LEXICON BIOGRAPHIES
Julia Antinozzi is a choreographer based in NYC, and recently named one of Dance Magazine ’s “25 to Watch.” In addition to receiving the inaugural Trisk Fellowship from Triskelion Arts and a Fresh Tracks residency from New York Live Arts, Julia has held residencies at The Floor, New Dance Alliance, Motive Brooklyn and the New York Choreographic Institute, an affiliate of the New York City Ballet. Her work has also been presented by Pageant, Center for Performance Research, and Movement Research at the Judson Church, and commissioned by Arena Dances (Minneapolis, MN), New England Ballet Theatre (Hartfordt, CT) and The School of American Ballet.
Gabby Carmichael is a choreographer, educator, and performer based in Western Massachusetts whose dance practice weaves movement, writing, sound design, and scholarship. She believes dance is a site for transformation and that the body functions as a living archive, honoring both the extraordinary and the everyday. Gabby holds an MFA in Choreography and Performance from Smith College and a BA in Anthropology and Dance from the University of Massachusetts Amherst, and is a seasoned yoga teacher and arts administrator. She has been in choreographic residence at The Field Center, The Floor on Atlantic, Brooklyn Arts Exchange, MOTive Brooklyn, and Leimay.
Originally from Illinois, Barbie Diewald is a dancer, choreographer and Associate Professor of Dance at Mount Holyoke College. She is a Massachusetts Cultural Council Artist Fellow and New England Foundation for the Arts New Work New England Grant Recipient. Her dances have been presented in New York at BAM, 92nd Street Y, Movement Research at the Judson Church, Brooklyn Arts Exchange, University Settlement, The Center for Performance Research, and The Kitchen, and in New England at Academy of Music Theatre, A.P.E Gallery, School for Contemporary Dance and Thought, High Street Studios, Motion State Arts Festival, Northampton Center for the Arts, Salem Arts Festival and Movement Arts Gloucester. Diewald has been Artist-in-Residence at Jacob’s Pillow, Bates Dance Festival, the Bogliasco Foundation, The Iron Factory, Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity, Cleveland School for the Arts, Ponderosa, Subcircle and SILO at Kirkland Farm. Diewald holds a BFA in Theatre from Millikin University and MFA in Dance from Smith College.
Leah Fournier is a dancer and dance maker based in New York. Leah has performed with artists including Lenio Kaklea, Angie Hauser, Chris Aiken, Amelia Heintelman, and Vanessa Anspaugh, and is currently in process with Juli Brandano, Julia Antinozzi, and Barbie Diewald. Her research has been supported by residencies including Centre Pompadour, The Croft, Atland, MOtiVE Brooklyn, and the School for Contemporary Dance & Thought. Her collaborative choreographic work has been presented at Pageant, Movement Research at the Judson Church, the Asia Society, and Fresh Festival (CA), among others. Leah works at Movement Research (NY) and, from time to time, with Sara Shelton Mann (CA).
Originally from the Midwest, Ellie Goudie-Averill is a dance artist and educator who works with dancers of all ages on technique and performance. She currently teaches ballet and contemporary in Western Massachusetts at Mount Holyoke College and the School for Contemporary Dance and Thought. Since graduating with her MFA in Dance Performance from the University of Iowa, she has also served as a professor at Temple University, Smith College, the University of Kansas, Franklin & Marshall College, Amherst College, and Connecticut College. She has danced professionally for Susan Rethorst, Bronwen MacArthur, Group Motion, and Sara Shelton Mann. Ellie is currently working on projects with Beau Hancock and Barbie Diewald and is a regular collaborator and dancer with Tori Lawrence + Co. in dance films and sitespecific works.
Chloe London is a choreographer, performer, and teacher. She received her MFA in Performance & Choreography from Smith College in 2023 and has since taught at UMass Amherst, Mount Holyoke College, and Smith College. Her choreography has been presented by Movement Research at the Judson Church, Dixon Place, Triskelion Arts, School of Contemporary Dance and Thought, and Battery Park Dance Festival. She has been an artist in residence at A.P.E Gallery, Bearnstow, and Art Omi. She was a Trisk Presents 2025 commissioned artist and premiered her most recent evening-length work Unstable Sky at Triskelion Arts in 2025. She has danced for Vanessa Anspaugh, Alex Davis, Lindsey Jones, Madelyn Sher, Tammy SugdenCarrasco, and Gabrielle Revlock, and collaboratively with Angie Hauser. Chloe danced for Bebe Miller Company in Vespers , Reimagined at Danspace Project in March 2025 and currently dances for Mary Beth Brooker and Barbie Diewald.
