2016 | Capitol Movement Dance Studio

Headline dancers for the DC Mayor’s Arts Awards
Feature performers on the Main ANA Stage at the Cherry Blossom Festival
Guest performers during DC Funk Parade
Performed in VelocityDC Dance Festival at the Shakespeare Theater in DC
Inaugural Capitol Movement Community Showcase show (Virtuoso)
Scholarship recipient Michael Hibbs graduated with a degree in Dance Performance from Oklahoma City University with multiple job opportunities upon graduation

Brandi McAleese

CMI Faculty

Brandi started dancing when she was 3 years old. Throughout her teenage years, she trained at several local studios. After graduating from high school, she moved to Virginia Beach to continue her studies in dance at Denise Wall’s Dance Energy. She studied and trained with many professional teachers and choreographers such as, Denise Wall, Travis Wall, Michelle Smith, Danny Tidwell, Ivan Koumaev, Jaimie Goodwin, Tara Foy, Jason Parsons, Tony Testa, Lauren Adams and many others. She traveled to New York City to dance at The Hudson Theater for the ACE Awards performing in Travis Wall's piece, "It's Gonna Be A Long Walk". She also had the opportunity to perform at The Joyce Theater in New York City to help raise money and awareness for Dancers Responding to Aids.

Brandi is professionally trained in ballet, jazz, lyrical, contemporary, hip-hop, tap and musical theater and has received training in ballroom dancing, tumbling, acting and singing. In 2010, Brandi made it through to “Vegas Week” on Season 7 of Fox’s So You Think You Can Dance, finishing in the top 96 dancers out of thousands who auditioned for the show.

Brandi currently teaches advanced levels of contemporary, lyrical, jazz and ballet and choreographs for several competitive studios in the Northern Virginia area. Brandi has also taken a lot of time to study the anatomy and physiology of the human body and loves to incorporate that knowledge into her teaching. She encourages her students to find an equal balance between strength and artistry. Brandi loves to teach and inspire dancers and hopes to share all that she has learned!

Rebecca Weiss

Choreographer

Rebecca Weiss is a dancer, choreographer and educator in the Washington area. Rebecca received her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance and Choreography from Virginia Commonwealth University. She’s also studied and trained traveled at Consorzio Universitario Mediterraneo Orientale in Noto, Sicily. Rebecca has interned with Dance Place and is currently a company member, board member, and teaching artist for Jane Franklin Dance. She has worked with ClancyWorks Dance Company, performing at the American Dance Institute and Through the Fourth Wall Productions in "A Dream Within A Dream: Madness” and "Legally Blonde" at the Little Theatre of Alexandria. Additionally, she has performed throughout the District at VelocityDC Dance Festival, Atlas INTERSECTIONS Festival, and Capital Fringe Festival.

MEDIA ADVISORY:

DC, Maryland, and Virginia Artists Unite for a commUNITY Showcase

Contact: Hilary Tone, Communications Coordinator Info@capitolmovement.org

(Washington, DC) MARCH 11, 2018 – Capitol Movement Inc. (CMI) is pleased to announce that more than seven local artists will unite for an arts CommUNITY Showcase on Saturday, March 17 at the Montgomery College Cultural Arts Center in Silver Spring, MD. The featured artists represent various styles of dance and musical arts from Virginia, Maryland, and Washington, DC.

Capitol Movement is a Washington, DC-based nonprofit organization seeking to build better lives through dance. In addition to boasting a Professional Dance Company, a Pre-Professional Company, and Kidz Program, CMI raises scholarship money for DC-area youth and provides free dance classes and performances to public school children. The Professional Dance Company recently returned from a 10-day military appreciation tour with Armed Forces Entertainment, performing for US troops stationed in Kuwait, Bahrain, and Djibouti. This marked their seventh tour overseas.

Capitol Movement is honored to share the stage with so many local talents, including:

Bowen McCauley Dance Company
Dr. Badlove and the Remedies
Future Shock DC
Gracie’s Guys and Gals
Motion X Dance
NishoSoul

“DC has a thriving arts community, including some incredible music and dance artists,” said Stephanie Jojokian, Director and Co-Founder of CMI. “We host this community showcase not only to share our love of dance with the DMV area, but to boost other local artists who have extraordinary talent.”

This marks CMI’s second CommUNITY Showcase after hosting the inaugural performance in June 2016 at Woodrow Wilson High School in Washington, DC. Tickets can be purchased here on the Capitol Movement website.

WHEN:
Saturday, March 17, 2018, 7:00-8:30 PM

WHO:
Capitol Movement and Special Guests

WHERE:
Montgomery College Cultural Arts Center
7995 Georgia Ave
Silver Spring, MD 20910

Press interested in more information, including interviews, photos, or videos, are encouraged to email the Capitol Movement Communications Coordinator at info@capitolmovement.org.

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Capitol Movement’s (CMI) Mission is to build better lives through dance. CMI provides programs and opportunities for all dancers, regardless of socioeconomic barriers, through studio classes, workshops, outreach, scholarships, and a variety of community engagements. Follow Capitol Movement on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. Follow Mackenize Testa on all social media @mackenzietesta.

Shontal Snider

Rehearsal Director

Shontal Snider is a founding member of the Capitol Movement Dance Company. She performed with CMI for 6 years and led the NBA Jr. Wizards and WNBA Mystics Mayhem dance team as the assistant director for 3 seasons. Shontal has also founded her own dance crew called G.U.M. Crew and teaches throughout the DC, MD, VA area.

Ayanna Quandary

CMI Faculty

Ayanna Quander was born in Washington, DC and studied ballet performance at The University of the Arts. As a teenager she studied at The Dance Institute of Washington run by Fabien Barns, former dancer of The Dance Theater of Harlem. Ayanna has studied at institutes such as The Alvin Ailey School and The Rock School for Dance Education and she has worked with choreographers including Ronen Koresh, Tommy Waheed, and Douglas Becker, to name a few.

She continues to follow her dream while educating the younger generations by teaching dance at facilities such as; Making Moves Dance Collective, The Dance Institute of Washington, The Little Gym of Alexandria, The University of the Arts, and Capitol Movement Studio.

Emma Presing

CMI Faculty

Growing up, Emma Presing travelled the country assisting at such conventions as Hollywood Vibe, DanceMakers, and Intrigue Dance Intensive. At Intrigue, she was given the opportunity to choreograph numerous opening numbers for the welcome shows as well as the finale piece at last year’s nationals gala. She has taught workshops and choreographed for such organizations as Joy of Motion Dance Center, Capitol Movement, The Movement Studios, and Gainesville Dance Center. Her choreography is a fusion of contemporary and hip hop that is rooted deeply in musicality and groove. Emma just finished her first year of college in LA, where she continued her training and worked with Matt Cady, Andrew Winghart, and others.