The Binford Dance Company was established in 2016. It is an audition-based student dance company from Binford Middle School, an arts integrated school located in Richmond, VA. Company members study Ballet, Modern, Jazz, Improvisation, and Composition within the Binford dance program. The company has performed throughout the community including: The 2019 Superintendent’s State of the Schools Address, Generation Dream, Richmond Public Schools Fine Arts Festival, Strawberry Street Festival, Appomattox Regional Governor’s School for the Arts and Technology, Petersburg Home for Ladies, and Cedarfield Retirement Community. The company also had the opportunity to perform in the music videos “Have It All” and “Love Is Still The Answer” by Jason Mraz. The Binford Dance Company inspires students to find their own voice through performance and choreography while learning valuable skills in the rehearsal process including collaboration, respect, and confidence.

Present day, I’m teaching more than ever while also hosting RVA Dance Life Series which gives dancers in RVA a chance to teach in a diverse lineup of teachers to new audiences. So far in this 6 year journey, I’ve learned so much about myself and what I’m capable of. However, I’ve only scratched at the surface. There are so many more incredible things in store for me, and I cannot wait to explore them. Also, my family is now one of my biggest supporters.

I am beyond thrilled and honored to be a nominee for best jazz choreography because I’ve been extra passionate about it in my classes in the past year. It’s such a fun style that I cannot get enough of sometimes.

Looking back over 16 years of teaching, it’s amazing to think back to those days when I was so fresh and wildly passionate, and perhaps a little naïve to the complexities of teaching. It lights a different fire in you because you want to share your passion and give your students more than you had been given. My teaching style is strongly influenced by music as it is the driving force of my craft. I pride myself on the challenges I create for my students, and love watching the development of their growth within those challenges. This is my drive to continue this journey. The music and complexity is my spirit coming out and it ignites my passion day after day. 

I have been in the Richmond area for the last four years, and have been working hard to meet the dance community of VA. It has been a long and joyful journey to become a choreographer and professor. I now have the opportunity to spend time doing research on the topics that inspire me. More importantly, I am in a position to inspire and train young dancers and to be part of their own journeys.

In this very moment, I could not be more proud to be a part of the Richmond dance community. Our small city holds such great talent and although we are all so unique and talented in our own way; we equally share an amazing passion and love for the art of dance and the avenues in which we are all contributing to our dance community. Thank you, RVA Dance Awards for creating the perfect storm for dancers, studio owners, choreographers, directors, and educators to come together and celebrate one another. I am extremely honored and grateful for my nominations as Choreographer of the Year and Best Artistic Direction. Being able to create, explore, and grow with my dancers is one of the most fulfilling pieces of my life…I wouldn’t trade it for the world.

RADAR is incredibly honored to be nominated for Best Dance Company and Best Collaboration! We love and are passionate about dance and find the process of creating and performing rewarding in and of itself. That being said, having the Richmond community recognize us and our work in this way definitely enhances that reward! We are so grateful for the support and excited to be representing Richmond dance alongside so many other amazing dance companies!

I currently train many hours a night at Chesterfield Dance Center, where I study ballet, jazz, modern, tap, hip-hop, contemporary, pointe, and musical theater and compete on their Epic Delirium team. I am an assistant instructor and love teaching younger dancers. Additionally, this year, I was selected by Revel Dance Convention as a Pro Reveler, and I travel around the country assisting with classes.

Richmond Urban Dance is extremely excited and grateful to be one of the nominees in the category of Best Digital Content! It is so humbling to see that the RVA dance community appreciates the hard work that we put into our social media. We consider our digital content just as much as an art form as we do our dancing, so it is an honor to be recognized. Taking a dance class or participating in a performance is one thing, but trying to reach a larger audience through social media is entirely different. We want our audience to feel the same positive energy and vibes that we try to have in all of our classes and performances!

“It wasn’t until I was grown, working in a cubicle, that I realized that dance could be my vehicle or artistic expression. After about 15 years, it makes me grateful and honored to be nominated for Community Dancer of the Year and Best African Choreography for the first RVA Dance Awards. I just love bringing people together and representing the African roots that most of our favorite dances have. So these nominations make me feel that a may be headed in the right direction.”

