Emma Davis is a dancer based in Flint, Michigan. Emma is in her 7th season as a company member with Detroit Dance Collective (DDC) and is serving her second year as DDC’s Executive Director. She has performed DDC’s legacy repertory and new work and has choreographed solos and group pieces with the company.

In addition to her work with DDC, Davis has over a decade of professional performance experience as a back-up dancer with singer Tunde Olaniran, touring nationally and internationally in England and France. Davis performed at the 2023 TEDxDetroit event, was a choreographer for Olaniran’s Made A Universe film installation at Cranbrook Art Museum and is currently collaborating with Olaniran on creating a series of public movement workshops to inform the creation of a new music and performance commission for Yo-Yo Ma’s Our Common Nature initiative.  

As a community practitioner, Emma has developed numerous dance projects with adults in community mental health, senior citizens, and incarcerated youth to integrate community narratives and local issues including climate change, incarceration, and the Flint Water Crisis. Davis is certified to teach Chicago-based Giordano Jazz through the advanced level, and has trained in intensives with Anna Halprin, Liz Lerman, Bill Evans, American Dance Festival, and the Dance Exchange.

Emma is a PhD in Dance Candidate at Texas Woman’s University in Denton, Texas. Her dissertation research seeks to understand how community dance practices serve as a method for community organizing and social change.

Davis is a long-term lecturer at University of Michigan-Flint and recently served as Visiting Assistant Professor of Dance at Alma College in Alma, Michigan. Learn more at emmadavisdance.com.

Lauren Bobo is a dance artist, movement educator, choreographer in Metro Detroit, Michigan. Lauren began her dance training at the age of 14 at Atlanta Ballet’s Center for Dance Education and went on to receive her Bachelor’s of Arts in Dance Performance and Choreography and Biological Sciences from the University of South Carolina. Lauren’s passion for ballet and contemporary movement is expressed through her love for teaching and choreography. Lauren’s style is heavily influenced by working with and performing works by Maurya Kerr, Brian Arias, Ryley Watts, Alvin Ailey II, Joffrey Ballet School, Jillian Mitchell, Tanya Wydman-Davis and Thaddeus Davis of Wydman-Davis Dance, Madeline Jazz-Harvey, CompanyE, and Arnau Perez, among others.

 In 2017, Lauren’s choreography was awarded the Director’s Award for Outstanding Choreography. Through choreography and movement education, Lauren continues to explore the innately human core of movement while aiming to cultivate a sense of curiosity and exploration. Lauren sees dance as a universal language and approachable medium through which to engage complex and challenging topics. Lauren is looking forward to setting a new work on the artists of DDC for Spring 2025. 

Since moving to Michigan in 2019, Lauren has danced professionally with ArtLab J, Contexture Dance Detroit, Terpsichore Collective, and Detroit Dance Collective. She continues to spread movement education through coaching young dancers and figure skaters to better understand their bodies and gain dynamic strength. In her free time, Lauren enjoys cooking, reading, yoga, and spending time exploring the outdoors. Lauren is looking forward to her fourth season with Detroit Dance Collective.

Grace Kitching (she/her) is a professional artist from Oxford, Michigan. She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Dance from Grand Valley State University. During her studies, Grace worked with guest artists including Stacy Reischman Fletcher, Wallie Wolfgruber, Zelma Badu-Younge, Deborah Lohse, She studied under Carrie Brueck Morris, Hannah Seidel, Rachel Miller, Edgar L. Page, and more. Grace has performed at Oakland Dance Festival, RAD Fest, Grand Rapids Ballet Summer Festival, and attended the American College Dance Association conferences in 2020, 2022 and presented an original work for the adjudication concert in 2023.

