Pittsburgh Changemaker: Mario Quinn

By Trevor Miles

Kelly Strayhorn Theater is presenting local leaders that have been changemakers in Pittsburgh. Mentors, teachers, artists— KST acknowledges these pioneers. This is Our Story: KST Recognizes Pittsburgh Changemakers.

Mario Quinn, Alloy School Teacher and Choreographer 

1- What do you do for the community now and why is it important?

Right now I am focusing on teaching and mentoring the youth in the community by way of Hip Hop Dance. I feel it’s important because not only do I teach them a skill but I have a lasting impact on their lives. In my classes I encourage the students to approach everything they learn with a “can do” attitude, that I feel will transfer over into real life situations. It is easy to learn movement and expression but believing in your own expression is what I find to be the best jewel a student can have. Someone special in my life told me “fortune favors the brave” and in everything I do artistically I want that to be my main message and my goal is to pass that on to the youth. Currently I am a Teaching Artist for Kelly Strayhorn Theater’s Alloy School where I teach hip hop to youth ages 8-12yrs and choreograph for We Rock Workshop, a residency program lead by Liz Berlin of the multi-platinum band Rusted Root. We Rock Workshop guides young adults (ages 14-22) across Allegheny County who are currently involved with the Department of Human Services to open up through the arts by exploring the creation, production and performance of music and dance. The course culminates with the recording of original songs created by the participants and a final performance at Mr. Smalls Theatre. In addition, I am also a Hip-Hop Educator through Hip-Hop On L.O.C.K which is one of Greater Pittsburgh’s premier mentoring and arts education programs. The program shows the ability to identify and connect with youths ages 8-18, and teaches relevant life-long skills such as leadership development, organizational skills, cooperative economics and knowledge of the music business that can be applied to everyday situations as well as math, science and literacy. I hope that moving forward I can continue to do work that matters and reach more youth in the community through the art of expression and dance. I feel that this is what my life purpose is and I must say my journey has been incredibly rewarding so far.

2- What is one defining moment of your life? (When you decided to do what you’re doing now).

I would say that my defining moment was the first time I saw Michael Jackson, as silly as that may sound. As a child, I was amazed beyond belief at what I was seeing and knew in my heart that dancing and performing was something that I wanted to pursue in life. As far as teaching, that defining moment happened while in college at The Art Institute of Pittsburgh, where I started their very first hip-hop dance club. I was teaching peers and had no idea that it would be something that I actually enjoyed. After college I was recommended by a close friend to teach at a local studio known as Pittsburgh Heat in 2010. Since then I have been teaching and mentoring all over the Greater Pittsburgh Area.

3- What advice do you have for youth that want to become a changemaker in their community?

Find what it is that you are great at, what is your talent? Take that and figure out a way you can help people in the community with your talent, there you will find your purpose. I’d also say BELIEVE in yourself, follow your hearts desire and don’t be afraid to try new things and open up to opportunities, again, “Fortune Favors the Brave”. Lastly I’d say be prepared, have a way to spread what it is you do. For example have a business card, a website, something that shows what you offer to your community. Remember the five P’s: Proper Preparation Prevents a Poor Performance, and remember that “Luck Favors the Prepared.”

4- What is a song on your playlist? (A song that motivates and drives you).

That’s a tough one… I have to go with The Man by Aloe Blacc. It’s one of those songs that I play while getting ready for my day—it reminds me that what I think of myself is what is most important. Takes me back to the “belief” thing. It really helps me to focus my mind on the things I want to happen in my life.

Check out Mario’s website here. Visit the KST website to read more about his hip-hop class at the Alloy School!

Comments Off on Pittsburgh Changemaker: Mario Quinn

newMoves Fast Facts: Anthony Williams

By Trevor Miles

This spring, KST is presenting its sixth annual newMoves Contemporary Dance Festival! This festival brings young local and national choreographers to the stage to present a medley of four to five short works each night. Read more about the newMoves participants here before you see their new works on stage, May 7-9th!

