Cimara Shackelford (Birmingham, AL.) was born and raised in Birmingham, AL. She began training at the age of 2 with her mother Dr. Cindy Shackelford who is the former owner of Dance Educators. A few of her favorite dance styles are ballet, jazz, and contemporary, but she also has experience in hip hop, modern, and West African dance styles. Cimara has trained with J. Lockhart Performing Arts Institute, Alabama Ballet, Atlanta Dance Connection, and Norma’s Academy of Dance. She has also been given the opportunity to dance under the Debbie Allen Dance Academy in Los Angeles, CA in the summer of 2024. She has been a participant with The FILES Arts Project from ages 12 to 18. Cimara is a 2021 dance graduate of the Alabama School of Fine Arts and has had amazing opportunities to study with amazing teaching artists, including Germaul Barnes. She was a featured ballerina in the The Little Orchestra Society of NYC performance of Sleeping Beauty and has been featured in IDance magazine for her work. She is entering into her senior year at Brenau University under the direction of dance chair Dr. Madia Cooper-Ashirifi with a major in dance and concentration in pedagogy, where she has had the honor of being a part of choreographer Jennifer Archibald’s work and many others throughout her college experience. She hopes to earn her MFA and become a university dance instructor as well as join a dance company once she graduates from Brenau University. Cimara was an intern for The FILES Arts Project in 2022 and is thrilled to be an Instructor for TFAP's 2024 Summer!
Eryn Cade (Fairfield, Alabama), an alumnus of ASFA (Alabama School of Fine Arts), is an interdisciplinary dance artist, choreographer, and educator. She holds two degrees from the University of Alabama, including a Bachelor of Fine Arts and a Master of Fine Arts in dance. Her research explores the portrayal of the Black female body in dance, specifically addressing the perpetuation of hyper-sexualization within colonialist perspectives and its implications in contemporary society. Additionally, Eryn's research received an Artistic Achievement Award from the UA Dance and Theatre Department.

Eryn's dance career spans both concert and commercial domains. Notably, she represented the Jellybean Dance Collective internationally in Toulouse, France, captivating audiences with a performance that explored the intricacies of Zelda Fitzgerald's life in June 2019.
Eryn has also showcased her talent alongside luminaries like Tony! Toni! Tone!, Bootsy Collins, Sheila E., and Pastor Mike Jr. during the 2022 opening and closing ceremonies of the World Games.

As an educator, Eryn offers a holistic approach to dance instruction, encompassing ballet, contemporary, hip-hop, jazz, heels, and personalized one-on-one sessions. Her pedagogy prioritizes self-awareness and self-love, empowering students to embrace their authentic selves fully. With a keen focus on the mind, body, and spirit, Eryn's teaching philosophy champions the unapologetic expression of Blackness, inviting individuals to honor and celebrate their cultural
heritage in all styles of dance, even those traditionally rooted in Eurocentric norms.
Alexandria McNabb (Birmingham, Alabama) born and raised in Birmingham, Alabama. Alex started dance at a young age. She was the first Birmingham native to dance the principle role of Claire in The Chocolate Nutcracker created by Laverne Reed. She attended and graduated Alabama School of Fine Arts. She then went on to attend Troy University with a concentration in Business Management and a Minor in Dance. There she participated in Sound of the South Band Dance Line and created her own class on campus “Strut in Stilettos”. Since, Alex has been an instructor at numerous studios teaching ballet, jazz, contemporary, and heels. She performs with numerous of local artists and had the pleasure of opening up for T.I. with Logan the Entertainer at the Magic City Classic 2023. Alex started her own business called The Fuller Dance Experience teaching and mentoring kids ages 2-19. Currently, she is one of the directors for The Mesmerizing Sirenz of Birmingham competition team, an HBCU based dance team shaping young kids to prepare them for collegiate level dance programs.

