Step Afrika! Artists
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 eighth season with the Company.
KENNETH L. ALEXANDER is a native of Savannah, GA, with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Interior Design from Valdosta State University. First introduced to stepping through the Sigma Beta Club, Kenneth became a proud member of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc., and Delta Phi Delta Dance Fraternity, Inc., where he served as Step and Stroll Master for both organizations, choreographing for various shows and productions. He has trained in hip-hop under VYB Dance Company and has taught weekly hip-hop classes in and around the Tampa Bay area. Most recently, Kenneth had the honor of performing at the Super Bowl LV Halftime Show. This is Kenneth’s second season with the Company.
NYA CHRISTIAN is a native of Cleveland, OH, with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science, Sociology, and Dance Arts from Howard University. A proud member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated, she has served as the Alpha Chapter Parliamentarian, Step Mistress, and Stroll Captain. Nya has choreographed performances for Taste of Howard, the White House Initiative on HBCUs, Howard University’s 2022 Homecoming Step Show, and Alpha Kappa Alpha’s 2023 North Atlantic Regional Step Show’s winning number. She has represented Howard’s National Panhellenic Council and her Sorority on Good Morning America for the Black History Month segment “The Story of 9 Historically Black Fraternities and Sororities.” Nya also competed in various World of Dance Competitions and earned 1st place nationally with her former dance team, ELEVĀTED Crew. This is Nya’s second season with the Company.
JEROD COLEMAN is a native of Columbus, GA, with a BA in History from the University of South Alabama. He is a member of the Theta Delta Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., where he served as Step and Stroll Master. Jerod has performed with entertainment teams for the Atlanta Braves, Atlanta Falcons, Red Bull Dance Your Style, and DreamHack ATL. He also taught at Thomas H. Brewer Elementary School in Columbus, GA, where he founded and led an all-boys step team called the B.L.U.E. Steppers. This is Jerod’s second season with the Company.
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 was introduced to stepping and strolling as 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, traditional, 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 2x Grammy Award-winning Gospel artist Smokey Norful. This is Ariel’s third season with the Company.
KEOMI GIVENS JR. is a native of Miami, FL, where he trained with Ricardo Dume, Traci Young-Byron, Jakari Sherman, Conrad Kelly II, Tanisha Cidel, Maribel Trujillo, and Robert Battle. He has studied at the New World School of the Arts and The Mahogany Dance Theatre, where he served as Rehearsal Director and choreographer. Keomi has danced with Gravity Dance Troupe and Young Contemporary Dance Theatre (YCDT), and he previously toured nationally with Step Afrika! as a guest artist. In addition to his work as a dancer, Keomi has choreographed for The Marching 100 of Florida A&M University, RickyDanco, and the Booker T. Washington Lady Twisters. This is Keomi’s second season with the Company.
LEANDER GRAY is a native of Washington, D.C., and was a BFA candidate with a Contemporary Dance Concentration at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts. Leander has performed at the Black Leaves Project, CityDance Creating the Magic Concerts, Art All Night DC, the Elements Urban Arts Collective Annual Showcase, and the DC Youth Freestyle Battle. He has participated in the prestigious Monsters of Hip Hop Intensive and the Kennedy Center Dance Lab and was featured in a music video by Revolution Marz. This is Leander’s first season with the Company.
KAMALA HARGROVE is a native of the Bronx, NY, with a BA in Mathematics, Theater, and Dance from Trinity College. Kamala studied at The Ailey School and Dance Theatre of Harlem and has appeared in various music videos and live performances. She has performed with artists including Estelle, Mr. Vegas, Wizkid, and French Montana. Kamala has also worked as a Teaching Artist in New York City, instructing elementary, middle, and high school students. This is Kamala’s third season with the Company.
TERRENCE JOHNSON is a native of Broward County, FL, with a BA in General Studies from the University of Central Florida. Terrence has stepped with ADIMU: Men of Excellence Step Team and is a co-founder, former president, and performer of the Hazard Step Team. He was inducted into the UCF Chapter of Progressive Black Men, Inc. in 2015. This is Terrence’s second season with the Company.
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 and coached performances on numerous college campuses across the country. Jemeema has also worked as a step coach for three years, instructing middle and high school students. This is Jemeema’s first season with the Company.
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 third season with the Company.
VALENCIA ODEYKA EMONNI SPRINGER is a native of Brooklyn, NY, with a BA in Elementary Education from Virginia Union University. Valencia is a proud member of the Nu Chapter of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority Inc. and the Eta Psi Chapter of Tau Beta Sigma National Honorary Band Sorority, where she served as the first “Stand Queen” (captain) with the Ambassadors of Sound Marching Band. Previously a student of Restoration Youth Arts Academy, Valencia has performed with Forces of Nature, Dance Africa (Brooklyn), and as part of a live installation entitled “A Primordial Place.” She has also worked as a social studies and science teacher, dance teacher/coach, guest choreographer for local New York and Virginia majorette teams, and as a model for New York and Richmond, Virginia, fashion weeks. This is Valencia’s sixth season with the Company.
ERICKA STILL is a native of St. Petersburg, FL, with a BS in Health Science, Pre-Occupational Therapy, and a Minor in Rehabilitation Management from Florida A&M University. Ericka previously stepped with AKAdemy Exquisite Gems and studied under the direction of Paulette W. Johnson and Shepiro Hardemon as a member and Co-Assistant Artistic Director of Mahogany Dance Theatre. This is Ericka’s third season with the Company.
BRIE TURNER is a native of Lithonia, GA, with a BA in Strategic, Legal, and Management Communications from Howard University’s Cathy Hughes School of Communications, where she graduated magna cum laude. During her undergraduate career, Brie became a member of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority Inc., serving as president and nurturing her passion for stepping. She also pursued a minor in Theater Arts Administration, rising to captain and co-captain roles in the Howard University Bisonettes Dance Ensemble. Brie has dedicated over 10 years to technical dance training, studying under various professionals, and working with numerous companies. This is Brie’s third season with the Company.
JOSEPH VASQUEZ hails from Guttenberg, NJ, and has received a bachelor’s degree 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 third season with the Company.
PELHAM WARNER JR. is a native of the Bronx, NY, and has 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 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 sixth year with the Company.
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 in, and placed first in numerous step shows. He partnered with the Boys & Girls Clubs of America, where he routinely taught students how to step, 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 sixth season with the Company.