Dance Educators of Durham Public Schools
TO CREATE. TO INSPIRE. TO DANCE.
R.N. Harris
Elementary School
Northern
High School
Toya J. Chinfloo, M.Ed, founder of DPS Destination Dance and Lead Dance Educator for Durham Public Schools, currently serves on the faculty of RN Harris Integrated Arts/Core Knowledge Magnet School. Ms. Chinfloo created and developed the dance program at Durham School of the Arts and is the first African American dance teacher to have served on its faculty. Ms. Chinfloo’s extensive professional touring history, from Hong Kong to South Africa, to Zimbabwe and the Caribbean, informs her international perspective on dance which she views as an art serving social, political and diplomatic functions. As a dance ambassador she appreciates the power of sharing cultural and traditional dance forms in contemporary spaces.
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Ms. Chinfloo achieved the level of principal dance artist with one of the oldest premier African American Dance Company in the United States, The Chuck Davis’ African American Dance Ensemble, having performed with the company for over 30 years.
This New Jersey native received training by world renowned teachers and performed with legendary artists in dance theatre such as Dr. Katherine Dunham, Lucille Ellis, Tommy Gomez, Vanoye Aikens,Talley Beatty, Alwin Nikolais, Lucille Hill, Ronnie Marshall, Milton Myers, Alfred Gallman, Bill T. Jones, H.T. Chen, Dr. Pearl Primus, Mabel Robinson, Larry Leon Hamlin, Dr. Kariamu Welsh, Titos Sompa, Ronald K. Brown, Mr. Mo-Mpongo and Dr. Chuck Davis.
As a community advocate, Ms. Chinfloo uses dance to motivate and activate pro-social change in the community. As one of Durham’s City Arts grant recipients, Toya J.Chinfloo produced M2K- Mothers 2000, a two-day arts experience designed to empower and build esteem in mothers, as well as, unpack and promote appreciation of mothering as a legitimate art. Chinfloo spearheaded the Ruffles Building Bridges program partnering with local organizations (The Scrap Exchange, Jewels Feeding Friends and Extremelydia) and used the arts to engage culturally diverse families of the Latinx and African American community.
Connecting collaboration and activism is an important component of Ms. Chinfloo’s dance career. Some of Chinfloo’s choreographic works and collaborations include: African American Cultural Festival’s televised 2020 Annual Kwanzaa Celebration; 2020-21 Justice Theater Project‘s Black Nativity with Dr. Kristi Johnson; American Dance Festival’s 2020 Creative Parade; Hillside High School’s The Color Purple with Valencia Lipscomb; “My Body” music video with community activist/ music producer /recording artist Pierce Freelon and Rissi Palmer (which has currently received over 15 thousand views); and True Dream Productions and Walltown Children’s Theater’s, Durham Nutcracker.
In 2020, Toya Chinfloo launched the Chinfloo Cultural Arts Dance Ensemble which is devoted to continuing arts edutainment and fostering the development of young artists. Additionally, she joined the North Carolina Central University Theater & Dance Department as an adjunct professor, honoring the legacy of her beloved mentor the late Baba Chuck Davis.
Stephanie Leathers is a photographer, choreographer, artist, educator, maker of things (dance and otherwise) and
Durham native. Stephanie is a former member of Renay Aumiller Dances (NC), Elojes Dance Theater (NYC), John
Gamble Dance Theater (NC) and the Off-Broadway production of The Time Machine (NYC). She has also had the
pleasure of performing with Mark Dendy, David Dorfman Dance Company (in underground world premiere), Gerri
Houlihan, The Little Green Pig Theatrical Concern (NC), Kirby Reed and B.J. Sullivan among others.
