Drumfolk

CHRISTYLEZ BACON

Christylez Bacon is a GRAMMY® Nominated Progressive Hip-Hop artist and multi-instrumentalist from Southeast, Washington, D.C. Christylez multi-tasks between various instruments such as the West African djembe drum, acoustic guitar and the human beat-box, while continuing the oral tradition of storytelling. With a mission towards cultural acceptance and unification through music, Christylez is constantly pushing the envelope. He has received multiple awards including the Washington Area Music Association Artist of the Year in 2013 and the Montgomery County Executive Award for Excellence in the Arts.

EMANUEL "MANNY" CHACON

Emanuel "Manny" Chacon is a dancer and choreographer from Wilmington, Delaware. His love for movement began at a young age with the Afro-Brazilian martial art of Capoeira followed by his collegiate experience with Lambda Sigma Upsilon Latino Fraternity, Inc. and mentor J-Romeo. His styles include Capoeira, Hip Hop, Reggaeton, Afro & Caribbean movement, Stepping/Body Percussion, Gumboot and Zulu. He has performed on Telemundo, MTV Tr3s and Revolt TV.

AGYEI KEITA EDWARDS

AGYEI KEITA EDWARDS is a recorded professional drummer and percussionist. His debut as a dynamic performer was at the tender age of 3. With a rich history of performances under his belt, to include venues such as the Brooklyn Academy of Music and the Millennium Stage of the Kennedy Center, Agyei has performed for and with celebrated artists such as Sheila E. In 2021, as a choreographer, dancer and drummer, Agyei shared the stage with the acclaimed rapper and record producer Busta Rhymes for the MTV Video Music Awards. Agyei has been in the business of West African percussion for over twenty years and is certifiably an accomplished, sought-after artist; he continues to accompany bands nationally and internationally. Agyei is a spiritually-grounded, powerful musician and Musical Director of Farafinakan percussion ensemble. Agyei’s motto is: Do it with excellence or don’t do it at all.

DIONNE ELEBY

Dionne Eleby is a graduate of Elon University where she majored in Musical Theater and minored in African- American Studies and Business Administration. A native of Atlanta, Georgia, Dionne has performed with the African American Dance Ensemble, ArtPark Regional Theatre and Rotterdam’s Lef in Holland. She is a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.

KAYSHON HAWKINS

KAYSHON HAWKINS is a dancer, choreographer and teacher from Henderson, North Carolina. He has been teaching dance for four years, teaching all ages, specializing in hip-hop. He taught at The Pointe! Dance Studio in Greensboro, NC, for two years. Kayshon graduated from Fayetteville State University with a Bachelor's degree in Theatre in 2018, with a profession in audio and sound.

AKIEVIA HICKMAN

Akievia Hickman is a native of Tallahassee, Florida. She attended Florida A&M University where she received a BA in Business Administration and an MBA. Akievia was introduced to stepping in high school as a member of the Code Red Step team. In college she joined the Rampage Step Team. She is trained in hip-hop and jazz and she studied modern contemporary dance under the direction of Shepiro Hardemon as a member of Mahogany Dance Theatre. She is a member of the Beta Alpha chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.

JABARI JONES

Jabari Jones is a native of Detroit, Michigan. He started dancing at the age of 8 — inspired by the performances of recording artist Usher. He was a featured performer for artists such as Aloe Blacc, Detroit 1-8-7, Elijah J, Jacob Latimore, K Jay Music and The Music Factory. He has performed in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade and acted in productions of College Boyfriends and Mooz-Lum. Jabari studied English at Morehouse College. He joined Step Afrika! in 2017. He is a proud member of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc.

CONRAD R. KELLY II

Conrad R. Kelly II, Assistant Artistic Director of Step Afrika!, is a native of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, where he attended Dillard High School of the Visual and Performing Arts. While attending Florida A&M University, he became a member of the Marching 100 and the Strikers. After college, Conrad became a soloist for The Rolle Project in Las Vegas as well as a dance instructor with Studio 305, where he regularly taught classes in hip-hop, contemporary and jazz dance. Conrad plans to use his performing and teaching experiences to open a mentoring program for young male dancers.

ABDOU MUHAMMAD

ABDOU MUHAMMAD is a native of Washington, D.C., and has studied West African drumming since the age of 2 years old. Muhammad has studied and performed with various African Dance companies in the Washington, D.C. area, such as Coyaba Dance Theatre, African Heritage Dancers & Drummers, KounKouran Dance Company and Ezibu Muntu African Dance Company. Throughout his 28 years of drumming, Muhammad has performed at various venues, such as the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., Brooklyn Academy of Music in Brooklyn, N.Y. and The State Theatre in Austin, Texas. Currently, Muhammad is a Musical Director of Coyaba Dance Theatre. Muhammad is on faculty at The Davis Center, The Washington Ballet and at Inner City Inner Child, an early child care program based in Washington, D.C., that introduces literacy through music and dance.