Post graduation, Grace participated in the American Dance Festival Summer Dance Intensive, learning from global artists and performing original works by Monique Haley and Adriene Fang. She premiered an original dance film at the festival, which later was awarded the 2023 Maggie Alessee Choreography Screendance award. Grace also served as a curatorial intern for RAD Fest 2023/24, under the direction of Rachel Miller. Currently, she is an instructor/choreographer for young dancers at L.A. Dance. This is Grace’s second season as a company member with Detroit Dance Collective, dually serving as their Marketing Director.

Noor Kaffarani is a Wayne State University Bachelor of Science dance graduate and an Arab American Detroit based performer. During her time at Wayne State, Noor has been a part of many diverse repertoires and dance companies, including her time with To Sangana African Dance Company and Dance Workshop. She has also served as a movement constructionist and performer for Dance Workshop, where she co-choreographed as well as performed in their evening-length work, RITUAL BEING. Noor has worked with various guest artists and faculty, including Joshua Peugh in his work "PINK," Amy Miller in her work "Suerza," and Shaina and Bryan Baira, founders of BAIRA MVMNT PHILOSPHY, Karen Prall, Lisa LaMarre Wilmot, Jessica Rajko, Dr. RAS Mikey Courtney, and Hannah Andersen to gain an all-encompassing and foundational movement vocabulary. From this she has cultivated a unique and aware lens in which she informs her pedagogical methods and artistry.

Andrew Pankiewicz has danced for more than half of his life and loves every minute of it. Andrew received his Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance from Wayne State University. Growing in skill, Andrew has developed technique in Jazz, Hip Hop, Tap, Musical Theatre, Ballet, Congolese, Contemporary, and Modern dance. Training with Meg Paul, Dr. Biba Bell, Dr. Ras Mikey Courtney, and the BIARA Mvmnt Phlsphy taught him the importance of authenticity in dance. Studying under Mary Sherman, Hannah Anderson, Jessica Rajko, Lisa LaMarre, and Brandon Koepsell strengthened his understanding of ballet, contemporary, and musicality. Andrew’s dance experience was further enriched by taking master classes and intensives with Visceral’s Company director Nick Pupillo and Complexion’s director Dwight Rhoden. 

Growing as a leader and choreographer, He hungered to create and share his love of dance with the world. Being involved with local Ballet Companies, He traveled to Macomb, Trenton, Fenton, Taylor, Livonia, Novi and Monroe working as a guest artist. Andrew has danced with contemporary and contemporary-modern based companies in the Detroit area including ConteXture and DDC, under the directorship of Tracy Holloran and Barbara Selinger. Andrew has traveled to Chicago and taken classes at Joffrey Ballet of Chicago and Visceral. Traveling to Florida and performing live with Andy Grammer was a dream come true for Andrew. 

Andrew is a proud member of NDEO and continues to expand in his experiences. Traveling with DDC, Andrew has performed at RAD fest and continues to bring the power and community dance offers. Attending the American Dance Festival, Andrew studied under director Doug Varone and educator Jerri Houlihan. Having been mentored in dance education by Toi Banks in the Farmington district, Andrew utilizes dance as the vehicle to reinforce life skills to hundreds of students. He reignites his love for theatrical dance and travels around Michigan to set new work. Driven to share his love of dance with the world, He continues to choreograph and teach for local theaters, high schools and venues. Andrew carries his ongoing desire to perform and share his love of movement to each community he visits.

Elliott Vargas is a professional dancer currently based in the metro Detroit area. Born and raised in New Jersey, Elliott has had the privilege of working with various amazing choreographers such as Kevin Iega-Jeff, Lauren Edson, and Rebecca McLindon during their time at Oakland University. They gained their Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in 2019 and since then have been performing with many professional dance companies around the state such as ConteXture Dance Detroit, Diversiform Dance Project, and many more. Elliott has also had multiple fulfilling opportunities like studying and performing dance abroad in Berlin, Germany with artist Henrik Kaalund and being involved in collaborative works with the Music Department at Oakland University. Their plans for the near future include obtaining a Master’s degree in Dance Movement/Therapy out of state and to continue performing across the country. This is Elliott’s second season with the company and they’re looking forward to it!