 Anthony Williams, Choreographer

• Anthony’s exposure to art began when he was 16, after being cast as the Scarecrow in Black Ensemble’s production of The Wiz
• Anthony graduated with a BFA in Musical Theater from Milikin University
• Anthony has also worked with Deeply Rooted Productions and Pittsburgh August Wilson Center Dance Ensemble

• KST projects that Anthony has premiered include Identity (newMoves 2013) and Loving Black (Fresh Works, 2014).
• Anthony’s newMoves piece this year is named beingHUMAN
• beingHUMAN is influenced by Anthony’s time growing up in Boystown, Chicago, a heavily queer-populated area

Check out Anthony’s site, and read more about the newMoves Dance Festival here.

Comments Off on newMoves Fast Facts: Anthony Williams

newMoves Fast Facts: Jean-Paul Weaver

By Trevor Miles

This spring, KST is presenting its sixth annual newMoves Contemporary Dance Festival! This festival brings young local and national choreographers to the stage to present a medley of four to five short works each night. Read more about the newMoves participants here before you see their new works on stage, May 7-9th!

Jean Paul Weaver

– Jean-Paul’s newMoves piece is entitled Lalin 

– Lalin is a piece about navigating the subconscious and the workings of  his own  inner desires and dreams

– Lalin was inspired by the Rorschach ink blot test

– In addition to dancing, Jean-Paul enjoys drawing. He showcases his art on his Tumblr Selki-Dimanche

– Jean-Paul has trained at Casper College and Alozo King’s Lines Ballet Training Program, Luna Negra Dance Theater, Lou Conte Dance Centre and Deeply Rooted Dance Theater Summer Intensive

– Jean-Paul has also presented work with Texture Ballet Theater and Ruth Page Center in Chicago

You can check out Jean-Paul’s Vimeo before you see Lalin at newMoves! Get your tickets here!

Comments Off on newMoves Fast Facts: Jean-Paul Weaver

newMoves Fast Facts: Brady Sanders

By Trevor Miles

This spring, KST is presenting its sixth annual newMoves Contemporary Dance Festival! This festival brings young local and national choreographers to the stage to present a medley of four to five short works each night. Read more about the newMoves participants here before you see their new works on stage, May 7-9th!

Brady Sanders, Pittsburgh Choreographer

– Brady Sanders has studied at Point Park University, Illinois State University, Joel Hall Studio, and School of DanceWest Ballet

– Brady had even toured internationally with The Cavaliers World Champion Drum and Bugle Corps

– Brady also served as the Artistic Director of the Pride of Cincinnati Dance Ensemble for one year

– His newMoves piece is titled The Screen Between Us

– The Screen Between Us explores our love affair with technology, and will use modern dance techniques and pose the question, “Are we designing technologies that give us the illusion of companionship without the demands of friendship?

– The Screen Between Us features Vic Damone’s rendition of Can’t Take My Eyes Off You and Connected, but alone? from Sherry Turkle’s TED Talk.

You can watch Brady’s work, Something Unknown on his Vimeo, and get tickets to experience his team live here!

Comments Off on newMoves Fast Facts: Brady Sanders

Pittsburgh Changemaker: Mat Docktor

By Trevor Miles

Kelly Strayhorn Theater is presenting local leaders that have been changemakers in Pittsburgh. Mentors, teachers, artists— KST acknowledges these pioneers. This is Our Story: KST Recognizes Pittsburgh Changemakers.

  Mat Docktor, Soundwaves Steelband Director 

1. What do you do for the community now and why is it important?

I engage youth in music! As a resident artist at Kelly Strayhorn Theater, I direct the student ensemble Soundwaves Steelband. This dedicated group of students range in age from 13 to 19 and commute from area high schools for rehearsal at the Alloy Studios on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m.

Learning to practice, perform, and understand music has so many benefits — all the skills used to figure out a new song, how to play a song and how that relates to affecting an audience. That’s the deeper level of what I’m trying to accomplish. I want to engage people’s consciousness through music. That’s why Soundwaves is important.