AYANA OGUNSUNLADE

AYANA OGUNSUNLADE is a singer and actor from Washington, D.C., who is becoming known for her unique ability to capture an “audience's emotions” as mentioned by the press. She is on a mission to bring meaningful stories to life on stage and in front of the camera. Ayana showcases her versatility through performances such as an opera debut in Italy as Pamina in Mozart’s Die Zauberflöte to starring in the Helen Hayes-nominated blues musical Blackberry Daze which garnered rave reviews from The Washington Post. Her performance skills were developed at the renowned Duke Ellington School of the Arts high school and the Friends of Carter Barron Performing Arts Foundation, landing her on stages as prestigious as the Kennedy Center, Carnegie Hall and Lincoln Theatre. She has a Bachelor of Music degree in Vocal Performance and a minor in African and African American Studies from George Mason University. Ayana is an acting student of Anthony Abeson of New York.

DUSTIN PRAYLOW

Dustin Praylow is a native of South Carolina. He began his dance training at Dancin’ On Main Studios in Lake City under the instruction of Karl Singletary and Paige Strickland. Dustin studied modern, contemporary and ballet at the University of South Carolina, where he received his BS in Biology with a minor in Dance. Dustin began his professional dance career in 2016 with Norwegian Creative Studios, performing in the Broadway show After Midnight on the Pride of America, RSSC Mariner and the Norwegian Escape. This is Dustin’s third season with Step Afrika!.

ANESIA SANDIFER

Anesia Sandifer is a native of Augusta, Georgia. She attended the University of Georgia where she received a BBA in Finance and minored in Dance. She is a member of the Zeta Psi chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc, where she served as Step Master. Anesia was a full scholarship recipient at the 2015 Debbie Allen Summer Intensive in Los Angeles, CA. She has performed on ESPN for the Special Olympics 2015 World Games as a dancer for O.A.R. and Siedah Garrett.

JOEL SANTIAGO

JOEL SANTIAGO is a musician and interdisciplinary music artist — a vocalist and multi-instrumentalist based in Baltimore, Maryland. Besides his distinguished performance portfolio, what makes his artistry unique is that his projects are multi-media, combining music, art, poetry and animation to create a journey that represents the challenges and triumphs in his own life and experience.

JAKARI SHERMAN

Jakari Sherman is a passionate choreographer, ethnochoreologist and performer whose experience extends over 20 years. Rooted in the African American tradition of stepping, his work pushes the boundaries of percussive dance using technology, storytelling and diverse musical scores. Jakari served as Step Afrika!’s Artistic Director for seven years. He directed The Migration: Reflections of Jacob Lawrence, Green is the New Black, Symphony in Step, among others. He is the Founder of Ordered Steps, a nonprofit that teaches stepping as a tool for youth outreach. Jakari received a M.A. in Ethnochoreology from the Irish World Academy of Music and Dance and is undertaking groundbreaking ethnographic work related to structural analysis, teaching methodologies and historical archiving of stepping in the U.S. Jakari has lectured on stepping throughout the world, including Greece, Kazakhstan, the U.K. and Belgium.

VALENCIA ODEYKA EMONNI SPRINGER

Valencia Odeyka Emonni Springer is a native of Brooklyn, New York. Valencia received her BA in Elementary Education and served as the first “Stand Queen” (captain) with the Ambassadors of Sound Marching Band at Virginia Union University. She studied ballet, jazz, African, hip-hop and contemporary dance at Restoration Youth Arts Academy and has performed with Forces of Nature and Dance Africa (Brooklyn, NY). Valencia is a proud member of the Nu Chapter of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority Inc. and the Eta Psi Chapter of Tau Beta Sigma National Honorary Band Sorority. This is her third season with Step Afrika!.

JORDAN SPRY

Jordan Spry, Assistant Artistic Director of Step Afrika!, a native of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, joined Step Afrika! in 2012. He was first introduced to stepping in high school, when he joined the Progressive African American Cultural Society. Jordan attended Howard University and graduated with a BBA in Marketing. At Howard University, he stepped with Drew Hall Step Team. Jordan served as a head coach for the Drew Hall Step Team, where he choreographed many first-place winning pieces for the Howard University Homecoming Step Show. Jordan is also a freelance photographer, capturing moments from Step Afrika!’s tours around the world and personal work at home in the D.C. area, as well as an aspiring model.

PELHAM WARNER

Pelham Warner, a native of The Bronx, New York, attended Dutchess Community College. As a teenager, Pelham was a member of The Players Club Steppers. He then found his home stepping with the Harlem, New York-based group, The Order of the Feather Fraternity, where he served as the team’s Step Master and captain for five years. He is blessed to have the opportunity to continue his passion for stepping, performing and teaching with Step Afrika!.

ROBERT WARNSLEY

Robert Warnsley is a native of Chicago, Illinois. He graduated from Illinois State University with a BS in Information Technology. Robert learned to step and stroll as a member of the Eta Tau chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. In addition to stepping, he practices hip-hop and Chicago-style footworking. This is Robert’s third season with Step Afrika!.

KANYSHA WILLIAMS

Kanysha Williams is a native of the Washington metropolitan area and a dynamic actress and singer. She began studying vocal performance at the age of 14 at the Duke Ellington School of the Arts in Washington, D.C., and and she continued her studies at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music and George Mason University. Kanysha has performed at Carnegie Hall in New York, NY and the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C. Kanysha has performed in The Color Purple, The Wiz, Ain't Misbehavin' and Little Shop of Horrors. Off stage, Kanysha is a museum educator for the Smithsonian Institute and a private voice and piano instructor.