DCDC 2 | Fall Company

Comprised of recent graduate and undergraduate dance students, DCDC2 is the next generation of dance artists under the umbrella of the Dayton Contemporary Dance Company, founded in 1968 by its founder, Jeraldyne Blunden, and currently led by Debbie Blunden-Diggs, Artistic Director.

Rooted in the framework of DCDC’s arts culture, DCDC2, like its parent company, presents performances in traditional theatre and alternative venues. The ensemble is integral to DCDC school and community engagement throughout the Miami Valley region.

DCDC2 participates in DCDC’s established university partnerships, which provide opportunities to engage in collaborative programs with the University of Dayton, Wright State University, and Central State University, which offer campus-wide activities and dance programs.

The ensemble has performed throughout Ohio's Miami Valley and the Midwest, Northeast, and South Central regions. In 2019, the ensemble was chosen to present at the OhioDance Festival in Columbus, Ohio, and showcased at the 31st International Blacks in Dance “Established Dance Companies” performance hosted in Dayton, Ohio.

DCDC2 continues to be a resource for new dancers for DCDC’s main company and maintains an impressive record of successfully transitioning dancers into other professional companies, Broadway, film, television, media, and graduate schools.

DCDC2 DIRECTOR

Shonna Hickman-Matlock

Shonna Hickman-Matlock, Director of DCDC2 and Arts Enrichment Programs, was a principal dancer, touring nationally and internationally in South Korea, Russia, France, Germany, and Bermuda.

She performed across the U.S., including at the American Dance Festival, Jacob's Pillow Dance Festival, Lincoln Center, and The Kennedy Center before retiring in 1995. She performed in many DCDC repertories, including Ulysses Dove’s “Vespers” and “Urban Folkdance,” Donald Byrd’s “Dark Joy” and “Bamm,” and Eleo Pomare’s “Las Desenamoradas.”

Ms. Hickman-Matlock has created works for DCDC and other institutions. Serving as DCDC2 Director since 2000 and DCDC Resident Choreographer, she became Director of Education and Outreach in 2014, designing arts enrichment programs for schools and communities.

Under her leadership, many dancers have transitioned into DCDC’s main company and other professional companies, national tours, and Broadway productions.

Maiya Caldwell was a gymnast and soccer player before discovering her interest in dance and theatre. In college, she trained with and later became a teaching assistant for Jeaunitta Olôwe in African Dance Forms and Teresa VanDenend-Sorge in modern dance. In 2022, after graduating from Northern Kentucky University with a BFA in Dance, she completed a summer semester at Yonsei University (연세 대학교) in Seoul, South Korea, where she had the opportunity to train in Hip-hop and Jazz/contemporary and commercial styles. In addition to DCDC2, Maiya choreographs and dances in the Greater Cincinnati Area, contributing to local theatrical productions and modern dance projects.

Keilani Reynolds (Dayton, Oh) has trained at the Miami Valley Dance Center in Fairborn, OH for the last 15 years. While at MVDC, she competed with the MVDC Dance Force, served as a teaching assistant, and studied with the Onyx Contemporary Dance Company for three seasons. Keilani attended The Regional Dance America Festival in 2022 and 2023, representing OCDC as a full company member. Keilani has performed at the Harlem Globetrotter's half-time show, the Cleveland Cavalier’s pre-show and the Showcase Opening Number for Imagine Dance Force. During the summer of 2023, Keilani attended the Eisenhower Dance Detroit's NewDanceFest on full scholarship. Most recently, Keilani performed at the Grier School Gala and received scholarships from Slippery Rock University and the American Dance Festival. In addition, Keilani is also a member and teaching assistant with Ke Aloha Entertainment. She enjoys sharing her Polynesian culture at various luaus, community outreach events, and Concert Days throughout the US and across the greater Fairborn area.

Sawyer Hertel is a sophomore Dance major at Wright State University. She began her dance training in Nashville, Tennessee with Burlingame Dance Studio. While at Burlingame, she participated on the competitive dance teams as well as a teaching assistant. Additionally, she was a four-year member of the Wilson Central Dance Department where she was a teaching assistant as well as choreographer with pieces featured in the WC Winter and Spring shows. During this time, she was tapped to participate in the Tennessee Governor’s School and the Nashville Ballet Intensive. As a student, she has studied under Shabz Ujima, Gregory Merriman, Donna Carver and Eric Harris and performed pieces by Gina Walters, Daniel Karasik, Debra Perry, General Hambrick and Michelle Burlingame During her tenure at Wright State, she has performed and choreographed in the Dance Department’s concerts.

Taylor Knighton, a native of Dallas, Texas, began her formal dance training at Dallas Black Dance Academy and Booker T. Washington High School for the Performing and Visual Arts under the direction of Kate Walker. After her high school training, Taylor received her BFA in Dance from Johns Hopkins University. She has also studied at the Ate9 Dance Intensive, the University of North Carolina School of the Arts, the Dash Academy, MODULE|21, Hubbard Street Dance Chicago, and at the University of South Florida’s Semester in Paris Program. Taylor has performed works by Sidra Bell, Darrell Moultrie, Meghan Lou, Aszure Barton, Kevin Iega Jeff, Dolly Sfier, and Bernard Brown.

