Cleo Parker Robinson Dance
CLEO PARKER ROBINSON DANCE – INSPIRING MOVEMENT!
Currently celebrating its 51st Anniversary Season, Cleo Parker Robinson Dance is an international performing arts and education institution rooted in African-American traditions, dedicated to excellence in providing cross-cultural instruction, performances, and enrichment programs – empowering all our communities by cultivating healthy mind, body, and spirit development for intergenerational students, artists, and audiences.
Viewing dance as a universal language of movement that transcends boundaries of culture, class, and age, Cleo Parker Robinson Dance is committed to honoring diversity and inclusiveness throughout the global community.
CLEO PARKER ROBINSON DANCE
Located in Denver’s Historic Five Points District
119 Park Avenue West, Denver, Colorado 80205
Dancers
CEDRIC D. HALL (Cleo II Rehearsal Director)
First dancing with the Cleveland Contemporary Dance Theatre’s CONSORT Youth Dance Training and Development Program, Mr. Hall later became a full company member. He was featured in numerous musicals including “The Wiz”, “West Side Story” and “Footloose”, and has worked with renowned choreographers Terrance Greene, Dianne McIntyre, Gary Abbott, and Kevin “Iega” Jeff. After twelve seasons with the Cleo Parker Robinson Dance Ensemble, As Cleo II Rehearsal Director and choreographer, Mr. Hall is also an integral member of the CPRD Education Outreach program, and a faculty member of the Cleo Parker Robinson Academy of Dance.
CHRISTOPHER PAGE-SANDERS (Assistant Choreographer)
Originally from St. Louis, MO, he received his formal training from the Center of Creative Arts (COCA) and is a BFA dance major from the University of Missouri-Kansas City (Conservatory of Music and Dance). He is Founding CO-Artistic Director of NU-World Contemporary Danse Theatre. He has danced extensively with national and international dance companies including Cleo Parker Robinson Dance Ensemble, Hannah Kahn Dance Company, Leah Glenn Dance Theatre, and Owen/Cox Dance Group. As a director/choreographer, he has worked with companies including The Aurora Fox Arts Center, COCAPresents, Fly North Theatricals, The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis (Imaginary Theatre Company), Town Hall Arts Center, Vintage Theatre Productions, and has taught / choreographed for Chapman University, Cleo Parker Robinson Dance, Davis Contemporary Dance Company, Deeply Rooted ECS, Denver School For The Arts, Dwana Smallwood Performing Arts Center, and Park Hill Dance Academy. Currently on the Board of Directors for Vintage Theatre Productions, he is a two-time recipient of The Leni Wylliams Award from Cleo Parker Robinson Dance and a two-time True West Award winner for his work on Amplify (Arvada Center) and The Scottsboro Boys (Vintage Theatre Productions). He is also a 2020 Colorado Henry Award winner for his choreography for the musical “The Scottsboro Boys” (Vintage Theatre Productions).
CAELI BLACK (Cleo Parker Robinson Dance Ensemble Apprentice)
Ms. Blake began her formal training at BalletNova Center for Dance in Arlington, VA. and attended Duke Ellington School of the Arts (Washington DC) under the tutelage of Charles Augins, Sandra Fortune-Greene, and Katherine Smith. She has studied with various company institutions including Deeply Rooted Dance Theater, Dance Theater of Harlem at the Strathmore, and Jazz & Contemporary at Joffrey Ballet. A graduate of Southern Methodist University, with a BFA in Dance Performance & BS in Education & Human Development, she was a full-time student at SMU while she danced with B.Moore Dance. She has performed in works by Robert Battle, Christopher Huggins, Kevin Iega Jeff, Bridget L. Moore, Nicole Clarke-Springer, Silas Farley, and many more. This is her first season as an Apprentice to the Cleo Parker Robinson Dance Ensemble.
