blacknstackd You do not HAVE a soul. You ARE a soul. You HAVE a body. - October 19, 2010 add/view comments (0)

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Celebrating 30+ years in the performing arts world, Rocky Award winner, Jaye Allison's extensive experience shows her ability to create and carry out projects like Jaye Allison's Philly TAP Challenge "ON FIRE!" (JAPTC). As producer of JAPTC since 2004, founding director of New LEJA Dances, the company (Leon Evans and Jaye Allison), a concert dance company originally established in 1980 under LEJA DANCE THEATRE, and is the Project Director of the Philadelphia Civic Ballet Company, (the oldest Ballet Company in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania), since 1991. The company delights audiences by providing dance education through interactive performances to Catholic Schools in Philadelphia by a generous grant through the Connelly Foundation. Additionally, Allison is honored to be hand selected as a 2nd Generation Silver Belle (following in the legendary steps of the the one and only Silver Belles, Harlem's original showgirls from the Cotton Club and Apollo Theater. Jaye has experience and a history of success in contributing to the dance community. In addition, Jaye received the following grants and achievements for her artistic merit: Dance Advance, Leeway Foundation Art and Change Award, the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts (PCA) Fellow and Intern programs, Community Education Center's (CEC), PIAS, and Emerging Choreographer for Choreo LAB with Martha Meyers of American Dance Festival. In a Philadelphia Inquirer review, Marilyn Jackson confirms, 'LEJA is an American Dance Theater organization that includes broad community involvement nourishing performers, professional or not, and new audiences for them.' Miss Allison studied at Philadelphia College for the Performing Arts (UARTS), University of MA at Amherst where she received her certificate in Arts Management and Community College of Philadelphia. In addition, she trained at the Philadelphia Theatrical Academy and Philadanco. In New York City she trained at the Ailey School, Rod Rodgers Dance Company, the Performance Institute, and the Broadway Dance Center where she was awarded a scholarship. Her teachers included the best in the modern and tap dance arena, including; Maurice Hines, Hinton Battle and Cecilia Marta. Mentors that assisted in Allison?s developmental stages were: Cheryl Shepherd, during Jaye's formative years, Rod Rodgers, through her experimental stages and Alicia Dakerian Craig, who created realities that consistently challenged Allison's artistic, managerial, political and humanitarian skills. Among her favorite dance performances were, the THRILLER video for KYW-3's Evening Magazine, Tweet Theater Productions Walking Down on Broad Street, and performing as a solo dance artist for Baba Olatunji at the Million Women March. Allison also appeared in movies, Beloved, Rocky III, Mannequin II, Taps, and several music videos.