Meet the CAST
DESERT DANCE THEATRE - ARTISTIC DIRECTORS & PERFORMERS
LISA R. CHOW (Artistic Director & Company Manager), originally from Greenville, Mississippi, received her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance from Arizona State University in 1988. She also obtained dance training from the University of Mississippi, California State University/Long Beach and at various dance studios in New York and California. In 1990, she received ASU’s Outstanding Alumna award for “A Tribute to Ethnic Women in the Arts and Sciences.” She has studied many modern dance techniques such as Graham, Horton, Nikolais, Cunningham, Hawkins, Limón and more.
Chow joined Desert Dance Theatre in season 1981-82, and has performed with the company in Arizona, Mexico, Texas, New York, New Mexico, California, Nevada, Oregon, Vermont and Cuba. She serves as the artistic director, company manager, choreographer, performer and educator. Lisa has choreographed for the company’s repertory and major multi-disciplinary theme-related works as well as for children’s programs in collaboration with String Sounds (String Quartet).
Lisa performed and toured with Move It ’N Dance under the direction of Susan Gallimore with the Phoenix Parks and Recreation in 1981-83; and performed with Center Dance Ensemble in its Phoenix area inception directed by Frances Cohen from 1989-1993. She was a featured soloist and principal dancer in the company.
Since 1993, Lisa has coordinated and organized school field-trips and mainstage performances of “Sister Moses: The Story of Harriet Tubman,” a music/dance/drama about the life achievements of Harriet Tubman and her work on the Underground Railroad. With a cast of dancers, musicians and singers, Sister Moses has been performed for over 100,000 audience members in Arizona, Nevada, Texas, Vermont and Havana.
She is the co-founder and co-artistic director of Crossroads Performance Group along with her husband, Step Raptis, performing interdisciplinary music and dance projects throughout Arizona, Mexico and regionally since 1989. She is also a manager, performer and collaborator in Step’s Junk Funk, an interdisciplinary percussion and movement arts group that utilizes found and recycled objects that have tonal qualities for musical orchestration.
Throughout the 2014-16 season, Lisa was a featured guest performer with H.T. Chen & Dancers, a professional dance company in New York. She toured and performed in “South of Gold Mountain” based on oral histories of Chinese in the Deep South. Chow was honored to be included in the cast of this special production because of her close ties to the South and her own experiences growing up in Mississippi. Her relationship with H.T. Chen & Dancers began in 2000 as a performer and Community Rehearsal Assistant for an original performance production of “Bian Dan” that was commissioned by ASU Gammage Public Events in Tempe, AZ.
STEP RAPTIS (Associate Artistic Director & Music Director), originally from Detroit, Michigan, received his Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance Choreography & Performance from Mary Grove College/University of Detroit in 1976. He also trained and/or performed in Canada and New York with National Ballet of Canada, Le Groupe de la Place Royale, Toronto Dance Theatre, Danny Grossman, Louis Falco, Jennifer Muller and Christopher Hyde. Step worked on the dance faculty at Concordia College in Montreal, Quebec. While in New York, Step worked as a musician at NYU Tisch School of Dance.
Step has been a music accompanist for many dance companies from all over the U.S. and Canada (Detroit, Ottawa, Toronto, New York) since 1975. After moving to Arizona in 1986, Raptis became an accompanist for dance classes in 1987 at South Mountain High School Arts Magnet Program, Ballet Arizona and Dance Theater West.
He was a co-founder of Adzido-West African Folkloric Drum and Dance Company in 1987 under the direction of master drummer, Uncle C. K. Ganyo from Ghana, West Africa. He has also performed with many musical groups including: Down Boy, Chant, Zingaro, Caribbean Cruisers, Mixit World Beat, and most notably, Dr. Bombay (Contemporary Jazz), opening for Al Jarreau, Blood, Sweat and Tears, The Rippington’s, Spyro Gyro, Grover Washington Jr. and more. He currently performs with several music ensembles including: Meadowlark (World Music), Mango Chutney (India Western Fusion), Caravan (Flamenco Fusion), and as a duo ensemble with Miguel Rodriguez (Classical and Flamenco Guitarist), Michael Cho “Miguel de Maria” (Classical and Flamenco Guitarist) and Stan Sorenson (Jazz Guitarist).
Step is an associate artistic director and music director for Desert Dance Theatre. He has composed several music compositions as well as contributing as a choreographer since 1989. Step is the co-founder and co-director of Crossroads Performance Group, an interdisciplinary music and dance collaboration with Lisa R. Chow that explores the integration and creation of music and dance works that is unique and thought provoking.
Step is also the founder and director of Step’s Junk Funk, a movement and percussion performance group that utilizes nontraditional, recycled and found objects to create percussive and tonal orchestrations. Step’s Junk Funk has performed for the Arizona Governor’s Arts Award, TedX Fountain Hills, America’s Got Talent and various regional festivals.
