Faculty&Staff Bios

BIOs 

🔵 JOMDC LEADERSHIP

Ebony Vines Jackson, managing director

Ebony is a native Washingtonian with deep roots in the arts and administration. A graduate of the prestigious Duke Ellington School of the Arts and Howard University, she has an impressive background that uniquely qualifies her for this role. Her dedication to the arts and her commitment to excellence make her the perfect fit to lead Joy of Motion Dance Center into its next chapter. Ebony bring a wealth of experience in arts administration, but she also has a personal connection to Joy of Motion Dance Center. Representing three generations that have studied dance at JOMDC, Ebony deeply appreciates and understands our community's values and traditions. Her vision for the center's future aligns seamlessly with our mission to inspire and support dancers of all ages and abilities.

Arabia Woolfolk, program associate director                                                                                                                           

Arabia Woolfolk, a native Washingtonian, has over 20 years of dance experience spanning business, education, entertainment, performing arts, and professional sports. Her dance journey began in high school through a work-study program at Joy of Motion. Arabia earned a Bachelor's in Business and Dance Studies from Penn State University in 2015, receiving the Lizka Award for Dance and the Most Innovative Business Award. She also trained at Alvin Ailey during the winters before graduating.

After college, Arabia taught dance to children in D.C., earning Teacher of the Year in 2016 and 2017. She later became the first dance program director at KIPP DC Public Schools, where she wrote the curriculum, coached dance and cheerleading, and led the after-school performing arts program. Arabia also trained new dance teachers within the KIPP network.Her professional dance career includes roles as a Valorette for D.C.'s Arena Football team and as an NFL cheerleader for the Washington Commanders. Arabia also held titles as Miss DC in 2019 and Miss Eastern Market DC USA in 2021.

Now serving as Program Associate Director, Arabia continues to bring her passion and experience to the community, aiming to "bring a little joy to the dance floor

🟣 YOUTH PROGRAM FACULTY

Mahaylia Griffth, teaching artist (youth) 

Mahaylia Griffith is a Junior at Howard University, majoring in Musical Theatre. Hailing from Trinidad and Tobago, she aspires to continue teaching and performing after her graduation in 2026, with the goal of becoming a triple threat on Broadway. Her current favorite Broadway show is MJ The Musical. Mahaylia has trained at Steps on Broadway, the Royal Academy of Dance, and was a member of The Metamorphosis Dance Company. She is dedicated to inspiring and educating the next generation of dancers. Her artist manifesto focuses on being a positive example of a Black performer who tells honest and engaging stories. Mahaylia is excited to be at Joy of Motion and is committed to helping others experience the freedom and joy of movement.

Princess Johari Shreeves, teaching artist (youth and adult)  

Born and raised in the vibrant DMV area, Johari Shreeves has dedicated her life to the art of dance. Her formal training began in early childhood, attending performing arts schools from kindergarten through high school, where she studied ballet, modern, and jazz. Johari performed for six years with the acclaimed Marcellus Dance Company, where her passion for performance evolved into a passion for teaching. She began as a teacher assistant in youth classes and went on to serve as a choreographer assistant to BET’s Born to Dance winner, Latonya Swann. In that role, she collaborated with various local artists and studios, including Ressa Renee and Culture Shock. Since 2014, Johari has been a beloved ballet instructor with TippiToes DC, working with young dancers across the Capitol Hill area and within DC Public Schools. Her teaching experience extends to musical theatre choreography for Two Rivers Middle School and directing talent shows at Kelly Miller Middle School, always with the goal of inspiring confidence and creativity through movement. Johari is currently pursuing her bachelor’s degree in Theatre Arts, continuing to expand her craft and deepen her impact as a teaching artist and choreographer.

Robyn Fu, teaching artist (youth)  

Robyn is a dedicated artist and educator with a diverse background in dance and academics. A graduate of Montgomery County Public Schools in 2014, she pursued studies in biology at Montgomery College, completing 45 credits toward an A.S. degree. Her passion for dance led her to the Kyiv Choreographic College in Ukraine, where she completed intensive training from 2019 to 2021. Robyn refined her skills at Strathmore CityDance Ballet School, specializing in the Vaganova tradition from 2014 to 2017. She continued to expand her training at institutions such as Peabody Conservatory, Steps on Broadway, Washington Ballet, Maryland Youth Ballet, and Joy of Motion. Her professional experience spans both artistic and administrative roles. From 2022 to 2023, Robyn worked in content writing and editing for Tzu Chi OIA. Between 2020 and 2022, she taught English and dance in Kyiv, working with classroom groups and individual students. In December 2021, she performed with Kyiv Modern Ballet for a German art film exhibition. Her freelance career as a model, actress, and artist has taken her across the USA and Ukraine. Additionally, Robyn coached cheerleading for Montgo

mery County Public Schools’ "Cheer Madness" in 2019 and worked as a private nanny from 2016 to 2018. Robyn is passionate about sharing her expertise in dance and education with others.

