DCDC DANCE ARTISTS
DEVIN BAKER
DEVIN BAKER (Indianapolis, Indiana) trained with Deeply Rooted Dance Theater in Chicago and has performed for Cleo Parker Robinson Dance Ensemble, Seamless Dance Theater, and Deeply Rooted Dance Theater, along with various choreographers such as Ray Mercer, Milton Myers, Kevin Iega Jeff, and Nejla Yatkin.
This is his seventh season with DCDC.
Mr. Baker has danced for the first company since 2013.
QARRIANNE BLAYR
QARRIANNE BLAYR (Fayetteville, North Carolina) earned her BFA degree at Howard University, studying under Sherrill Berryman-Johnson, Pat Thomas, Sandra Fortune-Green, Katherine Smith, Akua Kouyate and Assane Konte. She also studied traditional Jamaican dance at University of West Indies at Mona.
In 2004, Ms. Blayr founded the performing arts group Arts International. She joined DCDC’s first company in 2012 after having performed for two seasons in DCDC2, the company’s pre-professional ensemble.
Of the choreographers she has worked with, Sherrill Berryman-Johnson has been the most influential in helping her become a “moving/ thinking vessel.”
Her favorite DCDC repertory piece to perform is Amen Corner of the dance concert Body Talk.
ALEXANDRIA FLEWELLEN
ALEXANDRIA FLEWELLEN (Columbus, Ohio) graduated from Wright State University
last year.
Ms. Flewellen performed one year with DCDC2 and joined the first company 2017.
The choreographer who has most influenced her is DCDC alum Dwight Rhoden; "He challenged my usual way of moving and helped me find a different way of thinking about movement."
On why she is dancer: "I chose to be a dancer because I need to dance, and it is who I am."
MICHAEL GREEN
MICHAEL GREEN (Midlothian, Virginia) joined the company in 2007 after graduating with a BFA degree from Butler University the same year.
Starting at the age of 4, Mr. Green studied dance at Jessica Morgan’s School of Dance, Ingrid’s Dance Theater, and Richmond Ballet School. He also trained at the School of American Ballet, the Rimsky-Korsakov in St. Petersburg Russia, the National Taiwan University of the Arts, Ballet Austin, Boston Ballet, and Interlochen Performing Arts School.
In 2016, he performed in Donald McKayle’s Rainbow Round My Shoulder at David H. Koch Theatre in Lincoln Center in New York City. DCDC received a Bessie Award for this performance. Mr. Green has toured with DCDC to Chile and China.
He credits Donald Byrd as the choreographer who has most influenced him: “Mr. Byrd was influential in changing the way I approach technique. His clarity made me take a look at what is important as an artist.”
ROBERT PULIDO
ROBERT PULIDO (Los Angeles, California) enters his seventh season with DCDC in 2020-2021.
In 2015, he graduated from California State University of Fullerton with a BA degree in dance. He performed in the Dance Teacher’s Summit and Capezio A.C.E. Awards and in the Nutcracker under director Lois Ellyn of Nouveau Chamber Ballet.
In 2016, he performed in Donald McKayle’s Rainbow Round My Shoulder at David H. Koch Theatre in Lincoln Center in New York City.
Mr. Pulido was a teacher’s assistant at the Los Angeles Dance Connection, where he trained for 10 years.
The choreographer who has most influenced him is Alvin Rangel, who has worked with DCDC: “His movement flows continuously with a few surprises here and there. He made me use and adapt the floor to my body.”
ELIZABETH RAMSEY
ELIZABETH RAMSEY (Toledo, Ohio) joined the first company in 2015.
For three years she performed in DCDC2 and in 2016 she graduated with a BFA degree from Wright State University. Her choreography was chosen to premier in Wright State’s Spring Dance Concert.
She has studied with the Joffrey Ballet, Complexions and MIP.
Ms. Ramsey chose her career in dance because dance “creates beautiful minds and bodies and allows great connections and conversations between humans.”
She names Shonna Hickman-Matlock as a choreographer who influenced her because “she made me mentally sharper and she helped my body understand mature movement.”