She holds a Masters in Dance Theories and Practices (with a focus in Education) from The University of North Carolina
at Greensboro. As an undergraduate, Stephanie studied at Columbia College Chicago and The University of North
Carolina at Greensboro. Her early dance training and movement studies began at Giordano Dance Chicago, Lou Conte
Dance Chicago, and the Paul Taylor School in New York City. Stephanie is a former faculty member of The American
Dance Festival and The Ballet School of Chapel Hill. Leathers has taught as a visiting guest artist at Ballet Ketchikan
(Alaska), Capitol Movement (Washington, D.C,) and various public schools and studios across the United States. She has
served as a panelist and documentarian for Tobacco Road Dance Productions in Durham, NC.
Her work has been presented in numerous galleries, festivals and publications (VAE, Plieades Art Gallery, The Gallery,
Guest Room Project Space, The Carrack, NCDF, SARUS, FRINGE, Langly Magazine, Rubenstein Library at Duke University,
Power Plant Gallery) throughout the United States. Stephanie is the founder/curator of Durham-based SITES
(sitesinthecity.com); experimental art and performance in alternative spaces in Durham and surrounding cities.
Stephanie’s SITES has long been a platform for artists of all disciplines to shed light on necessary issues and create
accessible art for the community at large.
In her spare time, Stephanie is a freelance photographer, documentarian and writer; her writing, covering the arts in
NC, has been published via the News & Observer among other publications. Currently, Stephanie is the Lead Arts
Course Designer and Lead Dance Educator for Durham Public Schools.
Kristen Beres earned her Bachelors of Dance and Fine Arts from East Carolina University in 2010 and has been teaching dance for over 10 years. She began teaching in the North Carolina public school system in 2016 and is truly enjoying her transition into Durham Public Schools! She completed the Central Carolina Teaching Initiative program (CCTI) and received her Professional Educator License in 2020.
Kristen began her dance training at age 5 and has trained in all styles of dance including jazz, contemporary, lyrical, ballet, hip-hop, musical theatre, & tap. Over the years, she has worked at private dance studios and has spent many summers/weekends attending dance workshops and conventions to keep up with the latest choreography and teaching styles. She has trained students from preschool age to adult but is currently thriving with elementary age. She has directed many dance performances and loves to set choreography on individuals or groups. She believes in positive, high energy classes that give students a safe place to express themselves.
Kristen hopes to inspire generations to come through dance as her teachers have inspired her. A fun fact is that she is married to retired Carolina Ballet soloist, Oliver Beres. Outside of the dance room - she can be found walking her dog, spending quality time with family and friends and of course traveling!
W.G. Pearson
Elementary School
Marie Hopkins began dancing at the age of 8 studying ballet, tap, jazz, and modern dance in her hometown of Queens, NY. Marie trained at the Alvin Ailey American Dance Center in New York City for five years before joining the Alvin Ailey American Summer Institute as an Intern in 1992 studying Graham, Horton and Dunham techniques.
She graduated from Penn State University in 1995 with a Bachelor of Arts degree and a minor in Interdisciplinary Dance. While at Penn State she was the Artistic Dance Director of Nommo Performing Arts Company. Marie was a member of the regional NA’ADE in Philadelphia, performing traditional African and Modern Dance from 1995-1997. She performed at Carnegie Hall in New York City as a member of the Rosemarie Lindt Dance Company during the 1998-1999 season. She moved to North Carolina in 2000 where she began teaching dance in Wake County and Durham Public schools.
Marie has been teaching dance in Durham City Public Schools for the past 15 years. In 2019, Marie was privileged to represent Club Blvd Elementary as a district Semi-Finalist for Teacher of the Year. She enjoys working with students from dance studios all over Durham and lives with her husband James and their two children.
Kyra Alston is a Durham native and began dancing at the age of 3 studying jazz, ballet, lyrical and contemporary. During her high school years, she was able to add modern dance to her rep. Kyra joined Empower Senior Dance company and performed at charity events such as Ernie Barnes Tribute and local National Dance Days.
Currently, she has returned to her alma mater Carrington Middle School where she has been the dance director for the past 4 years. Although this year has been challenging it has afforded creative ways of virtual teaching for, she and her students. Outside of Carrington, Kyra teaches dance for Pre-k through Elementary school students at Empower Dance Studio and through Artistry, her young adults dance company. She is also a volunteer for special adult programs at North Regional Library pre-covid.