Samantha Williams, teaching artist (youth)

Samantha Shae Williams (Bowie, Maryland) began her dance training with The Dance Institute of Washington at the age of thirteen. She attended Suitland Visual and Performing Arts High School for two years then continued her dance training at The Baltimore School for the Arts, where she received her High School Diploma, under the direction of Norma Pera. Samantha attended The Ailey School for three summers as a scholarship recipient and also trained with The Dance Theater of Harlem Residency Program under the direction of Arthur Mitchell. Ms. Williams continued her dance training by attending Virginia Commonwealth University where she obtained her Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Dance and Choreography. She has performed works by choreographers, Fabian Barnes, Ralph Glenmore, and Carlos Dos Santos as well as Autumn Proctor and Christian von Howard. Ms. Williams has been teaching dance for eight years and is currently a full-time dance educator for Prince Georges County Public Schools located in the state of Maryland. Samantha is currently a company member and Director of Outreach and Missionary for The Collectif Project, a ministry based professional dance company, this is her fourth year with the company.

Scean Flowers, teaching artist (youth)

Scean is a seasoned teaching artist bringing a wealth of experience to JOM in his inaugural semester, where he is thrilled to share his expertise in Acting and Musical Theater. Originally from Middletown, PA, Scean is a multi-talented local performer in the DC, Maryland, and Virginia artistic community. With a diverse background in acting, dancing, and singing, he has graced the stages of renowned venues such as Toby's Dinner Theatre, Synetic Theater (notably in productions like "Tempest" and "Richard 3.0"), Olney Theatre Center ("In the Heights"), and Signature Theatre ("The Scottsboro Boys"). Drawing on his extensive performance repertoire, Scean has also found his calling as a dedicated teaching artist over the past 5 years. His teaching journey began at Synetic Theater, where he honed his craft in wordless, physical theater instruction. Now, Scean is committed to nurturing the talents of budding actors and musical theatre enthusiasts, fostering their self-assurance, igniting a love for their craft, and empowering them to embrace their authentic selves. His passion for guiding young artists is truly commendable, and his drive to instill confidence and a genuine passion for the arts shines through in his teaching approach.

Taylor Forbes, teaching artist (youth and adult)

Taylor earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Bowie State University in Bowie, MD. During that time she was a 6th-grade teaching assistant at McLean School in Potomac, MD. Taylor later became the lead dance teacher at Lowell Elementary school in Washington, DC in 2021; where she currently teaches today. Outside of the classroom, she is a professional dancer and has danced for two of DC's professional sports teams (NFL and NBA) earning Rookie of The Year for one of those teams. Taylor is also a choreographer and teacher throughout the DMV community. 

Tierra 'Poca' Parham, teaching artist (youth)

Poca is a performance-driven choreographer and artist developer with a bold hip-hop funk style. She’s the Director of Raw Element Dance Co., Hip hop teacher at Neema Dance Collective in PG County, and a two-time NFL dancer for the Washington Commanders, known for delivering energy-packed movement both on and off the field. Her experience spans commercials, concert stages, and live sports entertainment. Fusing street dance roots with a commercial edge, Poca’s choreography emphasizes clean execution, musicality, and stage presence. As an instructor, she inspires dancers to push beyond steps, to perform with purpose and power. Whether in class or at center stage, Poca delivers movement that moves people.

🟣 ADULT PROGRAM FACULTY 

Brigit McNamara, teaching artist (adult)

Brigit is dancer, teacher, and choreographer who found a home in the JOM dance community after graduating college. She started her dance journey at just five years old as a competitive Irish dancer, and continued for eleven years until she eventually transitioned to more expressive styles as an adult. Brigit fell in love with training in heels, and has also trained in contemporary, street jazz, vogue, hip hop, whacking, and pole. She was apart of Urban Empire DC hip hop team for a year, and performed in Mitchell Kelly’s Jewels Live show this past year where she grew tremendously in her heels technique. She has taught all ages at various studios throughout the DMV and always emphasizes the importance of foundations, mobility, and proper conditioning in each style.

Franki Whitney, teaching artist (adult)

Whitney Franklin, M.Ed., Certified Life Coach & SoulFlexologist 

In 2016, Whitney founded Live Your Freedom Inc. (LYF, Inc.), a  nonprofit dedicated to serve and assist residents and  communities in the District of Columbia through movement, sound, and holistic health care. She currently serves as the Executive Director for LYF Inc., and she created and trademarked  a self-development program known as SoulFlexology®. Whitney is also a certified dance instructor who has taught various genres of dance for over ten  years. Most recently, she has been a dance instructor for DivaDance DC since August 2021 and Joy of  Motion since April 2024. She has also directed and choreographed group dance workshops and videos.

