ALL INCLUSIVE PERFORMING ARTS COMMUNITY

Brittany Dingle is a Teaching Artist from Indiana. With a degree in Theatre Education from Ball State University, she coaches students in acting and movement, through character development. Brittany also studied playwriting at Columbia College in Chicago. She enjoys acting, choreography, writing, and most importantly, collaborating with others. Brittany’s favorite part of the theatre is seeing how all types of art can come together to make the magic of a production come to life! She is thrilled to continue as an LBC Coach, working with the youngest leaders and performers!

An experienced certified yoga instructor in multiple disciplines, Casie, like many, began her journey from a personal desire to address her own wellness. This effort to maintain balanced mental and physical health would resurface as she evolved through life's seasons. While she was exposed to different forms of yoga throughout her teens, Casie’s first formal introduction to yoga came while learning Bharatnatyam, an Indian form of dance. It was there that she would meet her 1st of many Yoga Guides, Kalindi Narayan. Throughout her creative journey, Casie has participated in community theater projects as an actor, yoga teacher, and wellness guide, as well as a thespian mama!  In the most genuine way, Casie is inspired by helping human souls reach and export their fullest potential. She has passionately been committed to exploring the art of honoring universal truth through self awareness, acceptance, and growth.  Casie welcomes and encourages artists of all trades to join her as we explore and manifest our inner Light.

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Chelsea is excited to be joining LBC! Chelsea has taught K-12 music and choir in public schools, and now owns her own voice studio. She grew up performing in all of the musicals and ensembles in her local theater community, alongside her family. Her love of singing became a career in college when she started performing as a soloist and training as a teacher. She toured around the world with choral groups, premiering new works. In her voice studio, Chelsea works with performing artists and students ages 5 to 55. She strives to nurture the joy of singing and music in everyone!

Dani is pumped to be teaching with LBC! OFF BROADWAY: Rhinoceros (Rhino Productions) REGIONAL: Greek (Boston Lyric Opera), A Man of No Importance (Bad Habit), Six Degrees... (Bad Habit), O Happy Port (Bad Habit TYA), Wakeville Stories (Carr), This Is Treatment (Reviving Visions), A Christmas Carol (The Strand) EDUCATIONAL: Butch Fashion, Seussical, Two Hot Summers, Cinderalla, The Sugar Witch V/O: Amazon Alexa (Boscov Stores Nat'l) FILM/TV: Homicide for the Holidays (Oxygen Channel), Atlantica (Hot Cable).  Dani has formerly taught Shakespeare and Linklater voice technique with Brown Box Theater in Delmarva and The Stage in Tel Aviv, Isr, and the founding theater teacher at Leadership Prep Canarsie Middle School. She currently is the playwriting and musical theater teacher at Brooklyn Prospect High School. BFA; Emerson College MA; Relay Grad School of Education.

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Daysha J Williams is an emerging stage and film actress, teaching artist and dancer. This Brooklyn Native studied devised theater through a classical eye at Clark University in Massachusetts. Since discovering her passion, she has trained and performed at The National Theater of Scotland, Dartmouth College, University of Chicago & Stellar Adler Studios. Since returning to NYC, she has booked two Off Broadway plays, a principal role with Spike Lee, several dance residencies and shows no sign of slowing down! Daysha J Williams is currently touring with Step Show: The Musical. She is proud to bring her passion home as she joins Leaders By Choice. 

Gabrielle Barlatier is a 23 year old Haitian American actor, writer, producer and director born in central New Jersey and raised in the town of North Brunswick. After performing for 11 years in musical theater growing up, she fell away from her art in 2013 when she moved to South Florida. She later attended Florida International University where she earned a Bachelor of Arts in Early Childhood Education and minor in Business Administration. After graduating, in August 2019 Gabi scratched that itch and moved back to the New York/New Jersey area in pursuit of her full-time acting career. She has starred in the Oscar-nominated film short, experimental film "to the girl that looks like me" and several other productions she is proud of. Due to the pandemic, Gabrielle also began writing and producing her own short films and directing a few such as "Not Enough", "Tokyo in NYC" and others. Gabrielle is also the founder and producer of The Conscious Co-Creative Productions LLC, a demo reel service that brings writers and filmmakers together to help new actors produce their own demo reels scenes and build their portfolios. Overall, she is grateful for any opportunity to serve. She is a proud artist and educator excited to work with Leaders By Choice as a Coach and Artivist.