RENEÉ DAVIS (Associate Artistic Director), joined Desert Dance Theatre in 1986. She received her BA in Dance from the University of Maryland where she performed with Maryland Dance Theatre. Renee has performed with Dancing Plus… at the Nat Horne Musical Theatre in New York City, Murray Spalding Movement Arts in Washington, D.C. and Baltimore Dance Theatre in Baltimore, Maryland.
In the Phoenix area, Renee also performed with Center Dance Ensemble and worked in Head Start classrooms as a teacher and artist supervisor with the Wolf Trap-in-Arizona Project. Her work with Desert Dance Theatre has included choreography and costume design for many productions.
After relocating to Austin in 1998, Renee made her Austin debut in the title role of “Sister Moses: The Story of Harriet Tubman” as she coordinated 5 tours of Desert Dance Theatre between 2000-2020 through funding received from the City of Austin’s Cultural Arts program. As an Associate Director and performer, Renee loves returning to Arizona several times a year to continue her work with Desert Dance Theatre.
In addition to dancing, Renee is a certified Pilates trainer and Functional Nutrition Counselor. She is also known as “Nana” by her 2 beautiful grandchildren which competes with Sister Moses as the greatest role of her life!!
IN MEMORIAM
MARION KIRK JONES (Artistic Director Emeritus) was a Professor Emeritus of Dance at Arizona State University. At ASU, she was Artistic Director for the Fall and Spring dance concerts. Jones was a member of the Lester Horton Dance Company in NYC and has taught at several universities including: Cornell University, Purdue University, University of Rochester, and the Cranbrook Institutions of Michigan. Her studies included intensive work with modern dancers: Martha Graham, Doris Humphrey, Charles Weidman, Hanya Holm, Ted Shawn, and Louis Horst. She received her ballet training at the School of American Ballet with George Balanchine, Anatol Oboukhoff, Pierre Vladimiroff, and Muriel Stewart.
Marion was the Artistic Coordinator for the ARIZONA DANCE SHOWCASE produced at Gammage Center for the Arts in 1982 and 1984, and for the Gala Dance Benefit for AIDS in 1990. She won the Arizona Commission on the Arts Choreographer’s Fellowship Award in 1982, and received special recognition as an artist from the Governor in 1983. In March 1998, she received an Arts Achievement Award from Wayne State University in Detroit. Ms. Jones choreographed many works for Desert Dance Theatre since its founding in 1979. She became Artistic Director for Desert Dance Theatre in 1988 and shared artistic responsibilities with Lisa R. Chow and Renee Davis since 1993.
In addition to her career in dance, Jones was on the Board of Directors of the Arizona Institute for Peace Education and Research.
THE SISTER MOSES NARRATOR & SINGERS
RENÉE MORGAN BROOKS (Narrator & Voice of Harriet) believes in the Divine connection of the human spirit as demonstrated by Harriet Tubman. RENÉE deems it a privilege to narrate this story for over 33 years and prays with each performance that we all awake to a deeper realization of the potent power for good within us all!
GREGORY DANSBY (Bass) is a native of Arizona. He retired from the Mesa Police Department after 22 years of service and serving in various civilian positions and departments including dispatch, records, traffic, and patrol. He is currently serving as the senior pastor of Holy Temple Church of God in Christ, Mesa Arizona, for the past 22 years.
Greg has performed with the Sister Moses cast as the bass singer for approximately 30 consecutive years. A few occasions he was asked to step in and serve as the narrator.
This experience with this production I will cherish. I have enjoyed retelling this awesome part of history that should never be forgotten. This story tells of people across races and cultures who came together to fight and right an injustice forced upon those who were oppressed. And I believe you will enjoy it as much as I do.
TAZIA LEKAE KENNEDY (Alto) Originally a native from Omaha, Nebraska; relocated to the valley with her mother, father, and two younger brothers at the age of 15. Her love for music started before she spoke her first word. At the age of 11, Tazia soared through auditions and was the only student out of 30 of her peers to be selected for the advanced division of the Omaha Children's Choir. Since then, Tazia takes every opportunity she can to sing! Tazia has performed in such productions as “The Black Nativity” by The Black Theatre Troupe; and has also performed in the production “Ghost: The Musical”, by Fountain Hills Theatre, and debuted her first musical solo as “Chanteuse” in the theatre’s World Premiere production of “The Great Gatsby”. She is an annual participant as part of a vocal quartet in the impactful story of Harriet Tubman entitled "Sister Moses” a production by Desert Dance Theatre, where she was able to perform in Cuba! Tazia is excited to be a part of this beautiful, important production and hopes to be able to sing the story of Sister Moses for years to come!
GLORIA HARRISON QUINLAN (Guest Soprano), a native of Houston, Texas, graduated from Phillis Wheatley High School in Houston, TX. She was inducted into the Phillis Wheatley Wall of Fame in July 2015.