Alex, aside from now being a mom to her wonderful son Isaiah, enjoys stepping into the world of acting and pole fitness. She has had the pleasure of going to Tyler Perry Studios to do background work for the hit series "All the Queen’s Men" and Tyler Perry’s "Zatima."

Alex is no stranger to TFAP as she was an assistant to Kat Files when TFAP first started. She is thrilled for the opportunity to be apart of TFAP family once again as a faculty member.
 Jaylon Givan (Birmingham, AL.) is the CEO/Founder of OUR Youth Arts & Development Worldwide Academy & generatedbyG. Jaylon is a professional artist, as well as a director, educator, and youth mentor from the city of Birmingham, Alabama who currently resides in Atlanta. Mr. Givan is a founding graduate of the Alabama State University BFA Dance Program. He has trained at prestigious institutions such as Alonzo King LINES Ballet, Dance Theatre of Harlem, and Kansas City Ballet to name a few within the rim of concert dance. Givan has also trained equally in commercial dance styles which led him to work with industry giants like Fatima Robinson, Adrian Wiltshire, Jeremy Green & more. 

From the beginning of his career dancing on stages with concert companies to his most recent and greatest accomplishment, being featured in the newest film The Color Purple. Jaylon has performed with music artists ranging from Lil Nas X to Stevie Wonder. 

Jaylon’s career convincing moment was being chosen as a freshman (still a novice) to represent his school and the entire southern region at ACDFA Nationals in Washington D.C. held at the John F. Kennedy Center. 

Mr. Givan looks forward to expanding and advancing the youth work that he is dedicated to daily while living out his dreams and continuing to perform around the entire globe.
​Dwight Houston (Birmingham, AL) is a Freelance Musician, Arranger, and Orchestrator. Mr Houston is a graduate from Texas Southern University as a Double Reed Music Major. His specialties include: principle instrument- bassoon, fluent on all woodwind instruments, and fluent on Yamaha and Akai wind midis. Mr. Houston has been a professional musician for over forty years and is the owner of On Purpose Music Sound Company. He has performed with some of the greatest musicians such as Nancy Wilson, Pearl Bailey, Louie Bellson, The Temptations, Gladys Knight, Staxx Records artist, and Bo Bice to name a few. Mr. Houston has performed in many pit orchestras for 
musicals such as Man of La Mancha, Cats, Lion King, Buddy Holly Story, Ain't Misbehavin, West End Story, and South Pacific. Mr. Houston was the Music Director and Conductor for the Metropolitan Youth Orchestras of Central Alabama. He taught private music lessons at Mars Music. He performs nationally with his Jazz group, Dwight Houston & On Purpose. Mr. Houston is currently a private music teacher at  Art's Music Center in Birmingham, Alabama.
​Germaul Barnes (New York, NY) is a former principal dancer and currently a répétiteur  for the Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Dance Company, where he received the New York Dance and Performance Award-The Bessie Award. Mr. Barnes received the Arts International Grant in 2003 which fostered his anthropology study in a small village called Kwahu Tafo in Ghana,West Africa. One of his highest personal achievement is assisting and demonstrating for legendary choreographer/ anthropologist, Katherine Dunham. Mr. Barnes has also danced with Pilobolus Dance Company, Tolada Dance Company (Berlin, Germany), Cleo Parker Robinson Dance Ensemble, Philadanco--Philadelphia Dance Company, Movement Source 
Dance Co. and Group Motion Dance Company. He has appeared as a Guest Artists with Minnesota Ballet, Ohwia Ballet Company (Tokyo, Japan), Errol Grimes Dance Group, Joan Miller Dance Players, and Shrapiro and Smith and, TU Dance Company/Panumber Theater Company.

A native of Phoenix, Arizona, graduate from South Mountain High School of the Arts. He went on to perform in A Chorus Line and Guys & Dolls with Pacific Conservatory of the Performing Arts. Mr. Barnes continued his dance education at the University of the Arts/ Philadelphia. While at University of the Arts, his talents were recognized by receiving the University Creative Grant, which gave him the opportunity to produce an evening of his choreography, Viewsic Expression. Out of this evening Mr. Barnes formed an arts organization in 1991, now based in Brooklyn, New York.

