IN THE SPIRIT OF...GRACE

DEBBIE BLUNDEN-DIGGS, daughter of company founder Jeraldyne Blunden, began training at the Schwarz School of the Dance at the age of five and joined Dayton Contemporary Dance Company at age twelve. At seventeen, she won national recognition from The Young Choreographers Showcase for her first piece, Variations in Blue, which was selected for inclusion in the National Choreographic Plan. Many of her works have become part of DCDC’s artistic blueprint, contributing to the long legacy of Jeraldyne’s vision for the company. Blunden-Diggs’ most notable works include Configurations, Kaleidoscope, Fragments, In My Father’s House, Traffic, and No Room, No Place, No Where, for which she received a Monticello Award in 1982. In May 2002, she adjudicated the Regional Dance America Northeast Competitions. 

Fayetteville, NC

Qarrianne joined DCDC’s first company in 2012 after having performed for two seasons in DCDC₂, the company’s pre-professional ensemble. She earned her BFA degree at Howard University, studying under Sherrill Berryman-Johnson, Pat Thomas, Sandra Fortune-Green, Katherine Smith, Akua Kouyate, and Assane Konte. She also studied traditional Jamaican dance at University of West Indies at Mona.

In 2004, Ms. Blayr founded the performing arts group Arts International. 

Of the choreographers she has worked with, Sherrill Berryman-Johnson has been the most influential in helping her become a “moving/thinking vessel.”

Her favorite DCDC repertory piece to perform is The Amen Corner of the dance concert BodyTalk.

Toledo, OH

Elizabeth joined the first company in 2015. For three years she performed in DCDC₂ and in 2016 she graduated with a BFA degree from Wright State University. Her choreography was chosen to premiere in Wright State’s Spring Dance Concert.

She has studied with the Joffrey Ballet, Complexions, and MIP.

Ms. Ramsey chose her career in dance because dance “creates beautiful minds and bodies and allows great connections and conversations between humans.”

She names Shonna Hickman-Matlock as a choreographer who influenced her because “she made me mentally sharper and she helped my body understand mature movement.”

Chicago, IL

Quentin joined the company in 2014. He began studying dance with Homer Hans Bryant, a former member of the Dance Theatre of Harlem.

Mr. Sledge graduated summa cum laude from Morehouse College in Atlanta, Georgia, where he earned a degree in business administration with a concentration in management. He also received recognition as a National Society of Collegiate Scholar and was accepted into a training program at Gotta Dance Atlanta under the direction of Daryl Foster and his LIFT company.

In 2016, Mr. Sledge performed in Donald McKayle’s Rainbow Round My Shoulder at David H. Koch Theatre in Lincoln Center in New York City.

He credits DCDC’s Associate Artistic Director, Crystal Michelle, as an important influence on his artistry because “she is an astounding choreographer who has poured her years of knowledge into her work at DCDC in such a short time!”

Philadelphia, PA

Sadale Warner joined the company in 2020. Philadelphia native with Caribbean roots, Sadale discovered dance at the age of 3. She took her first dance class at Broadway Bound Dance Academy and trained with the same studio until moving on to college. She started out with tap. As time went on, she ventured on to ballet, jazz, hip-hop, lyrical, pointe, and modern. The studio she trained at was a competition studio, so Sadale was able to travel to many competitions year after year, competing in about four different styles of dance.

During high school, Sadale majored in dance at The Philadelphia High School for Creative and Performing Arts. After graduating high school, she started her undergrad career at The University of the Arts under the directorship of Donna Faye Butchfield, where she was introduced to different ideas of dance.

Sadale is passionate about expressing herself through movement and sharing the experience with other dancers and the audience. She wants to broaden her creative aspirations with concert and commercial work

Nashville, TN

Countess joined the company in 2014. She began her dance training at Dance with Stacy Dance Studio, where she danced more than five years. She also attended Wharton Arts Magnet School where she majored in dance and art. She later continued her training at Nashville School of the Arts. Attending college at the University of Memphis, Countess graduated magna cum laude with a BS degree in health and human performance and with a minor in dance in 2011.

She has also participated in a variety of dance festivals including the American High School Dance Festival, the American College Dance Festival (2009, 2010, 2011 and 2012), the American Dance Festival, and the David Dorfman Dance Winter Intensive.

After graduating, Countess joined DCDC2 in 2012, where she danced for two years while having the opportunity to perform with the first company in her second year. She has performed works by Paul Taylor, David Dorfman, Rodney A. Brown, Rob Priore, William B. McClellan Jr., and many other choreographers.

