The Fruits of our Labor

NYA CHRISTIAN

Nya Christian is a native of Cleveland, OH, and holds a BA in Political Science with minors in Sociology and Dance Arts from Howard University. A proud member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated, she has served as Parliamentarian, Step Mistress, and Stroll Captain of the Alpha Chapter. Nya has choreographed for the White House Initiative on HBCUs and Howard University’s 2022 Homecoming Step Show. She is formally trained in ballet, tap, jazz, hip hop, modern, and West African. Nya was a member of ELEVĀTED Dance Crew’s award-winning National 1st Place Championship team at the World of Dance competition, and she has performed on Good Morning America as part of the Black History Month segment “The Story of 9 Historically Black Fraternities and Sororities.” This is Nya’s third season with the Company.

ARIEL DYKES

Ariel Dykes is a native of Gainesville, FL, with an Associate of Arts in Musical Theatre from Santa Fe College and a BFA in Dance from the University of Florida. She is a member of the Iota Lambda Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., where she choreographed step routines for her chapter and UF’s National Panhellenic Council. Ariel has trained in ballet, jazz, West African, and post-modern dance, as well as voice and acting. She has worked with notable artists such as Ailey Dancers Nathaniel Hunt and Samantha Barriento; Tony Award winner Scott Coulter; and Grammy Award-winning Gospel artist Smokey Norful. This is Ariel’s fourth season with the Company.

KEOMI GIVENS JR.

Keomi Givens Jr. is a native of Miami, FL, where he trained with Ricardo Dume, Tyrell Rolle, Conrad R. Kelly II, Tanisha Cidel, Maribel Trujillo, and Robert Battle. He studied in the PAVAC Magnet program at Miami Northwestern Senior High School, as well as at New World School of the Arts and Mahogany Dance Theatre, where he served as Rehearsal Director and choreographer. Keomi has performed with Gravity Dance Troupe and Ricky Danco, and has choreographed for the Marching “100” of Florida A&M University, Ricky Danco, and the Booker T. Washington Lady Twisters. This is Keomi’s third season with the Company.

TERRENCE JOHNSON

Terrence Johnson is a native of Broward County, FL, and holds a BA in General Studies from the University of Central Florida. He has over a decade of stepping experience, serving as a founding member of Hazard Step Team in Orlando, FL, and previously performing with the Adimu Men of Excellence, Inc. Step Team. In 2015, he was inducted into the UCF Chapter of Progressive Black Men, Inc. Terrence began his journey with Step Afrika! in 2023 as a guest artist and now enters his third season with the Company as a full-time artist.

CONRAD R. KELLY II

Conrad R. Kelly II is a native of Fort Lauderdale, FL, who studied Criminal Justice at Florida A&M University. During his time at FAMU, he performed with the Marching 100 and The Strikers. Conrad later became a soloist for The Rolle Project in Las Vegas and a dance instructor at Studio 305, where he taught hip-hop, contemporary, and jazz. He has won numerous awards as a choreographer and dancer, including being a two-time recipient of the DC Commission on Arts and Humanities’ prestigious Arts and Humanities Fellowship Program. A long-standing member of the Company, Conrad serves as Step Afrika!’s Assistant Artistic Director and recently choreographed The Movement, an epic tribute to Black Lives Matter and the wave of activism in 2020. This is Conrad’s ninth season with the Company.

JEMEEMA S. MONTROSE

Jemeema S. Montrose is a native of Brooklyn, NY. She attended ASA College, where she studied Health Information Technology. Jemeema is a proud member of Swing Phi Swing Social Fellowship, Incorporated, and has served as the Chair Facilitator of the National Step and Stroll Committee. She has led performances on numerous college campuses across the country, and Jemeema has also served as a step coach for middle and high school students. This is Jemeema’s second season with the Company.

ISAIAH O'CONNOR

Isaiah O'Connor is a native of Miami, FL, with a BS in Biology from Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University. A student of hip-hop, modern, and urban soul, Isaiah has previously stepped with the Strikers Dance Troupe under the direction of Shepiro Hardemon. This is Isaiah’s fourth season with the Company.

KEANU POWELL

Keanu Powell is a native of Decatur, GA, with a BBA in Management from Howard University. While at Howard, Keanu became an active member of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc., serving as 2nd Vice President and Step Master. He is also a member of Kappa Kappa Psi National Honorary Band Fraternity, Inc., through the Eta Omega Chapter, and served as Drum Major for the 2021-2023 seasons. Keanu was prominently featured on Good Morning America representing Howard University. He has also performed nationally with Howard’s band at major events, including Nike Headquarters and the inaugural NBA HBCU Classic. This is Keanu’s second season with the Company.

ERICKA STILL

Ericka Still is a native of St. Petersburg, FL, and holds a BS in Health Science, Pre-Occupational Therapy, with a minor in Rehabilitation Management from Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University. She previously stepped with AKAdemy Exquisite Gems and trained under Paulette W. Johnson at SADA and Shepiro Hardemon as a member and Co-Assistant Artistic Director of Mahogany Dance Theatre. This is Ericka’s fourth season with the Company.

JOSEPH VASQUEZ

Joseph Vasquez hails from Guttenberg, NJ, and has a BA in Exercise Science from Rutgers University in New Brunswick, NJ. In college, Joseph danced with the Rutgers Bachata Performance Team, where he choreographed and led the team for four years. He is a member of Lambda Sigma Upsilon Latino Fraternity, Incorporated—the first Latin fraternity to step and stroll—and The Revels Stroll Team, where he was led by former team captains Francisco Pozo and Carlos Zapata. This is Joseph’s fourth season with the Company.

PELHAM WARNER JR.

Pelham Warner Jr. is a native of the Bronx, NY, and holds a BA from Dutchess Community College. Pelham is a member of The Order of the Feather Fraternity, where he served as the team’s Step Master and captain for five years, and he has previously danced with The Players Club Steppers. Pelham has worked as a dance instructor in the greater New York City area and recently performed in the a cappella musical The Movement by Kathy D. Harrison at The National Black Theater Festival. This is Pelham’s seventh year with the Company.

ROBERT WARNSLEY

Robert Warnsley is a native of Chicago, IL, with a BS in Information Technology from Illinois State University. A member of the Eta Tau chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., Robert served as the step and stroll master for four years and has organized, competed, and placed first in numerous step shows. He has partnered with the Boys & Girls Clubs of America to teach stepping, and he actively participates in community service projects in Chicago. Robert also studies, practices, and teaches dancehall and various Afro styles in the Chicagoland, DMV, and NYC areas. This is Robert’s seventh season with the Company.

TRESHAWN WILLIAMS

TreShawn Williams is a native of Davenport, IA, and holds a BFA in Dance from the American Musical and Dramatic Academy in Los Angeles. He was introduced to competitive stepping as a child through Step with Soul (formerly Wayman AME Steppers), where he later became the first junior artistic director. TreShawn has trained extensively in ballet, jazz, and hip-hop, and has performed with Inspire Danz Company, the LA Sparks, and the Disney & Lego web series. He has choreographed for musicals, dance teams, and concerts, including Kanye West’s Donda Choir. This is TreShawn’s second season with the Company.