Company
Ankhtra Battle
Ankhtra Battle
Ankhtra Maa Brivett-Battle (Springfield, NJ) began his training at the age of 8 where he received a scholarship to train at Dance Theatre of Harlem Summer Intensive in NYC. He went on to train at Peridance Capezio Center and shortly after he trained with Manhattan Youth Ballet under the direction of Deborah Wingert.
After graduating high school, Ankhtra began dancing with PHILADANCO’s Second Company D/2 (2017-2020)
under the direction of Donald Lunsford.
In the summer of 2021, he trained at the B12 Berlin Workshop Festival in Germany where he worked with artists like Miceala Taylor and Nadine Gerspache.
Ankhtra is a 2022 BFA graduate of the University of the Arts where he was awarded a Director’s Scholarship (2018).
Ankhtra has also had the pleasure of performing in works by Tommie-Waheed (Waheedworks), Sidra Bell, Merce Cunningham, Shayla Vie-Jenkins, Thom White, Fredrick Earl Mosley and more!
Ankhtra is beyond grateful to be in his first Season with PHILADANCO!
Israel Hilton
Israel Hilton
Israel Hilton (Tuscaloosa, Alabama) began his training at the age of 15 years old. He began studying Ballet, Jazz, Contemporary, Hip- Hop and Musical Theatre at The Dance Centre. After graduating high school he went on to attend and graduate from Alabama State University with a Bachelor’s of Fine Arts in Dance. During his time at ASU he received the Ware- Spencer Best Male Ballet Dancer Award 2018-2022, has done works by choreographers such as Ja’Morris Rivers, James Atkinson, Kavin T Grant and many more. He is excited to share his work and expand his artistic horizons.
Kaylah Arielle
Kaylah Arielle
Kaylah Arielle is a native of Baltimore, Maryland and started her dance training at the age of 5. She attended Baltimore School for the Arts where she studied under Norma Pera, Linda-Denise Fisher-Harrell, and Anton Wilson. Kaylah has received scholarships to train over the summer at the Dance Theatre of Harlem, and the Ailey School. She graduated from Spelman College with her B.A. in Dance Performance and Choreography. Kaylah was a former company artist with the Atlanta Dance Connection under the direction of Allyne D Gartrell. She is the newly appointed Artistic Director of D/3, PHILADANCO’s junior company.
Janine N. Beckles
Janine N. Beckles
Janine N. Beckles, a native of New York City, embarked on her dance journey at the age of six at the Dance Theatre of Harlem. Over the course of eight years, she honed her skills under a fellowship scholarship. She continued her training at LaGuardia High School of the Performing Arts and the Alvin Ailey American Dance Center, where she performed iconic pieces such as “Memoria,” “Hymn,” and “Revelations,” all while on full scholarship. Janine pursued higher education, earning a BFA in Dance Performance and a BA in Sociology from Southern Methodist University on full scholarship in Dallas, TX. Her dedication to modern dance was recognized as a National Foundation of the Arts awardee.
During her tenure as a member of the Dallas Black Dance Theatre, Janine displayed her talent and her passion for community outreach. She initiated and led a program in the Oak Cliff section of South Dallas, introducing ballet training, performance opportunities, valuable life lessons, and mentorship to at-risk teenage girls. Janine’s commitment extends beyond the stage; she is a proud Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. member. Furthermore, her expertise in dance education led her to be selected as one of the 2018–2019 Visiting Teaching Fellows for the School of American Ballet. She has taught internationally, exposing inner-city youths to the art of dance.
In her remarkable 14th season with Philadanco, Janine serves as a lead principal dancer and the company’s Graham teacher. She also contributes to the community as a board member of the Philadelphia Volunteer Lawyers Association (PVLA), National Urban League Emerging Leader, and a recent graduate with a Master’s in Business Administration (MBA).
Recognized for her exceptional talent and leadership, Janine was recently promoted to Associate Artistic Director of Philadanco while continuing to excel as one of its lead dancers. Her accomplishments have also earned her a feature in Dance Magazine’s February issue, highlighting her role as a new black leader in dance companies.
Leslie Bunkley
Leslie Bunkley
Leslie Bunkley, an Atlanta native started her dance training at the age of three at Price Performing Arts Center where she was apart of the performance and competition team performing locally and nationally. She then furthered her dance education at Tri-Cities High School joining the Visual and Performing Arts Dance Magnet program. While in high school, she also trained at The Atlanta Ballet, Metropolitan Dance Theatre, and trained with master teachers like Debbie Allen. In 2017, Leslie graduated from Tri-Cities and earned a scholarship to University of the Arts in Philadelphia, PA. During her time at UARTS, she was granted the opportunity to perform works by many resident and guest choreographers. She recently received her B.F.A in Dance Performance from University of the Arts.
