Lindsay Renea Benton
Lindsay Renea is a Performer, Choreographer and Educator with a background in concert dance, musical theatre, and dance on film. As an Ohio native, she has always had a strong affinity for movement and music. She earned a BFA in Dance and minor in Piano from Howard University in Washington D.C. During her senior year, she joined Garth Fagan Dance Company in Rochester, New York. As a senior principal dancer some of her most memorable moments include performing with the Wynton Marsalis Septet, Jessye Norman, the Ying Quartet, and William Chapman Nyaho. Throughout her career she has had the pleasure of performing works by many incredible choreographers including Christopher Huggins, Ronald K. Brown, Chuck Davis, Ayodele Casel, Dianne Harvey and Sherrill Berryman-Johnson. Lindsay has also had the honor of performing before dignitaries such as Zindzi Mandela, Dorothy Height, Laura Bush, Caroline Kennedy, and Reverend Mpho Tutu.
Her choreography has appeared on national and international stages including Muda Africa Dance Company in Tanzania, The Whispers "I Sing This Song" music video, The Debórah Show (TV Special) and Sean Penn's Haiti relief organization JP/HRO. Her work in theatre includes choreography for Nina Simone: Four Women (Alabama Shakespeare Festival), Romeo & Juliet (Alabama Shakespeare Festival), and Crowns (Cultural Fusions Theater). Much of her Choreography lives and is shared on the concert stage through companies and festivals including Shona Shareef African Dance Company(PA), Lindsay Renea Dance Theatre(OH), Time 2 Dance Festival(Tanzania), Collegium of African Diaspora Dance(NC), La Femme Dance Festival(Illinois), ModArts Collective Thread(NY), and Alabama Minority Choreographer Festival.
When she is not choreographing and performing, Lindsay creates opportunities for her students to learn the art of dance by teaching Modern, Tap, West African, Jazz, Afro-Caribbean, Contemporary, Composition, Dance Production and Dance History. Her desire to inspire younger generations of dancers pushed her to earn her Master of Fine Arts degree in Choreography at Jacksonville University, Jacksonville Florida. She has served as an adjunct faculty member in the Dance Major program at Youngstown State University. It is with great pride that she founded The Lindsay Renea Foundation to bring the art of dance, creative wellness and cultural diversity to her hometown of Youngstown, Ohio. She uses her experience in many capacities to inform her work as Rehearsal Director for Komanse Dance Company in Atlanta, Georgia. She is currently an Alabama Council of the Arts Fellow in Dance and Choreography and serves as the first female Assistant Professor of Dance and Artistic Director of the BFA in Dance Program at Alabama State University.
Spring Joy Christensen
Spring Joy Christensen grew up in Nashville, TN. She found her passion for the performing arts at a very young age. Growing up in Music City offered her lots of performance opportunities such as dancing in a music video for contemporary christian artist, Pam Thum. She received arts scholarships to attend Green Hills School of Dance, Franklin School of Performing Arts, and Harpeth Hall. She was very active in her high school's dance and theater programs as well as her dance studio's award winning competition teams. She went on to receive academic and dance scholarships to attend Point Park University in Pittsburgh, PA. There she trained under Ron Tassone, Judith Leifer-Bentz, Kiesha Lalama, Marion Petrov, and Nicolas Petrov. During her time in Pittsburgh, Spring performed in several Student Choreography Showcases, Faculty Choreography Showcases, student films, as well as outside performances with Giant Jerk Productions. She graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Dance, concentration in Jazz, with a minor in Psychology.
After college, Spring relocated to warmer weather in Georgia. She performed with Brent Smith's dance company, Ready for Action in Macon and Atlanta. She also worked on several film sets in Atlanta, credits include: music videos, Let It Shine, The Game, Tyler Perry's House of Payne.
From 2013-2016, Spring was the artistic director for Breaking Walls Dance Company. Breaking Walls provided performance, training, and choreography opportunities for young adults in the middle Georgia area. The focus was on collaborations between classically trained dancers and hip hop freestylers.
Spring has been teaching dance for 20 years. She is certified through Southern Association of Dance Masters in Ballet, Tap, Jazz, and Acrobatics. Spring also has Level 1 certification through Dance Educators of America in Ballet, Tap, Jazz, Acrobatics, and Modern. She has won several Choreography Awards, Top overalls, and Judge's Awards at dance competitions. She likes to stay fresh in her choreography by attending dance conventions, online dance classes, as well as professional dance performances in Atlanta.
Charnese Brown
Charnese Brown is a vibrant and dynamic dancer whose versatility transcends boundaries and captivates audiences across diverse platforms. Born in Miami, Florida, Charnese's journey in the performing arts began at the tender age of three, when she first discovered her love for movement as a cheerleader. This early exposure ignited a passion for performance that set the stage for her transition to dance at the age of seven.
With an unwavering commitment to her craft, Charnese quickly immersed herself in the world of dance, honing her skills across multiple genres including classical ballet, jazz, tap, contemporary, and hip-hop. Her foundational training at Paramount Dance Studios and the Author Polly & Mays Conservatory of the Arts provided her with the technical expertise and artistic expression needed to excel in the competitive dance landscape. Continuing her education at the Robert Morgan Educational Center, Charnese's determination to perfect her art was reinforced, enabling her to develop a distinctive style.
