Quilan “Cue” Arnold (MFA) is a movement artist based out of Union City, NJ, who uses his God-given gifts to create systems that advocate for the liberation of all people. He was a New Directions Choreography Lab Artist-in-Residence at Alvin Ailey in 2022, and was featured in the All Arts documentary, “Alvin Ailey New Directions.” Find Quilan’s work at www.Cue4christ.com. As a performer Quilan has been a member of companies such as Camille A. Brown and Dancers (NY), Rennie Harris Puremovement (PA), Netta Yerushalmy Dance Company (NY), Abby Z and the New Utility (NY), and Enzo Celli Vivo Ballet (NY). Quilan’s most recent choreographic work, The Third Rail, was presented at New Jersey City University in 2023. Other choreographic commissions include University of Texas- Austin (TX), Green Space Theater (NY) Brigham-Young University (UT), and Western Washington University (WA), and Hunter College (NY). Quilan is the co-founder of the Street/Club Dance podcast, The Good Foot Podcast, executive director of the Street/Club Dance documentary, Build’N Shop, which is partially funded by the 2018 Ohio State Dance Preservation Grant; and co-founder of the online battle event, Dominate from a Distance. As an educator Quilan has served as a faculty member at institutions such as University of Texas- Austin, Hunter College, Marymount Manhattan College (NY), and Towson University (MD). Additionally, Quilan hosts an online Hip-Hop course, Get Groovy.

J. is the founder of The Dance Union Podcast, initiating the NYC Dancers COVID-19 Relief Fund and The Dance Union Town Hall For Collective Action to support the dance community through numerous world-changing events. As a creator, J. is a recent 2021-2022 Jerome Fellow and is a 2022/2023 Movement Research Artist in Residence. J. Bouey was also recently a Gibney 2021 Spotlight Artist, Artist-In-Residence at CPR – Center for Performance Research, and 2021 Bogliasco Fellow. J. was also a 2018 Movement Research Van Lier Fellow, and 2018 Dancing While Black Fellow. J. is currently a collaborator with nia love. They were also a former performer with Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Company, danced with Germaul Barnes’ Viewsic Dance, Maria Bauman’s MB Dance, Dante Brown, Antonio Brown Dance, Christal Brown’s INspirit Dance, and apprenticed with Emerge 125 (formerly Elisa Monte Dance) under the artistic direction of Tiffany Rea-Fisher.

Courtney Paige Ross, a native of New Orleans, Louisiana, earned her BFA, with honors, from The Ailey School/Fordham University. She has toured with Ailey II and later, EVIDENCE Dance Company (Dir. Ron K. Brown), and is now a performing artist with Camille A. Brown & Dancers as well as Grammy Award Winning Artist, Jon Batiste. In addition to her performing endeavors, Courtney is Associate Choreographer for the Broadway production of 1776. She has worked and performed closely with Tank & the Bangas, Jemel McWilliams, Jeffrey Page, Ray Mercer, Darrell Moultrie, and The DynamitExperience. Other credits include 2022 Grammy Awards and 2023 Jazz & Heritage Festival with Jon Batiste, Porgy & Bess (Metropolitan Opera), 2021 Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade (NBC), Broadway Bares: Takeoff (Chor. Laya Barak), POWERPLAY (The Shed), 2016 VMA's: Beyoncé (MTV), and release industrials for The Wheel of Time (Amazon Prime) and Samsung S8 Release (Chor. Rich & Tone Talauega). Courtney is a student at PRATT University, where she is earning her Master’s Degree in Dance Movement Therapy. She is the 2019 recipient of the Artie Award, presented by Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, INC of which she is a proud member. She is also Certified Mental Health First Aid Responder, and Vinyasa Yoga Teacher in training (with a concentration on Black Wellness). Because of her expertise, she is CEO of BLOOM Dance, Inc, a community engagement 501(c)3 organization committed to the fortification of mental/emotional health and wellness of Black and Brown youth, arts education. Courtney has taught at many studios and institutions, both nationally and abroad. She regularly holds workshops in various community centers, parks, and after school dance programs. She gives thanks to God, her family, and chosen tribe for the unwavering support!

Laura Espitia is a New York based dance artist. Upon moving to the United States from Bogota, Colombia she found self expression through movement. She began her training by majoring in dance at Osceola County School for the Arts in Kissimmee, Fl. Later while earning her Bachelors in Fine Arts from New World School of the Arts she acquired a passion for concert dance performing works by Robert Battle, Paul Taylor, Ohad Naharin, and Eduardo Vilaro to name a few. Her training has led her to participate in American Dance Festival, Bates Dance Festival, the Paul Taylor intensives and their professional division scholarship from 2019-2022. She has had the pleasure of working professionally with Rosie Herrera in Miami, internationally with Gaspard and Dancers, with Laura Halzack in NYC, and most recently with Quilan 'Q" Arnold for 'The Third Rail' Project. Laura’s goal is to maintain the spark she has for dance by performing professionally and finding her artistic voice as a choreographer along the way. Photo Credit: Blaga Ditrow

Originally from the Dominican Republic, Alex (8-legx) Mata began his training at Casa de Danza in Santiago, DR. He joined DA 21, a choreography-based dance crew during its foundational years. At the age of 18, Alex moved to the United States in 2015 where he often traveled to New York to further his training in places such as EXPG, PMT dance studios, and Broadway dance center and found interest in streets styles. At EXPG Alex met E-Solo who introduced him to the style of Lite Feet and since then Alex has invested in the style through class, sessions, performances, and battles with other prominent Lite Feet figures such as Chrybaby Cozie and Ki-nen. Alex's career highlights so far include ''Breakin' Convention 2017'' at the Apollo Theater with The Bwreckfast Club, ''Telemundo Upfronts 2018'' with Crespita Entertainment, ''Highsnobiety & Tommy Jeans commercial'' with Shmood agency, ''Westfest 2023'' at the historic Westbeth with Aliesha Bryan. Alex has Joined some teams within the Lite Feet culture such as Brweckfast Club and Team Rocket and continues to explore and dive deeper into the Lite Feet and street style culture.

Manuela Agudelo is an interdisciplinary artist, professional dancer, choreographer, model, actor, filmmaker, & activist. Influenced by traditional Afro-Indigenous Colombian & modern techniques, she choreographed/ directed Legado Dorado, a dance production that tells the stories of her matrilineal ancestors along with poetry, live music and film. She has degrees in Performance Art & Social Justice. She founded KALEIDOSPACE, a Queens-based art collective focused on platforming artists of color and queer artists. Credits include SZA, Bergdorf Goodman, Beats by Dre, Karmas World, Sally Beauty and Fall For Dance at New York City Center.