My dance journey is quite simple. I was 3 when I began dancing, started competing at 6, participated in high school dance team and school musicals, and received my BFA in Dance Performance from East Carolina University in 2010. I am fortunate to have supportive parents who allowed me to dive into this lifestyle and to encourage me every step of the way. Upon graduation, I moved to Richmond and currently teach Jazz, Contemporary, and Musical Theater, along with being the assistant director of dELIRIUM, our competitive company at Chesterfield Dance Center.

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I love photography because it is a combination of art and science. You need to know how to use the equipment, how to see and manipulate the light, and how to compose the shot in an interesting and flattering way. Combining the science/art of photography with the athletic/art of dance is the most magical combination! The dancers bring talent and passion to their sessions that makes my job so exciting. I tend to shoot more tween and teen dancers which also adds the element of that amazing/difficult time of life when kids (girls especially) can be so incredibly hard on themselves and they don’t always see just how spectacular they are until they see it in a photograph. One of my absolute favorite moments is when I hear back from a parent about how much doing the photoshoot has increased their dancers confidence! That, to me, is the most rewarding result.

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Finding my passion for ballet at a very young age has inspired a lifelong journey of learning, creating, performing and now directing. I am Originally from Tennessee and began training at the City Youth Ballet with Susan Pace-White. I then started training all over the country with many of the nation's most distinguished artists including David Howard, Edward Villella, Gelsey Kirdland and Alonzo King. I received a B.F.A from Radford University with a concentration in performance and choreography under the direction of Frano Jelincic and Dagmar Kessler. Upon graduation, I became a principal dancer with the San Diego Ballet. During my time with the company I had the opportunity to dance various lead roles under the direction of Robin Morgan and Javier Velasco.

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I currently train many hours a night at Chesterfield Dance Center, where I study ballet, jazz, modern, tap, hip-hop, contemporary, pointe, and musical theater and compete on their Epic Delirium team. I am an assistant instructor and love teaching younger dancers. Additionally, this year, I was selected by Revel Dance Convention as a Pro Reveler, and I travel around the country assisting with classes.

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“It wasn’t until I was grown, working in a cubicle, that I realized that dance could be my vehicle or artistic expression. After about 15 years, it makes me grateful and honored to be nominated for Community Dancer of the Year and Best African Choreography for the first RVA Dance Awards. I just love bringing people together and representing the African roots that most of our favorite dances have. So these nominations make me feel that a may be headed in the right direction.”

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Finally, there was Dogtown. I will never forget the night Rob Petres, founder at Dogtown invited me to dinner to “chat.” When he offered me the position, I was floored, confused, excited and ready. I accepted on the spot and started making the necessary changes in my life to go on this new adventure. Dogtown is everything to me. Watching the tremendous growth we’ve seen over the last five years since I became director, I have truly come alive. The same ferocity of spirit that got me through the car accident filled inside of me, and I knew I was going to do whatever it takes to make Dogtown successful and something amazing for the dance artists in this community.

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“Our strengths and weakness compliment each other, making us constantly push one another to improve. Working with friends can sometimes be challenging, we fight like brother and sister but we love each other all the same. We’re super excited to have been nominated for our collaboration and are ready to make our next project happen.”

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Dancing has always played a pivotal part in how I engage with the world. It is how I make sense of it. Every style of dance that I have engaged with has given me a greater vocabulary with which to create. I am thankful for the dancers both professionals, and students who have helped to make my dances come to life. <3

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She would like to thank many people throughout the Richmond community that have helped her along the way . Richmond will always be her home and hold sweet memories of her early training . She is very appreciative and grateful for everyone’s efforts, commitment and belief in her . It hasn’t been an easy journey. Kinsey realizes the sacrifices and dedication throughout her family and community.

She hopes to continue to make Richmond proud ❤️

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In addition to dancing, Madison is actively involved in her middle school as an SCA member, cheerleader and was recently inducted in the National Junior Honor Society. Madison works with amazing companies and organizations such as Tiger Friday, Purple Pixies NY, MadiMac Dancewear, Artkeh Dance Photography and with the non-profit organization, Ballet In The City. She actively supports this non-profit organization and raises money and awareness for their scholarship programs for dancers who want to further their training in ballet and bring ballet via performances and training to the communities at large.

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Many people walk through life without an understanding of their purpose, fortunately I have found mine. As a young girl I loved to dance however I had encountered challenges that made me doubt my joy for dance. Somehow I was always led back to dance, at a point I gave in, and thought, “if I keep being lead back to dance then I must be meant for dance.” Turns out that was true, I fought to further my dance career against those that thought I wouldn’t or couldn’t. Getting myself into a college I desired and landing dance jobs, I meant that I was going to make a career around dance, and since I have been thriving! Having the opportunity to dance and travel for companies beyond Richmond. Teaching thousands of students young and old, even working with the US department of education to use dance as a tool to build student morale. My journey is a reflection of so many teachings positive, challenging, inspiring, and more. Taking all of those lessons in to make me not only a great dancer leader but most of all a honest human. This journey is continuing in so many ways and I’m still learning. I’m truly thankful that I have dance and that dance has me, together we are doing enchanting things.

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