Ted Thomas- Artistic Director of Thomas/Ortiz Dance

A native New Yorker, former rapper and graffiti artist, Ted Thomas attended the High School for Performing Arts before receiving his B.F.A. from the State University of New York at Purchase. He went on to earn a Masters degree in dance and higher education from New York University. He danced with Ballet Hispanico, Elisa Monte, and the Murray Louis and Nikolais Company prior to joining the Paul Taylor Dance Company in 1996. While choreographing and continuing to perform with Thomas/Ortiz Dance, Mr. Thomas was for two years Artist-in-Residence at Barnard College. He currently teaches dance at the New England Academy of Dance and at New Canaan High School in New Canaan, CT.

Monica Richardson

Choreographer-Hip Hop/Urban Contemporary A graduate of New World School of Arts in Miami, Monica is trained in modern, ballet, and jazz disciplines. Monica has received dance scholarships to attend Bates Dance Festival and performed lead roles in both Debbie Allen’s “Pepito’s” and LaVerne Reed’s “The Chocolate Nutcracker.” She has worked and performed as a background dancer for Gloria Estefan, and has recently dance in music videos for rap artist Ja Rule and Missy Elliot. Monica has worked with the production company Galaxy and was involved as choreographer and dancer of the show Dremafination, which was performed in Las Vegas at the MGM Grand.

Lloyd Whitmore

Choreographer / Modern Dance Instructor
Lloyd Whitmore, a native of Philadelphia Penna., began his dance career at age 20. Since then he has spent 30 years in dance as a teacher and choreographer. Trained in the Lester Horton and Martha Graham techniques, Mr. Whitmore has performed all over the world with companies such as Philadanco, The New Orleans Opera, and the DC Contemporary Dance Theater. From 1991 – 1993, Mr. Whitmore served as Artistic Director of his own modern dance company, the New World Dance Company
of Washington, DC. Mr. Whitmore was the first male recipient of a scholarship to the Craft of Choreography Conference from the North East Regional Ballet Association in 1983.  He presently resides in Atlanta, GA and serves on the faculties of The Governors School of the Arts and Humanities (SC) and the Atlanta Ballet (GA). Mr. Whitmore also freelances throughout the country teaching Master Classes and choreographing for various performing arts schools, colleges, universities and regional dance companies. He is the owner of LEW Design, a Graphic Design Agency.

Roger C. Jeffrey  was born in New York where he began his training at Bernice Johnson Cultural Arts Center.  A graduate of Performing Arts High School, he received his B.F.A. from The Juilliard School under the direction of Benjamin Harkarvy.  Mr. Jeffrey has performed in the companies of Bernice Johnson, Kevin Iega Jeff, Twyla Tharp, Zvi Gotheiner, Lar Lubovitch and with Mikhail Baryshnikov's White Oak Dance Project.  He has also worked with Gary Deloatch, Martial Roumain, Dudley Williams, Eleo Pomare, Otis Salid, Debbie Allen, Christopher Huggins, Danny Tidwell, Rasta Thomas, D'bi. Young, Doug Varone, Richard Move, Mark Dendy and Obediah Wright. Roger C. Jeffrey is one of the most sensitive and savviest of young producers in New York  New York Times.

Kevin Iega Jeff was named one of the Juilliard School’s  “100 Outstanding Alumni” at the school’s 100th anniversary. It’s an honor he shares with actor Robin Williams and musician/educator Wynton Marsalis. With over 30 years of experience in artistic direction, training and management, Mr. Jeff is an accomplished choreographer, director, teacher and performer.  His performing credits include: The Wiz and Comin’ Uptown on Broadway, and a 1994 Academy Awards performance as The Beast in Disney’s Beauty and the Beast choreography by Debbie Allen. His credits for direction and choreography include:   Mr. Jeff was nominated for a prestigious USA Artists Fellowship, and in 2008 he won a Dayton Tony for “Best Choreography” for the Equity production of Shenandoah. In 2008, Mr. Jeff also received the Black Theater Alliance award for “Best Direction of a Musical” for DRP’s workshop production of Nefertiti: A Concert of Music and Dance. Mr. Jeff served as Artist in Residence for ten years at Howard University, and is presently Artist in Residence at Purdue University’s Black Cultural Center in Lafayette, IN.

In 1998, Desmond Richardson joined the premiere cast of the Broadway Musical Fosse for which he received a 1999 Tony Award Nomination. He has also appeared on Broadway in the musical, The Look of Love and in the critically acclaimed Movin’ Out. He had a principal role in Debbie Allen’s dance/theatrical presentation, Soul Possessed, which premiered at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in 1999.

Richardson has worked in television, film, and video in the United States and abroad. These experiences have allowed him to perform with such musical artists as Michael Jackson, Prince, Aretha Franklin, and Madonna. He is featured in Patrick Swayze and Lisa Niemi’s film, One Last Dance and the Oscar winning Chicago. He made his singing debut in Charles Randolph Wright’s 2005 film, Preaching to the Choir, performed the lead role of Beowulf in Julie Taymor’s Grendel at the LA Opera, Richardson recently appeared in Taymor’s Film, Across the Universe.

His recent honors include the Alvin Ailey School’s 2006 Apex award and the prestigous 2007 Dance Magazine Award. Recently Richardson partnered & performed with Diana Vishneva, in her one women show Beauty in Motion, at New York City Center and St.Petersburg, Russia, and is one of two Dancers invited by the President of the United States to perform in the in the 60th Presidential Conference in Israel May 08.
  

MDS is Excited to offer a Diverse Array of Master Dancers to Teach the Latest in innovation and Technique in Various Dance Genres.

 Join Us Today!!