William E. Burden
William E. Burden
William began his Training at William M. Meredith School and Continued at Creative & Performing Arts H.S. (CAPA) under the direction of Ms. LaDiva Davis. He attended the Rock School of Dance Education and was a scholarship student at the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre. William also has many years of training with Tap Team Two & Company, co-directed by his father, Robert Burden. William has been a company member with Eleone Dance Connection, Eleone Dance Theater/Artistic Director Shawn Lamere Williams and Spectrum Dance Theatre under the artistic direction of Mr. Donald Byrd. He has recently performed ballets like “The Browder Project” with Dawn Marie Bazemore, founder of DB Dance Project. William has been a recipient of the Marian Anderson Award in Philadelphia multiple times. William received his Bachelor of Fine Arts from the University of the Arts.
Mikaela Fenton
Mikaela Fenton
Mikaela, native to Sicklerville NJ, attended University of the Arts in Philadelphia, receiving the “Artistry” Scholarship to study dance. Receiving her B.F.A in Dance under the direction of Donna Faye-Burchfield in 2017. During these four years she was fortunate enough to work and perform in works choreographed by Katie Swords-Thurman, Tommie-Waheed Evans, Jesse Zaritt, Sidra Bell, Milton Myers, Meredith Rainey and Kyle and Dinita Clark. Simultaneous to her schooling Mikaela was also an active company member with Philadanco! D/2 second company under the direction of Donald T. Lunsford. This then led to apprenticeship opportunities with PHILADANCO! Until transitioning into a full time company artist post graduation. Mikaela continues to stay curious and seek out knowledge and new perspectives- deepening her craft she has studied with Jacob Jonas the Company, Kyle Abraham’s A.I.M, NVA & Guests and Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater. Mikaela also works as a movement director for various filmmakers and projects as well as performance artist for various music videos and short films. Parallel to performing, Mikaela finds joy in teaching and pouring her knowledge back into her community as a faculty member of The School of Philadelphia Ballet since 2021 as well as various schools and programs across the city and tri state area.
Mikal Gilbert
Mikal Gilbert
Mikal Gilbert (Virginia Beach, VA) is a graduate of the University of the Arts where he studied Jazz Music Performance. It was there his passion for dance grew upon encouragement from several faculty members. Mikal went on to continue his formal dance education at Norfolk Academy, under the tutelage of Elbert Watson, and Patricia Sorrel. He has since trained at programs such as, The Dance Theatre of Harlem Summer Intensive, Complexions Contemporary Ballet Pre- Professional Program and was as a scholarship student at The Ailey School. Mikal was a member of the Koresh Dance Company from 2019 to 2021 and a member of Dance Iquail. This is Mikal’s second season with Philadanco!
Christian D. Gonzalez
Christian D. Gonzalez
Christian “Diyah” Gonzalez (FL) began his training at The Osceola County School for the Arts at the age of 14. After graduating, Diyah was accepted into the Boston Conservatory at Berklee as the Contemporary Dance Performance Class of 2023’s ‘Presidential Scholarship’ Recipient. As a student, Diyah has had the pleasure to learn and grow with organizations such as The Jacobs Pillow Summer Intensive Contemporary Program & The Alonzo Kings LINES Contemporary Ballet Summer Intensive both of which he was awarded Full Tuition Scholarships to attend.Diyah is in his first season with Philadanco!
Grace Kimble
Grace Kimble
Grace Kimble began her dance journey at On Edge Movement in Oaks, Pa. under the direction of Kara Bason. She continued her training at the Pennsylvania Academy of Ballet in Narberth, Pa., founded by Mr. John White and Marguerite De Saa, and under the guidance and direction of Melinda Pendleton. During her academic years, Grace trained in the Vaganova method full time while completing her studies online. Additional training included summer intensives at The Joffrey Ballet School, New York, The Bolshoi Ballet Summer Intensive, New York, and the Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre, Pittsburgh, Pa. Upon graduation, Grace continued her training at the Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre, performing in the 2019 season of the Nutcracker. Grace has also danced for the Bryan Koulman Dance Company in Philadelphia. In the summer of 2021, Grace joined Philadanco’s second company D2 and is now thrilled to be in her first season as a main company member with Philadanco.
Nathan McNatt Jr.
Nathan McNatt, Jr.
