djali

AKA Shirley (Community Artist, Choreographer, Performer, Educator, Massage Practitioner, Stress Management Consultant). I was born in Boston, MA, raised in Haiti and Miami. Today I live in Atlanta, GA. I received my Bachelor of Arts degree in Dance from Florida International University in 1996. I’ve worked with the following Dance and Music artists in the Miami community: Leslie Neal Dance, IROKO Afro-Cuban Dance and Music Theatre, and Loray Mistik, a Haitian roots music ensemble. I also received my Masters of Science in Interdisciplinary Arts Education from NOVA Southeastern University. I was the dance educator at Miami Southridge Senior High School for five years and taught creative dance at several other locations. In 1998 I founded, Severin Dance, an invigorating, innovative and exciting multi-cultural dance company. As Artistic Director I combined traditional African based movement with Modern Dance. I draw on my Haitian heritage and culture to examine, portray and primarily educate others through movement and spoken text, about the Haitian experience and the wonders and struggles of growing up as a Black Haitian woman in America. In 2004, I collaborated with a local Cuban choreographer to create “In Exile- echoes from Haiti and Cuba” which premiered in April of 2004 at the Miniachi Performing Arts Theatre in Broward. This interdisciplinary dance theatre piece examined the similarities and struggles of the Haitian and Cuban immigrants who arrive regularly on US shores. This piece was again performed at Miami Dade College in March of 2005. I will receive my degree in Massage Therapy from Rising Spirit Institute of Natural Health and am now praticing as a licensed Massage Practitioner. I currently work with Heal The Atmosphere Association located in Tuskegee, AL in helping to educate others (as well as myself) on how to heal the earth as well as heal our bodies. I continue to perform as a solo artist at local festivals and events. You should create your own MySpace Layouts like me by using nUCLEArcENTURy .COM's MySpace Profile Editor !