Traveling Village
Choreography: Joanne (Jojo) Caidor
Principal Performers: Jennifer Beauchamp, JoJo Caidor, Scynthia Charles, Jossie Coleman, Erla Haxhiaj, Jeryl Palana, Gina Romero, Makeda Wallace
Performers: Mckhelen Alcindor, Tarikh Campbell, Jerelys Canales, Carven Bernadeau, Oliver Burns, Amanda Edmunds, Jennesys Espinal, Dork Farguarson, Erin Hanafin, Erla Haxhiaj, Samantha Lakin, Wendy O’Byrne, J’Quan Oliver, Tony Tucker
Music: “Strange Fruit” by Abel Meeropol, “Pavers” by Afmohip, composed by Glen Fittin, “Memory is Energy” by The Cell Theory, “Find Rand Airtime namaeveready: 4000 Degrees” by Spaza, “This Bitter Earth” by Dinah Washington, “Freedom” by Shatta Wale, “Venom” by Little Simz, “Savage Kulture” by JaySavage; edited by Joanne (Jojo) Caidor
Musicians: SDDance Music Assemble
The four-part Traveling Village represents communities from different ethnic groups, creating connections between the past and the present. It shows the beginnings of shared resources and mutual support, leading to the collective power found in solidarity. The strength of a single, shared force brings unison, togetherness, and courage. It acknowledges that struggles existed before and continue today, while reminding us that there are reasons behind the ways we live. At its core, it emphasizes the importance of receiving, understanding, and sharing, allowing communities to endure and grow.
Part 1: Pavers
The dispersal and forced migration of enslaved people represent more than movement across land and sea; it brings layered commitments to survival, togetherness, and endurance. Within this history lie strength and courage forged under unimaginable conditions, alongside profound sorrow and unwavering belief. These lived experiences carry shared stories, ultimately paving the way for future generations.
Part 2: Architectural Bodies
Focuses on the detachment of self, how we adapt to our surroundings and ourselves, and the Connection Between Dispersal and the Migration of Enslaved People. Embodying the experiences of enslaved individuals who endured brutal treatment while navigating obstacles. This work traces the passage of history while carrying inherited memory and honoring the past.
Par 3: Receiving and Giving
A representation of communities from different ethnic groups forming connections between past and present. It traces the sharing of resources with one another and reveals a collective power.
Part 4: Mission
This work showcases the power found in defeat and the resilience that follows. It speaks to being on a mission together, where strength feeds the individual and, in turn, shapes the community. These communities move with purpose, carrying what has been passed down and using it to uplift and propel others forward. It is a continuous journey, traveling through different communities, each adding a piece of their history. Together, they form a powerful village on a shared mission.
TRAVELING VILLAGE BIOGRAPHIES
Mckhelen Alcindor, also known as Kelz, started dancing as a young child by watching Michael Jackson and others in music videos on television and at family events. It wasn’t until 2012 that he took his first dance official classes. He has trained with BCDP (Boston Community Dance Project), Concept Artist, Qwam, and various other groups. Kelz strives to be a well-versed dancer in Afro styles because, being Haitian, the movement gives him a connection to his ancestors.
Jennifer Beauchamp-Ankeny, or Jenny B, grew up dancing salsa and began her formal dance training as an adult. She has trained at High Street Studios, Ipswich Moving Company, Windhover, Bosoma, Greg Coles Dance and Drum, and The Dance Complex. She has performed with Expressive Movement, High Street Studios, Ipswich Moving Company, Greg Coles Dance and Drum, and Sylver Rochelin’s FroCa. She enjoys the opportunity to take challenging workshops, from heels and jazz with Yanis Marshall, to boogaloo with the Mambo King himself, Eddie Torres, Sr. Her passion has always been salsa and bachata and she stays active in the Latin dance community in the Boston area.
