Ensemble

Growing up in Hammond IN, Mr. Boatner trained in multiple dance techniques at the Hammond Academy for the Performing Arts. An alum of Indiana University, he performed there in notable works including Kyle Abrahams “Radio Show”, Jose Limon’s “Psalm”, Andrea Millers “Spill”, Jerome Robbins “Fanfare”, and the original restaging of Twyla Tharp’s “Deuce Coupe” and Rennie Harris’ “Home”. He has also toured professionally with Elizabeth Shea Dance in Philadelphia and New York and performed overseas with Norwegian Creative Studios. After one season as an apprentice, Mr. Boatner is now in his first season as an Ensemble member.

A native of Denver, CO, Mr. Dominguez graduated from Anderson University with a B.F.A. in Dance Performance and has since made significant strides in his dance career. Most recently, he performed with Dance Kaleidoscope under the direction of Joshua Blake Carter, and previously under the guidance of David Hochoy. He has also had the privilege of dancing with Gregory Hancock Dance Theater, where he further developed his artistry. He has had the pleasure of performing works by renowned choreographers including David Hochoy, Joshua Blake Carter, Earl Mosley, Nicole Springer, Eddy Ocampo, Sidra Bell, Christal Brown, Alexander Diaz, Vincent Hardy, and Matthew Rushing. Additionally, he spent his summers training at Earl Mosley’s Institute of the Arts, enhancing his skills and artistic expression. Having been a guest artist with Cleo II, he is now in his first season as an Apprentice to the Ensemble.

Originally from Houston, Ms. Francisco graduated in 2012 from the High School of Performing and Visual Arts as a dance major. She subsequently received her Bachelors of Fine Arts in 2016 from Point Park University with repertoire from Jessica Lang, Terrance Marling, Troy Powell, Bennyroyce Royon, Garfield Lemonius and MADBOOTS. In 2010, her sophomore year, her student choreography project “Tales of Courage“, was featured at the American College Dance Association Conference. After graduating from Point Park, she joined the Lula Washington Dance Theater in Los Angeles for two seasons, performing works by Kyle Abraham, Donald Bryd, Rennie Harris, Christopher Huggins and David Roussève. In 2018, Ms. Francisco moved to Denver to join the Cleo Parker Robinson Dance Ensemble where she is now in her fourth season.

A native of Atlanta, GA., Devrae “DJ” Jefferson is now in his first season as an Apprentice to the Cleo Parker Robinson Dance Ensemble. He began his training in the Magnet Program for Visual and Performing arts at Tri-Cities HS where he focused on all genres of dance. With a special affinity for ballet, he attended summer programs including Metropolitan Ballet Theater and Lines Contemporary Ballet. Having furthered his training, he subsequently received a BFA from the University of North Carolina School of the Arts in Winston-Salem NC. Mr. Jefferson has performed with Ballethnic Dance Company and Dallas Black Dance Theater Encore. With extensive experience in coaching gymnastics and teaching a variety of dance techniques, he first joined Cleo Parker Robinson Dance as a guest artist for the holiday production “Granny Dances to a Holiday Drum.

A Florida native, Ms. Lynnice began her training at the Academy of Ballet Arts and Artz 4 Life Academy, Inc. in Tampa Bay. A graduate of New World School of the Arts, she received her Bachelor in Fine Arts from The Hartt School in Hartford, CT. Touring nationally as a principle dancer with DunDu Dole West African Ballet, she performed in the Chocolate Nutcracker as ‘Claire’ and ‘The Dream Princess”. She has performed works by master choreographers including Martha Graham, Jose Limon, Doug Varone, and Darrell Grand Moultrie, and attended summer workshops with Dance Theater of Harlem, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, Martha Graham Dance Company, RIOULT, and White Mountain Dance Festival. This is Ms. Lynnice’s fourth season with the Cleo Parker Robinson Dance Ensemble.

Originally from Fremont California, Ms. Maduro began training in dance under the direction of Yoko Young and later joined Nor Cal Dance Arts under the direction of Tawnya Kuzia. She has studied at the Ailey School, the Martha Graham School, the San Francisco Conservatory of Dance, and the University of California, Irvine where she graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree in Dance Performance. While at UCI, she was honored in 2017 to perform as part of the distinguished Donald McKayle’s Etude Ensemble. She has performed works by Donald McKayle, Martha Graham, Darshan Singh Bhuller, and Tong Wang. Upon graduation, Ms. Maduro joined Cleo II, and after one season as apprentice, is now in her first season as an Ensemble member.

