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YTI Founder Kwame Johnson, Board President Dr. Mary Lane & YTI Founder Jimmy Hill |
President
Mary E. Lane, M.D.
Symra D. Brandon
Deborah Hudson-Jenkins
Kenneth Lee
Darryl J. Mack
Judy Matson
Suzanne Newman
Thomas F. O'Keefe
Danette L. Quinlan
DeForest Raphael
Stephen M. Sansone
Andrea Stewart-Cousins
Founders
James P. Hill, Paul Kwame Johnson, Turhan Von Brandon
Advisory Board
Patricia Adams, Turhan Von Brandon, Keith Hamilton Cobb, Michael Friedman, Mary Gaines, Dorothy Horwitz, Dorothy Johnson, Anna Lightsey, Dorothy Orr, Dave Sarran and Paula Redd Zeman
Mamie Duncan-Gibbs, Executive/Artistic Director
Ms. Duncan-Gibbs is originally from Springfield, Massachusetts, where she began taking acrobatic classes at the age of eleven under the direction of legendary jazz dance teacher Frank Hatchett. It was something she did “just to get out of the house.” When she was fifteen years of age, it was a dance recital production of “The Wiz” that prompted Mamie to pursue a career in musical theatre. After spending one year at Boston Conservatory of Music, she moved to New York City to try and “make it on Broadway.” She has had the opportunity to work with some of the best entertainers in the business including Gregory Hines and Savion Glover (“Jelly’s Last Jam” on Broadway), Mercer Ellington and the Duke Ellington Orchestra (“Sophisticated Ladies” at the Claridge Hotel, Atlantic City), Bob Fosse (“Sweet Charity” national tour), Liza Minnelli (“Steppin’ Out At Radio City Music Hall”), Jerry Lewis (“Damn Yankees” national tour), Ann Reinking and Bebe Neuwirth (“Chicago” on Broadway) and Ben Vereen and Marilu Henner (“Chicago” Las Vegas Company). She is thrilled to be at Youth Theatre Interactions and very happy to be able to “give back.” She’s been married for over twenty years to musician Marvin Gibbs, and is the mother of two children, Paula and Joseph.
Carla Ann Roudette-Brown – Administrative
Assistant
Native born Trinidadian, she is the mother of a 23-year-old
son currently in the United States Navy. Before relocating to Yonkers,
Ms. Roudette-Brown was the Administrative Assistant for the parish
of St. Matthews Roman Catholic Church in Brooklyn for almost ten
years. Prior to that she worked with RKO General for more than
10 years. She attended Mayers School of Fashion Design in NYC, New
York State Paralegal School becoming certified as a Paralegal.
Pedro Lopez, Jr. – Technical
Director
(see bio below)
Consultants
Paul Kwame Johnson – Founding Artistic Director
Mamie Duncan-Gibbs (Balle, Theatre
Dance and Beginner Tap)
See bio above
Stanley Hart (Intergenerational Drama Company) is an Emmy Award Winner who comes to YTI through The Volunteer Center of United Way. He has written for stage, screen and television for over 40 years. Theatre credits include co-author of The Mad Show (1966-1968), author of Some of My Best Friends (directed by Hal Prince at the Longacre Theater, NYC, 1977), author of Manhattan Merry-Go-Round (Norris Theater in Palos Verdes, CA 1985) and co-author of Old Enough to Know Better?'s Comedy Sketchbook (Lakeland Playhouse in Littleton, NC, 2002. He wrote the screenplay for Move (20th Century Fox, starring Elliot Gould), and two short films with Saul Bass (both Academy Award nominees for Best Short Film, Live Action). He was a writer for The Carol Burnett Show (1971-1972) winning an Emmy for Best Writing, Variety, 1972, and the head writer for show from 1972-1973, winning a second Emmy for Best Writing, Variety, 1973. He was also a writer for numerous television specials including: Paul Lynde?'s Wishes, Hal Linden?'s Big Apple, Bob Hope For President, Bonnie and The Franklins, and Carol Burnett and Julie Andrews; Together Again. His credits go on and on, and we are thrilled to have him here with us sharing his knowledge and experience with our youth as well as our seniors.
Omar Gilcrest (Street Dance) Bio unavailable at this time.
Laura Hunter (Vocal Choir) - A multi-talented musician, she has worked with choirs, ensembles and soloists both youth and adult throughout the tri-state area for many years. Mrs. Hunter hails from the Mid-West (Illinois) and specializes in gospel music. In addition to working with our YTI youth, she is the director of the Contemporary Choir Program at Fox Lane High School, now in its 18th year. She is also the musician for the Mid-Hudson Chapter of the Gospel Music Workshop of America, founded by the late James Cleveland; the church musician for the St. Francis A.M.E. Zion Church of Mount Kisco, and the musician for the New Hope Women’s Choir of Danbury, CT
Nicole Hurley (Int. Tap) - Nicole has been dancing since the age of three years old in disciplines such as tap, ballet, jazz, lyrical, and modern. She began dancing in National competitions such as: Dance Educators of America, Dance Alliance, and Headliners, to name a few, at the age of twelve. When she graduated from High School, she began her college dancing and acting career at S.U.N.Y. New Paltz, receiving a Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree in the year 2000. She then began teaching for various studios and has been teaching ever since throughout Westchester, Rockland, and Orange Counties. Nicole teaches tap, jazz, ballet, hip-hop, and other dance disciplines. She is also no stranger to the stage, having performed throughout college and Off-Broadway.
