Dance Artists
Deja Darbonne is a Miami-based performer, choreographer, yoga instructor, and educator. Darbonne was a Miami-Dade College Honors Dance award recipient in 2015 and completed her BFA from the New World School of the Arts & University of Florida. Deja has danced with Peter London Global Dance Company, Dance Now Miami, National Water Dance Project, Ballet Hispanico Dos, Ruddur Dance, OCA Dance, Miami Movement Collective, and Cuban Classical Ballet of Miami. She has performed works by Robert Battle, Annabelle Lopez-Ochoa, Ronald K. Brown, Talley Beatty, Gustavo Ramirez, Jamar Roberts, Eduardo Vilaro, and others. She recently performed for Miami Light Project's Here & Now 2021 participant Enrique Villacreses in Golden Society and Latin Grammy award-winning hip hop artist Gloria Martinez for HBO Max.
Diana Figueroa was born in Miami, Florida. She began her dance training at 13 with Rosario Suarez and Mariana Alvarez at The Thomas Armour Youth Ballet. Diana continued dancing at the New World School of the Arts & later graduated from The Harid Conservatory. In addition, she received a BFA from Point Park University. Diana has performed lead roles in pieces by Emery Lecrone, David Morse, George Balanchine, Septime Weber, Gerald Arpino, Jerry Opendacker, Tara Lee, Tania Vergara, Leonardo Reale, Ariel Rose, and Ronen Koresh, to name a few. After graduation, Diana danced with Merztanz Contemporary Ballet, Atlantic City Ballet, Roxey Contemporary Ballet, Dimension Dance Theatre of Miami, and most recently, with Cuban Classical Ballet of Miami. She is also the current School Studio Director at Maria Verdeja School of the Arts.
Kiera O'Rourke trained as a modern dancer and lawyer. She graduated from the New World School of the Arts, Stanford University, and Harvard Law School. Kiera dedicated her career to community-based organizations as a public health advocate in Nicaragua, a tenant's rights paralegal in New York City, and an Advocacy and Policy Manager at the Opa-Locka Community Development Corporation in Miami. She currently works as a project manager for Miami City Ballet. She wants to use her arts and advocacy background to create and support art that challenges how we think about history, narrative, identity, and culture.
Eleni Gialas was born in Germany. She graduated from the Greek National Opera, where she performed in multiple classical productions such as Giselle, The Nutcracker, Don Quixote, Tchaikovsky Pas Des Deux, Sleeping Beauty, and contemporary productions by MatsEk and Nacho Duato. Later she joined the Aenaon Dancetheater of Daniel Lommel, where she performed 'Bhakti' by Maurice Bejart and much more. Eleni is currently performing with the Cuban Classical Ballet of Miami and pursuing her BA in Psychology.
Maryann Arnita Benjamin is the Founder and Artistic Director of MAP DANCE THEATRE. She has partnered with institutions such as The Milagro Center, Carver Middle School, & American Heritage School. From age nine, Maryann studied ballet, modern, African, tap, and hip-hop, later adapting musical theatre, Latin dancing, water ballet, and aerial work. She trained at The Ailey School, Dance Theatre of Harlem, Lula Washington Dance Theatre, Joffery Ballet, and Dreyfoos School of the Arts. At twelve, Benjamin began performing with WNBA's LA Sparkids. She was a leading actress in the 'Brown Ballerina' film, performed in 'Hairspray' onboard Royal Caribbean Cruises, and has danced in music videos, festivals, and award shows. Maryann is SAG-AFTRA qualified and is the recipient of WPB Delta Sigma Theta Woman of Excellence - Arts Award, 2017.
Founding Members (2013 - 2019)
Adrien Picaut, Amanda Bouza, Anthony Santos, Aqura Lacey, Cara Certosimo, Cajai Fellows Johnson, Cesar Brodermann, Chanmee Jeong, Christopher Baptista, Crystal Lynn Rodriguez, Danica Paulos, Dakota Moore, Daphne Lee, Devin Packard, Emma Fitzsimmons, Ernest Baker, Frankie Lee III, Gabby Grywalski, Giulia D’Antoni, Jacquelin Harris, Jake Stainback, Jane King, Jenna Marie, Jerard Palazo, Jesse Obremski, Joshi Martina, Kingsley Ibeneche, Leal Zielińska, Leslie St. Jour, Leslie Williams,Luca Sierra, Łukasz Zieba, Lyric Anderson, Maëva Boldron, Marcus Williams, Mariusz Kujawski, Matteo Nacci, Matthew Perez, Michael Greenberg, Midori Nonaka, Nami Kaigaishi, Nia Elder, Nikosa Majid, Noa Genazzano, Po-Lin Tung, Reo Suzuki, Riiko Kitayama, Sarah Haarmann, Selina Hack, Sergio Tapia-Fikes, Shomari Savannah, Shuaib Dee Elhassan, Stephanie Salts, Stephanie Williams, Taquirah Thompson, Tyler Garacci, Umi Akiyoshi, Valenetina Strokoptova, and Zui Gomez