Carven Bernadeau is a dancer, choreographer, and educator based in Boston. Her love for dance began at an early age, learning and performing Haitian and African folklore dances. Inspired by the music and movement of the 1990s and 2000s, Carven developed a strong connection to hip hop dance, integrating it into her evolving dance journey while staying grounded in her cultural roots.For the past eight years, she has been a member of Trend N Motion, contributing to the group’s identity by blending her hip hop and Afro dance styles.Carven has choreographed, directed, and performed in numerous dance productions, artist showcases, and community events, including The Bayo Tour, Boston Calling , and other major music festivals. Her work includes collaborations with artists such as Michael Brun, Oompa, and Dutch ReBelle.
Oliver Burns is from Boston, MA. He is a graduate of Regis College with a BA in Communications and Business Management. Out of 25 years of dancing, he has been choreographing for 12 years. He performs many styles from contemporary to latin, but hip hop is the foundation. Oliver and his group, Trend N Motion, put together an annual performance tour where they can be seen at various fundraisers, fashion shows, and community events throughout New England. When he is not dancing, Oliver is building an entertainment company, Trend Stream: an audiovisual event services company that provides all the components to make any event or creative project successful.
Joanne (Jojo) Caidor (SSU faculty) focuses on making you feel good while doing good. Her education and training come from Dean College and University of Massachusetts Boston, where she studied Dance and Business Management. Throughout life, Joanne has been a part of cabarets, musicals, step teams, and more. Her credits involve performance in Jean Appolon Expressions and Street Hype. In addition to directing Afmohip, she is the lead in Haitian folklore dance troupe Arc-en-ciel. Joanne has been featured in movies and has performed in major venues such as the Embassy in Washington, DC, Annual Independence Gala in Boston, José Mateo Ballet Theatre Annual Dance for World Community Festival, Haitian Movie Awards, Boston City Hall, The Boston Contemporary Dance Festival at the Paramount Center, World of Dance, French Festival, Prelude Dance, Performing Arts Festival, Boston University Theater, Annual Haitian Fund Conference, and Hairspray the musical.
Tarikh Campbell is a choreographer, performer, and educator, best known as the leader of ConArt and founder of several influential dance collectives including Side Project and Weapons of MASS. He has performed with renowned companies like Roots Uprising and Static Noyze, and showcased original work at World of Dance , Prelude , and The Dance Complex. Tarikh’s industry credits include opening for Omarion and The Dream, choreographing for Yanina Johnson and Makio Matthews, and appearing in the film Whitney Houston: I Wanna Dance With Somebody. As a sought-after instructor, he’s taught at institutions such as Harvard Dance Center, Endicott College, and national conventions like Masters of Mayhem . From 2016-2019, he served as director and executive producer of the CONcentrate On The ARTistry showcase. Tarikh continues to create, teach, and inspire artists across communities.
Jerelys Canales (SSU, ’26) is a nursing major at Salem State University with a passion for dance. She is also a dance minor and absolutely loves Afro and hip hop styles. She is excited to dance again, meet new people, and perform!
Scynthia Charles is a Boston-based higher education administrator and passionate performing artist whose love for language, culture, music, and movement has shaped a lifelong relationship with dance. Her professional journey began in 2017 with the ICA’s Skeleton Architecture residency and
has since included collaborations with diverse companies such as Abilities Dance Boston, Ammaya Drum and Dance, and Afrobeats Dance Boston. With a strong foundation in traditional West African and African diasporic dance, Scynthia has trained extensively under master teachers such as Joh Camara, Nailah Randall-Bellinger, and Makeda Wallace and broadened her practice through contemporary and modern styles. She is deeply committed to expanding her dance vocabulary and deepening her understanding of movement, consistently seeking out opportunities to explore the capabilities and expressive potential of the human body.
Faculty at Boston University Dance Program and lecturer in the School of Theater at BU’s College of Fine Arts since 1998, Jossie Coleman has danced and choreographed for various artists including Warner Brothers recording artists. She has performed with companies such as 4 Women and Friends Modern Dance Company, Anu Hip Hop Dance Team, Rhythm Reggae Dance Company, and the Patrick LaCroix Folklore Dance Company. Jossie is currently a member of RootsUprising Modern Dance Company and a principal performer with Afmohip. Jossie has worked with artists including MC Lyte, Queen Latifah, Marky Mark and the New Kids on The Block and has also choreographed for music videos and film. Ms Coleman has taught at Boston Conservatory at Berklee’s Commercial Dance Intensive, Harvard University, and Mount Holyoke College. Jossie is also the former Dance Department Head at Creative Arts at Park, where she taught for 27 years.