Alston Jack (Steel Band) – Mr. Alston Jack of Tobago has joined the faculty of YTI as our new instructor of Steel Drums and Director of the YTI Pan Band. Mr. Jack is a steel drum player, arranger and composer. He has worked with Moods Steel Orchestra, Bamboo Steel Band, Harlem All Stars Orchestra, Tobago All Stars Steel Orchestra, Desperadoes Steel Orchestra and Renegades Steel Orchestra. He has appeared at Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, The Apollo, Birdland and the Village Gate, as well as on tour in Finland and Mexico. He conducts lecture/demonstrations with the YTI Pan Band as well as composing, arranging and directing for our touring Steel Band. In addition to his love of Steel Band, Mr. Jack also enjoys acting, singing, songwriting and percussion.
Youssouf Koumbassa (African Dance and African Percussion) – teaches African dance and African percussion and has been with YTI for the past eighteen years. He is a native of Guinea, West Africa and is a master drummer, dancer and choreographer having been trained with the National Ballet of Guinea. Mr. Koumbassa is the Artistic Director of Les Ballets Bagata of NYC. He teaches and performs internationally throughout the year. Mr. Koumbassa speaks fifteen African languages in addition to French and English and shares his culture with YTI students.
Ricardo Lima (Int. Drama/Asst. Dir. “Intimate Realities”) – An alumnus of Youth Theatre Interactions, Ricardo Lima is delighted to now be a member of the faculty. Mr. Lima has taught beginners acting since the fall of 2001. More recently he has been named Assistant Director of the “Intimate Realities” touring troupe. Mr. Lima has studied acting at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts, New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts, and the Atlantic Theater Company Acting School where he also appeared in a night of Noel Coward one-acts and stage-managed a production of Christopher Durang’s “The Marriage of Bette and Boo”. Currently Ricardo is a student at the Conservatory at SUNY Purchase and is already making a name for himself as assistant to the director in 2003’s production of “Alice in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass.” Some of Ricardo’s other credits include choreographing for the Westchester Invaders and the role of Banquo in Piper Theater Productions’ 2001 version of “Macbeth.” Ricardo also was the recipient of NAACP ACT-SO Regional awards for playwriting in 1997 and 1998.
Pedro Lopez, Jr. (Photography/Substitute for Percussion/Beginning Drama) – Also our Technical Director and a member of our full-time staff since 1993, Mr. Lopez joined YTI when he was fifteen years old and excelled in drama, music, mime, photography and our technical programs. Mr. Lopez performed at Lincoln Center “Out of Doors Mime Festival” in 1980, 1981 and 1982 with the YTI “Mime Time Players.” He was a member of the Obie award winning theater company, “The Family/La Familia.” In 2000 Mr. Lopez was accepted into the Sarah Lawrence College Theatre Department’s Community Partnership Technical Director Apprentice Program. He has since completed the program and holds a certificate from Sarah Lawrence.
Yvonne McFall (Hip Hop Dance and Step Dance) - Born in Manhattan, New York,Yvonne is an optimistic, spirit driven person willing to work hard for her successes in life. Along with her versatility, she has no problem stepping out and learning something new. She believes that education is fruit to her life. At the tender age of six years old she realized what her purpose in life would be. God had blessed her with a melodic voice and inspirational lyrics to match. Yvonne began teaching at the age of seventeen when she started the first Step Team at Yonkers High School. While teaching different rhythmic routines, she also performed in many programs as a singer, dancer, and/or choreographer
Alexandria Meyers (Substitute for African Dance) – Alexandria (Zan) E. Meyers has been trained by the most well-known professionals in the arts, including Bernice Johnson, Michael Peters, and Ben Vereen. She has also worked alongside Carolyn DeVore, Kevin A. Hunt, Arron Dugger, Sarita Allen, Nasha Thomas (all principal dancers with the Alvin Ailey Dance Company), Kevin Jeff (Director, Jubilation Dance Company), and Chuck Davis (Director, Dance Africa). Her abilities have enabled her to capture the spirits of movements through the traditions of dance in: West African Dance, Ballet, Jazz, Tap and Modern Dance. She has traveled the world performing and teaching and enjoys every minute of it.
Rhema Sterling (Ballet and Haitian Dance) – Ms. Sterling has been with YTI for thrty years. A native of Jamaica, West Indies, she trained and toured with the National Ballet of Jamaica, Madame Soohih Ballet company and studied with the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre and Clark Center for the Performing Arts. Ms. Sterling is a protégé of Madame Lavinia Williams, the legendary Haitian folklorist and Dance Instructor. Ms. Sterling started the Haitian dance division at YTI in 1978 and continues to oversee it today.