2. What is one defining moment of your life? (When you decided to do what you’re doing now).

My development as an artist was more of a progression than any one defining moment. I went on a visitation day to Mott Middle College High School in Flint, Michigan and I saw my first Steelband. There was a bunch of people playing steelpan and having fun — I knew I wanted to go to that school. Then, when I first tried the steelpan, the magical sound made me want to play it again. My first performance gave me an incredible sense of accomplishment. Playing steelpan started enriching my life in so many positive ways. I truly enjoy playing it.

Developing my skills as a teacher grew out of my love for playing the instrument and performing. It came about because there was someone there who wanted to learn. Even as a young teenager I liked showing people things that I just learned. And people would show me things they learned, so that’s how being a teacher came about. It’s really about sharing knowledge and experience.

3. What advice do you want to share with the youth that want to become a changemaker in their community?

Figure out who you are and be yourself. Do something you love! Pursue your passions. Collaborate. Accomplishing goals takes teamwork, persistence, patience and perseverance. Believe in yourself. You can do it!

4. What is a song on your playlist? (A song that motivates and drives you?)

Jammin by Bob Marley. I like his music because he was a changemaker. His music transcends time through its message of peace and love. Most people think this song is about jamming on an instrument, but what he really meant was more along the lines of hanging out together and feeling “so good in my neighborhood”. My favorite line in the song is, “Jah children must unite: Your life is worth much more than gold.”

Comments Off on Pittsburgh Changemaker: Mat Docktor

Pittsburgh Changemaker: Bilal Rey Abbey

Kelly Strayhorn Theater is presenting local leaders that have been changemakers in Pittsburgh. Mentors, teachers, artists— KST acknowledges these pioneers. This is Our Story: KST Recognizes Pittsburgh Changemakers.

Bilal Rey Abbey, Heinz Endowment Fellow and Hip-Hip Artist

1- What do you do for the community now and why is it important?

I am currently a Heinz Fellow with The Heinz Endowments. The job of a Heinz Fellow is to act as a tutor and mentor for African American male youth in Pittsburgh public high schools. I have been an active fellow at Brashear High School for the last two years and I believe the work that Kevin McNair, Chance Wideman and myself are doing is a vital step in the process of African Americans reclaiming our community. Right now, the lowest achieving demographic in PPS (Pittsburgh Public Schools) is African American males. There are many factors as to why this disparity exists; none of them are ability. It’s my job to facilitate critical thinking and exposure for our young men so that they take control of their own academic pursuits and identities, and stop shying away from engaging with the school system.

I am also a Hip-Hop artist and part of a group know as the Heroes & Terrorists (The H&T). We chose this name because “life is duality”. Regardless of your self-perception, point of view, and intention, there will also be those that are affected in a negative way by your actions. This is a theme that is present throughout all our music, and also in my programming and interactions with students.

2- What is one defining moment of your life? (When you decided to do what you’re doing now).

The defining moment in my life was when I made a song called Funk 4 Life. The song was lighthearted and focused on my past, present, and projected future experiences with school, music and manhood. After recording and mixing the song I realized that I really enjoyed making songs that doubled as personal notes on life. I realized that the music was helping me grow as a person, and from that moment on I felt that it was my calling to share the information I had gathered about personal growth on my journey with others so they might grow as well.

3- What advice do you want to share with the youth that want to become a changemaker in their community?

The advice that I’d share with youth is always search for yourself. It might sound strange but it’s important to understand that you are never done growing as a person, and because you’re constantly growing you are always changing. You have to be diligent in working to understand yourself and your core values or your social media timeline will define them for you. It’s ok to try things that no one you know has ever done. It’s okay to be different. By fighting your growth you are being your own worst enemy. Lastly, I would provide this old African Proverb Brotha Leon Ford shared with me at the 10^th grade We Promise Summit, “When there are no enemies within; the enemies outside cannot hurt you.”

4- What is a song on your playlist? (A song that motivates and drives you?).

