CityDance DREAM

Kelli Quinn, Founding Director of DREAM, joined the CityDance outreach staff in Spring 2008 as a site coordinator, eventually becoming the Director of the newly titled CityDance Community Programs. Ms. Quinn is now responsible for the development of the flagship DREAM program, spearheading the transition of the program from pure arts education to using art as a vehicle for youth development and behavioral change. Under her direction, all of CityDance's community programs are now grounded in youth development, from programming to administrative direction. Quinn manages teachers and resources and facilitates the growth and promotion of these programs. She graduated magna cum laude with a BFA in Dance Performance from Towson University. Her work as a dance instructor at a pediatric aids organization strengthened her belief in the transformative power of dance in the life of a child.

Chandini Darby is a Washington, DC native, where she began her dance training with the DC Youth Ensemble. She continued her formal training at Spirit Wings Dance Company & Studio through high school and is presently on faculty at their training school. Chandini is a Magna Cum Laude graduate of Towson University with a BFA in Dance Performance. She is also the recipient of the Washington Post Music & Arts Award in Dance Scholarship and is the 2015 recipient of The Kennedy Center’s Local Dance Commissioning Project. Professional credits include: Deeply Rooted Dance Theater (Chicago, Il), Washington Reflections Dance Company, Lula Washington Dance Theater (Los Angeles, CA) and DC Contemporary Dance Theater. Chandini is the Founder and Artistic Director of The Beauty For Ashes Project, a multi-layered arts organization that commits to communicating unpopular and unheard stories using dance and other performing arts genres.  Chandini has been a part of the CityDance family since 2009 and serves as the Co-Director of CityDance DREAM. Being able to give young people dance as a part of their journey gives her true joy. She is the proud wife of Kenny and mother to Josiah and Jazz.

Amber Davis is a Washington, DC native and proud graduate of Towson University where she received her B.F.A. in Dance Performance & Choreography with a minor in Theatre Arts- Magna Cum Laude. She has trained in Musical Theatre under Chet Walker at the School of Jacob’s Pillow. While studying in California, Ms. Davis fell into the world of ballroom dance as a competitor and teaching specialist under the Arthur Murray Dance School, and studied television and film under Troy Roland and Wendy Davis. She has performed alongside renowned artists such as Ella Mai (Singer/Songwriter), Matthew Rushing (Alvin Ailey Dance Company) and Ronald K. Brown (Evidence Dance Company). Some other professional credits include working with the Galli Theatre- New York debuting in Cinderella, Little Red Riding Hood and the Princess and the Pea, and starring in a featured role on “Growing Up Chrisley.” Ms. Davis was a fourth season company member with the Beauty for Ashes Project where she had the opportunity to perform at the Kennedy Center and feature in a dance film. Ms. Davis has been an educator for over six years during which she had the privilege of directing and choreographing for various programs in the DC Metropolitan area. As she continues to pursue her craft, she is always inspired and motivated by her apparent love of the arts.

Janet Imobisa is the Academic Services Manager for CityDance DREAM. She graduated magna cum laude with an MA in African Studies and Research from Howard University and summa cum laude with a BA in Sociology and Africana Studies from Virginia State University. Throughout her academic and professional career, Janet has been an advocate for holistic youth social development and academic achievement as a mentor, counselor and educator.

In addition to her background in education, Janet has worked to establish community partnerships that have helped increase youth’s college and career readiness and personal development. Janet works diligently to provide the support needed to funnel collaborative visionary ideas for the merging of academic and arts education for youth with diverse background and life experiences.

Lesley Adjetey Klufio , a native of Ghana, began dancing hip-hop at the age of 11. Adjetey studied under his uncle, a winner of the World Dance Championship, until age 18, when he decided to branch out and add Ghanaian traditional dance to his repertoire.

