Ailey Arts In Education Revelations Community Workshop

Amos Machanic, Jr. (Miami, FL) is currently a Teaching Artist with Ailey Arts In Education & Community Programs. Mr. Machanic studied dance at the New World School of the Arts and continued his training at The Ailey School where he was a fellowship recipient. Mr. Machanic was a member of Ailey II and joined the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater in 1996. During his years with the company, Mr. Machanic had the pleasure of traveling across the globe. In 2010, he performed at the White House tribute to Judith Jamison and now enjoys being a freelance artist and teacher.

Roderick Jackson (Cleveland, OH) is currently a Teaching Artist and Percussionist for Ailey Arts In Education & Community Programs. He began his interest in percussive music at age 10. In 1990, his relocation to New York City propelled intensive study of the rhythms, dances, and instruments involved in multiple cultures, including those of Afro-Brazilian, West African, South African, Angolan, Korean, and Haitian origin. Mr. Jackson was formerly the music director for Batoto Yetu Children’s African Dance Company and has collaborated with several additional dance companies, including Chet walker’s Eight and Ah 1 Dance Ensemble, Omar Edwards’ Jeremiah Funk Ensemble, David Pleasant’s Riddim Athon Percussion Ensemble, and Young Soon Kim’s White Wave Rising Dance Company. Mr. Jackson has also recorded commercial works for The Children’s Television Workshop, Sesame Street, Rabbit Ears Productions, Nickelodeon, Angelina Ballerina, The Smithsonian Institute, and the motion picture Beloved. He understudied for the lead percussionist role of Chaka in the Broadway musical Marie Christine, starring Audra Mc Donald. Mr. Jackson has been a faculty member at several notable dance institutions, including Jacob’s Pillow, the Department of Music and Performing Arts Professions at New York University and The Ailey School. He currently teaches Percussion and African Dance for Earl Mosely’s Institute of the Arts. Roderick is the founder of Palms Down Percussion, a company that creates percussion-based music CD’s for dance and creative movement.

Theara J. Ward is currently a Teaching Artist for Ailey Arts In Education & Community Programs. She began her professional career with the Dance Theater of Harlem at thirteen years old and has travelled extensively. She made her Broadway debut, featured in BLACK AND BLUE and the role of Ghost of Christmas Future, for A CHRISTMAS CAROL at The Theater at Madison Square Garden was created on Theara. She has appeared on television, in commercials, and has worked with artists, including Aretha Franklin and Liza Minelli. Theara is also a teacher, mentor and choreographer with Creative Outlet. She was a guest Teaching Artist for the NYC DOE Citywide Professional Development called, “Students at the Center, Arts at the Heart”. She has taught at Belhaven College; she has facilitated workshops for CADD and Duke University. She was a panelist for “Arthur Mitchell: Harlem’s Ballet Trailblazer” and the keynote speaker for Exploring Opera Symposium: Inside An American Classic: A Moving image of Social Justice. Theara is a contributing writer to re:Claiming and has also penned her one woman show, “From The Heart Of A Sistah: A Chorepoem”.