Stephanie Jojokian

Co-Founder, Executive Director

Stephanie Jojokian, co-founder and Executive Director, founded Capitol Movement (CMI) in October 2005 with Amber Yancey to elevate the level of training for dancers with diverse socioeconomic backgrounds and cultures.  The goal was to level the playing field in dance to give more opportunities to underserved communities.   After a trip to dance in Los Angeles, Stephanie came back inspired by Andre Fuentes’s classes.  The idea of bringing elite training in all styles to D.C. was the premise behind CMI as well as the opportunity to perform on stage at theatres like The Kennedy Center and The Historic Lincoln Theatre for the working D.C. artists and youth previously never given this chance.  That started the first Capitol Movement Project concert in 2005.  After the concert, then Executive Director of The Historic Lincoln Theatre, Janice Hill, asked Stephanie and co-founder Amber Yancey if Capitol Movement would be the resident company of the Lincoln Theatre.  Her words were “we represented the diversity of the people in D.C. where audiences could see people that looked like them.”  To this day CMI productions always also explores relevant and current social issues. 

Stephanie has had a tenured career in dance choreography, education and leadership. She spent 17 years with the NFL Washington Commanders, leading the cheerleaders,choreographing and producing shows for overseas military goodwill tours, and eventually transitioning to a Marketing leadership role. She won two NFL best practice awards for her Women’s History Month campaign and created and launched the NFL’s first all-female podcast. She also created the NFL’s first competitive youth team and summer youth dance programs.

Prior to joining The Commanders, she spent eight years as Director and Choreographer of the NBA Washington Wizards Dancers. While with The Wizards, she founded the “Wiz Kidz” Wizards Juniors Dancers program.

Stephanie launched her dance career during her undergraduate years, when she founded UNC Greensboro’s dance team. “The Spartan Gs,” which is still in existence today. 

Stephanie has danced and toured worldwide across twenty countries performing and producing Military Appreciation Tours for the NBA and NFL, Urban Moves and Capitol Movement.  Stephanie has danced professionally with the NBA, NFL, Urban Moves Hip Hop Company, Carla & Company (Carla Perlo, the Founder of Dance Place), Modern Company, and was a member of Tony Powell Music and Movement Contemporary Company.

Stephanie graduated with a BS in Broadcast Journalism and minored in dance at UNC-Greensboro. After graduating from undergrad, Stephanie studied at Alvin Ailey in NYC.  She went on to receive her MBA in Business Administration from Purdue Global University. Most recently, she was a Professor of Marketing Strategy at The Georgetown University Continuing Studies Master’s Program.   

Stephanie’s sons Max & Cam have danced with the CMI Kidz company since they were five years old.  She is most proud of growing the next generation of dancers and has mentored many young professionals that have gone on to perform with music industry artists and large-scale productions.  Stephanie currently works for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.