I believe that music is like food. I make a conscious effort to monitor what I ingest because it affects my output. This is especially true for music because being an artist myself, I am open to influence from other artists, whether it be delivery or content. The majority of music that I listen to is from my group the H&T because I am invested in our message and identifying ways we can be better. The H&T song that gets me ready for the day is a track called Gratitude, which is on our up-and-coming mix-tape called “Gritz & Grenades”. The track is about being grateful for the positives in life, and understanding that you’re not defined by your possessions. The second track I would say that gets me ready for the day is Respiration on the Black Star album.

Listen to Abbey’s pick for his motivational track, Gratitude and can check out his YouTube for more videos.

Comments Off on Pittsburgh Changemaker: Bilal Rey Abbey

Pittsburgh Changemaker: Duane Binion

By Trevor Miles

Kelly Strayhorn Theater is presenting local leaders that have been changemakers in Pittsburgh. Mentors, teachers, artists— KST acknowledges these pioneers. This is Our Story: KST Recognizes Pittsburgh Changemakers.

Duane Binion, Associate Producer of Kelly Strayhorn Theater/ Co-Founder of True T Entertainment

 1- What do you do for the community now and why is it important?

As the Associate Producer of Kelly Strayhorn Theater & Co-Founder of True T INC. /True T Entertainment, community engagement is extremely important to me. I try my best to stay up-to-date with current happenings, not only within the city of Pittsburgh, but also worldwide. Although many world issues may not seem as if they will effect our community directly, there is always the potential so I find it very important to stay informed. I like to understand and see the world through the eyes of others and immerse myself in unfamiliar situations in order to get a better feel for the struggles of others.

Both Kelly Strayhorn Theater (KST) and True T Entertainment pride ourselves in creating programming that is inclusive, responsive to community concerns, and supporting community members that may be categorized as underprivileged and/or underserved minority populations. Throughout the year at KST we provide “KST Family” series that are Pay-What-You-Can events—giving the option of paying anywhere from $1 to any dollar amount—in efforts to provide events that members of all ages can attend at an affordable cost. During these events, we provide everyday life resources, engaging actives, youth performances, and a judgment-free atmosphere for patrons of all ages, races, religions, and gender identities to attend.

As Co-Founder of True T Entertainment we focus our efforts more specifically on the underprivileged, underserved LGBTQIA population. True T Entertainment is a social media based up-and-coming non-profit organization with a large presence in the African American/Latino tri-state ballroom community. Our mission is to provide everyday life resources, HIV/STD testing and prevention, and unique safe spaces throughout the year for local youth, and ballroom participants from all over America to come together and compete in friendly, competitive events for grand prize money, trophies, and ballroom acknowledgement. We offer discounts to participants who attend different True T Entertainment, HIV/STD awareness seminars and as well as offer free testing during our events.

Being active and supportive in the community is important to me because leaders come in all forms, and in today’s age I believe there is room for growth in leadership statistics for young black women and men. I am passionate about providing resources to community members that may not have access to otherwise. I believe the only people who “fail” are those who complain but have never tried to fix the problem, so I do my best to never accept being placed in any sort of box created by society.

2- What is one defining moment of your life? (When you decided to do what you’re doing now).

One defining moment in my life would be enrolling in AmeriCorps as part of the 2013-14 Pittsburgh Public Allies. Initially, I had already been involved in the local LGBTQIA community through True T Entertainment, which appeals to a very specific LGBTQIA community of people. I had always been curious of ways to be more involved with the community, however I just never could exactly figure out where to start. Applying to be in the Pittsburgh Public Allies took a good amount of effort, and I knew early on that if the process of being accepted was this detailed and time consuming, I had better be ready for a long road ahead.

Pittsburgh Public Allies is roughly a one year-long leadership development program that helps to mold and shape the leaders of tomorrow while providing resources, networking opportunities, trainings, and onsite internships with local non-profit organizations. This program helped me so much, through the information shared during our weekly Friday trainings about the ins and outs of working in and creating non-profits. They would place us in groups and face us with unfamiliar situations (called a TSP or Team Service Project) in which you are assigned a local neighborhood, and given the task of creating a sustainable project within the community, and assist in improving on an agreed upon issue. This project required us to scout the community for other local leaders to create partnerships, as well as socialize with community members to understand what the residents of the community feel was most important to address.