She received the Bachelor of Music Education degree in Voice from Texas Southern University (where she was also crowned Ms. TSU), the Master of Music in Voice from Colorado State University in Fort Collins, Colorado and the Doctor of Musical Arts degree in Voice from The University of Texas at Austin.
After serving as Assistant Professor of Music at Knoxville College in Knoxville, Tennessee, she was Associate Professor of Music at the University of the Virgin Islands, St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands, and later served as Chair of the Music Department. She also served as Chair of the Humanities and Fine Arts Department at Huston-Tillotson University, Austin, Texas, and Professor of Music, Voice/Choral and Director of the Huston-Tillotson University Concert Choir. She retired from Huston-Tillotson University in the spring of 2023, with the rank of Professor Emerita, having been named Faculty of the Year for the 2022-2023 academic year.
She studied Voice with the late Ruth Stewart (Texas Southern University), the late Larry Day (Colorado State University) and the late Martha Deatherage (University of Texas), and coached with the late Gerard Souzay, the late Darryl Hobson-Byrd and the late David Garvey (all at the University of Texas). Dr. Quinlan studied choral conducting with the late Ruthabel Rollins at TSU.
Dr. Quinlan has enjoyed success as a performer: in opera, as a soloist with ensembles, and as a recitalist, throughout the United States and the Caribbean. Significant performances include: Soprano soloist in a performance of Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony with the Caribbean Chorale and Puerto Rico Symphony; Soprano soloist with the Austin Civic Chorus and Sinfonietta in a performance of the Brahms Requiem; Soprano Soloist with the Capitol City Men’s Chorus; and Soprano Soloist with the Austin Singers in a performance of the Brahms Requiem. She recorded with the Trombone Choir of The Butler School of Music, University of Texas at Austin.
Dr. Quinlan has received acclaim as a choral conductor. She founded the Concert Choir of the University of the Virgin Islands, St. Thomas, Virgin Islands. Her choir at Huston-Tillotson University performed for President Jimmy Carter. President George W. Bush invited the Huston-Tillotson University Choir to perform at the opening of the Texas State Museum (a performance broadcast nationwide). Dr. Quinlan was also selected as the choir conductor for the Lady Bird Johnson funeral service.
Along with the Huston-Tillotson University Concert choir, she has performed "Sister Moses" with Desert Dance Theatre and Renee Davis as the lead dancer several times, the last time being in 2020.
SISTER MOSES DANCERS
ANGELA BENZ is originally from California, where she received a degree in dance from Eastern University. Mrs. Benz has since performed with companies such as Philadanco II (Philadelphia, PA), at Walt Disney World (Orlando, FL), Afrique Gninze (Austin, TX), Ballet East (Austin, TX) and Chaddick Dance Theater (Austin, TX). Now a resident of Giddings, she continues to dance and serve others as a Leadership Coach and mother of two boys. She is honored to have the opportunity to help tell this beautiful story.
BRIDGETTE CARON BORZILLO is a contemporary dance performer, choreographer, and educator. She has performed professionally with Scorpius Dance Theatre, Dulce Dance Company, and SM2, and brings over 17 years of experience in partnering and performance. She is the founder and artistic director of CaZo Dance Theatre (established 2014) and the Owner of CaZo Dance Center (Mesa, AZ 2020) where she creates and teaches emotionally driven, story-based work centered on connection and the human experience.
AQUIL HAMEED Movement has been a constant in Aquil Hameed’s life since early childhood. He began martial arts training at the age of four and has appeared on stages in various forms throughout the years. For over 20 years, he has immersed himself in Afro-Brazilian culture as a trained capoeirista, where movement, music, and expression are deeply intertwined.
For the past 13 years, Aquil has owned and operated a capoeira, dance, and fitness center in Tucson, Arizona. His work takes him around the world teaching capoeira and fitness, cultivating environments that support health and wellness, and collaborating with aligned brands and communities.
This season, he returns to the Sister Moses production after first performing this role in 2007. He values the story and creative space it provides, and welcomes this opportunity to expand capacity and share the stage with so many talented and passionate artists.
CANDIS HARRIS is a multidisciplinary dancer and artist whose work is rooted in curiosity, embodiment, and cultural expression. She studied at New Mexico State University, where her foundation was shaped through modern dance practices including Evens and Bartenieff, alongside improvisational movement. Her artistry is further informed by flamenco and Afro-Latin forms, weaving rhythm, emotion, and cultural memory into her work. Through performance, Candis explores embodiment as both devotion and discovery—an ongoing dialogue between the body, the spirit, and the space it inhabits.
KATIE MAE HEBERT, a native of Austin, Texas has dedicated her life to the art of dance, immersing herself in Modern Dance for over two decades. She has performed with several local dance companies, such as Chaddick Dance Theater, Afrique Gninze and Blue Lapis Light. Her journey in dance has taken her across the globe, to broaden her repertoire. Katie has traveled to Asia, Europe and Africa, embracing diverse dance forms such as West African Dance, Balinese Dance and Interpreting Dance for the Blind.