With her strong passion for dance and the arts, the future is limitless for Kyra however she’s enjoying her time working with the students in Durham Public Schools and wants to continue teaching in hopes they will love dance as much as she does.
Club Boulevard
Elementary School
Carrington
Middle School
Erin Wright Kalfas started dancing when she was two and a half years old. Her sister was taking a dance class and started crying because she didn’t want to dance and well, Erin popped out her pacifier and said “Leave her alone momma I do it.” This started her life long passion for dance. Erin danced at Nina’s School of Dance for 14 years
and was a company member for 7 of those years. During these years she got the opportunity to take master
classes with Jose Meier, Gus Giordano, and Nan Giordano. She also was a dancer in the Miss NC pageant in 1996.
Erin graduated from East Carolina University with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Dance Performance. Dance Performance majors are chosen by faculty and must undergo an annual faculty jury to stay in the program. She studied under Tommi Overcash Galaska, Joseph Carow, Patti Weeks, as well as other dance instructors. She was
cast is Senior Choreography pieces all four years, and was chosen to perform in Dance Theatre in 1999, 2000, 2001, and 2002. She also attended ACDFA and performed in pieces that were chosen as well in 2002. Her Senior Choreography piece was chosen to be adjudicated at ACDFA in 2002.
Erin also attended Jazz Dance World Congress in the summer of 2002, where she performed “Creatures” choreographed by Tommi Galaska. She attended The Gus Giordano intensive under the instruction of Nan
Giordano and several of Giordano’s company members. At ECU, she had the opportunities to take class from Mia Micheals, Eddie Campo, and Mark Dendy. In the summer of 2003 she attended Pure Movement workshop in Philadelphia with Rennie Harris.
Erin is currently teaching at Nina’s School of Dance and has been for 19 years and now at Durham School of the
Arts. She also choreographs routines for dance competitions, gymnasts floor routines, and performances. She also volunteers many hours to a jazz show benefit for Duke Children’s Hospital called Multiple Choices were she helps
choreograph. She delivered twins two weeks before Nina’s big recital and came back two weeks after birth to finish out the younger recital. Very dedicated and passionate about her work and career.
Durham School
of the Arts
Rondejia King is a new and passionate dance teacher, but she is not foreign to the
importance of a solid foundation. Rondejia’s dance journey begins in a number of technical
dance studios located in Atlanta, Georgia. In these studios she was able to train in ballet, jazz,
modern, hip-hop, tap, and lyrical. Rondejia continued to fuel her passion by using her free time
to lead majorette dance teams, train in professional classes, and attend collegiate dance
workshops. With hard work and dedication, Rondejia was able to audition and place into the
Dance program and North Carolina A&T State University. This program furthered her training
while she gained performance experience locally and abroad with the E.Gwynn Dance
Company.
Just prior to completion of her Bachelor of Arts degree, Rondejia studied at Edna
Manley College of Visual and Performing Arts abroad in Kingston, Jamaica. This experience
was humbling, fun, and just the kick off she needed to heighten her versatility.
As a recent college graduate and beginner dance teacher, Rondejia has entered DPS qualified,
excited, and ready to share her versatility in the artform. She is currently obtaining her K-12
Dance licensure with the Central Carolina Teaching Initiative while tackling her first year of
middle school dance teaching, virtually! The present and future of Ms. King’s dance students
are what she calls, a “breaking ground” for the virtual world. She cannot wait to see what her
future as an Arts Educator will reveal.
Neal
Middle School
Kaykeel Dillard is a graduate from UNC at Greensboro with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Choreography and Performance with K-12 Licensure. In the midst of attaining her dance degree she also decided to minor in African American Studies. Ms. Dillard began exploring her interest in dance while dancing in church and at NAACP meetings. After affirming her passion for expressing messages and emotions through dance she began attending certain conservatories and academies.