Charnese's pursuit of excellence led her to the PHASES Dance Troupe at Fort Valley State University, where she not only refined her dance skills but also excelled academically, culminating in the completion of her Bachelor’s degree in Social Work. Her creative profession included enrollment in esteemed programs such as the Alvin Ailey Summer Intensive and the Miami City Ballet, which helped her to expand her knowledge of various dance approaches and techniques.
Charnese has graced various stages, capturing the hearts of audiences through competitive programs such as Kids Artistic Revue and 24 Seven Dance Convention, where she was honored with accolades, including the Teen/Senior Prodigy title at the N.R.G Dance Project. Her performance history includes partnerships with teams like the Miami Heat and Miami Dolphins as well as appearances on prestigious shows like TELEMUNDO network.
Charnese's reputation as an extremely gifted dancer has been strengthened by her ability to interpret choreography and inhabit characters. She has collaborated closely with several choreographers, offering her own creative input in shared projects and creating original pieces that are a reflection of her own style. She adds more to her performances than just dancing; she does a great job combining acting and singing, especially in musical theater.
An advocate for dance education and community outreach, Charnese is deeply committed to inspiring the next generation of dancers. She actively promotes the arts, engaging young performers through mentorship and workshops that cultivate a love for movement and creativity, reaffirming dance’s vital role in self-expression and connection.
Charnese trained with well-known backup dancers Tre Holloway and Desi-Ray Morris, often known as dancindesi, to round out her development and increase versatility in the industry. Charnese Brown is a living example of the transformational power of dance, and she is constantly navigating her artistic journey while attempting to make a lasting impression on the dance community.
Her approach to choreography, performance, and teaching is differed and she constantly pushes the boundaries of her craft. As she takes on new challenges, Charnese is never in doubt in her commitment to uplift people and establish herself as a leader in the dance industry, where her enthusiasm lights up stages and touches the hearts of everyone who sees her skill.
Madison Posey
Madison Posey grew up in Reynolds, Georgia. She began dancing at the age of 2 and is trained in numerous styles of dance including Ballet, Pointe, Lyrical, Contemporary, Tap, Jazz, Musical Theatre, and Hip Hop. Madison is also classically trained in piano and guitar and has participated in multiple Guilds and Festivals. She is a member of the National Federation of Music Clubs. Realizing her talents and love for the arts, Madison’s small town dance teacher encouraged her to travel to talent shows around the state and entered her in pageants through the Miss Georgia System to give Madison performance opportunities that her hometown did not have to offer. Madison has won many talent shows and pageants, and received numerous awards for her tap routines. She quickly realized that she loved performing and developed a passion for being on the stage. Madison traveled to Columbus, Georgia for her very first audition, which was for a Junior Lady Lion with the Columbus Lions Professional Indoor Football League. Madison was placed on the team, and during her two seasons spent dancing for the Columbus Lions, she discovered her love for Hip Hop. She decided to join a competitive dance company an hour away from her home so that she could train in various styles of dance that her hometown did not have to offer. Madison has won National Titles, Best Overall, and Judges’ Choice Awards for her solo tap routines as well as many other awards for group routines. She has attended many dance conventions and trained with well-known choreographers. Madison attended Joffrey Ballet’s Summer Dance Intensive and The Commercial Dance Intensive. She has a love for teaching dance and fitness classes. Madison has been teaching dance for five years. She is a certified Group Fitness Instructor and is currently working on her Yoga and Pilates certifications.
Joi Rashaun
Joi Raushan was born and raised in Macon, Georgia. She began dancing at the age of 8 years old and began competing not too long after, training in ballet, pointe, tap, jazz, and modern. From ages 8 to 17, Joi traveled, performed, and competed in Atlanta, Orlando, and New York City numerous times. After graduating high school, Joi began working as an office assistant and teacher while attending Wesleyan College. After receiving a bachelor’s degree in education, she moved to Henry County for two years, returned to Macon in 2020, and began teaching jazz at her home studio. Joi’s mission is to foster the desire and passion to dance so any dancer may achieve their dreams.
Alicia Leslie
Alicia grew up dancing in middle GA starting at the age of 5, and was a competitive dancer for 6yrs. She holds a BS in Psychology and a minor in Dance from Georgia College & State University.
While studying at GCSU, Alicia had the opportunity to teach/ choreograph in the GC Community Dance Program for ages 4-22, teach in the Bibb County School System,
choreograph for the GC Theatre Department 2023 Musical "Head Over Heels" and Dance Minor concerts. She also held the roles of Community Service Chair and President for the Dance Honorary Society, Chi Tau Epsilon.
Alicia attended the ACDA South Eastern Conference, representing GCSU by performing in both informal concerts (2022) and formal adjudications (2023).
Alicia is currently in her second season with Burlap Sakk Dance Company based out of McDonough, and will also be performing in Airianna Tauanuu's first full length show this fall.
In addition to teaching and performing, Alicia enjoys reading and binge watching any and all Disney movies!
