visual artist, former choreographer, and creative project manager with over 15 years of experience. She has a strong background in arts education, contemporary dance performance and choreography, managing arts education programs, curating performances, grant-writing, and digital marketing.

She is currently the Community Engagement Activator at Arts Ed NJ where she handles various responsibilities including, organizing and leading a youth arts education council, managing community arts advocacy meetings, social media accounts, implementing email marketing strategies, and contributing to event productions for the NJ Governors Award in Art Education. In addition to these duties, Monifa also assists with the Arts Ed Now campaign to advocate for stronger arts education programs for all K-12 students in New Jersey.

As the founder of the project Newark Dances, Monifa supported local choreographers by securing funding through grants provided by organizations such as the Newark Artists Accelerator Program / Project for Empty Space, Creative Catalyst Fund with Newark Arts and the City of Newark, and the North To Shore Festival in partnership with NJPAC.

Monifa also has extensive experience working as the Project Arts Coordinator and tenured arts educator at the NYC Department of Education for 18 years. In these roles, not only did she teach many forms of dance, dance history and improvisation courses, she also managed budgets of 110k, contracted workshops with NYC non-profits arts organizations, and coordinated community engagement events at PS 70-South Bronx and at the Cultural Academy for the Arts and Sciences in East Flatbush, Brooklyn.

Her performance credits include working with: Nia Love Blacksmith's Daughter Dance Co, Sophisticated Ladies at the Cotton Club/Dormeisha Sumbry-Edwards, Barbara Duffy and Company and Brenda Bufalino's Tap Dance Orchestra.

Monifa has received an M.S. in Early Childhood Education from Lehman College, an M.A. in Choreography from the Laban Centre in London, UK and a B.F.A. in Contemporary Dance Performance from The University of the Arts in Phila, P.A.

She is deeply committed to making a positive impact in the artistic landscape and actively seeking new opportunities to contribute her expertise to organizations that prioritize creativity, diversity and social outreach.


Current & Past shows

  • 2023 Gallery Aferro, Newark, NJ

  • Art House Gallery, Jersey City, NJ

  • 2022 Gallery Aferro, Newark, NJ

  • 2022 Newark Arts Festival

  • 2021 Art Fair 14C, Jersey City

  • 202Index Art Center, Newark, NJ

  • 2021 Digital Mural Project with Newark Artist Collaboration and Audible

  • 2021 Feel, Reveal, Heal at The Yard, Washington, D.C.

  • 2021  sK.Artspace x Brooklyn Blooms, Brooklyn, NY

  • Fall 2020 - Main Street Arts, Clifton Springs, NY

  • Fall 2020 - Newark Arts Festival with Femme Curator Arts

  • Summer 2020 - Art In The Atrium in Morristown, New Jersey

  • Summer 2020 - Akwaaba Gallery, Newark, New Jersey

  • Fall 2019 - Newark Arts Festival with Femme Curator Arts

Awards

  • 2023 North To Shore Festival Grant Awardee

  • 2023 Creative Catalyst Fund Grant Recipient

  • 2022 Newark Arts Renewal Grant 

  • 2021 and 2022 Project for an Empty Space/Newark Artist Accelerator Program Grant

  • 2021 Manifesting Light Award Recipient

Publications

Dance Teaching Experience

  • Cultural Academy for Arts and Sciences, Brooklyn, N.Y.: Creative dance, choreography, rhythm rap dance, jazz, yoga, dance history, and Careers In The Arts (2011-2018).

  • Ballet Arts Studio, Beacon, N.Y.: Tap (2009-2014).

  • Hudson Valley Conservatory, Walden, N.Y.: Tap and Hip Hop (2009-2014).

  • Dance Expressions of Fishkill, N.Y.: Tap (2009-2014).

  • Newburgh Performing Arts Academy, Newburgh, N.Y.: Tap (2009-2014).

  • South Junior High School, Newburgh, N.Y.: Rhythm tap, contemporary jazz, swing dance, dance composition, and dance history (2006-2009).

  • Newburgh Performing Arts Academy, Newburgh, N.Y.: Ballet, Rhythm Tap, Contemporary Jazz (2006-2009).

  • P.S. 70, South Bronx, N.Y.: Rhythm tap, ballet, jazz, choreography, swing dance, and dance history (2001-2006).

Dance Performance Experience

  • Larissa Velez-Jackson and Star Crap Dancers (2011-2014).

  • Cotton Club Chorus Dancer, Choreographer: Dormeisha Sumbry-Edwards (2010).

  • American Tap Dance Foundation’s Production “Sound Check” at Dance Theater Workshop (2010).

  • Opera of the Hampton’s, Aida, ensemble dancer (2009).

  • Battery Downtown Dance Festival with C3 Tap Co-operative (2009).

  • Barbara Duffy and Company: rhythm tap dancer (2009).

  • Tap City 2009, The New Tap Dance Orchestra, Choreographer: Brenda Bufalino (2009).

  • Tap City Festival Adult Showcase/choreography by Brenda Bufalino (2007).

  • Tap City Festival Adult Showcase/choreography by Barbara Duffy and Andre Del Conte (2006).

  • Modern Boogie/Choreographer: Monica Lloyd (2006).

  • Camara Dance Unlimited/Choreographer: Tracy Peterson (2005).

  • Ground Provision Movement/Choreographer: Winston Benons (2004).

  • Mary Seidman Dance Group (2003).

  • Guido Tuveri/Sanza Nemo Collective (2002).

  • Nia Love/Blacksmith’s Daughter Dance Theater (1999-2002).

Monifa Kincaid’s Choreography Presented at:

  • C3 Tap Co-operative: Culturafest 2009, Washington Heights; Battery Downtown Dance Festival; New World Stages for APAP (2008-2009).

  • Howland Cultural Center, Beacon, N.Y. (2006).

  • Gowanus Arts/Spoke the Hub (2004).

  • Brooklyn Children’s Museum (2003).

  • Dancenow/NYC; White Wave/D.U.M.B.O dance festival (2002).

  • Joyce Soho for Dancenow/NYC (2001).