ARTISTIC DIRECTOR

Founder, CEO & Artistic Director Mrs. Antoinette M. Coward-Gilmore is a native of Philadelphia, PA where she began her training at The New Freedom Theatre under the direction of Patricia Scott Hobbs and Faye Snow, Master Teacher of the Lester Horton Technique. Along with training at the New Freedom Theatre, Mrs. Gilmore has studied at the Franklin Learning Center, Pennsylvania Governor School of the Arts, Brenda Lee Dance Studio, and under the training program of the Philadelphia Dance Company.

A graduate of the University of the Arts where she was on the Dean’s List and a graduate of the Steinhardt School of Education of New York University, Mrs. Gilmore received her BFA & MA respectively in Dance Education & Performance from both institutions.

Mrs. Gilmore is one of the founding company members of Eleone Dance Theatre in Philadelphia, PA as well as former company member of Forces of Nature Dance Theater Company in New York NY. With Forces she has toured nationally & internationally appearing on some of the most well known theatres in the Unites States. Mrs. Gilmore has guest appeared with Ballethnic Dance Company in Atlanta, GA, Rod Rodgers Dance Company and Melissa Vaughan Dance Company, both in New York, NY.

Mrs. Gilmore is the original featured dancer and choreographer for the Love Storm Productions, 'Love Suites', & 'Urban Erotica' and has also appeared as a solo artist for Speaking for Women’s Health & Universal Soul Sisters. She has appeared numerous times in Freedom Repertory Theatre as a dancer, and actress in their Barrymore Award winning production of Black Nativity, in addition to being dance captain for their production of Cooley High. Appearing in various additional productions at Freedom Repertory such as Purlie, and Lazarus Unstoned, most recently, Mrs. Gilmore is the massage therapy dancer for Dr. Paul Bodise’s lecture on Therapeutic Healing and choreographer for the Prince Music Theater’s Rainbow Company under the direction of Carolyn Sims-Nesmith.

As a certified New York State Dance Educator, as well as a seminar and workshop facilitator for various arts agencies and dance conferences, Mrs. Gilmore has worked for private conservatories like Harlem School of the Arts, Millennium Dance Company (New York, NY), and is a seasoned Instructor of NFT Performing Arts Training Program (Philadelphia, PA). Having taught at prestigious colleges and universities such as Norfolk State University where she was Director of Dance, University of the Arts, Coppin State University and Grambling University’s Summer Program, she is currently an adjunct instructor of dance at Temple University and Director of Modern Dance at Imhotep Institute Charter High School.

Mrs. Gilmore has appeared on the panel of One Hundred Black Women, New York Chapter to advocate the need for arts education in today’s society as well as utilizing proper physical fitness as a means for a stress free, more spiritually, and productive lifestyle.

Antoinette M. Coward-Gilmore is a member of the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated and Actor’s Equity Association, in addition to being an Advisory Board Member of Eleone Dance Theatre and Grant Panelist for Philadelphia Cultural Arts Fund 2008.

RESIDENT CHOREOGRAPHER

Shawn-Lamere Williams, a native Philadelphian began his dance training with Cheryl V. Sheppard and studied with Faye B. Snow, Leon Evans, Traci Hall, Jaye Allison, Milton Myers, Denise Jefferson, and James Truitte, just to name a few. He was a scholarship recipient for the Alvin Ailey School of Dance in NYC, Philadanco in Philadelphia, and is a graduate of the High School for the Creative and Performing Arts (CAPA) in Philadelphia, all where he has trained with various teachers.

Shawn-Lamere has performed and traveled with such companies as Juba Contemporary Theater, LEJA Dance Theatre, New Freedom Theatre Repertory Theatre, Mark Scott Dancers, Danco II, and Philadanco. He has appeared on television and major screen in the film "Beloved".

He has also had the honor of performing with and for such celebrities as Patti LaBelle, Cab Calloway, Grover Washington Jr., Howard Hewitt, Melba Moore, Jeane Carne, The Winans, Wynton Marsalis, Raye Avery, Carol Riddick, Coretta Scott King, and Reverand Jesse Jackson.

Shawn-Lamere has taught and choreographed many ballets and theatre productions for CAPA's Dance and Drama Departments, Philadanco II, LEJA Dance Theatre, Eleone Dance Theater, New Freedom Theatre Dance Department & Repertory Theatre, Christina Cultural Arts Center & Dance Ensemble, Phila. School of Dance Arts, Wm. Meredith Elemantary School, Wanamaker Middle School & Elements of Style.

He has also conducted master classes at Cheney University & Hampton University for the Black College Dance Exchange. His many awards include a Liberty Bell from the Mayor of Philadelphia, citations and commendations from Philadelphia City Council, NAACP Act-So, Phila. Board of Education, 100 Black Men of Philadelphia, Lawrence Epstein Choreographers Award, 1992 listing in Who's Who Among Young Professionals In America, a 1996 listing as one of the Outstanding Young Americans, a 1998 Dance Advance grant funded by the Pew Charitable Trust, and a Channel 17 UNSUNG Hero 2002. He has also received the Teacher of the Year and Outstanding Teacher Award from The Philadelphia School of Dance Arts, the school of Philadanco. Shawn-Lamere is a former co- director for Philadanco II.

Currently, he serves as the director for Christina Cultural Arts Center Dance Ensemble in Wilmington, Delware, and the Wm. Meredith School Dance Department in Philadelphia, PA. Shawn- Lamere is the Artistic Director of Eleone Dance Theatre.

 

 

ADMINISTRATIVE DIRECTOR

A native of Buffalo, New York, Takiyah Nur Amin was born into the union of Karima and the late Abdul Jalil Amin. With education as a priority, Miss Amin matriculated early from high school and went on to earn a BA in Dance from the State University of New York at Buffalo and an MFA in Theatre Arts (Arts Administration) from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University.

Miss Amin has facilitated the education of tomorrow’s leaders as an instructor in the Department of History and in the Africana Studies Program at Virginia Tech, in addition to her role as Outreach Coordinator for the Race and Social Policy Research Center, serving her community as Religious Education Assistant at the Unitarian Universalist Congregation and teaching Afrocentric Movement at The Center of Dance in Blacksburg, Virginia.

Her research has been presented at the Black Women, Mental Health & Faith Conference (Greensboro, NC-2006) American Political Science Association Annual Meeting (Washington, DC-2005), The International Congress on Research in Dance (Montreal, Canada-2005), the African Heritage Studies Association Annual Conference (Roanoke, Virginia-2004) and the International Colloquium for Vernacular, Hispanic, Historical, American and Folklore Studies (Puebla, Mexico-2003).

As an advocate for community engagement and service, Takiyah has been the recipient of two Image Awards from the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP)as Graduate Woman of the Year (2004) and Faculty Woman of the Year (2005), as well as earning several honors for volunteerism, leadership and the promotion of tolerance and diversity.

Miss Amin is co-founder of the Direct Resistance of Privilege (D.R.O.P.) Alliance, an organization created to address issues of racism, exploitation and institutional bias at Virginia Tech. Furthermore, Takiyah is an active member of the Order of Eastern Stars- PHA (Booker T. Washington, #36) and national president of Malika Kambe Umfazi Sorority, Inc., a non-Greek lettered, Afrikan/Latino-based sisterhood dedicated to educating, empowering and assisting women around central issues critical to their quality of life.

Currently, Takiyah Nur Amin is pursuing a Ph.D. in Dance as a Future Faculty Fellow at Temple University in Philadelphia, PA.