Nathan E. McNatt Jr. is an interdisciplinary artist that was born in Wasington, DC. He began his formal dance training at Duke Ellington School of the Arts, under the direction of Charles Augins. During his time at Ellington, Nathan was also a founding member of the Katherine Smith Contemporary Dance Ensemble (KSCDE), under the Artistic Direction of Katherine Smith and the Assistant Direction of Shene Keys. He has attended intensives at The Ailey School in New York City and The Rock School in Philadelphia. Nathan holds a Bachelors of Fine Arts degree from the University of the Arts in Philadelphia, PA with a major in Dance and a minor in Music Business, Entrepreneurship, and Technology. Nathan’s Professional credentials include Garth Fagan Dance under the direction of Garth Fagan, Norwood Pennewell, and Natalie Rogers-Cropper; as well as Eleone Dance Theater under the artistic direction of Shawn-lamere Williams and Dr.Sheila Ward. Throughout his career Nathan has worked with choreographers such as Kim Y. Bears-Bailey, Christopher Huggins, Gary Jeter, Bernard Gaddis, Tommie Waheed-Evans, Sidra Bell, and Milton Meyers. He has performed at venues such as the National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington, DC and the Joyce Theater in New York City.
Floyd McLean Jr.
Floyd McLean Jr.
Floyd McLean, Jr., originally from East Orange NJ, is a graduate of Point Park University where he received his BFA in Dance and was awarded the Don Craig Scholarship. His dance training includes Sharron Miller’s Academy for the Performing Arts, The Dance Theatre of Harlem, Ballet Hispanico, Complexions Contemporary Ballet, and Dallas Black Dance Theatre’s: DBDT Encore! Under the direction of Nycole Ray. He has performed works by numerous choreographers and his own choreography has been featured on many occasions which has given him many choreographic opportunities to develop his voice as a choreographer. He is in his third season with Philadanco!
Brandi Pinnix
Brandi Pinnix
Brandi began her ballet training at the American Repertory Princeton Ballet School under the direction of Douglas Martin. After graduating high school in 2013, she was accepted into the LINES Ballet Training program in San Francisco, CA. She finished the program in the winter of 2015 and moved back to the tristate area to train at the Ailey School, in their Independent Study and Scholarship Programs. Brandi has also studied at some of the most prestigious intensive dance programs including The Juilliard School, Dance Theatre of Harlem, Ballet X, and Point Park University. She had the opportunity to work with amazing choreographers, Sidra Bell, Uri Sands, Kara Davis, Dexandro Montalvo, Carmen Rozenstraten, Danielle Polanco, Milton Myers, Ray Mercer and Anthony Burrell. She is now in her fourth Season with Philadanco.
Brena Kashun Thomas
Brena Kashun Thomas
Brena Kashun Thomas (Chicago, IL) started her dance training at the Sammy Dyer Dance Theatre in 2005 before her formal training at Chicago High School for the Arts under the direction of Lisa Johnson Willingham. Upon graduation from “Chi-Arts”, Brena received a full scholarship to study at Alonzo King Lines Ballet and Ballet Austin. Relocating to New York City, she continued her training at Dance Theatre of Harlem and was a recipient of the Joan Weill Scholarship at The Ailey School. In 2019, Brena joined Ailey Il where she toured extensively before working under the leadership of Francesca Harper. While touring with Ailey II, Ms Thomas was invited to perform with the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre during their 2022 US Tour and NY Lincoln Center Season. As a professional artist Bren has performed nationally and internationally works by Alvin Ailey, William Forsythe, Robert Battle, Francesca Harper, Andrea Miller, Ray Mercer, and Kirven Douthit-Boyd. Throughout her career, Ms
Thomas can be seen on stage, videos, and television, including FX hit series Pose. Recently,
she has worked with FHP Project performed at Guggenheim Museum Works & Process before becoming a member of Philadanco. She looks forward to her first season with Philadanco.
Raven Joseph
Raven Joseph
Raven Joseph is a native of Queens, New York where she completed her High School education at Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music & Arts and Performing Arts
Raven is a recent Graduate of The Juilliard School where she received her BFA in Dance , May 2023. During the Juillard commencement ceremony, Raven was honored with the leadership award – The Joseph W Polisi Prize for Dance. This prize is awarded for exemplifying Juilliard’s values of the “artist as citizen” to graduating students in Dance, Drama, and Music presented by Damian Woetzel, President of Juilliard.
In 2022, Raven was named the 2022 FENDI Vanguard Recipient. Prior in 2017, Raven won the Silver Medal in the NAACP ACT-SO Competition, in the Dance Modern Category. Raven is extremely humbled for the opportunity to receive such honors in dance.
Raven began her dance training at The Edge School of the Arts where she studied in all styles. She continued her training at The Ailey School and MOVE|NYC| where she enhanced her dance technique. As part of a foreign exchange program Raven traveled to Beijing, China where she learned Classical Chinese Folk Dance and studied the great history of China. She has performed professional works ranging from Alonzo King, Bill T. Jones, Kyle Abraham, Francesca Harper and much more.
In 2021, Raven joined the Team of EMH Young Professionals, holding dual roles leading the Arts & Education Initiatives as holding the position of Social Media Liaison.
EMH is proud of Raven, her support of youth in her community, and her accomplishments in the Arts. She is in her First Season with Philadanco!