Kaykeel began her training at Debbie Allen’s Dance Academy in Los Angeles, California. There she trained in Hip-Hop, Ballet, African and Contemporary/ Modern Dance. She also went to Pasadena School of the Arts and began finding an interest in performing. Ms. Dillard believes in being a versatile dancer and her choreography demonstrates this belief.
Currently, she is the dance director at C.E Jordan High School. She has found a skill in teaching dance, virtually, due to the pandemic. Kaykeel is optimistic on where dance will take her whether it be in performance or choreography, every opportunity is a chance to try something new.
Jordan
High School
Kristin Taylor Duncan is a native of Durham, NC. She is a BFA graduate of the UNC School of the Arts. Mrs. Duncan has trained at Jacob's Pillow, and on scholarship at the Lou Conte Dance Studios in Chicago. In New York, she apprenticed with Urban Bush Women, and worked with choreographers Nathan Trice, Bridget Moore, Christal Brown, Shani Collins, Ayo Jackson and Sidra Bell. Kristin has performed with Dr. Kariamu Welsh and Nnenna Freelon in the Clothesline Muse, cellist and vocalist Shana Tucker, Andrea E. Woods Valdez, Helen Simoneau, Mexico City-based Tania Perez-Salas Compania de Danza, Juel Lane, Gaspard Louis, nosi DANCE theatre, as well as created and performed works with Yuxtadanza Compania de Danza of Venezuela.
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Kristin performed with Helen Simoneau for the DANCE X Tour traveling to Montreal, Tokyo and Busan, South Korea. She has taught in UNCSA’s preparatory program, for the Festival of North Carolina Dance, Slippery Rock and also as a guest teacher at Durham School of the Arts and Tri-Cities Performing Arts School in Atlanta, GA.
For two seasons Kristin joined the Community Choral Project at UNC Chapel Hill as the High School choreographer. She has also worked with the Glenwood Elementary award winning 5TH grade Show Choir. Kristin has choreographed works for the elementary students participating in Evening of Entertainment presented by Durham Public Schools performed at the Durham Performing Arts Center.
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Mrs. Duncan is a proud recipient of the Ella Fountain Pratt Emerging Artist Grant producing her first concert for KT COLLECTIVE. Since the founding days of KT COLLECTIVE, she has been commissioned to create works by Helen Simoneau, NC Museum of Art, the Nasher Museum, NC Museum of History and Myra Weiss of Proxemic Media. Currency, KT COLLECTIVE is working on a film installation scheduled for release in May 2021. Most recently Kristin has performed a solo work choreographed by Jasmine Powell. Ms. Powell also invited Kristin to perform in the “Problem PSA” music video by music vocalist Kwanza Jones.
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Kristin participated in the “Feedback: The Institution for Performance '' program hosted and directed by Carolina Performing Arts. She is also on the Creative Healing Parade Committee for American Dance Festival as well as a North Carolina Dance Festival Ambassador.
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Kristin is the Dance Director at Riverside High School as well as the liaison for the CAPS program and the district's Virtual Dance Event Co-Coordinator for the 2020 - 2021 school year. In addition, Ms. Duncan teaches at Encore Academy of Dance, Ballet School of Chapel Hill and is in her first semester as an Adjunct Professor in the Duke Dance Program.
Bernadine Fields has trained in an array of styles ranging from hip hop, classical ballet, jazz, and modern. She has over 16 years of teaching and performance experience. She first received her training in modern dance from the North Carolina School of the Arts in Winston-Salem and went on to receive her degree in Dance Education with K-12 licensure at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro.
She is currently the dance director for the performing arts at Southern School of Energy and Sustainability where she enjoys teaching and giving back to the community. She also teaches in several local studios in the triad area where she is a regular and guest teacher and choreographer for companies and competition teams. Many of the students from her program have successfully gone on to pursue dance careers and have been very successful in their fields.
Bernadine enjoys teaching and performing and strives to push not only her students but also herself to the next level. A performer herself, she has also had experience in the entertainment industry. Her experience includes concert stage, live stage performances, and appearances in film/television. Her credits include the movie Bolden! Disney's Step Up 3, TLC Network, Marcus Anderson Unlimited Tour, NuParadigm Entertainment Company, Elevate Production Company, Bellan Contemporary Dance Theatre, and more.