Katie believes that dance is a lifeline, “without dance, I would be lost”, she reflects. For her, dance is a true gift, one that allows her to connect with herself and others in a profound way.
GRACIE LARSON began her dance training in 2015 at The Dance Academy of the White Mountains. Beginning in 2017, Gracie was invited to dance with professional companies, including DMJ Dance Collective and Desert Dance Theatre. In 2022, Gracie moved to Phoenix, AZ, and joined CaZo Dance Theatre's professional company, where she was a member for 2 years. Gracie is now finishing her M.S. in Clinical Exercise Physiology from Arizona State University, with plans to enter a PhD program. She is excited to be performing Sister Moses for her 4th time.
MATTHEW MENDEZ is originally from Phoenix, Arizona. He graduated from the University of Arizona in 2022 with a BFA in dance. During his time there, he received training in multiple styles of dance including: modern, ballet, and jazz. Since then he has worked and performed on various cruise ships for Royal Caribbean International. He is excited to be a part of the Sister Moses cast.
DANIELE SPIVEY-SORRELLS, a Detroit-born artist, began her dance journey in the M. L. King High School Dance Workshop Program, training in Modern, Ballet, and Jazz. Her early years were enriched by master classes and performance opportunities that deepened her love of movement.
She holds a BS in Psychology and a Master’s in Business and Organizational Leadership from Defiance College, where she also taught and choreographed for community and faith-based dance programs during her college years.
BRANDON STRABALA’s journey into dance emerged through personal transformation and healing. After leaving a career in financial planning over a decade ago, he founded Orgone Knights, a creative platform centered on energy healing and artistic expression.
Dance became an essential part of Brandon’s emotional release and personal growth. After a decade of exploring various movement styles, he discovered Ecstatic Dance in Sedona—a life-changing experience that inspired him to cultivate a thriving dance community. Following the passing of his wife, an experience he shared in his self-published book and audiobook Dancing Beyond Cancer, Brandon honored her memory by hosting weekly dances on the Sedona Red Rocks. Since 2018, his dedication has helped shape Sedona’s vibrant dance culture, creating and supporting numerous dance experiences throughout the area.
Brandon has performed with Sedona Dance Project and Sedona Dance Academy, and works alongside his wife Danielle through Sedona Dances, where they offer Silent Disco and Guided Ecstatic Movement experiences that blend free-form movement with structured choreography.
DANIELLE MCNEAL STRABALA is a performer, educator, and choreographer with over 30 years of experience in dance and movement arts. Born and raised in Queens, New York, she began her formal dance training at age 12 and went on to receive scholarships to study at the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater School, training in modern, ballet, jazz, and Dunham technique, as well as at Nanette Bearden Contemporary Dance Theater, focusing on African dance and jazz. While in New York, she also trained for two years under renowned jazz dance master Luigi.
Danielle earned her B.A. in Dance from Arizona State University, where she studied Ideokinesis under Pamela Mat—an influence that continues to shape her somatic, imagery-based approach to teaching and choreography.
She is the co-owner of Sedona Dances, owner of Dynamic Dance Services, and Artistic Director of the Sedona Dance Project, an innovative platform that blends trained and untrained movers in meaningful performance experiences. Danielle was a member of the original cast of Sister Moses and is honored to continue performing with Desert Dance Theatre for over 30 years.
Since making Austin her home in 2007, she has performed as a company dancer with several local dance companies in the Austin area, and as a multidisciplinary creative, Daniele has blended her artistry with a career in higher education as a manager at Western Governors University.Daniele currently directs Mercy Moves Liturgical Dance Company and continues to serve as a choreographer and teacher within her church, weaving artistry, faith, and storytelling through dance. She is also a proud member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated.
MICHAEL ALLAN TARVER is a movement artist, yoga teacher, and interdisciplinary strategist whose work explores the relationship between embodiment, rhythm, and human resilience. His movement practice draws from yoga, contemporary dance, barre, somatic awareness, and improvisation, informed by years of teaching and performing across professional, fitness, wellness, and community spaces.
Michael is a Registered Yoga Teacher (RYT-500), group fitness instructor, and Ayurvedic practitioner-in-training. He has led movement experiences in studios, theaters, gyms, rehabilitation centers, assisted living, and behavioral health environments, with a focus on accessibility, nervous-system awareness, and expressive presence. His approach to movement honors both strength and vulnerability—inviting the body to be a site of inquiry, healing, and story.
Alongside his performance work, Michael holds a Master of Science in Futures & Design and a Bachelor of Science in Biology & Society from Arizona State. This background shapes his artistic lens, grounding movement in systems thinking, emotional intelligence, and the lived experience of change. He is the founder of Bhakti Concepts Evolved, where he integrates movement, reflection, and conscious leadership practices.
Through dance, Michael seeks to create moments of coherence—where breath, body, and intention align—offering audiences an embodied experience of presence, resilience, and connection.
