Our Management
KERRI EDGE
CREATIVE DIRECTOR
Kerri began her dance training at the age of three at Bernice Johnson Cultural Arts Center. She continued her studies at LaGuardia High School of Music & the Performing Arts, Alvin Ailey, Martha Graham, Eglevsky and SUNY Purchase, holds a BPS in Dance and a masters degree in Arts Administration at New York University. Ms. Edge is an awarding winning dance artist and filmmaker and a Jerome Artist Fellow.
WENDY EDGE
CUSTOMER SERVICE MANAGER
Wendy Edge has a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from American University, and a Masters in Higher Education Administration from George Washington University. She graduated from the High School of Performing Arts and has studied with Bernice Johnson Cultural Arts Center and the New York State Summer School of the Arts - School of Ballet. Wendy was a merit scholarship student at the Andre Eglevsky School of Ballet and Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater. She was a featured dancer in Pat Benatar’s Love is a Battlefield, choreographed by the late Michael Peters. She is an active member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.
DONNA EDGE-RACHELL
BUSINESS MANAGER
Donna is an Emmy-winning television producer with over twenty years of performance, production, and business experience in film, theater and television. She began her dance training at the age of three at the Bernice Johnson Cultural Arts Center, and made her film debut in the movie FAME. She is a graduate of the High School of the Performing Arts and Wesleyan University. She is also a proud member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.
BEVERLY EDGE
WARDROBE & COSTUME MASTER
Matriarch Beverly, affectionately known as "Mama Edge", has a BA from Queens College in Elementary Education, and a Masters from Fordham University in Special Education. Beverly is a retired educator from the NYC Department of Education, where she served as a general education/special education elementary teacher and an Educational Evaluator with the Committee on Special Education, She is an accomplished seamstress with years of tour management, box office, and wardrobe experience. Beverly is also an active member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., and was one of our mentor, Bernice Johnson's very first students.
Our Faculty
Brice D.
Vick
Brice is well known for his inspiring and electric choreography. As a high in demand celebrity Creative Director and choreographer, Brice pushes his clients with a unique approach to dance. His electric style is rapidly becoming the standard for celebrities seeking to gain a critical edge that sets them aside in the industry.
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Omar
Edwards
Omar is an NAACP Image Award winner with nominations for Bessie and Broadwayworld.com LA Awards. Television/film credits include NBC’s Showtime at the Apollo (“The Sandman”); Emmy-award winning documentary “A Song for Our People”; “4 Little Girls: A Dance Film”. Stage/Touring Credits include Broadway’s Bring in Da’Noise, Bring in Da’Funk; Black and Blue; Trey Ellis and Ricardo Khan’s FLY; REFORM: Disparities in American Criminal Justice; and “4 Little Girls: A Dance Film”.
Omar is the Creative Director for youth ensembles at Harlem’s @streetcornerresources and @ESOTA4real in Jamaica, Queens. Omar has a weekly show at the legendary Cotton Club in Harlem, NY and is the leader of Omar Edwards & Company - an ensemble of musicians, vocalists and dancers housed at Club MIST in Harlem, NY. His artistic focus is to bring awareness to important issues through his work and to promote tap as an American Folk art of sound and music. (www.omaredwardsnyc.com)
Roger C. Jeffrey
Roger C. Jeffrey began his training at Bernice Johnson Cultural Arts Center. A graduate of Performing Arts High School, he received his B.F.A. from The Juilliard School and has performed in the companies of Bernice Johnson, Kevin Iega Jeff, Twyla Tharp, Zvi Gotheiner, Martial Roumain, and with Mikhail Baryshnikov's White Oak Dance Project. Mr. Jeffrey is currently a Professor of Dance at George Mason University.
Men'CaWillis
The bio-kemet-cal essence of Men Ca is in his name: mata is energy from the nucleus of the conscious atam. A practitioner of defining that which he does through that which he is (i.e., Men Ca), his absolute Art and Science is to be conscious at all times in all times. Thus, define the life force energy of love and understanding.
Yao Ababio
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Yao Ababio is the Founder and Artistic Director of the Asase Yaa African American Dance Theater. Since launching it in 2001, he has fervently and passionately served as its principal director, producer, choreographer and music director. Under his creative direction, the dance theater became the first African American Dance Theater program in New York to be nominated for two Bessie Awards, (2014 and 2017) the second time which they won. His multifaceted talents have been infused in the creation of some 17 productions (including 6 ballet and 4 children performances) which have been presented nationally and internationally over the past seventeen years. He has also ushered and overseen the professional training of over a 1000 dancers and musicians who have been featured in their performances.
Alex macdonald
Alex is a professional tap dancer, teaching artist, singer-songwriter, and researcher. He has traveled throughout North America and Europe as the original tap soloist and tap choreographer for the wildly popular vintage jazz band Scott Bradlee & Postmodern Jukebox. Since 2009, he has entertained audiences as dance captain for Andrew J. Nemr’s tap company Cats Paying Dues. Performance highlights with the troupe include NYC’s Symphony Space, Webster Hall, The Riverside Theatre, Laguardia Performing Arts Center, 92nd Street Y, and Town Hall; as well as live on national television for the 45th annual Jerry Lewis MDA Telethon.
DAVID SINCERE
David "Sincere" Aiken won his first leading role at age 8, when he played young Jay Z in music video, "Wishing on a Star". He was the founder of the hip-hop dance company Queenz Finest who performed internationally and made televised appearances on BET's "106 N' Park", NBC's "Showtime at the Apollo", and TV2's "Good Morning Denmark". He's worked with recording artists such as Beyonce' Knowles, Chris Brown, Lil Mama, Adam Lambert, Wayne Brady and Ashanti to name a few. He also appeared on MTV's MADE as a coach for the Majestic Dance Crew who auditioned for America's Best Dance Crew. Most recently, Sincere was one of the choreographers of Lil Mama's "Sausage" video. Check it out below! He's one of the most talented up-and-coming choreographers we know. And when he's not on the road working his hustle, he never forgets to come home and give back to the students of ESOTA.
BRITTANY WILSON
Brittany began dancing at ESOTA at the age of 10.She is now an ESOTA and KECDE alumni. She has trained at the Edge School of the Arts, Benjamin N. Cardozo High School and Lehman College. She is currently a senior at Lehman, double majoring in exercise science and dance. She has performed with KECDE internationally and has made appearances on BET’s 106& Park and MTV’s Chris Brown Super Sweet 16. She has performed in numerous concerts at Lehman and has created concepts and concerts of her own to raise awareness and funds for the program. She looks forward to another successful year working at ESOTA.
Stasi
Stasia Kennedy Sewell, 18 year native of Queens, NY and graduate of LaGuardia Arts High School's Dance Department started dancing at the age of three at the Edge School of the Arts (ESOTA). She furthered her studies at the Ailey School, Dance Theater of Harlem, and Ballet Hispanico. She is a national silver medalist of the NAACP's ACT-SO modern dance competition and uses her gift to give glory to God. Stasi is a longtime member of the Greater Allen Cathedral’s Liturgical Dance Ministry where her choreography is amongst its repertoire. Stasi is also a competitive swimmer attending the Junior Olympics twice.
Our Administrative Team
stephanie
Stephanie is a performing arts high school student based in Miami, FL. She is working as an intern for ESOTA through Pentacle's 8-week summer program, in which students gain real-world experience in business administration, career development, and mentorship. She is assisting with ESOTA's relaunch: Free to Be You and Me.