With his new goals in mind, Adjetey became a principal dancer for Ghana’s National Dance Company, the Ghana Dance Ensemble, in record time. He was awarded Best Dancer, 2007-2008, for his work in hip-hop and traditional dance. Adjetey danced with the Ghana Dance Ensemble for over nine years, working with some of Ghana’s most elite dance pioneers and professionals including:  F. Nii Yartey (Director, Noyam Dance Institute); Professor Ofosu Adinku (School of Performing Arts, Legon); David Amoo (Director of National Theater Dance Company of Ghana); and Choreographer Bright Terry Ofosu.

Adjetey has also worked with international choreographers like Sheron Wray University of Irvine, California), Brain Jeffery (University of Alaska), Ammadu Sulamana (Dance company of Senegal), Chuck Davis (Director Dance Africa), and H Patton( Director, Inspired Africa, UK). Adjetey has worked as an assistant choreographer to the All African cup of nations in Ghana, also as (2008) ,Co-Director of the Creative Team for Ecowas Games Opening Ceremony (GADEC)  (2012) and Art Consultant/Choreographer for the World Vision Organization (NGO) (2011). He has been toSouth Africa, Senegal, Burkina Faso, Botswana and Guinea, to learn and participate in some of their dance festivals.

After relocating to the United States in 2012, Adjetey has become a sought after performer and teacher. The New York Times mentioned him as “both spectacular and subtle” for his performances with Dance Africa, (NYC , Texas and Carlifonia). Adejety is currently an Adjunct faculty at the Ann Arundel community college and a choreographer for the Soul In Motion Dance and drummers company. Adjetey owns a dance company located in the DMV area (Rythmswithin). Adejetey also teaches in the DC public schools as well as multiple studious and two dance schools with City Dance Conservatory and the Madeira dance company.

Adjetey has taught many master classes across the country at schools like the University of North Texas, The Brokport University In New York, Ann Arundel community College and has toured with multiple dance companies.  Adejety has also performed at some of the prominent theaters in the states like; The Kennedy Center, The Appolo theater, The Bam In New York. In 2012 The New York Times mention Adjetey klufio as being spectacular

Rian Matthews (MA, BA) is the Center Manager for the DREAM Center for Dance. A graduate of Denison University in Granville, Ohio in 2016, Rian earned a Bachelor’s degree in Communication and Dance. Shortly after receiving her BA, she began pursuing a Master’s Degree in Communication Management at the George Washington University’s Columbian School of Arts and Sciences, which she received in May of 2018.

While actively pursuing her Master’s degree, Rian was introduced to the CityDance DREAM program and served as a member of its Youth Development Senior Dance Faculty for two years. Rian also serves as a member of the Leadership Team at Spirit Wings Dance Company & Studio, where she received formal training in the art of dance starting at the age of five. Her passion and dedication to impacting her community in positive and creative ways is a constant goal and driving force in her professional career.

Born and raised in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, Cierra Woods began dancing at the age of three, training in Ballet, Tap and Jazz. In 2016, she graduated from Capital Area School for the Arts Charter School where she was introduced to Modern Dance, Improvisation and Interdisciplinary Art. To follow, Woods earned her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance from Temple University in 2020, where she spent four years working as Stage Manager and Lighting Designer in Conwell Dance Theater as well as Dance Recruitment Assistant in the Dance department. During her time in Philadelphia, she became a member of Eleone Dance Theater’s Pre-Professional Company, Eleone Connections from 2017-2018. Cierra has worked with esteemed artists such as Dara Meredith, S. Ama Wray, Merian Soto, Wen-Chung Lin, Megan Bridge, Kyle and Dinita Clark, and MICHIYAYA Dance. As well as presenting her own work at KYL/D’s Inhale/Exhale Festival and ACDA’s Mid-Atlantic North Adjudication Concert. Recently, Woods has received a certificate in The Cycle: Management of Successful Arts and Cultural Organizations from the University of Maryland. She looks forward to further exploring her artistry in performance and choreography, in addition to strengthening sustainable systems within the arts management sector so all artists have the opportunity to let their gift shine.