Louisa Chapman Mejeur, teaching artist (adult)

Freelance artist with Capital Ballet. Originally from Midland, Texas. Louisa Chapman Mejeur grew up dancing with Midland Festival Ballet under the direction of Susan Clark. She danced with Nashville Ballet 2 in Nashville, TN and BalletMet in Columbus, OH before joining Ballet RI for four seasons. In addition to performing, she created and managed programs for FBP's Educational Outreach Department. Upon further moves she danced with Virginia Ballet Theater, Todd Rosenlieb Modern Dance, and ABC Tokyo Ballet. Louisa created choreographic works for Festival Ballet Providence, Bluebird Uncaged, The C Project, the Todd Rosenlieb Dance and Virginia Ballet Theater Ensembles, the ABC Tokyo Ballet Company, Island Moving Company's Student Company, as well as The Berkshire Choreography Project. Her work, The Elements, was performed at the Jacob's Pillow Dance Festival in 2017. She proudly co-founded the Rhode Island Women's Choreography Project in 2018.  Louisa currently resides in Washington D.C., working as a teacher, choreographer, mother, and freelance artist.

Marcel Smith, teaching artist (adult)

B. Marcel Smith’s interest in the arts began after performing in Missoula Children’s Theatre’s production of Jack and the Beanstalk in Bern, Switzerland in 1999. After moving back to the U.S., Marcel was cast as a Principal Dancer in Debbie Allen’s Alex in Wonderland at the Kennedy Center in 2007. After graduating from Penn State University with a B.A, in Theatre, he continued to pursue musical theatre, being involved in a revival of Rent the Musical in the tri-state area. In 2018, Marcel made history as the 1st male dancer and captain of the 1st coed NBA dance team, the Washington Wizards Dancers; spending 5 seasons with them. Marcel has been an educator for over a decade and is currently teaching Performing Arts at Georgetown Day School in Washington D.C.

Oyuna Nadmitova-Adams, teaching artist (adult)

A native of Ulan-Ude, Republic of Buryatia, Russia. Oyuna has studied at The Buryat State Choreographic School and the East Siberian State Academy of Culture and Arts. She brings a wealth of experience, having toured with prestigious companies such as the Moscow Ballet and the Russian National Ballet Theatre. With 13 years of performance experience at the Buryat State Opera and Ballet Theater, Oyuna is sure to inspire and elevate our class. In addition to her performance credentials, Oyuna has taught at notable institutions including the Montgomery Ballet in Alabama and the Princess Mhoon Dance Institute. She joined the Dance Institute of Washington in August 2024, where she focuses on training our Upper and Middle Division dancers. 

Princess Johari Shreeves, teaching artist (youth and adult)  

Born and raised in the vibrant DMV area, Johari Shreeves has dedicated her life to the art of dance. Her formal training began in early childhood, attending performing arts schools from kindergarten through high school, where she studied ballet, modern, and jazz. Johari performed for six years with the acclaimed Marcellus Dance Company, where her passion for performance evolved into a passion for teaching. She began as a teacher assistant in youth classes and went on to serve as a choreographer assistant to BET’s Born to Dance winner, Latonya Swann. In that role, she collaborated with various local artists and studios, including Ressa Renee and Culture Shock. Since 2014, Johari has been a beloved ballet instructor with TippiToes DC, working with young dancers across the Capitol Hill area and within DC Public Schools. Her teaching experience extends to musical theatre choreography for Two Rivers Middle School and directing talent shows at Kelly Miller Middle School, always with the goal of inspiring confidence and creativity through movement. Johari is currently pursuing her bachelor’s degree in Theatre Arts, continuing to expand her craft and deepen her impact as a teaching artist and choreographer.

Tamara Henry, teaching artist (adult)

Tamara Henry is a dancer, musician, and educator who has performed and taught throughout the Washington, DC area. She studied dance at the University of Maryland and Morgan State University, serving as choreographer for both Morgan State and Bowie State marching band dance lines while in attendance. Founder and director of *Artistic Rhythms Alliance/ARA Tap* and creator of the annual *Holiday SpecTAPular*, she has performed at the Kennedy Center, Wolf Trap, Lincoln Center with the New York Philharmonic, and national tap festivals. With 25+ years in education, she currently teaches high school dance and holds certifications in Arts Integration and Giordano Technique.

Taylor Forbes, teaching artist (youth and adult)

Taylor earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Bowie State University in Bowie, MD. During that time she was a 6th-grade teaching assistant at McLean School in Potomac, MD. Taylor later became the lead dance teacher at Lowell Elementary school in Washington, DC in 2021; where she currently teaches today. Outside of the classroom, she is a professional dancer and has danced for two of DC's professional sports teams (NFL and NBA) earning Rookie of The Year for one of those teams. Taylor is also a choreographer, and teacher throughout the DMV community.