As Viewsic Expression-VE artistic director Mr. Barnes mission is to promote and present multi-media dance performances, art exhibitions, and educational residencies. VE has collaborated with artist such as choreographer Eleo Pomare, composer Bongani Nododana, and visual artist Peter McMath and others. Viewsic Expression has presented works by Eleo Pomare, Bill T. Jones, Leni William, and Germaul Y. Barnes as past of the Black Bones Project 92nd Street Y and Jacobs Pillow.

In 1993 Mr. Barnes moved to Berlin, Germany to performed with Tolada Dance Company (Joseph Tmim, choreographer) and taught throughout Europe. He has received raving reviews and brilliant acclaim as a dance instructor from prominent dance academies throughout Germany (TanzFabric, Ballet Centrum, Milton’s TanzSchool, and others). Mr. Barnes has taught for Black College Dance Exchange, Guest Artist at Skidmore College, University of Buffalo, Ghana National Dance Theater, Xavier College Prep., Dance Masters/New York, COCA, Cleo Parker Summer Intensive, and 92nd Street Y, Harkness Dance Center, New Dance Technique Laboratory and Guest Artist at University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Alabama Dance Festival, University of Michigan, Wayne State University, among other. ​
​Terri Ayanna Wright (Baton Rouge, LA) is a New York-based performing artist, hailing from Baton Rouge, Louisiana by way of Houston, Texas. After studying dance at The Ailey School, she toured internationally with Ailey II, and has since been granted opportunities to produce performances and choreograph throughout the United States and teach modern/contemporary master classes across the globe. Ms. Wright continues to perform as a freelance artist, most recently as a member of the dance ensemble at The Met Opera (Porgy & Bess 2019, 2021; Madama Butterfly 2022, Magic Flute 2022). Ms. Wright also teaches regularly for The Ailey Extension and provides artistic support for HopeBoykinDance. 
Rivkins Christopher (Miami, FL) ​was born and raised in Miami, Fl and started training at the Armour Dance Theatre. He later went on to receive his BFA in dance from New World School of the Arts. Upon graduating, he made the move to New York City. In his professional career he has danced with Miami Contemporary, Gaspard & Dancers, Vissi Dance Theatre and is currently with Syren Modern Dance. Rivkins has also worked with choreographers such as Larry Keigwin and Maleek Washington; his recent job with Rosie Herrera for the late Walter Mercado can be seen on Netflix's “ Mucho Mucho Amor,” where the cast pays homage to the wonderful things Walter has done in his career. Rivkins also uses his talents teaching for The FILES Arts Project and has been doing so for the past four summers. He is also currently on staff teaching at the Ballet School of Stamford. 
​Christopher Stewart (Birmingham, AL) is excited to begin his third year as Director of Bands at Ramsay International Baccalaureate High School.  Mr. Stewart holds a Bachelor of Music Degree from Alabama State University in Montgomery, Alabama.  He is director of the marching band, concert band, and pep bands for the football and basketball seasons.  Under his direction the Ramsay IB High School Bands have achieved multiple recognitions, titles and awards from performances and evaluations during 2021 – 2022 and 2022-2023:
·         All Superior Ratings at Hayden Festival in Huntsville
·         All Superior Ratings All City Marching Band Evaluations
·         Highest Scoring High School Band All City Evaluations
·         Best in Class AA at All City Evaluations
·         Best Overall Band Birmingham City Schools
·         Frank E. Adams, Jr. Award Winners
·         John H. McAphee, Jr. Award Winners
·         Grand Champions of All City High School Bands
·         All Superior Ratings at All City Evaluations
·         Performed for NCAA Division II Basketball Championship
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Professional Honors and Awards received include Alabama State University Department of Music Academic Excellence and Honors Awards, Alabama State University Department of Music Excellence in Leadership Award, Scholarship Recipient, Ramsay High School PTSA Ambassador Award Scholarship Recipient, Alabama State University Mighty Marching Hornets Band Award, Scholarship Recipient, Kappa League High School Leadership Club and The University of Alabama at Birmingham, Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity Award, Scholarship Recipient of Educator Preparation Award, The Alabama State University, Alabama State University Dean's List Academic Award.
Community Service: Optimist International, Alabama-Mississippi District, Birmingham-West End Optimist Club, Kappa Kappa Psi National Honorary Band Fraternity, Birmingham Council of PTAs
and Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc., 
 