LISA R. CHOW (Artistic Director & Company Manager), originally from Greenville, Mississippi, received her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance from Arizona State University in 1988. She also obtained dance training from the University of Mississippi, California State University/Long Beach and at various dance studios in New York and California. In 1990, she received ASU’s Outstanding Alumna award for “A Tribute to Ethnic Women in the Arts and Sciences.” She has studied many modern dance techniques such as Graham, Horton, Nikolais, Cunningham, Hawkins, Limón and more.
Chow joined Desert Dance Theatre in season 1981-82, and has performed with the company in Arizona, Mexico, Texas, New York, New Mexico, California, Nevada, Oregon, Vermont and Cuba. She serves as the artistic director, company manager, choreographer, performer and educator. Lisa has choreographed for the company’s repertory and major multi-disciplinary theme-related works as well as for children’s programs in collaboration with String Sounds (String Quartet).
Lisa performed and toured with Move It ’N Dance under the direction of Susan Gallimore with the Phoenix Parks and Recreation in 1981-83; and performed with Center Dance Ensemble in its Phoenix area inception directed by Frances Cohen from 1989-1993. She was a featured soloist and principal dancer in the company.
Since 1993, Lisa has coordinated and organized school field-trips and mainstage performances of “Sister Moses: The Story of Harriet Tubman,” a music/dance/drama about the life achievements of Harriet Tubman and her work on the Underground Railroad. With a cast of dancers, musicians and singers, Sister Moses has been performed for over 100,000 audience members in Arizona, Nevada, Texas, Vermont and Havana.
She is the co-founder and co-artistic director of Crossroads Performance Group along with her husband, Step Raptis, performing interdisciplinary music and dance projects throughout Arizona, Mexico and regionally since 1989. She is also a manager, performer and collaborator in Step’s Junk Funk, an interdisciplinary percussion and movement arts group that utilizes found and recycled objects that have tonal qualities for musical orchestration.
Throughout the 2014-16 season, Lisa was a featured guest performer with H.T. Chen & Dancers, a professional dance company in New York. She toured and performed in “South of Gold Mountain” based on oral histories of Chinese in the Deep South. Chow was honored to be included in the cast of this special production because of her close ties to the South and her own experiences growing up in Mississippi. Her relationship with H.T. Chen & Dancers began in 2000 as a performer and Community Rehearsal Assistant for an original performance production of “Bian Dan” that was commissioned by ASU Gammage Public Events in Tempe, AZ.
STEP RAPTIS (Associate Artistic Director & Music Director), originally from Detroit, Michigan, received his Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance Choreography & Performance from Mary Grove College/University of Detroit in 1976. He also trained and/or performed in Canada and New York with National Ballet of Canada, Le Groupe de la Place Royale, Toronto Dance Theatre, Danny Grossman, Louis Falco, Jennifer Muller and Christopher Hyde. Step worked on the dance faculty at Concordia College in Montreal, Quebec. While in New York, Step worked as a musician at NYU Tisch School of Dance.
Step has been a music accompanist for many dance companies from all over the U.S. and Canada (Detroit, Ottawa, Toronto, New York) since 1975. After moving to Arizona in 1986, Raptis became an accompanist for dance classes in 1987 at South Mountain High School Arts Magnet Program, Ballet Arizona and Dance Theater West.
He was a co-founder of Adzido-West African Folkloric Drum and Dance Company in 1987 under the direction of master drummer, Uncle C. K. Ganyo from Ghana, West Africa. He has also performed with many musical groups including: Down Boy, Chant, Zingaro, Caribbean Cruisers, Mixit World Beat, and most notably, Dr. Bombay (Contemporary Jazz), opening for Al Jarreau, Blood, Sweat and Tears, The Rippington’s, Spyro Gyro, Grover Washington Jr. and more. He currently performs with several music ensembles including: Meadowlark (World Music), Mango Chutney (India Western Fusion), Caravan (Flamenco Fusion), and as a duo ensemble with Miguel Rodriguez (Classical and Flamenco Guitarist), Michael Cho “Miguel de Maria” (Classical and Flamenco Guitarist) and Stan Sorenson (Jazz Guitarist).
Step is an associate artistic director and music director for Desert Dance Theatre. He has composed several music compositions as well as contributing as a choreographer since 1989. Step is the co-founder and co-director of Crossroads Performance Group, an interdisciplinary music and dance collaboration with Lisa R. Chow that explores the integration and creation of music and dance works that is unique and thought provoking.
Step is also the founder and director of Step’s Junk Funk, a movement and percussion performance group that utilizes nontraditional, recycled and found objects to create percussive and tonal orchestrations. Step’s Junk Funk has performed for the Arizona Governor’s Arts Award, TedX Fountain Hills, America’s Got Talent and various regional festivals.