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Traditionally trained in art and education, Imani Schectman ensures underrepresented persons are seen, heard, and understood. She began with visual arts services to help these powerful personalities to showcase their uniqueness. Mediums like photography became her vehicle to document, transform, embrace, heal, and relish in culture, history,tradition, fashion, body, and skin. Imani's work is rooted in transforming and rewriting the commercial and systematic narratives of Black and Brown people. She has always been fascinated by race and beauty, however in contemporary art and print magazines, she couldn't find herself. So she began creating the art and the spaces for people to be recognized for their creative genius, their avante-garde, and really celebrate their magic.  

Jamie is a filmmaker from Tampa, Florida who has been living in Brooklyn since graduating from Florida State University with a BFA in Film Production in 2015 where she produced, wrote, and directed award-winning short films. She has worked professionally as a Production Assistant, Location Scout, Assistant Production Coordinator, Writer's and Director's assistant to Nicole Holofcener, Chris Rock, Liz Garbus, Cindy Chupack, Miranda Bailey, and Sara Colangelo on acclaimed feature films and tv shows such as Broad City (2015), Search Party (2016), Younger (2016), Blackkklansman (2018), Hearts Beat Loud (2018), Otherhood (2019), Lost Girls (2020), Worth (Coming Soon), and many more.

JOSHUA WARNER (Scenic Design) has designed over 75 productions for live performance throughout NYC and regionally; as well as numerous credits in film, television, and special events. He is a full time staff and lecturer of Scenic Design at York College. Joshua believes that by doing our part, wwe can become a more loving, accepting, and equal community, together. 
BFA: Emerson College. @joshuawarnerdesign | www.joshuawarnerdesign.com

Kamryn Vaulx is a recent graduate of Marymount Manhattan College. She graduated with a BFA in Dance and a minor in Business Management. She is from Memphis, TN where she began her dance training at 3 years old. Kamryn has trained for years in styles such as jazz, contemporary, hip hop, tap, ballet, modern, African, and Spanish flamenco. Kamryn is currently a part of Creative Genius, a NYC hip hop company and has worked with Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater and the Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Company. With her versatile dance background, Kamryn hopes to forever inspire those coming behind her and continue to share the love of dance with the world.

Lindsay is honored and thrilled to be a coach for LBC! Lindsay has been performing since she was 5 years old, and has performed in many venues including: Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, The Duplex, The Kennedy Center and Nationals Stadium. Lindsay has produced musicals off-Broadway, and has worked in theatrical general management, booking, and touring, representing Broadway and Off-Broadway shows, dance companies and independent artists. She started her private voice studio in 2012, and currently teaches voice to students ranging in age from 7 to 75. Lindsay is the music teacher at Brooklyn Compass, and truly believes EVERYONE can sing!

Monifa is a new coach with LBC, but is a longtime collaborator of Coach Muhammad's. Born in NYC, Monifa's artistic background began with an 18 year professional career in contemporary dance, rhythm tap dance, choreography and as a dance educator in the NYC public school system.  Her visual artwork has been shown at Art Fair 14C, Audible/Newark Artist Collaboration/Mural Project, Index Art Center Newark, NJ, Feel, Reveal, Heal at The Yard, Washington, D.C., sK.Artspace x Brooklyn Blooms, Brooklyn, NY, Akwaaba Gallery in Newark, N.J., Newark Arts Festival, Art-In-The-Atrium in Morristown, NJ and at the Main Street Arts in Clifton Springs, NY.  She has been published in Root Work Journal and featured in Refresh Magazine, Spoken Black Girl Issue 3 and Plugged Media. Monifa was also a 2021 Manifesting Light Award recipient in which she has used funds to create a self published coloring book and donate copies to those in need. 

Monifa has also received a grant from Project for an Empty Space/Newark Artist Accelerator Grant to kickstart a project called Newark Dances. Newark Dances is committed to supporting the creation of new and diverse dance works by local choreographers and dance artists. Performances will be free and open to the public. The first performance is scheduled to take place in Weequahic Park, Newark, N.J. October 2022.

