YA DAnce Department

Hello Future Dancers,

Welcome to the Young Audiences Dance Department!

Here at YACS, we believe every child deserves the opportunity to receive a quality Arts Education experience. We have a special model for Arts Education. In the primary years, students are introduced to the Arts through our Arts Integration Model of teaching Academics. Once our students reach 6th grade, they are given the opportunity to explore the Arts in our Fine Arts Survey Class. In the Fine Arts Survey class all students will receive an introduction to the Art forms we offer at Young Audiences Charter School. In doing that, each student will be equipped to make a decision on which artform they would like to take for an entire year for both grades 7th & 8th.

Grades 7th-8th are structured to prepare our students to transition straight into our high school Dance Pathway Program. Students will be introduced to Ballet, Modern & Jazz Dance technique. They will participate in daily technique class where they will build a foundation and understanding of terminology and history of the dance styles stated. Dancers will have a chance to showcase their development in our program with our school & community performances.

Once they transition into 9th grade, students will head into the YACS Dance Pathway. For four years, dancers will be immersed in daily dance techniques and theories. In addition, they will enhance their level of creativity with our Improvisation and Composition classes. In turn, the dancers will choreograph a personal piece as part of their senior project. Each dancer that participates in the four-year scope, will graduate with a state endorsed Certificate of Artistry. This certificate symbolizes the students’ in depth knowledge and conceptual framework of dance as an artform and their use of fluid creativity through self-expression. This will also lay a solid fundamental foundation for the road to higher education, a career path, and a tool for social emotional growth.

YA Dance Department Educators

Kelly S. White, Dance Department Head

Born and raised in New Orleans, LA, Kelly Seph White is a performer, choreographer, researcher and dance educator. She holds a BFA in Dance Performance and Choreography from the University of Southern Mississippi and a M.A. in Dance Education from New York University. Kelly has had the distinct honor to study under the great Jean Leon Destine, Baba Richard Gonzalez, Nia Love, Ron K. Brown, Nadia Dieudonne and Aussettua Amor Amenkum. She is also honored to have trained and performed at the American Dance Festival, Plaza Cuba, New Waves Trinidad, Bates Dance Festival and Jacob’s Pillow. Ms White has performed with Ase Dance Theater Collective, Kumbuka African Drum and Dance Collective, Kwame Ross's Prophecy Dance Works and Nia Love’s Blacksmith’s Daughter. Her choreography has been performed in venues and productions such as the 92nd Street Y, Psychotherapy Network Association Conference, Mixed Flava’s Performance Series, Dance Africa Youth Performance, Feast: A Yoruba Project, and Voices of Congo Square New Orleans where she also served as the Associate Director.
In 2017, Kelly founded and is the Director of EVOLVE Diaspora where she curates weekend intensives, cultural immersion trips, and community classes for professional dancers, researchers, scholars and educators to intensely study dances of the African Diaspora. Kelly has been blessed with opportunities to teach at the New Orleans Dance Festival, Mark Morris Dance Group, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater Extensions Program, Djoniba Dance and Drum Center, Peridance Capezio Center, Dancing Grounds, Psychotherapy Network Association Conference, Dance New Amsterdam, New Orleans Ballet Association and the Urban Bush Women B.O.L.D. Conference. Ms. White is a second-generation educator who has for the past 21 years brought the art form of dance to a host of colleges and public schools located in Louisiana, Georgia, California, Mississippi, Vermont, Texas, New Jersey and New York. She has served as an adjudicator and consultant for the New York City Department of Education Arts Achieve Assessment Pilot Program. In addition, she has worked as a consultant with various Arts organizations in the NYC area developing Arts based curriculum and workshops.

Monique Brogran-Doss, Dance Educator

Monique Brogan-Doss is a professional dance artist, educator and choreographer, born and raised in New Orleans, LA. Monique has been training in dance for 20+ years in a variety of genres of dance. Monique earned her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance Education, at the University of Southern Mississippi . She is also a proud member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc.

Monique has been passionately instructing dance since she was a preteen and hasn’t stopped since. From summer camps to studio classes, master classes to one on one sessions and workshops, She has always found a place with guiding and assisting others in her beloved art form, dance. Monique currently works part time at Young Audiences Upper School and also at Audubon Gentilly, through Young Audiences. She also is the director and lead instructor of POSH Expressions Performing Arts Experience(POSH). POSH is Monique’s local performing arts training program where top notch performing arts and life skills training take place. Monique also does private sessions, workshops and events through her business, POSH Expressions LLC.

Monique is pursuing her goals to be an accomplished performing artist, educator and choreographer both in the states and overseas. A few of Monique's credits include Beyoncé Lemonade project, New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival and Essence Music Festival with Tisha Campbell-Martin & Wendy Raquel Robinson, Bazzi, Drake, The Loverbirds movie and Claws tv series. Monique believes each individual has the potential to be great and do great things. She works to provide guidance, support and inspiration to individuals on their journey to unlocking their true potential.

Tiffany Knighten, Dance Educator

Tiffany Knighten is the founder and artistic director of Nkiruka Drum and Dance Ensemble. Tiffany has over 36 years of experience in dance, acting and professional perfomances. She has received formal training in traditional African Dance, Afro-Modern, modern, ballet, samba, various Brazilian dance styles, jazz, and tap dance.

She has been a principal dancer in many dance companies and teams, most notably: Khadija's School of Dance under the direction of Khadija Williams where she received the foundation of her dance career as a child, focusing in afro-contemporary; Southern University's Dancing Dolls; Young African American Dance Ensemble under the direction of Kai Knight focusing in modern dance; N’kafu Traditional African Dance Company under the direction of Mariama Curry; and Casa Samba focusing on samba, samba-reggae and Afro-Brazilian under the direction of Curtis Pierre.

Tiffany has studied Samba dance styles in Brazil. She also studied under master African Dance teachers including Marie Basse-Wiles, Mouminatou Camara and Youssouff Koumbassa. In January 2015 Tiffany choreographed and danced in the "G.O.M.D" video for nationally renowned recording artist J. Cole. Tiffany has been an African Dance Teacher for Young Audiences since 2013.

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