A dance festival highlighting local choreographers and dance artists.
Date: Saturday, June 24th, 2023
Time: 1:30pm
Location: Newark Public Library,
5 Washington Street, Newark, NJ
FREE!!!
Featured Dance Artists and Choreographers:
Zoey Crenshaw, Ray Ruiz, Susan Ramirez, Cole Collective, Travis Love, Company of Collaborative Artists (CoCA), Andrea Ward,
Evelyn Tejeda and Cecilia Mitchell
This production is sponsored in part by the Newark Artist Accelerator and the Creative Catalyst Fund: a partnership between The City of Newark and Newark Arts and North to Shore Festival and NJPAC
For more information contact: Newarkdances@gmail.com
Come join us for a thrilling afternoon of dance at Newark Dances, a choreography dance festival featuring some of the most talented local choreographers and dance artists in the area. Witness the captivating art of movement as we showcase a diverse range of dance styles, including tap dance, contemporary, hip hop, and more.
This exciting event will take place on Saturday, June 24th, at the iconic Newark Public Library at 5 Washington Street in downtown Newark and best of all, it's completely free and open to all!
Whether you're a seasoned dance enthusiast or simply looking for a fun and unique way to spend your Saturday, Newark Dances promises to be a truly unforgettable experience. Don't miss out on this fantastic opportunity to witness the beauty and power of dance - mark your calendars now and join us on June 24th!
About the Artists
Camille Moten Rennie (Choreographer/Director of CoCA) is originally from Somerset, New Jersey and began her professional dance training with PHILADANCO!’s 2nd company while earning a BFA in dance from Temple University. She danced extensively in concert dance, musical theater, and Latin ballroom, and later went to Rutgers University to obtain her MFA in dance. For her thesis concert, she choreographed and produced the evening-length dance production of Ella’s Trip (2019), and subsequently published part of her written work in Black Dance Magazine (2020). Camille's choreography has since been presented by Rutgers University, Stockton University, Dance New Jersey, WestFest Dance, BAAD! Bronx, and coLAB Arts, along with many other schools and institutions of dance. She also served as Assistant Choreographer to Andre DeShields and then Choreographer for regional musical theater productions with the Tony Award-winning, Crossroads Theatre Company. Camille is the Founder, Director, and Choreographer of the Company of Collaborative Artists (CoCA) www.cocamoves.com, a university adjunct professor in dance and somatics, and a certified yoga instructor (RYT 200-hour).
Zoey Crenshaw is a graduate of University of the Arts where she received a BFA in Dance, under the leadership of Donna Faye Burchfield. During her studies at UArts, she received a scholarship for distinguished scholars and artists. She was also in a choreographic adaptation of Strange Fruit (1943) by Pearl Primus, directed by Kim Bears-Bailey. Prior to college, Zoey was a company member at Erie Dance Theater, a member of her high school dance company, and awarded the Mercyhurst Preparatory School Creative Arts Dance Scholarship. Zoey is interested in creating works that share a message of hope and love, using the universal language of dance. She strives to uplift her community and bring light into the world. Along with dancing she enjoys writing, exploring, and working with her hands. Zoey is also a small business owner where she sells handmade jewelry in her online Etsy shop, Zoey’s Jewelry Hut.
Ray Ruiz: Born in Newark, Ray“ Syren “Ruiz is an evolutionary dancer, choreographer, educator, and visual creator. Ray has trained with the Alvin Ailey Dance Theater and has performed on stage at the Apollo Theatre, choreographed and danced with music artists, and instructed at various studios in NJ. He has fully embraced every form of dance, and enjoys sharing his love and joy that movement has brought him over the years.
Most recently, Ray has filmed music videos for NJ artists, Anoure, AML, and Dimitri Reyes (Newark Native). Ray hopes to inspire his fellow Newark natives, and residents to pursue their passions and to continue creating art that keeps our community alive!
Susan Ramirez is an international actress, model, singer, dancer, and choreographer, fitness instructor and all around performer. She has been seen and featured soloist in countless venues across NJ and NYC, including the Tony Award Winning Papermill Playhouse, and the Lincoln Center, New York City. She traveled overseas teaching intensives, creating stage performances, appeared in music videos, nationwide commercials and more!
Cole Collective: Nicole Ohr is Artistic Director of Cole Collective and has presented her choreography in various dance festivals in NYC. She is also the co-producer of Dance Astoria, a dance festival held annually in Astoria, Queens. As a teacher, Nicole is a NYS Certified K-12 Dance Educator, and an ATDF Certified Tap Teacher and is currently teaching throughout the tristate area, at studios and organizations such as the American Tap Dance Foundation, Ballet Hispanico, Broadway Dance Center, and Steps On Broadway, on top of being a K-8 dance teacher, and 6-8 grade tap dance teacher at The School at Columbia University.