In the end, we decided to create a partnership with the Greenfield Terrace, a senior citizens’ home, as well as Greenfield Elementary School in efforts to create a video project that would help to bridge the intergenerational gap. We also learned through various residents about the lack of respect between the local youth and elders. Overall, our project was successful, although we ran into many obstacles along the way. In the end, we created a video project showcasing the personal life stories of the Greenfield elders and gave the youth a more personable representation of the elders they had become so accustomed to disrespecting.

For me this was a small step in the right direction. After realizing how much impact a project of this capacity had on Greenfield community members, I realized how many other local issues could be just as feasible with the right attention paid to them.

3- What advice do you have for youth that want to become a change maker in their community?

My advice to the next generation of game-changers & youth leaders would be to always follow your passion. It’s much easier to wake up with a smile everyday through the stress when you’re passionate about the cause! I have come to learn that in this world we live in, sometimes life can seem overwhelming with expectations placed on us by family, friends, and outsiders as you try to fit into what society classifies as the “social norm”. The reality of it all is it’s 2015, and there is no such thing as a “social norm”—every gamechanger faces obstacles and in order to overcome these obstacles you must first be passionate about the cause you’re fighting for, and go into the fight knowing that it may not be an easy feat. Is anything worth fighting for ever an easy battle? Engage your local community; let your face be seen at community events, and network, network, network!

4- What is a song on your playlist? (A song that motivates and drives you).

Castles by Dawn Richard… and lots of Beyonce!

Click here for videos from True T! 

Comments Off on Pittsburgh Changemaker: Duane Binion

Reed Dance: Rejoice Fast Facts

Reed Dance has partnered with Reflections Theatre Co-op for a brand new fundraising event, Rejoice: A Celebration of Faith.  Read more about Reed Dance and this event in the Fast Facts Below!

Photos Courtesy of Pittsburgh Post Gazette 

• Ms. Greer Reed serves as the head choreographer for Reed Dance
• Reed Dance evolved from the August Wilson Dance Ensemble during their 2013-14 season
• Ms. Greer has trained with the Pittsburgh Black Dance Ensemble, Alvin Ailey Repertory Ensemble, Dance Theater of Harlem and Dayton Contemporary Dance Company
• Ms. Reed was also the artistic director of the previous Dance Alloy Theater Company, before its merger with the Kelly Strayhorn Theater
• This piece, Rejoice, is a collaboration with Reflections Theater Co-op, and theater/ music students from CAPA High School
• Rejoice is a testament to faith and will feature various genres of performing arts and work by multiple artists in Pittsburgh including  Anthony Williams, Karla “Spirit-Lead” Payne, Andrew D. Kelly Mime Ministry and more.

You can read an Examiner.com article about Rejoice here!

Show Time: Friday, March 27th and Saturday March 28th 7 PM (on the 27th, there will be a VIP reception).

Price: $25 General Admission, $35 VIP

Tickets are available at the door, cash or credit only.

Comments Off on Reed Dance: Rejoice Fast Facts

Pittsburgh Changemaker: Blak Rapp Madusa

By Trevor Miles

Kelly Strayhorn Theater is presenting local leaders that have been changemakers in Pittsburgh. Mentors, teachers, artists— KST acknowledges these pioneers. This is Our Story: KST Recognizes Pittsburgh Changemakers.

Blak Rapp Madusa, Activist/Songwriter/Poet

What do you do for the community now and why is it important?

