ABOUT THE ARTISTS

KASHIA KANCEY is a Miami-born performer and choreographer, who earned her BFA in Dance from New World School of the Arts. Some of her choreographic history includes having work presented at Movement Research at Judson Church, CreateART Performance, and Triskelion Arts. Kashia has performed in spaces like South-Miami Dade Cultural Arts Center, Dance Place DC, the American Dance Festival, The Yard, and New York Live Arts. She has danced with Rosie Herrera Dance Theatre, Adele Myers and Dancers, and Abby Z and the New Utility. Kashia has also worked with artists like Marcella Lewis, Annie-B Parson, Tendayi Kuumba, and Donna Uchizono. Kashia was most recently a touring apprentice with Urban Bush Women and is a company member with David Dorfman Dance. She was a Gallim Moving Artist in Residence in 2023, and is the Triskelion Arts Fellow for 2025. Kashia is based in Brooklyn, NY, and continues to pursue her career as a performer and choreographer.

CHALVAR MONTEIRO began his formal training at Sharron Miller’s Academy for the Performing Arts and went on to study at The Ailey School before receiving his BFA in Dance from SUNY Purchase. He has worked with Sidra Bell Dance New York, Elisa Monte Dance, Keigwin+Company, BODYTRAFFIC, GALLIM, A.I.M by Kyle Abraham, Ailey II, and is currently a performing artist with the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater. In 2019 Mr. Monteiro was selected to participate in Merce Cunningham Trust’s Night of 100 Solos: A Centennial Event. Chalvar joined the faculty at Tisch School of the Arts in 2020 and his choreography has been presented as part of Ailey’s 2021 Virtual Spirit Gala, Fire Island Dance Festival, Lincoln Center’s Summer for the City, and numerous institutions across the U.S. Chalvar has been featured in Vogue Beauty, Document Journal for Moncler, and fashion campaigns for Uniqlo and Lululemon.

JOYBOY is a performing artist, writer, and educator from Pittsburgh, PA. As a performer, they have worked with choreographers such as Sudra Bell, Staycee Pearl, Shamel Pitts, Stephanie Batten Bland, Maxine Doyle, and Damani Pompey. They have appeared in The Mckittrick Hotel’s Sleep No More, The Public Theater for Erika Dickerson-Despenza’s shadow/land and a.k. payne’s TIA PRAY A SOUND, The Metropolitan Opera’s El Niño, and Geoff Sobelle’s HOME. Their commercial credits include performing in music videos for Chloe Flower, The Kills, and HBO’s Acts of Flyness. As an educator, Joy-Marie teaches improvisation and contemporary dance as an adjunct lecturer at SUNY Purchase’s Conservatory of Dance as well as pilates mat classes in studios across Manhattan and Brooklyn, NY. 

BLACK LAZARUS Black Lazarus is the latest project formed by Kyle Kidd & Braxtino (Smith Taylor). Our mission is to conjure sonic altars that center communal healing, forge pathways for restorative fellowship, and foster liberation in each of us. This offering is deeply rooted and inspired by the many facets of Black music throughout time.  Black Lazarus breathes in the promise of new life, while honoring our past. 

CLAUDE JOHNSON , A Chicago native, is a dancer, choreographer, and movement director. After finishing his studies at The Chicago Academy for the Arts and Suny  Purchase College, where he was awarded the Adopt-A-Dancer Scholarship, Claude  then became a full-time company dancer with A.I.M. by Kyle Abraham from 2017-2022  where he became a Princess Grace 2021 nominee. Claude has gotten the opportunity to perform works by Kyle Abraham, Merce Cunningham, Trisha Brown, Aszure Barton,  Johannes Weiland, Doug Varone, Kevin Wynn, Nicole Von Arks, Keerati Junakunwiphat, Princess Madoki , and many more. As a performer and black queer artist, Claude dances to translate the human experience to audiences to recognize the art form of dance as the best catalyst to motivate self-expression and social change. In any artistic space he believes his responsibility is to increase the knowledge and perspective of his community’s vast  experience.

DAMONTAE HACK (He/him) is 26 years old originally from Baltimore, MD.  He recently graduated from California institute of the Arts, majoring in dance (2020). Now residing full time in New York City. Damontae is a choreographer, dancer, director, and model looking to create and explore the boundaries of Black art; dealing with the physicality of bodies, intimacy, shape, and the overall development of the human consciousness over “time” through cinema, choreography, photography, and voice work. Damontae has been involved in a wide range of work. Ballet, contemporary, hip hop, site-specific work, etc…Including work by artists Garret Ammon, Pina Bausch, Marissa Brown, Dimitri Chamblas, Nina Flagg, James Gregg, Gerard & Kelly, Solange Knowles, Ralph Lemon, rubberlegz, etc. He is always excited and curious to transform the eyes of what people perceive art to be.

Beyond the Black Box (BBB) is an arts and cultural organization dedicated to amplifying Black voices, fostering connections, and educating through immersive experiences. Our mission is to celebrate, honor, and uplift the Black dance community by creating supportive spaces for artists to thrive. Motivated by a desire to address the lack of representation and support we encountered in our own journeys, we are committed to promoting inclusiveness, fairness, and visibility in the dance world.

BBB achieves its mission by producing dynamic multidisciplinary works, including live dance productions, community engagement initiatives, mentorship programs, and educational opportunities. Our approach seamlessly weaves together elements of popular culture with boundless enthusiasm, showcasing the remarkable accomplishments of our community.

With your support, BBB will continue to empower Black dancers and artists who champion social and political principles of inclusivity, fairness, and visibility, ultimately enriching the cultural tapestry of our community. Together, we will create a brighter future where Black voices are celebrated and heard through the transformative power of the arts.