QUENTIN APOLLOVAUGHN SLEDGE
QUENTIN APOLLOVAUGHN SLEDGE (Chicago, Illinois) began studying dance with Homer Hans Bryant, a former member of the Dance Theatre of Harlem.
Mr. Sledge graduated summa cum laude from Morehouse College in Atlanta, Georgia, where he earned a degree in business administration with a concentration in management. He also received recognition as a National Society of Collegiate Scholar and accepted into a training program at Gotta Dance Atlanta under the direction of Daryl Foster and his LIFT company.
In 2016, Mr. Sledge performed in Donald McKayle’s Rainbow Round My Shoulder at David H. Koch Theatre in Lincoln Center in New York City.
He credits DCDC’s Associate Artistic Director, Crystal Michelle, as an important influence on his artistry because “she is an astounding choreographer who has poured her years of knowledge into her work at DCDC in such a short time!”
Mr. Sledge joined DCDC’s first company in 2014.
MATTHEW J. TALLEY
MATTHEW J. TALLEY (Washington, D.C.) studied with George de la Pena for two years at The Joffrey School and spent two summers at American Ballet Theatre on full scholarship.
Mr. Talley was a soloist at Missouri Ballet Theatre and performed one season with the Taurus Broadhurst Project.
His most memorable DCDC performance to date was “performing for students at Bethune-Cookman University. After the concert we had a Q&A where everyone would stand and tell us how happy and grateful that we came to perform for them. That was very special to me.”
His reason for becoming a professional dancer: “I didn’t choose to be a dancer. Dance chose me to be one of its movers."
Mr. Talley joined the company in 2015.
COUNTESS V. WINFREY
COUNTESS V. WINFREY was born and raised in Nashville, Tennessee.
She began her dance training at Dance with Stacy Dance Studio, where she danced more than five years. She also attended Wharton Arts Magnet School where she majored in dance and art. She later continued her training at Nashville School of the Arts. Attending college at the University of Memphis, Countess graduated magna cum laude with a BS degree in health and human performance and a minor in dance in 2011.
She has also participated in a variety of dance festivals including the American High School Dance Festival, the American College Dance Festival (2009, 2010, 2011 and 2012), the American Dance Festival and the David Dorfman Dance Winter Intensive.
After graduating, Countess joined DCDC2 in 2012, where she danced for two years while having the opportunity to perform with the first company in her second year. She has performed works by Paul Taylor, David Dorfman, Rodney A. Brown, Rob Priore, William B. McClellan, Jr., and many other choreographers. Ms. Winfrey joined the company in 2014.
BREANNA DORSEY
BREANNA DORSEY (Chicago, IL) earned her BFA in dance from the University of Missouri-Kansas City where she trained under Gary Abbott, DeeAnna Hiett, and Sabrina Madison-Cannon.
Originating from Chicago, she began her training at Studio One Dance Theater and later graduated from Chicago High School for the Arts in 2014. She has performed works by various choreographers such as Alvin Ailey, Gary Abbott, Mona Störling-Enna, Kevin Iega Jeff, and Jawole Willa Jo Zollar. She is so excited about her first year with DCDC!
SADALE WARNER
SADALE WARNER, a Philadelphia native with Caribbean roots. Sadale discovered dance at the age 3. She took her first dance class at Broadway Bound Dance Academy and trained with the same studio until it was time for her to move on to her college career. She started out with tap. As time went on she ventured on to ballet, jazz, hip hop, lyrical, pointe and modern. The studio she trained at was a competition studio so Sadale was able to travel to many competitions year after year competing in about 4 different styles of dance.
During her high school career she took up dance as her major at the The Philadelphia High School for Creative and performing Arts. After she graduated high school, she began to receive professional training during her undergrad career at The University of the Arts under the directorship of Donna Faye Butchfield where she was introduced to different ideas of dance. During her college career Sadale was discovering different ideas through dance that was given to her or through her own personal experience.
Sadale always want to be able to express herself through moving her whole entire body while being able to share with the dance world and people outside of the dance world who are interested. She wants to broaden her career with plenty concert work as well as commercial. Sadale also wants to get tuned in with her creativity because she wants to create more work along the way.