Compton Dance Theatre Foundation: Biographies
Carol Bristol-Henry - Artistic Director / Founder
Carol Bristol-Henry is a dancer, choreographer, educator and artistic consultant. She studied dance at Dance Theatre of Harlem and the Alvin Ailey American Dance Center. She holds a Bachelors degree in Psychology from Howard University and a Masters degree in Dance and Dance Education from New York University. Her performance credits include “Bill Cosby’s Salute to Alvin Ailey”, “Shades of Harlem”, and a principal role in Langston Hughes’ “Black Nativity”. She has worked with numerous dance and theatre companies throughout the United States. Moreover, she has received awards and national recognition in choreography from The National Foundation for Advancement in the Arts, New York University’s Lorraine Hansberry Fine Arts Award, a nomination from the NAACP as Best Choreographer, and a Certificate of Congressional Recognition for Artistic Contributions to the community.
Mrs. Bristol-Henry has served as an Adjunct Professor in the Dance Department of University of California - Irvine, California State University - Dominguez Hills, and West Los Angeles College. She is also the Artistic Director for Compton Dance Theatre bringing 30 years of experience as a dancer and 20 years of experience as a dance educator to the training program.
Randi Courtmanch - Instructor
Randi Courtmanch is an alumna of Cornish College of the Arts. She graduated cum laude with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance having studied ballet and modern dance technique, choreography, and movement analysis. She also spent a semester at the Laban Centre in London where she focused on community and teaching studies.
Ms. Courtmanch has performed for David Dorfman, Wade Madsen, Amii LeGendre and Amy O’Neal in Seattle, Washington; and she taught creative movement and ballet for Momentum Dance Academy. In addition to performing and teaching, she worked as an administrator for various arts non-profits including Crispin Spaeth Dance Group and the contemporary performance venue, On the Boards.
Currently, she is a full-time dance and movement instructor for Arts and Services for Disabled where she works with adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities. She is very excited to be returning to her ballet roots as an instructor for Compton Dance Theatre.
Arletha "KK" Duson - Instructor
Arletha Duson-Ross (a.k.a. “Ms. KK”) has been dancing for 17 years. She brings exemplary training in modern, ballet, jazz, Pilates, and Laban Notation to Compton Dance Theatre Foundation. She holds a Bachelors Degree in Fine Arts, Dance from the University of California, Irvine.
She has performed in various programs within her community including the Pan African Film Festival, Faithful Central Dance Company, California State University - Long Beach, Toni Thomas Production, and the Liturgical Dance Ministry for Pastor Della Reese’s congregation. Ms. KK operates her own dance program called “Sunset Dance Studio” through the Communion Christian Academy and substitute teaches for Project Fit Kids and Inner City Educational Foundation (ICEF).
Currently, Ms. KK is completing her Masters Degree in Business Administration.
Demar Braxton - Assistant Director / Choreographer
Demar Braxton studied dance at The Ailey School. He has performed with Genesis Dance Company, Contemporary Ballet Theater, Louis Johnson Dance Theater, Alpha Omega Dance Company, and the Eleo Pomare Dance Company. He has also performed in the following musicals: Purlie, Dreamgirls, West Side Story, and The Wiz. Demar Braxton teaches modern at Compton Dance Theatre and serves as the Assistant Director to CDT's Professional Company.
Atiya El-Amin, Instructor & Administrative Assistant
Atiya El-Amin is a dancer, choreographer, and instructor. She graduated from the Mercer County Performing Arts High School and Rider University where she earned a Bachelors degree in Fine Arts, Dance. She also holds a Professional Certificate from the American Musical Dramatic Academy.
Atiya has studied dance at the Princeton Ballet School with teachers from the American Repertory Ballet Company on a merit dance scholarship, and she has completed independent study courses at Temple University in Modern and African dance under the direction of Dr. Kariamu.
As an instructor, Atiya taught African and Ballet at the Princeton Ballet School while also assisting to build a non-profit community outreach program called Vessels, Inc.. Vessels Inc. is a place where youths from the inner city of Trenton, New Jersey can learn dance and the dramatic arts. Atiya served as the Creative Arts Director of Vessels of Praise where she taught dance technique to children and adults – as well as planned special events and concerts touring Puerto Rico, Japan, and the Bahamas. Vessels Inc. won 3rd prize for the (“Praise Dance” category at the Mc Donald’s Gospel Competition).
Atiya has performed as a liturgical dancer with Gospel Artists: Vicki Winans, Mary Mary, Martha Munizzi, Fred Hammond, and John P. Kee. Atiya teaches Jazz technique at Compton Dance Theatre Foundation.
Keesha Hernandez / Instructor
Keesha Hernandez is studying dance at Cal State L.A and is currently pursuing a degree in Theater Arts and Dance. She has been trained in jazz, ballet, modern and hip hop. She has worked with choreographers such as aluZiun, Natalia Morales Byles, Frit and Frat Fuller, G Madison IV, Hae Kyung Lee and Francisco Martinez. She has recently performed in Vox Lumiere's Hunchback of Notre Dame, Dancescape and Carnival. Keesha Hernandez teaches Hip Hop at Compton Dance Theatre.
Board Members
Carol Bristol-Henry, Chairperson
(Bio Above)
Anika Warren, Ph.D., President
Catalyst, Director of Research
Columbia University - Teachers College, Professor
Adrienne Malka, Vice President & Treasurer
UCLA, Manager Employee Disability Management Services
UCLA, Ethnic Arts B.A.