Taylor explores movement in all its forms, seeking to discover an understanding of the world through her artistry. Strong faith and the experiences of life influence the work she creates and performs. She is inspired by the freedom that dance can bring and aims to impact all communities in a positive way by sharing the joy and peace that dance can offer.

Macy Perry is a recent graduate from Wright State University, where she received her BFA in dance. She is currently an apprentice with CPR Dance; Inhale Movement and toured around Michigan with the company. Macy’s choreography, “What Comes From Within,” has been performed through Dayton Dance Initiative at Art in the City. Her piece was also adjudicated to be performed at Wright State University’s Spring Dance Concert alongside works by Ray Mercer, Jennifer Sydor, and Gina Walther. During her time at Wright State, she was able to work with choreographers, Hannah Williamson, Kiki Lucas, Teresa Wylie-McWilliams, Jennifer Sydor, and Gina Walther. She is also a 200 hour certified yoga teacher through Eternal Yoga. She is so excited to be joining DCDC as a second company member.

Ansley Seiffert is from Alexandria, Virginia where she grew up training at the Washington School of Ballet under Septime Webre and Metropolitan School of the Arts under Jacqueline Doherty, Sara Hart and Roger Jeffrey. She is a 2020 graduate of The Academy at Metropolitan School of the Arts where she trained in dance, theater, and voice. In 2024, she graduated cum laude and high distinction from Butler University with her BFA in Dance Performance and minor in Creative Media and Entertainment. As a member of Butler Ballet, she performed many notable roles in classical ballets such as Swan Lake, Cinderella, and The Nutcracker. She also performed in a variety of soloist roles in contemporary works choreographed by David Ingram, Derek Reid, and Ramón Flowers including Atomikós, Swingin, and Noir et Blanc. In addition, she has performed in various Musical Theater Productions such as Pippin with Butler Theater. Ansley received distinction certifications from the Royal Academy of Dance and has trained at various summer programs including American Ballet Theater in NYC, The Donald Byrd Workshop, Hubbard Street Dance Chicago, The Kennedy Center Dance Lab, The Washington Ballet, Water Street Dance Festival, and BOUNCE! She has performed in Pictures at an Exhibition as a featured dancer for The Reach at the Kennedy Center with the National Symphony Orchestra choreographed by Hope Boykin. While Ansley loves to perform, her passions to create and collaborate with other artists have led to new aspirations for teaching and choreographing. Her most recent work, At A Loss, premiered at Butler University in 2024. If you can’t find Ansley in the studio, you can catch her at the movie theater, taking a stroll along the water, or spending time with her family and friends. Ansley is very excited to start her new journey with DCDC2 this season!

Brittni Van Dine (she/her) began dancing at the age of three at Central Texas Ballet Conservatory. She graduated summa cum laude from The Ohio State University in 2022 with a BS in health sciences and again in 2024 with a BFA in dance. Throughout her years, she has attended several intensives with American Ballet Theater, Hubbard Street Dance Chicago, A.I.M by Kyle Abraham, Doug Varone, Carmel Dance Festival, and Visceral Dance Chicago. Her artistic emphasis is in exploring movement playfully and honestly with empathy and child-like abandon, as well as considering what it means to be human as an artist in various communities. Guided by love and compassion, and with tremendous support from friends and family, Brittni feels blessed and eager to see where her journey takes her as a young scholar, artist, and empathetic being.

Abby Leithart is originally from Gahanna, Ohio, and currently lives in Alexandria, Virginia, as a dance teacher at Ballet Nova and teaching assistant at Immanuel Lutheran School. Before relocating to Virginia, she was the modern/contemporary teacher at The Milwaukee Ballet for the pre-professional program. She was also an active member of the Chant Claire choir in Milwaukee and continues to sing in her church choir. Due to her passion for creating, she has choreographed various solos and group performances nationwide. Miss Leithart brings sixteen years of dance teaching and eleven years of professional dance company experience to the classroom.

She was a Dayton Contemporary Dance Company member for five years before moving to Virginia and working with various companies in DC, including Company E, PrioreDance, S.J. Ewing and Dancers, and KyokoDansu. She has taught youth and adult classes at Judy Dollenmayer Studio of Dance (Gahanna, Ohio), City Dance Conservatory (Rockville, MD), Ballet Nova Center for Dance (Arlington, VA), Joy of Motion Dance Center (Washington, DC), Rhythm in Motion (Arlington, VA), Born2Dance Studio (Vienna, VA), Milwaukee Ballet (Milwaukee, WI), and master classes at DanceWorks (Milwaukee, WI), Episcopal High School (Houston, TX), Company E (Washington, DC), as well as in other countries during her travels. Miss Leithart received her BFA in Dance at Wright State University. She continued her training with additional summer intensives at Hubbard Street Dance Company, Cedar Lake Contemporary Ballet, and NW Dance Project. She was recognized with the Regional Dance America's Northeast Josephine Schwartz Award for a best-emerging choreographer in 2015. She has performed and taught worldwide in Azerbaijan, Russia, England, Cuba, Ukraine, Georgia, Kazakhstan, and in the United States at the Kennedy Center in DC, the Joyce Theatre in New York City, and Jacobs Pillow in Becket, MA.