Mr. Rogers is a performer and choreographer hailing from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Having graduated from The Philadelphia High School for the Creative and Performing Arts, he later earned a Bachelors of Fine Arts in Dance Performance from The University of the Arts under the direction of Donna Faye Burchfield. During his college career, he toured and performed with Eleone Dance Theatre under the direction and mentorship of Shawn-Lamere Williams. He has trained at various institutions throughout the Philadelphia area as a scholarship student attending Koresh School of Dance, DCNS Summer Dance Intensive and the Rock School for Dance Education. Following graduation, he joined the Philadelphia Dance Company (PHILADANCO!) as a full-time company artist. He has performed works by Sidra Bell, Kyle & Dinita Clark, Merce Cunningham, Ulysses Dove, Tommie-Waheed Evans, Helen Simoneau, Rennie Harris and other acclaimed choreographers. He now joins Cleo Parker Robinson Dance for his second season with the Ensemble.

A Colorado native, Ms. Slaughter began dancing at a local competitive studio before moving to St. Louis to attend Washington University where she expanded her training to include Modern and West African and received a Minor in Dance. Ms. Slaughter performed for three years with the Washington University Dance Collective (a modern dance company) and worked with multiple MFA candidates on their thesis projects. While at Washington University, she performed works by Ting-Ting Chang, Diadie Bathily, Kirven Douthit-Boyd, and Dana Tai Soon Burgess. Following graduation, she returned to Colorado and is now is now an apprentice with the Ensemble after one season with Cleo II.

From Upper Marlboro, MD, Ms. Massey is a recent graduate of the University of Maryland Baltimore County, where she received a dual degree in Dance (B.A.) and Information Systems (B.S.) with a minor in Entrepreneurship & Innovation. She began her formal training under the tutelage of Vicki Wooten Tchanque. Simultaneously, she trained at The Washington School of Ballet. During her college career, she has performed with the Baltimore Dance Project, and at venues such as the REACH/Kennedy Center and the Baltimore Lights Festival. Additionally, her choreographic work, Between You & Me (2021), was selected to be in the American College Dance Association’s gala concert. Upon graduation, Ms. Massey received two Departmental Honors from the UMBC Dance Department. She has performed works by Shaness Kemp, Brandon Perry Russel, Ann Sofie Clemmenson, Doug Hamby, Nicole Clarke-Springer, and Tracey Franklin. She has also had the opportunity to attend intensives with Deeply Rooted Dance Theatre, Dallas Black Dance Theater, and Cleo Parker-Robinson Dance. This is Ms. Massey’s first season with Cleo II.

Jesús David Muñoz is a Latin dance artist and percussionist within Mexican, Cuban, Ballet, Modern, and Contemporary dance techniques. Muñoz is a recent MFA in Dance Graduate at the University of Colorado, Boulder, Department of Theatre & Dance and he holds a BFA in Dance Performance from the University of Central Oklahoma, Department of Dance. Alongside his contemporary dance work, Muñoz continues his involvement in the Latin dance community as a freelance dance artist, educator, performer, and choreographer.

Nasira is a dance artist born and bred in Cleveland Ohio. She began her educational dance training at Cleveland School of the Arts where she trained in ballet, modern, jazz, and contemporary styles for 9 years. Following that, she went on to continue her dance training at The University of North Carolina School of the Arts, with a focus in contemporary dance. She then went on to study at The Ailey School in New York City. Nasira has trained, studied and worked with many world renowned dance artists and choreographers such as Robert Battle, Christopher Huggins, Troy Powell, Darrell Moultrie, Ronald Alexander and Caridad Martinez, amongst many others.

Koura Wright was born in Ithaca, NY, to a mother from Mali, and a father from upstate New York. At 10 years old, Koura moved  to Knoxville, TN where she began her dance training with  Amy Morton Vaughan, and later attended Austin-East Magnet High School where she studied Graham, Horton, and Humphrey techniques, as well as West African dance. Koura attended the University of Vermont and performed on the dance team, then became a company member with the Ithaca Ballet. She attended the Ailey School, then became a guest artist, then soloist, with the Appalachian Ballet Company. In 2020, she graduated with a B.S. in Dance Performance and Choreography from Middle Tennessee State University. She moved to Las Vegas to dance with Contemporary West Dance Theater, under the direction of Bernard Gaddis, and became the director of the Youth Training Division for the school. Some of her favorite roles were in “Night Creature” by Alvin Ailey, “Vespers”by Ulysses Dove, and “Uninvited” by Jeneane Huggins. She went on to be the director of the youth program for Live Arts, with Avree Walker, and performed in a Tina Turner Tribute show. This is her first season as a member of Cleo II, and she is excited to be a part of this amazing group of artists. Koura also hula hoops and has a cat named Carebear.