Kristin Allen (Salisbury, Maryland) trained and performed with Salisbury Dance Academy and Eastern Shore Ballet Theatre. She recently graduated Summa Cum Laude with a BFA in Dance and a Theater minor from Radford University. During her tenure, she was honored with performing in faculty and guest choreographer works by James Robey, Amy Vankirk, Inessa Plekhanova, Ji-Eun Lee, Deborah McLaughlin, Rachel Rugh, Max Reed amongst others.

Chelsea Bogue (Ballston Lake, New York) Recently graduated from Manhattanville College with a BA in Dance and a dual minor in Spanish and Sociology. During her course study in Choreography and Dance Filmmaking, she discovered a newfound interest in creating works of art for the stage and/or film. Chelsea worked as an apprentice dancer with SHIFT, and Dance. Arts. & Media, as well as holding a current position as the Administrative Assistant.

Emily Bryan (Lima, Ohio) is a senior at the University of Dayton pursuing a dual degree in Pre-Medicine and Dance with a minor in Neuroscience. She was a dance artist with the University of Dayton Dance Ensemble from 2020 – 2023. She served as a guest artist with Onyx Contemporary Dance Company (OCDC) as a performer and guest choreographer in which her work “When A Heart Opens” was presented at OCDC’s fall and spring repertory concert and Regional Dance America Festival. Emily has taught at Dance Expressions, Miami Valley Dance Company, and The Arts Center. She was a former flutist and ultimate Frisbee player.

Maiya Caldwell (Cincinnati, Ohio) was a gymnast, and soccer player before discovering her interest in dance and theatre. She trained with and later became teaching assistant for Jeaunita Olôwe in African Dance Forms. She graduated from Northern Kentucky University with a BFA in Dance in 2022. She completed a summer semester at Yonsei University in Seoul, South Korea studying Korean and Music and Anthropology, and is fluent in Korean. While there she danced with Motif Dance Academy. Maiya choreographs and dances in the Greater Cincinnati Area, contributing to local theatrical productions and modern dance projects.

Carly Hanson (Lebanon, Ohio) began her training at Dancekids Studio under the direction of Denise Devery, where she was a member of the competition team for 13 years, later teaching and choreographing at the institution. She is a sophomore at Wright State University (WSU)
pursuing her BFA in Dance Performance. During her tenure at WSU she performed at the Arts Gala as well as university Fall and Spring Dance Concert including the Emerging
Choreographers Concert.

Hannah McGuffey (Dayton, Ohio) is a sophomore dance major at Wright State University (WSU). She intends to graduate with her BFA in Dance Performance in 2026. During her tenure at WSU she performed at the Arts Gala, University Fall and Spring Dance concerts including the Emerging Choreographers concert. Her training and performance experience include Dayton
Ballet’s Junior Company, Gem City Ballet, Pontecorvo Ballet Studios, and Stivers School for the Arts. Some notable works that she has performed are: Myrtha in Giselle, Snow Queen in The Nutcracker, and the world premiere of Swing by Ashley Pabst. As a choreographer, she has created works on Gem City Ballet and WSU Dance Ensemble.

Victoria Stachelrodt (Slippery Rock, Pennsylvania) began her training at Lake Erie Ballet and Erie Dance Conservatory. Victoria was in Oil Region Ballet for four years, two of which she was a soloist. She graduated with a BFA in Dance Performance from Slippery Rock University (SKU) (2022). During her tenure at SRU, she performed in BFA and 60x60x60 concerts. After graduating she was given the opportunity to perform Martha Graham’s “Celebration” at The Joyce Theater in Manhattan, New York. Victoria began choreographing with the Oil Region Ballet and teaching ballet and jazz at Fusion Dance Center in the fall of 2022.

Mandi Weitz (Dayton, Ohio) trained with Dayton Ballet School and was a member with Dayton Ballet II. As a scholarship recipient, she attended intensives at The GagaLab, Mutual Dance Theater, Cincinnati Ballet’s Collegiate, and the American Dance Festival. In 2022, she traveled to Panama as a dance diplomat with the organization Movement Exchange. Her choreographic endeavors include works for the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music (CCM), the American Dance Festival, and Dayton’s Art in the City. She has taught at Mutual Dance Theatre and currently teaches at Dayton Ballet School. Mandi will graduate from the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music (CCM) with a BFA in dance and a minor in nutrition in
Fall 2023.