Riverside
High School
Southern
High School
Richard Patten was born in Fayetteville, NC. He started his dance training at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill where he received his B.A. in Communication Studies. At Chapel Hill, Mr. Patten did many musicals with the UNC Pauper Players and he danced with the modern dance troupe, ModernExtension. This is where he met Marian Turner, teacher and director. She had a huge impact on him by encouraging him to pursue a dance career in New York City.
Mr. Patten auditioned for the Juilliard School and was accepted in 1994. Mr. Patten attended Juilliard from 1994-97 and studied under the direction of Mr. Benjamin Harkarvy, artistic director. He began his choreographic endeavors at Juilliard as well as being chosen to choreograph in the Choreo/Comp Concert at Alice Tully Hall in his junior year. While at Juilliard, Mr. Patten furthered his dance training by attending the American Dance Festival, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, and Cleveland Ballet as a scholarship student over the summer.
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After Juilliard, Mr. Patten was cast in the 1st National Broadway Tour of “The King and I”. He left the tour to pursue a career in concert dance. He apprenticed with the Bill T. Jones Dance Company for 1 year, and he also worked with choreographer/teacher, Kevin Wynn in the Kevin Wynn Collection. Mr. Patten also performed with the New York City Opera in Lincoln Center doing 3 operas with the company. Mr. Patten then joined Terry Creach in his modern dance company, Creach Company. He was able to learn the art of contact improvisation with Mr. Creach and taught at residencies in Mexico City and across the United States.
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Mr. Patten was performing in the Broadway Bares/ Equity Fights Aids production when he auditioned for French pop singer, Mylene Farmer. He was hired to be one of her dancers in her concert in Europe and he toured with Mylene in Europe making television appearances on Hit Machine and the NRJ Awards Show in Cannes, France.
Upon returning to the United States, Mr. Patten began to get involved in the commercial side of dance. He danced on Saturday Night Live, Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, and did a national commercial for Herbal Essence Shampoo. He then ventured back to Europe on Celebrity Cruise Line as a dancer in their show choreographed by Broadway choreographer, Wayne Cilento.
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Mr. Patten came back to NC to visit his sister and began teaching at West Johnston High School. He taught at West for 11 years and built his dance department from the ground up. He became Head of the Fine Arts Department and Coach of the West Johnston Dance Team. Mr. Patten led his team to a 2-time National Championship at Dance Machine Dance Competition. His dance team has received the highest recognition at Edge Dance Camp as well as dance competitions throughout NC receiving Diamond Awards. Mr. Patten also had the pleasure of directing and choreographing the musicals at WJHS. WJHS won “Best Musical” at the Triangle Rising Star Awards for “The Wizard of Oz” and “Most Outstanding Choreography” for “Guys and Dolls”.
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Mr. Patten is excited to be teaching at Durham School of the Arts. He has lead the DSA Dance Department to a 2 time State Championship at the NCASA Dance Festival. His company has received top honors in lyrical/contemporary , hip hop, jazz, dance team and student choreography. He believes that dance as an art form can instill positive qualities in children. He strives for the best from his students and maintains a high standard of excellence. He currently teaches DSA Company, Ensemble, Fundamentals, and middle school.
Durham School
of the Arts
Joyce Emilie Raleigh (Wilmington, North Carolina) is a performing and teaching artist in Durham, North Carolina. In the five years since graduating from UNC at Greensboro, she has been teaching at Sandy Ridge Elementary School.
She has a wide variety of experiences ranging from costuming for the American Dance Festival to performing at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. After moving to Durham, NC in 2016, she has pushed to become involved in the local dance scene by: stage-managing for local company shows, costuming and performing with local choreographers, and teaching at ADF’s Samuel H. Scripps Studios. She inspires her fellow dancers and students to be present and treat every moment as temporary.