RENEÉ DAVIS (Associate Artistic Director), joined Desert Dance Theatre in 1986. She received her BA in Dance from the University of Maryland where she performed with Maryland Dance Theatre. Renee has performed with Dancing Plus… at the Nat Horne Musical Theatre in New York City, Murray Spalding Movement Arts in Washington, D.C. and Baltimore Dance Theatre in Baltimore, Maryland.
In the Phoenix area, Renee also performed with Center Dance Ensemble and worked in Head Start classrooms as a teacher and artist supervisor with the Wolf Trap-in-Arizona Project. Her work with Desert Dance Theatre has included choreography and costume design for many productions.
After relocating to Austin in 1998, Renee made her Austin debut in the title role of “Sister Moses: The Story of Harriet Tubman” as she coordinated 5 tours of Desert Dance Theatre between 2000-2020 through funding received from the City of Austin’s Cultural Arts program. As an Associate Director and performer, Renee loves returning to Arizona several times a year to continue her work with Desert Dance Theatre.
In addition to dancing, Renee is a certified Pilates trainer and Functional Nutrition Counselor. She is also known as “Nana” by her 2 beautiful grandchildren which competes with Sister Moses as the greatest role of her life!!
IN MEMORIAM
MARION KIRK JONES (Artistic Director Emeritus) was a Professor Emeritus of Dance at Arizona State University. At ASU, she was Artistic Director for the Fall and Spring dance concerts. Jones was a member of the Lester Horton Dance Company in NYC and has taught at several universities including: Cornell University, Purdue University, University of Rochester, and the Cranbrook Institutions of Michigan. Her studies included intensive work with modern dancers: Martha Graham, Doris Humphrey, Charles Weidman, Hanya Holm, Ted Shawn, and Louis Horst. She received her ballet training at the School of American Ballet with George Balanchine, Anatol Oboukhoff, Pierre Vladimiroff, and Muriel Stewart.
Marion was the Artistic Coordinator for the ARIZONA DANCE SHOWCASE produced at Gammage Center for the Arts in 1982 and 1984, and for the Gala Dance Benefit for AIDS in 1990. She won the Arizona Commission on the Arts Choreographer’s Fellowship Award in 1982, and received special recognition as an artist from the Governor in 1983. In March 1998, she received an Arts Achievement Award from Wayne State University in Detroit. Ms. Jones choreographed many works for Desert Dance Theatre since its founding in 1979. She became Artistic Director for Desert Dance Theatre in 1988 and shared artistic responsibilities with Lisa R. Chow and Renee Davis since 1993.
In addition to her career in dance, Jones was on the Board of Directors of the Arizona Institute for Peace Education and Research.
THE SISTER MOSES NARRATOR & SINGERS
RENÉE MORGAN BROOKS (Narrator & Voice of Harriet) believes in the Divine connection of the human spirit as demonstrated by Harriet Tubman. RENÉE deems it a privilege to narrate this story for over 33 years and prays with each performance that we all awake to a deeper realization of the potent power for good within us all!
GREGORY DANSBY (Bass) is a native of Arizona. He retired from the Mesa Police Department after 22 years of service and serving in various civilian positions and departments including dispatch, records, traffic, and patrol. He is currently serving as the senior pastor of Holy Temple Church of God in Christ, Mesa Arizona, for the past 22 years.
Greg has performed with the Sister Moses cast as the bass singer for approximately 30 consecutive years. A few occasions he was asked to step in and serve as the narrator.
This experience with this production I will cherish. I have enjoyed retelling this awesome part of history that should never be forgotten. This story tells of people across races and cultures who came together to fight and right an injustice forced upon those who were oppressed. And I believe you will enjoy it as much as I do.
TAZIA LEKAE KENNEDY (Alto) Originally a native from Omaha, Nebraska; relocated to the valley with her mother, father, and two younger brothers at the age of 15. Her love for music started before she spoke her first word. At the age of 11, Tazia soared through auditions and was the only student out of 30 of her peers to be selected for the advanced division of the Omaha Children's Choir. Since then, Tazia takes every opportunity she can to sing! Tazia has performed in such productions as “The Black Nativity” by The Black Theatre Troupe; and has also performed in the production “Ghost: The Musical”, by Fountain Hills Theatre, and debuted her first musical solo as “Chanteuse” in the theatre’s World Premiere production of “The Great Gatsby”. She is an annual participant as part of a vocal quartet in the impactful story of Harriet Tubman entitled "Sister Moses” a production by Desert Dance Theatre, where she was able to perform in Cuba! Tazia is excited to be a part of this beautiful, important production and hopes to be able to sing the story of Sister Moses for years to come!
GLORIA HARRISON QUINLAN (Guest Soprano), a native of Houston, Texas, graduated from Phillis Wheatley High School in Houston, TX. She was inducted into the Phillis Wheatley Wall of Fame in July 2015.