She received an M.S. in Early Childhood Education from Lehman College, an M.A. in Choreography from the Laban Centre in London, UK and a B.F.A. in Contemporary Dance Performance from The University of the Arts in Phila, P.A.

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Fonda K. Muhammad is the Founder and Artistic Director of Leaders by Choice.  She is a Black Muslim woman who identifies as a BIPOC.  At LBC, Fonda aims to guide each student toward responsible self management via richly motivating and challenging theater and leadership experiences.  Coach Muhammad is an educator, visionary, mentor, collaborator, writer, and a change agent.  As a visionary and long time educator, she has created a myriad of learning environments wherein students learn acceptance as opposed to tolerance.  Fonda taught English Language Arts, directed school productions, and cultivated leadership skills through the magic of theater for three decades in New York before relocating to Raleigh, North Carolina. In addition to growing LBC, Fonda continues the journey of arts education through her work with Raleigh Little Theater, Garner Performing Arts Center, and the Durham Arts Council. With these experiences constantly in mind, Coach Muhammad will continue the work of developing both the artist and activist in our future leaders. The time for artivists is now!

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Najah Imani Muhammad is the Director of Education of LBC. She also manages the NY Chapter of LBC and couldn’t be more thrilled about working with her mother to continue this legacy. Najah is a NY based theatre artist and educator, with disciplines in acting and directing. She received her BA in Theatre Education and Acting from Emerson College in Boston, MA. Najah also frequently hosts live events such as open mics, comedy shows, and cabarets. Regardless of the project, her goal is to use the arts as a communicative tool to bring people together, and start a conversation. Most recently, she has used this drive to direct young people, helping to foster an environment of leadership and growth, while finding cultural relevance in each performance to further strengthen the voices of tomorrow’s leaders. When not performing or directing, Najah can be found working as a Teaching Artist with organizations such as Disney Theatrical Group, The Leadership Program, and Girl Be Heard. She is also the Director of Education and Imagination of Kaiser’s Room, a theatre program which provides performing arts opportunities for individuals of all abilities. Outside of the theater, you may catch Najah talking to strangers on camera or offering her “two cents” through writing, with her advice brand, "Najahknows," and new podcast “Underrepresented Representatives.” @najahknows @underreppedreps.

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Patrick Block is a new LBC Coach and will be teaching Improv for Juniors III this semester.  He also teaches Improv and Acting to kids of all ages. He teaches in Hawaii at Punahou School and the Performing Arts Center of Kapolei (PACK), and he directs children's shows for PACK's Educational Theatre Program. He worked as an actor in New York City and the surrounding area for 13 years. He studied acting and improv at Principia College, the Stella Adler Conservatory of Acting, and the Upright Citizen's Brigade. He is currently enrolled in NYU Steinhardt's MA in Educational Theatre program. 

Born and raised outside Boston, Taylor has always had an itch to entertain. With a strong foundation in all styles of dance, she continues to refine her craft. After high school, Taylor traveled the U.S. with West Coast Dance Explosion and went on to get her Bachelor of Science at Emerson College. While in Boston, she found a new love for theater and immersive art with ToUch Performance Art and the American Repertory Theatre (ART). Since moving to NYC she has worked with lead choreographers Andy Blankenbuehler, Stephanie Klemons, Karla Puno Garcia, and Christopher Gattelli and performed commercially for Samsung, Bud Light, and Dannon Yogurt. Past work includes associate choreographer to Andy Blankenbuehler and Stephanie Klemons for FLY at La Jolla Playhouse, associate choreographer to Karla Puno Garcia with the Off-Broadway production of 1000 Nights and One Day at the new ART/NY Mezzanine Theatre, This is Sadie at NYCCT, and Rock of Ages at PCLO with Stephanie Klemons. Taylor teaches musical theater for young children in Brooklyn through Leaders by Choice at Endeavor Elementary School and Entertainment for Change. She continues to provide private training and workshops throughout NYC and beyond. Most of all, Taylor is a storyteller; a person ready to collaborate and create! @taylorjmcmahon

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