Mr. Stewart also taught private instrumental music lessons to middle and high school students.
Aundrenee’ Jemison (Birmingham, AL) currently serves as the band director at Westlawn Middle School in Tuscaloosa Alabama. She teaches 6-8 concert band, and assists with marching band at Central High School. She also collaborates with her colleagues every year to present the Tuscaloosa All City-Honor Band. Her primary instrument is Clarinet, but she is comfortable playing most wind and percussion instruments. In the past two years, she has also performed Clarinet in the musicals Spongebob Squarepants and Sweeny Todd.  

Ms. Jemison received her Master of Art (M.A.) and Bachelor of Art (B.A.) degrees both in Music Education from Jacksonville State University (JSU). While attending her graduate program, she worked as Graduate Assistant to the Director or Bands. In this position, she helped run band rehearsals, plan trips/events, and assisted the JSU Band Department with various other tasks. In undergrad, she was a member of the Marching Southerners, Chamber Winds, Jazz Ensembles, and Pit Orchestras for the Jacksonville Opera Theater and JSU Drama Department. In addition to going to school, she spent time teaching music sectionals and summer band camps in different schools throughout Alabama and Georgia. Ms. Jemison is an alumna of the Alabama School of Fine Arts, where she developed her love music. In her free time, she teaches private clarinet lessons and is learning how to DJ. 
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Lisa Altamirano PT MS CSCS
Clinical Director/Physical Therapist
-Opened Agile Physical Therapy in 2008, fulfilling a personal and professional goal of owning a private practice focusing on personalized treatment for patients, bringing back traditional medical values of service.
-Florida-native, moved to Birmingham to pursue dance at the Alabama School of Fine Arts (ASFA) under the direction of Dame Sonia Arova and Thor Sutowski
-Danced with Alabama Ballet; free-lanced in New York City with modern dance companies after graduating from NYU.
-Obtained a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Dance from New York University (NYU), Tisch School of the Arts
-Master of Science degree in Physical Therapy from the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB)
-Director of Physical Therapy and staff PT with UAB Sports Medicine with William P Garth, Jr., MD since 1998
-Certified Pilates Reformer and Chair instructor with Balanced Body University 2009, 2012
-Developed healthy dancer injury prevention and screening program at ASFA in 2000
-Active in research, lectures and injury prevention, particularly for dancers with local and regional dance companies (Alabama Ballet, Alabama Dance Theatre, Andalusia Ballet)
-Awards: Who’s Who Among Students in America’s Universities and Colleges for Physical Therapy; the Lew Wasserman Scholarship and the Tisch Dance Merit Scholarship at Rosella Hightower’s Centre de Danse in Cannes, France
-Lisa and her husband, Victor, have three beautiful children. Hobbies: sailing, photography, attending cultural events, cooking and spending time with her family.
Ashley LaRosa is a Bay Area native from Albany, CA where she began dancing at the age of four. Ashley trained at City Ballet School of San Francisco under the direction of Galina Alexandrova in addition to San Francisco Ballet, Alonzo King Lines Ballet, and Hubbard Street Dance Chicago. After graduating from the University of California, Irvine in 2015, receiving a BFA in Dance Performance and performing works by Donald McKayle, Ashley worked as a Company Member for Elisa Monte Dance from 2016-2020. While in the company, she performed works by Elisa Monte and Tiffany Rea-Fisher. She has also performed at the National Gallery of Art, New York Fashion week, Danone Nation’s Cup, in a music video for Janelle Kroll and in multiple productions as a Dancer and Dance Captain for the Classical Theatre of Harlem. Ashley has taught ballet and modern for Lake Placid School of Dance and as a guest contemporary teacher at Steps on Broadway. She is also a certified Pilates Instructor and NASM certified personal trainer. ​