She received the Bachelor of Music Education degree in Voice from Texas Southern University (where she was also crowned Ms. TSU), the Master of Music in Voice from Colorado State University in Fort Collins, Colorado and the Doctor of Musical Arts degree in Voice from The University of Texas at Austin.
After serving as Assistant Professor of Music at Knoxville College in Knoxville, Tennessee, she was Associate Professor of Music at the University of the Virgin Islands, St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands, and later served as Chair of the Music Department. She also served as Chair of the Humanities and Fine Arts Department at Huston-Tillotson University, Austin, Texas, and Professor of Music, Voice/Choral and Director of the Huston-Tillotson University Concert Choir. She retired from Huston-Tillotson University in the spring of 2023, with the rank of Professor Emerita, having been named Faculty of the Year for the 2022-2023 academic year.
She studied Voice with the late Ruth Stewart (Texas Southern University), the late Larry Day (Colorado State University) and the late Martha Deatherage (University of Texas), and coached with the late Gerard Souzay, the late Darryl Hobson-Byrd and the late David Garvey (all at the University of Texas). Dr. Quinlan studied choral conducting with the late Ruthabel Rollins at TSU.
Dr. Quinlan has enjoyed success as a performer: in opera, as a soloist with ensembles, and as a recitalist, throughout the United States and the Caribbean. Significant performances include: Soprano soloist in a performance of Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony with the Caribbean Chorale and Puerto Rico Symphony; Soprano soloist with the Austin Civic Chorus and Sinfonietta in a performance of the Brahms Requiem; Soprano Soloist with the Capitol City Men’s Chorus; and Soprano Soloist with the Austin Singers in a performance of the Brahms Requiem. She recorded with the Trombone Choir of The Butler School of Music, University of Texas at Austin.
Dr. Quinlan has received acclaim as a choral conductor. She founded the Concert Choir of the University of the Virgin Islands, St. Thomas, Virgin Islands. Her choir at Huston-Tillotson University performed for President Jimmy Carter. President George W. Bush invited the Huston-Tillotson University Choir to perform at the opening of the Texas State Museum (a performance broadcast nationwide). Dr. Quinlan was also selected as the choir conductor for the Lady Bird Johnson funeral service.
Along with the Huston-Tillotson University Concert choir, she has performed "Sister Moses" with Desert Dance Theatre and Renee Davis as the lead dancer several times, the last time being in 2020.
SISTER MOSES DANCERS
ANGELA BENZ is originally from California, where she received a degree in dance from Eastern University. Mrs. Benz has since performed with companies such as Philadanco II (Philadelphia, PA), at Walt Disney World (Orlando, FL), Afrique Gninze (Austin, TX), Ballet East (Austin, TX) and Chaddick Dance Theater (Austin, TX). Now a resident of Giddings, she continues to dance and serve others as a Leadership Coach and mother of two boys. She is honored to have the opportunity to help tell this beautiful story.
BRIDGETTE CARON BORZILLO is a contemporary dance performer, choreographer, and educator. She has performed professionally with Scorpius Dance Theatre, Dulce Dance Company, and SM2, and brings over 17 years of experience in partnering and performance. She is the founder and artistic director of CaZo Dance Theatre (established 2014) and the Owner of CaZo Dance Center (Mesa, AZ 2020) where she creates and teaches emotionally driven, story-based work centered on connection and the human experience.
AQUIL HAMEED Movement has been a constant in Aquil Hameed’s life since early childhood. He began martial arts training at the age of four and has appeared on stages in various forms throughout the years. For over 20 years, he has immersed himself in Afro-Brazilian culture as a trained capoeirista, where movement, music, and expression are deeply intertwined.
For the past 13 years, Aquil has owned and operated a capoeira, dance, and fitness center in Tucson, Arizona. His work takes him around the world teaching capoeira and fitness, cultivating environments that support health and wellness, and collaborating with aligned brands and communities.
This season, he returns to the Sister Moses production after first performing this role in 2007. He values the story and creative space it provides, and welcomes this opportunity to expand capacity and share the stage with so many talented and passionate artists.
CANDIS HARRIS is a multidisciplinary dancer and artist whose work is rooted in curiosity, embodiment, and cultural expression. She studied at New Mexico State University, where her foundation was shaped through modern dance practices including Evens and Bartenieff, alongside improvisational movement. Her artistry is further informed by flamenco and Afro-Latin forms, weaving rhythm, emotion, and cultural memory into her work. Through performance, Candis explores embodiment as both devotion and discovery—an ongoing dialogue between the body, the spirit, and the space it inhabits.
KATIE MAE HEBERT, a native of Austin, Texas has dedicated her life to the art of dance, immersing herself in Modern Dance for over two decades. She has performed with several local dance companies, such as Chaddick Dance Theater, Afrique Gninze and Blue Lapis Light. Her journey in dance has taken her across the globe, to broaden her repertoire. Katie has traveled to Asia, Europe and Africa, embracing diverse dance forms such as West African Dance, Balinese Dance and Interpreting Dance for the Blind.