EMMA CORY (Cleo II)
Ms. Cory has trained extensively in classical ballet and contemporary dance, studying at the Ballet Conservatory of Asheville and the Academy at Terpsicorps in Asheville before moving to Cary, NC to train with the International Ballet Academy. While there she participated in the 2016 Youth America Grand Prix, receiving 3rd place in the Senior Contemporary Division. In 2017 and 2018 she competed in the American Dance Competition/Youth International Ballet Competition, placing in the Top 25 of the Senior Female Contemporary Division. She spent her summers performing as an apprentice for both Terpiscorps Theatre of Dance and Stewart-Owen Dance, and has studied at renowned summer programs including Steps on Broadway, Chautauqua, Hubbard Street Dance, and the Northwest Dance Project. This is her first season with Cleo II.
RASHAD CRANE (Cleo II)
Raised in Florida, Mr. Rashad, as a young martial arts student, was inspired by the spontaneous break dancing among his peers in the dojo, and by the performances of Michael Jackson. These influences motivated him towards dance improvisation. In grade school, director Janine Papin invited him to perform in the Boys n Girls Club’s “Aida” production, and encouraged him to apply for scholarships at a local studio and the private school where she was executive director of the performing arts department. Focusing his passion, he continued his studies throughout high school and college. In 2020 during the pandemic, Mr. Crane graduated with his BFA in dance performance and in 2021 moved to Denver to join Cleo II where he is now in his second season.
RON McQUEEN (Guest Artist)
Born and raised in Aurora, Colorado, Mr. McQueen is a Rangeview High School graduate and has attended (but has yet to graduate from) MSU Denver for Theater and Dance. In the past year he’s portrayed John Michael in “57 Bus” (Colorado New Musical Festival), Little Moe in “Five Guys Named Moe” (Vintage Theatre), and Ensemble/Swing in “Cinderella” (Vintage Theatre). He is most grateful to be a part of this project, and thanks his family, close friends, teachers, and associates for their love and support during this process.
SADIE SANDOVAL (Cleo II)
Ms. Sandoval is a California native and graduate of University of California, Irvine, receiving her BFA in Dance Performance. During her time at UC Irvine, she was fortunate enough to dance for Donald McKayle in his final Etude Ensemble, and in 2019 received the Donald McKayle Endowment for Modern Dance. She also performed as a soloist in Lar Lubovitch’s “North Star” and worked directly with Dante Puleio, Artistic Director of the Limon Dance Company. She has traveled to Israel and worked with several Israeli modern dance companies including Batsheva Dance Company, Vertigo Dance Company, and Kolben Dance Company and has attended the Alvin Ailey Professional Division Program and the Abraham in Motion Summer Intensive in New York City. She is now in her second season with Cleo II.
LAUREN SLAUGHTER (Cleo II)
A Colorado native, Ms. Slaughter began dancing at a local competitive studio before moving to St. Louis to attend Washington University where she expanded her training to include Modern and West African and received a Minor in Dance. Ms. Slaughter performed for three years with the Washington University Dance Collective (a modern dance company) and worked with multiple MFA candidates on their thesis projects. While at Washington University, she performed works by Ting-Ting Chang, Diadie Bathily, Kirven Douthit-Boyd, and Dana Tai Soon Burgess. Following graduation, she returned to Colorado and is now is now in her first season with Cleo II.
KRISTA ZOZULIA (Guest Artist)
Originally from Chicago, Ms. Zozulia is an alum of Indiana University where she participated in notable works including Ihsan Rustem’s “Long Story Short”, Larry Keigwin’s “Runaway”, Paul Taylor’s “Esplanade”, David Parsons “Nascimento Novo”, and “Unconscious Motivations” by Dayton Contemporary Dance Company. She has trained in Israel at the Jerusalem Academy of Music and Dance and the Hasadna workshop, as well as in Chicago on scholarship with Visceral under the direction of Nick Pupillo and with The Cambrians under the direction of Ben Wardell. Before moving to Denver, She was dancing with Joel Hall Dancers and several freelance projects in Chicago. Most recently, she performed with Wonderbound for both “Winterland” and “Romance, Revenge, and Redemption.” Ms. Zozulia has a masters degree in education from DePaul University where she is also an adjunct professor.
