Born and raised in Queens NY, Jamilah Smith began dancing at the young age of 3. It wasn’t until she began her training as an 8 year old at The Edge School of the Arts did she become passionate about dance. This community dance school played a major part in encouraging her as an artist and to attend LaGuardia High School in 2005. After graduating from LaGuardia High School, Jamilah has dedicated herself to the youth, working as a dance teacher in the Queens community. She hopes to give the children of her community the experience she had as a child. “It is more than just dance” she tells her students and parents. “The discipline of dance never leaves you. It follows you throughout life, wherever you may choose to go.”

Currently an educator and a graduate from Queens College, Robin holds a BA in Theatre Dance with honors and a MEd, Masters in Education, considers herself a community dancer, sharing her gift and love of the Art to those willing to learn.
Robin began her dream as a dancer starting as a dare at age 11 and began her training with the Bernice Johnson Dancing School. She has worked as a Teaching Artist, dance teacher and choreography teaching across various cultures, periods and styles of dance in studios and enrichment programs to children and adults throughout the New York tri-state area.

As a choreographer her credits include: Juneteenth Legacy Theatres. AUDELCO 2010 Award winning, August Wilson’s Women, A Lil Chat With God, Billy, Lena and the Duke, Juneteenth Blues Cabaret, for colored girls and her most current work Sassy Ma to name a few.

Robin is currently a Dance Teacher at K.E.Y.A. Dance Studio, Jamaica NY and a former member of Agoci Dance Company, Brooklyn, NY.

Madelyne has been training for 16 years in many forms of dance, including ballet, pointe, jazz, modern, contemporary, and tap dance at Linda Lavender School of Dance and Twin City Ballet in Monroe, LA. She has had the opportunity to be immersed in the commercial, theatre, and concert dance worlds during those years from competing in competitions,  going to multiple ballet intensives, and musical theater workshops. Madelyne is an award winning choreographer (Regional Dance America’s Monticello Award Recipient 2017) and has choreographed and taught for her home company and local studios in the northern Louisiana area. She’s been teaching for 3 years in the areas of ballet, pointe, hip hop, and jazz. Madelyne has been training at The Ailey School for a year and is currently in the Scholarship Program.

Halima Boykin, age 24 is a choreographer who has been teaching for the past 4 years. Although she primarily teaches dance she was lucky enough to develop a well-rounded background in other performing arts such as singing, acting and percussion playing. Most of her experience is owed to school, extracurricular activities, and the relentless encouragement of her mother despite her reluctance.

Halima first began practicing her talent at P.S. 30, The Ruby S. Couche elementary school. There she took part in chorus as an after school activity. It was there where she learned of her love for singing. The P.S. 30 chorus toured the community visiting schools such as P.S. 140, where Halima sang her first solo (“Tomorrow”, from the movie Annie).

From P.S. 30 elementary school chorus to Marie Curie middle school 158..  She once again studied vocal but this time alongside dance where she first learned to make her own choreography both with and without a group. Band was where she was first introduced to the flute and music reading which would become quite useful to her in high school.

Her freshman and sophomore year of high school she dedicated her time to acting at the Black Spectrum Theater while also attending dance classes at JCAL (Jamaica Center for Arts and Learning) on the weekends. She featured in The Urban Teenaged Apocalypse Radio Show and Four Plays from the Heart. Her junior and senior year, however, she chose to focus her attention more on music and of course dance.

After studying percussion in 11th grade, Halima joined the Percussion Ensemble during 12th grade while still taking dance classes during her free time. She attended ESOTA (Edge School of the Arts) which she dedicated 1 year to and KEYA (Keep Empowering Youth Achievements) dance school which she dedicated 3 years to. It was here where she acquired the dance technique she would need for future references. She is trained in cecchetti ballet, jazz, hip hop, tap, modern and African. As for music, she  and the ensemble performed for NYSSMA and received a score of 4/4.

Halima furthered her education at York College University. Although she joined no performing arts programs there she taught dance at Unique Styles Dance Studio and dedicated 3 years to doing so. Today Halima continues to follow her love for performing arts, especially dance. She has choreographed for the same company she once acted for. The Black Spectrum Theater ECAP afterschool program  which combined both her love for the arts and children. She has also taught dance to Harlem Children’s Zone students who then showcased their talent at the annual Peace March held at the Armory on 134th Street in Harlem New York.

Today Halima has returned to KEYA dance to give back the skills that she was once given. By teaching the youth of the community she hopes to invest passion, fulfilled potential, and an overall love for dance into students the same way her dance teachers once did for her.

Jazzmine Randolph’s love and passion for dance began in her teen years.  It began as a simple outlet that aided in relieving the daily stresses of life but transformed into something much greater over the years.  Dance for Jazzmine now serves as a channel for absolute freedom of creative expression. This channel brings the inner depths of her wildest imagination to life and allows her to share her visions with those that she teaches as well as other instructors. She has now been a part of the K.E.Y.A Dance family for four years serving as the hip-hop instructor.  Here, she has been allotted the opportunity to share her visions with true masters of their art and finally break out of her reverie and choreograph her dreams into reality.

Angelica Vicens is producer, director, writer, and musical theatre and comedy actor based in Manhattan. She is beyond excited to be joining K.E.Y.A. for a second season! Graduate of the musical theatre conservatory at the American Musical Dramatic Academy, professional actor and stage manager with Actors Equity Association, and current Development Fellow at the Vineyard Theatre in Union Square. Independently she is the Artistic Director of Makes Sense Theatrics, a multi-media entertainment production company that focuses on producing original and underserved works. With her experience in performing and directing children’s theatre in Tampa, FL and the Bronx, K.E.Y.A. is a natural fit. “Here is to the future of the song, dance, and theatre: here is to the students of K.E.Y.A.!”

Robert Dorleans has had a love for dance for as long as he can remember. He began dancing as a recreational activity in St. Francis Prep where he participated in Talent Shows, Art Showcases, etc. Robert went on to study at Devore Dance Center where he trained in Hip Hop, Ballet, African, & Modern. In his senior year of High School, Robert auditioned for B.S. of Fine Arts as a Dance Major and was accepted. He has also studied at Earl Mosley Institute of the Art & Nathan Trice Summer Intensive. Robert as well as dancing, Robert has also found a love for choreographing.