Katie believes that dance is a lifeline, “without dance, I would be lost”, she reflects. For her, dance is a true gift, one that allows her to connect with herself and others in a profound way.
GRACIE LARSON began her dance training in 2015 at The Dance Academy of the White Mountains. Beginning in 2017, Gracie was invited to dance with professional companies, including DMJ Dance Collective and Desert Dance Theatre. In 2022, Gracie moved to Phoenix, AZ, and joined CaZo Dance Theatre's professional company, where she was a member for 2 years. Gracie is now finishing her M.S. in Clinical Exercise Physiology from Arizona State University, with plans to enter a PhD program. She is excited to be performing Sister Moses for her 4th time.
MATTHEW MENDEZ is originally from Phoenix, Arizona. He graduated from the University of Arizona in 2022 with a BFA in dance. During his time there, he received training in multiple styles of dance including: modern, ballet, and jazz. Since then he has worked and performed on various cruise ships for Royal Caribbean International. He is excited to be a part of the Sister Moses cast.
DANIELE SPIVEY-SORRELLS, a Detroit-born artist, began her dance journey in the M. L. King High School Dance Workshop Program, training in Modern, Ballet, and Jazz. Her early years were enriched by master classes and performance opportunities that deepened her love of movement.
She holds a BS in Psychology and a Master’s in Business and Organizational Leadership from Defiance College, where she also taught and choreographed for community and faith-based dance programs during her college years.
BRANDON STRABALA’s journey into dance emerged through personal transformation and healing. After leaving a career in financial planning over a decade ago, he founded Orgone Knights, a creative platform centered on energy healing and artistic expression.
Dance became an essential part of Brandon’s emotional release and personal growth. After a decade of exploring various movement styles, he discovered Ecstatic Dance in Sedona—a life-changing experience that inspired him to cultivate a thriving dance community. Following the passing of his wife, an experience he shared in his self-published book and audiobook Dancing Beyond Cancer, Brandon honored her memory by hosting weekly dances on the Sedona Red Rocks. Since 2018, his dedication has helped shape Sedona’s vibrant dance culture, creating and supporting numerous dance experiences throughout the area.
Brandon has performed with Sedona Dance Project and Sedona Dance Academy, and works alongside his wife Danielle through Sedona Dances, where they offer Silent Disco and Guided Ecstatic Movement experiences that blend free-form movement with structured choreography.
DANIELLE MCNEAL STRABALA is a performer, educator, and choreographer with over 30 years of experience in dance and movement arts. Born and raised in Queens, New York, she began her formal dance training at age 12 and went on to receive scholarships to study at the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater School, training in modern, ballet, jazz, and Dunham technique, as well as at Nanette Bearden Contemporary Dance Theater, focusing on African dance and jazz. While in New York, she also trained for two years under renowned jazz dance master Luigi.
Danielle earned her B.A. in Dance from Arizona State University, where she studied Ideokinesis under Pamela Mat—an influence that continues to shape her somatic, imagery-based approach to teaching and choreography.
She is the co-owner of Sedona Dances, owner of Dynamic Dance Services, and Artistic Director of the Sedona Dance Project, an innovative platform that blends trained and untrained movers in meaningful performance experiences. Danielle was a member of the original cast of Sister Moses and is honored to continue performing with Desert Dance Theatre for over 30 years.
Since making Austin her home in 2007, she has performed as a company dancer with several local dance companies in the Austin area, and as a multidisciplinary creative, Daniele has blended her artistry with a career in higher education as a manager at Western Governors University.Daniele currently directs Mercy Moves Liturgical Dance Company and continues to serve as a choreographer and teacher within her church, weaving artistry, faith, and storytelling through dance. She is also a proud member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated.
MICHAEL ALLAN TARVER is a movement artist, yoga teacher, and interdisciplinary strategist whose work explores the relationship between embodiment, rhythm, and human resilience. His movement practice draws from yoga, contemporary dance, barre, somatic awareness, and improvisation, informed by years of teaching and performing across professional, fitness, wellness, and community spaces.
Michael is a Registered Yoga Teacher (RYT-500), group fitness instructor, and Ayurvedic practitioner-in-training. He has led movement experiences in studios, theaters, gyms, rehabilitation centers, assisted living, and behavioral health environments, with a focus on accessibility, nervous-system awareness, and expressive presence. His approach to movement honors both strength and vulnerability—inviting the body to be a site of inquiry, healing, and story.
Alongside his performance work, Michael holds a Master of Science in Futures & Design and a Bachelor of Science in Biology & Society from Arizona State. This background shapes his artistic lens, grounding movement in systems thinking, emotional intelligence, and the lived experience of change. He is the founder of Bhakti Concepts Evolved, where he integrates movement, reflection, and conscious leadership practices.
Through dance, Michael seeks to create moments of coherence—where breath, body, and intention align—offering audiences an embodied experience of presence, resilience, and connection.