Amanda Edmunds (SSU, ’22) is from Revere, Massachusetts, and danced competitively for 16 years at Sheila Rosanio’s School of Dance and Gymnastics and The Studio Dance Complex. She earned her BA in Dance at Salem State University with a minor in Education and received the Creativity Award in Dance. Amanda has won numerous high score awards along with multiple scholarships from the Dance Masters of New England. She has performed in Debra Mason’s What The Dickens and in the company Contemporarily Out Of Order with Wendy O’Byrne. In addition to Afmohip, she has danced with Dance LAB Creative, founded by Libby Bullinger. These companies have inspired Amanda to start Emotion in Motion, a contemporary dance company.
Jennesys Espinal started dancing at the age of seven, built a background in ballet, tap, jazz, and hip hop, and has developed a style through a mix of self-teaching and open classes, which gave her the space to explore movement on her own terms. Freestyle has always been at the core of her artistry. She thrives on feeling the music and moving instinctively letting rhythm and emotion lead the way. For her, dance is more than just steps: it’s a personal and powerful form of storytelling, connection, and release. She’s proud to continue her journey with Afmohip, where she’s excited to keep growing, learning, and evolving as a dancer.
Erin Hanafin (SSU ’22) is a Boston-based dancer and emerging physical therapist with movement rooted in storytelling, connection, and curiosity. She is thrilled to join Afmohip, drawn to the company’s powerful integration of modern, hip-hop, and African diasporic dance traditions. Erin’s training spans over two decades including contemporary, modern, ballet, hiphop, and improvisation, with formative experiences at Salem State University, The Ballet Academy, Aurora Borealis Dance Company, and The Boston Ballet School. She has performed at the American College Dance Association national conference, the Brooklyn Dance Festival, and the Boston Contemporary Dance Festival, and has created original choreography for Simmons University with Colleges of the Fenway Dance Project. She draws inspiration from the movement style of Malpaso Dance Company, striving to embody their physicality and emotional depth in her own performance practice. Erin is currently earning her Doctorate of Physical Therapy, and is passionate about integrating dance and wellness in both clinical and creative spaces.
Dancing since the age of four, Erla Haxhiaj ’s performance career spans live shows, music videos, fashion shoots, shows, and high-profile events. She has opened up with local rapper Vasjan, major artists Soulja Boy, Gucci Mane, G Herbo; was featured in The Mixtape Tour by New Kids on the Block and was also Vasjan’s main dancer and choreographer for his music videos and shows. Erla currently dances with Afrobeats Dance Boston, Evolve, and AiR St. In addition, Erla is the founder of AiR St., a creative brand that blends movement, fashion, and visual storytelling—reflecting her multidimensional artistry and vision. Her training includes programs like Liv3lihood, MLZMvMnT, and renowned choreographers Kevin Maher, Alex Fetbroth and Jojo Gomez. Fluent in English and Albanian, and knowledgeable in ASL, she brings an inclusive and global perspective to her work.
Samantha Lakin is a Boston-based dancer and native of New Jersey whose training focuses on West African/Mande dance, Sabar, modern, dances of the Afro-diaspora. She also studied rhythm tap, directed by Julia Boynton and Dianne Walker. In 2004, at Brandeis University, Samantha co-founded Brandeis’s tap dance program and ensemble, Hooked on Tap. Samantha was a performer in Benkadi Drum and Dance, a West African dance company, led by Marianne Harkless and master drummer Sory Diabate and Pasy Naay Leer Dance Company directed by Papa Sy from Senegal. Samantha has performed at festivals including José Mateo Ballet Theatre’s Dance for World Community, Somerville ArtBeat , Boston Children’s Museum, and JFK Library’s Celebrate Series. Samantha holds a PhD in History from Clark University, and MA in International Law and Diplomacy from The Fletcher School at Tufts University. She is an educator and teacher working in government service in Public Diplomacy.
