PG County Dancer Lands Her Professional Stage Debut
Image: Skyy Twyman in Short’s Groove Downbeat Twig
Oct 29th, 2024 –
PG County Dancer Begins Her Professional Stage Journey
Contact:
Shawn Short, Director
202-540-8338
sshort@ngcfddt.org
Ngoma School Alumni Skyy Twyman performs with Dissonance Dance Theatre as a part of DDT’s Fall Forward production on Oct 19th, 2024, at the Atlas Performing Arts on H Street. A native of Hyattsville, MD, and a former student at Northwestern High School, Skyy has always wanted to become a professional dancer. “I’m interested in aerial and other forms of dance, but there aren’t many places in the DC area to train or get stage experience as a Black female dancer, says Skyy Twyman. As an alumna of The Ngoma School, Dissonance Dance Theatre’s official school – another Ngoma Center for Dance program – Mr. Shawn Short offered Skyy a Trainee position to continue her dance studies.
“Washington, DC, does not have many professional dance company positions – especially for Brown and Black dancers. I felt for Skyy and wanted her to understand the rigors of being a professional dancer – like many before her. That’s what we do at Ngoma Center for Dance; we provide equitable opportunities to launch careers. – Shawn Short
Skyy Twyman performed two of Short’s works, Groove Downbeat Twig and Home, to a welcoming audience. Groove Downbeat Twig was a world premiere. Ngoma Center for Dance serves more than 200 students annually, many of whom dream of professional stardom. More than 2,000 students have trained within Ngoma School’s programming since 2014. Students have graduated and begun their careers at Dissonance Dance Theatre, Norwegian Cruise Ships, Broadway (Matilda, Spamalot), International Tour of Dream Girls, Fivetwodance (NYC), and Carolyn Dorfman Dance.
Skyy has begun her exposure to professional dance. We look forward to her continued growth as a dancer and artist.
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Ngoma Center for Dance is the home of Dissonance Dance Theatre (founded in 2007) and its award-winning programs based in the Washington, DC area. DDT is named “one of the 11 small-but-mighty dance companies outside of LA and NYC” by Dance Spirit Magazine. Evoking emotional experiences in the audiences we touch, is the only East Coast, nationally recognized, Black-managed contemporary ballet company between NYC and ATL. For more information, visit www.ngcfddt.org