Andréa Ward was born in Boston, MA where she graduated from the Boston Arts Academy in 2018. She is a graduate from Montclair State University with a BFA in Dance Performance and Choreography as well as a minor in Business Administration. Andréa has worked with and performed works by notable artists such as Paul Taylor, Nathan Trice, Yusha Marie-Sorzano, Kirven Douthit-Boyd, Rennie Harris, Darrell Grand-Moultrie, Ruka White, Frederick Earl Mosley, Christian von Howard, and Steffanie Batten-Bland to name a few. Her dance training includes Ballet, Modern, Jazz, Hip-Hop, Heels, African, Contemporary, Musical Theatre, and more She has also attended and trained with institutions such as Earl Mosley’s Institute of the Arts, José Mateo Ballet Theatre, Boston Ballet, and Debbie Allen Dance Academy LA. Andréa is currently in her first season as a company member with Carolyn Dorfman Dance Company.
Cecilia Mitchell grew up in Montclair, NJ and recently graduated with a BA in Dance performance from Stockton University in May 2022. She has trained in modern (Horton, Graham, and Limón), Ballet, Jazz, Musical Theater, Hip-Hop, Umfundalai, West African, Jazz, Contemporary and Improvisation. At university, she was heavily involved in the Stockton Dance Company where she had the opportunity to work with faculty and guest artists Caroline Fermin, Tiffany Mills, Meredith Rainy, Salena Pettaway and Lauren Putty White. Recently, she studied abroad in Thessaloniki, Greece and performed at the Early Jewish Agricultural Settlements Exhibition. Mitchell attended the Bates Dance Festival in July 2022 and has performed professionally at the Koresh Artist Showcase, Putty Dance Project and Alma Dance Company.
Evelyn Tejeda has been performing and teaching for 14 years. She specializes in contemporary, popping, waving, house dance and improvisation. Evelyn is a founding member of the National Contemporary Dance Company of the Dominican Republic 2010-2020 directed by renowned Cuban choreographer Marianela Boan. In 2021 she toured her work "Imposible Explicar" to FIDCDMX in México city. She won the award for best solo choreographer at PDX festival in Portland. Evelyn was also a semifinalist in the reality show Dominicanas Got Talent 2019. She also acted in the play "EDITHPOP" at the Microtheater, Miam, directed by Jose Sanchez.
Travis Love is a playwright, poet, and performance artist who has used his passion to amplify health literacy and inspire his community. After receiving his Bachelor’s in Fine Arts from Montclair State University, Travis appeared in “7 Degrees of Separation”, toured regionally with the George Street Playhouse and nationally with Educational Tours Inc. His most recent credits include artistic director and choreographer for “Nina in Motion”, director of “Before It Hits Home”, “Growing Up in the Other Atlantic City” and “The Vagina Monologues”. A great many of his artistic offerings are intended to shine a light on the beautiful variety of the Black expression. Feeling that too few citizens do not have access to art and culture which can be a resource for inspiration and life, Mr. Love’s body of work is an effort to educate and enhance the creative spirit of the community.
About the producer of Newark Dances:
Monifa Kincaid: Monifa's artistic background began with an 18 year professional career in contemporary dance, rhythm tap dance, choreography and as a dance educator in the NYC public school system. 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. This performance background transitioned into a journey of visual arts in 2018.
Her visual artwork has been shown at Gallery Aferro, Art Fair 14C, Index Art Center, Audible/Newark Artist Collaboration/Mural Project, Index Art Center Newark, NJ, Feel, Reveal, Heal at The Yard, Washington, D.C., sK.Artspace x Brooklyn Blooms, Brooklyn, NY, Akwaaba Gallery in Newark, N.J., Newark Arts Festival, Art-In-The-Atrium in Morristown, NJ and at the Main Street Arts in Clifton Springs, NY.
Monifa is a 2023 North To Shore/NJPAC Festival Awardee, 2023 Creative Catalyst Fund Awardee, 2022 Newark Arts Renewal, and a 2021 and 2022 Project for an Empty Space/Newark Artist Accelerator Program Grant Recipient. These funds are currently supporting the creation of a multidisciplinary performance project titled REFLECTION and a dance production titled, "Newark Dances", a project focused on supporting the creation of new and diverse dance works by local choreographers and dance artists.
Monifa currently works with Arts Ed NJ as the Community Engagement Activator and 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.