Wendy O’Byrne began her training with the Robertson’s School of Classical Ballet (Seacoast Ballet Company) under the direction of Colleen and Larry Robertson. Wendy’s interests shifted to musical theatre, and she had the privilege of choreographing and performing for Seacoast Repertory Theatre, Palace Theatre, Ogunquit Playhouse, North Shore Music Theatre and several other regional theatre companies. Wendy moved to Boston to continue her dance training and became a member of MAVI Dance, Unyted Stylz, and StreetHYpE. In 2010, Wendy founded Contemporarily Out of Order (COOco), a contemporary company aimed to create performance opportunities for children and adults under a professional setting. Previously, Wendy was the Assistant Director of Boston University’s Summer Reach Program and taught/choreographed for several studios in the Greater Boston area. Wendy is currently the Director for COOco, Director at Rise Dance Studio, and an instructor at Boston University, MassMotion Dance, and Jamie Campbell’s Dance Studio.
Jeryl Palana Pilapil graduated from Dean College with a BA in Dance. She currently co-directs and performs with The Expressive Movement, and dances for Linx, an all-female dance company under Rainbow Tribe Inc, and We The Females. She has performed with Boston-based companies such as Unyted Stylez, StreetHyPE, Spunk and Company, Anna Meyer and Dancers and Impact Dance Company. She has also performed repertory work with North Carolina-based Gaspard&Dancers as well as video work for Erika Van Pelt. She currently teaches at The Cambridge School of Weston, Deborah Mason Performing Arts Center, as well as other dance schools throughout New England, where she also choreographs original pieces. Jeryl remains focused and driven to share her love and passion for art movement and humanity through her training, choreographic process and works.
Gina Romero is a multifaceted Dominican dance artist from Lawrence, MA, whose work explores sensuality through movement and layered storytelling. A dancer since age ten, she has trained extensively across hip hop, ballet, contemporary, popping, house, African diasporic styles, jazz, and more, sharpening her craft in Lawrence, Boston, and Los Angeles. Her performance and collaboration history include projects with Pictures in Concrete, Crewnex, KreativMindz, Art UnEarths, and Afmohip, alongside artists such as Shaquan Reed, Jaheem Alleyne, Gustavo Polanco, and Jeryl Palana. During her time in Los Angeles, she performed and collaborated with Kanye West, Stephanie Zelaya, and Refinery29. In 2023, Gina was an Artist in Residence with the Lawrence Arts Collective and, most recently, held the 2023-2024 Dance Lab Residency at the Boston Center for the Arts. She holds a BA in English from the University of Massachusetts–Boston and continues to immerse herself in training, creating, and performance.
Tony Tucker is a dancer, choreographer, performer, and educator hailing from Kingston, Jamaica. After discovering a love for dance while attending Boston English High School, he then went to Boston University’s summer dance program. There, he joined forces with J.S. Fusement and started training more passionately in Hip Hop, Haitian folklore, and Jazz dance. He has danced with numerous companies in Boston and recently was a Demi-Soloist with South Carolina Ballet. As a teacher, he is adored by students all over the East coast and shares his gift of dance and love of the art form in every way he can.
Makeda Wallace, also known as “Inferna” or “Keda” is one of Boston’s most decorated movement artists. As a first-generation Caribbean-American, Keda has infused her training in multiple different dance styles, such as hip hop, krump, vogue, ballet, and modern, with her cultural roots in dancehall/soca to create an amalgamation of those forms. She uses this blend within her unique approach to freestyle dance, choreography, and her dance fundamental education programs. In addition to her involvement in multiple dance communities, Inferna has taken her dance around the globe as a performer and choreographer, with renowned artists such as Mr. Vegas, Dexta Daps, J. Cole, and Oompa. Boston’s Soca Queen, Stackin’ Styles 2020 Freestyle Concepts battle champion, and superhero mother to her two children, she has plans to scale her artistic vision, trailblaze pathways for artists/women of color, and be an example for the next generation.
TECHNICAL CREW
Lighting Designer: Matthew Breton
Production Supervisor: nate weaver
Technical Crew: Francis Amster, Alivia Gendron, Maya Luna, Jack Newton
DANCE PROGRAM FACULTY
Meghan McLyman, Professor of Dance
Betsy Miller, Associate Professor of Dance, CCPA Dance Liaison, Dance Program Coordinator
Jarell Howard Rochelle, Assistant Professor of Dance
Joanne Caidor, Visiting Lecturer in Dance, Director of Hip Hop Dance Ensemble
Michelle Deane, Visiting Lecturer in Dance
Lindsey McGovern, Visiting Lecturer in Dance
We offer our sincerest thanks to the collaborative energies of Karen Gahagan, Stu Grieve, Ashley Preston O’Toole, and Timothy O’Toole, without which this production would not be possible.