Eryn Cade is a graduate of the Alabama School of Fine Arts dance department located in Birmingham, Alabama. She is a cum laude and Blount Honors graduate of The University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa, where she earned her bachelor's degree (BA) in dance and is currently a second year MFA Dance candidate at the university. In addition to being a performer, choreographer and researcher interested in understanding the psychological impact of the hyper sexualization of African American women’s bodies in America, Eryn is a dance educator at the Alabama School of Fine Arts and Ursula Smith Dance. In 2019, she collaborated with 5 other choreographers in Yonder Contemporary Dance Company, and she received a choreography commission from the Jellybean Dance Collective (JAC) to  
be a part of the “Sweet Home Storytelling Dance Series” commemorating Tuscaloosa native Dinah Washington. Eryn got the opportunity to travel with JAC to Toulouse, France to present “Three Ballerinas: A Moving Sketch” discussing the challenges of Zelda Fitzgerald life as a dance researcher and performer. Now, Eryn has worked with the Files Arts Project as an assistant over the years, but she is excited to empower the students as an instructor.
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Kyra McCarty is a graduate of the Alabama School of Fine Arts in Birmingham, Alabama, receiving her diploma with a concentration in Dance in May 2010. In May 2014, she graduated from Southern Methodist University (SMU) in Dallas, Texas with dual degrees in Dance (BFA) and Mathematics (BS). While she has studied all forms of dance, Ms. McCarty’s specialties are ballet, Graham modern technique, and jazz. She has had the opportunity to choreograph and perform in the works of Daniel Buraczeski, Millicent Johnnie, Jamal Story, Catherine Turocy, Cathy Young, and Jawole Willa Jo Zollar through the Meadows Dance Department at SMU. Ms. McCarty has numerous years of teaching experience with Rowlett Dance Academy of Rowlett, Texas, Dallas Black Dance Academy of Dallas, Texas, Oxford Ballet School of Oxford, Mississippi, and the Deborah Kaye School of Dance in Oxford Mississippi. Currently, Ms. McCarty is the 8th and 9th grade math teacher at Legacy Prep Charter Academy in Mesquite, Texas. She loves working with and inspiring students by nurturing their passion for dance and learning. Ms. McCarty is a native of Oxford, Mississippi.
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.Coreisa Janelle Lee (New York, NY), born in Birmingham, Alabama to Howard and Jeanette Lee, has 15 years of flute education. Contributing to her success, she’s had the pleasure of working with: Ian Clarke, Greg Patillo, Alberto Almarza, Lorna McGhee, and more. Her past teachers include: Kim Scott, Dr. Frank Adams, Aaron Evens and Ann Edwards. Coreisa is a graduate of the Alabama School of Fine Arts(ASFA) where she reigned as principal flutist of the ASFA Orchestra and the Alabama Youth Symphony Orchestra. In 2011 and 2012, Ms.Lee won the woodwind division at the Alabama Federation of Music Clubs Competition. In 2012, she won the Concerto Competition at Rocky Ridge Music Center and won 1​ st place in the Lois Pickard Concerto Competition. In 2013, She attended the Music Teachers National Association competition and was named a finalist after winning the State and Southern Division level. Ms.Lee has recently made an appearance on both the Jimmy Kimmel show and the Meredith Vieira show - where she was awarded a new professional Powell flute by Meredith Vieira herself. She also had the chance to perform for the United Nations 69th anniversary alongside pianist, Lang Lang, and Pop singer, Sting. Now living in New York City for 5 years, Ms. Lee has had many great performance opportunities, including performing multiple private shows with cast from Broadway’s “Hamilton” and “The Great Comet.” Former principal in the NY Youth Symphony, Coreisa has now finished her senior year as a full scholarship recipient at the Manhattan School of Music. She was a recipient of the William Randolph Hearst Full Scholarship and privately studied with Linda Chesis majoring in Classical Flute performance.