Comments Off on Pittsburgh Changemaker: Blak Rapp Madusa

How to help make the MovieStarPlanet Hack Works

MovieStarPlanet is also if i becoming a graph topper at every one of the cellular gaming has. In the last few months, our little league has gained countless requests away from members at our further sites to develop a minor beneficial MSP Hack because of this popular wash video game. Our little league failed to fail to present either. Laying down one of the most argue of those art over the internet hack deployment mechanisms at your disposal, members have the ability to if i only to if i mod his / her fund in the video game. You do not need to offer all of us and at any kind of personal information directly to do it either. Literally, i offer many of the most amazing defense procedures and that hold you as well as your popularity completely anonymous many times. Trap advantage of one of the best answers to hack MovieStarPlanet over the internet completely at the moment. When you can follow numerous, easy steps, i can expect you began right away. Our method takes you away from our internet site in favour of video game in only certain times. The process at which you add more upgrades is extremely simple, i even have add more procedures that appears to be very easy to follow. There’s no special phenomenon expertise critical to be able to run our gadget, we’ve established an extremely friendly user interface and that simplifies the process directly to its own greatest. In case you follow every one of the procedures completely you are more likely to fill out in only certain times quite a long time. MovieStarPlanet is also if i exploring amongst typically the most popular wash releases in the cellular gaming industry. In the video game, the body’s purpose is also simple: turn into typically the most popular celebrity. And at YouTube interactions, only to an active over the internet local featuring that an in-game talk platform, it’s simple to see how this video game would trap the market simply by the storyplot. The biggest offering thing our little league outlined seeing that testing apart his / her hacks only to playing MovieStarPlanet was either a seemingly endless amount of customization either a video game made possible while the user’s avatar progresses in the video game. The biggest takes away from our members were that will aid them reach that these degrees more speedily than the video game made possible in stores. Large numbers of sensed grown exhausted of doing repetitive assignments over and over again to try to set in. Information technology only just kills either a fun in the video game. In place of all that, then they attractive a tool including the a single person we’ve in stores our internet site. How it operates

Our bits and pieces are based over the internet, so there’s no guessing video game as to what is also or is not preserve directly to download. Our little league anticipated for which large numbers of over the internet members are more likely to try and stay away from needing to download anything they can go lacking in on a cellular gadget. At greatest, making an effort surplus apps only to new products are more likely to rule out the body’s battery, and at most severe, the program can often contain trojan horses only to spyware that will nonetheless the body’s personal information greatest apart the body’s gadget. You can also find sites that will ask members because of their in-game login info, his / her google profile, only to iTunes info, only to beyond. At Msphacked. Com, in place of undergoing all that, our hack gadget is still anonymous, is also absolve to even use, only to takes zero personal information at all. Members only just hop at, even use our gadget, only to go back to either a video game. Our encrypted servers hold the bulk of your details preserve. I hold greatest of those scope defense at our internet site, so members don’t need to worry about any of it. Advances

Our wash MSP Hack is available only to many times proficient, still left them simple to even use. Along with its own outstanding uptime only to accomplishment swiftness, i likewise have added many of our wash functions too. When laying down msp vip hack MSPHacked, i profile information technology was important to make our user’s personal privacy and of course defense beneficial. Contrary to many other bits and pieces one should find over the internet, our new products has built-in a variety of numerous functions for which permit you to expertise preserve when using our platform. We’ve added amazing additions that has proxy new products. Pick between the thousands of numerous loyal proxies one should even use to hide the body’s gap at the web! our proxies are private so there’s no method for either a video game directly to identify which the genuine gap, or the first is simple having a proxy in the first place. Defense

Along with simple proxy new products, either a little league has made a decision to go to another simple in this defense functions. Because of this i made a decision to add more our very own VPN in favour of hack gadget. You can now go for a specific server to access our over the internet generator for which takes the general personal privacy technique to its own greatest amount of defense. There were zero banns up to now in this gadget only to i the aim hold information technology for which technique. Go back to playing either a video game how you have done in place of needing to pay to play! we are down under to help you turn into the best player the first is and of course save you for which rough gained money. Don’t waste materials the body’s potential only to draw in the best out from the hottest wash video game of the year. MSPHacked are more likely to lastly permit you to enjoy the video game how it’s truly meant to turn into.

Comments Off on How to help make the MovieStarPlanet Hack Works