Finally, there was Dogtown. I will never forget the night Rob Petres, founder at Dogtown invited me to dinner to “chat.” When he offered me the position, I was floored, confused, excited and ready. I accepted on the spot and started making the necessary changes in my life to go on this new adventure. Dogtown is everything to me. Watching the tremendous growth we’ve seen over the last five years since I became director, I have truly come alive. The same ferocity of spirit that got me through the car accident filled inside of me, and I knew I was going to do whatever it takes to make Dogtown successful and something amazing for the dance artists in this community.

“Our strengths and weakness compliment each other, making us constantly push one another to improve. Working with friends can sometimes be challenging, we fight like brother and sister but we love each other all the same. We’re super excited to have been nominated for our collaboration and are ready to make our next project happen.”

Dancing has always played a pivotal part in how I engage with the world. It is how I make sense of it. Every style of dance that I have engaged with has given me a greater vocabulary with which to create. I am thankful for the dancers both professionals, and students who have helped to make my dances come to life. <3

She would like to thank many people throughout the Richmond community that have helped her along the way . Richmond will always be her home and hold sweet memories of her early training . She is very appreciative and grateful for everyone’s efforts, commitment and belief in her . It hasn’t been an easy journey. Kinsey realizes the sacrifices and dedication throughout her family and community.

She hopes to continue to make Richmond proud ❤️

In addition to dancing, Madison is actively involved in her middle school as an SCA member, cheerleader and was recently inducted in the National Junior Honor Society. Madison works with amazing companies and organizations such as Tiger Friday, Purple Pixies NY, MadiMac Dancewear, Artkeh Dance Photography and with the non-profit organization, Ballet In The City. She actively supports this non-profit organization and raises money and awareness for their scholarship programs for dancers who want to further their training in ballet and bring ballet via performances and training to the communities at large.

Many people walk through life without an understanding of their purpose, fortunately I have found mine. As a young girl I loved to dance however I had encountered challenges that made me doubt my joy for dance. Somehow I was always led back to dance, at a point I gave in, and thought, “if I keep being lead back to dance then I must be meant for dance.” Turns out that was true, I fought to further my dance career against those that thought I wouldn’t or couldn’t. Getting myself into a college I desired and landing dance jobs, I meant that I was going to make a career around dance, and since I have been thriving! Having the opportunity to dance and travel for companies beyond Richmond. Teaching thousands of students young and old, even working with the US department of education to use dance as a tool to build student morale. My journey is a reflection of so many teachings positive, challenging, inspiring, and more. Taking all of those lessons in to make me not only a great dancer leader but most of all a honest human. This journey is continuing in so many ways and I’m still learning. I’m truly thankful that I have dance and that dance has me, together we are doing enchanting things.

I am excited to be nominated as Dancer of the Year because there are so many incredible artists in Richmond who could be included in this category and I am humbled to be considered among those chosen this year. As the dance world in Richmond continues to expand and grow, I am honored to be recognized even as a nominee for my contributions on the ballet stage.

I am honored to be nominated for both Best Dance Studio and Best Studio Performance Company. As an educator, you hope to grow your students, but it is truly a privilege for that growth to be recognized. I believe that teaching children is a gift. There is no greater joy than to envelop a child into a world of creative expression, movement, and passion for the art of dance. Children are the next generation of dancers and without diversifying their training, dance would never evolve.

“I am honored to be nominated for Best Jazz Choreography because, why wouldn't I be? We all strive to put our best foot forward and to create a piece of art, all while maintaining the history and technical aspects behind a genre. Jazz is legendary and I wouldn't be the person or choreographer I am today without it. “

I’m so excited to be nominated not only for Best Hip Hop Choreographer, but Best College Dance Line as well (Virginia Union University) because this nomination was voted on by the dance community. That alone means the world, just to know the community is actually watching and respects and sees your hard work is an honor in itself.

“ I began dancing in Los Angeles at the age of 10, later setting focus in ballet with opportunities to train in schools around the country including Pacific Northwest Ballet, LINES Contemporary Ballet, Ballet Chicago, North Carolina Dance Theatre, and the Richmond Ballet. I am ecstatic to have been nominated for the Dancer of the Year RVA Dance Award, and really owe this nomination to my many mentors and supporters, Shannon Hunter McConville, Nicole Mickey Shaver, Madison Ellis Ellington, Lisa Rumbauskas, and of course to my many beautiful and talented dance students at the West End Academy of Dance who I love so dearly. My fun fact is that my favorite activities outside of ballet are tap dancing, water aerobics, hanging out with Bretta (my cat) and crying over episodes of the Great British Baking Show.”