Chelsea Parron (Queens, NY) is a 2015 graduate of the Ailey/Fordham University Program in Dance. Chelsea has studied at Edge School of the Arts, Ballet Hispanico, Martha Graham School, Broadway Dance Center, Frank Sinatra School of the Arts, and Rutgers University:Mason Gross School of the Arts. Ms. Parron has had the opportunity to work with many established choreographers, such as Nijawwon Matthews, Von Howard, Matthew Rushing, and Jennifer Archibald. Chelsea has trained in Ballet, Modern, Jazz, Hip-Hop, African, Tap, Flamenco, and Musical Theater. Ms. Parron is inspired to help young artists accomplish their goals, and hopes to accomplish her own as well. 
Caci Pritchett (Atlanta, GA) is a 2015 graduate of the Ailey/Fordham University BFA Program in Dance as an E. Corrigan Scholar and a Senior Leadership Awardee with a concentration in Pre-Med studies. Ms. Pritchett has worked with acclaimed choreographers such as Ron K. Brown, Sylvia Water, Matthew Rushing, Norbert De La Cruz III, Darrell Moultrie, Julian Barnett, Lynn Sterling, and Lloyd Culbreath. Currently, Caci is dancing with Moving Spirits Inc. and the Moving Beauty Series Co Op. Ms Pritchett is a dance instructor for Williamsburg Movement and Art Center and Dancewave.
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Mecca Allah (Philadelphia, PA) is a 2016 graduate of the Ailey Certificate Program in Dance. Ms. Allah has studied at Dance Theatre of Harlem, Eleone, Philadanco, and Ballet Hispanico. While at The Ailey School, Mecca trained with highly esteemed teachers such as Ana Marie Forsythe, Milton Myers, Elizabeth Roxas, Mathew Rushing, and Renee Robinson. Ms. Allah was also a part of the Ailey Student Performance Group (ASPG) and had the opportunity to perform works in Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater's repertoire such as “I’ve been buked," “Didn’t my lord deliver Daniel," as well as lead roles in “Escapades” and “The lark Ascending.” Mecca has had the opportunity to perform works by Ray Mercer, Amy Hall, Darshan Singh Bhuller, Justin Prescott, Hollie Wright, and Levi Marsman.
​The mission of the Alabama School of Fine Arts, a community of explorers, is to nurture impassioned students by guiding and inspiring them to discover and fulfill their individual creative abilities in an atmosphere distinguished by the fusion of fact and feeling, risk and reward, art and science, school and community.
​Mission: At Agile Physical Therapy, we strive to empower patients and clients with therapy and fitness solutions for a healthy lifestyle at each stage of life.
 We are dedicated to a personal, individualized plan of health care and wellness to ​meet each person’s physical goals: functional, athletic and artistic.  At Agile Physical Therapy, we blend science with inspiration and advanced training to achieve motivation and success for our patients.
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The Alabama Jazz Hall of Fame located in the historic Carver Theatre for the Performing Arts is located in the 4th Avenue Business District, and has become a popular venue not only for local jazz artists, but for the local comedy and spoken word scene as well. It has played host to jazz legends such as Duke Ellington and Lionel Hampton. Hosting events from theatrical performances to jazz jam sessions to swing dance classes, the Carver Theatre opens its doors to the very best in entertainment.
d'Trespa Consignment and Vintage Boutique specializes in the resale of high quality, new and gently used designer clothing, shoes and accessories for women and men.