ABOUT US

Meet The Ensemble

The Engele Edeliegba Senior Dance Ensemble is comprised of talented and passionate senior citizen dancers based in Atlanta, Georgia. Through their dynamic and uplifting performances, they aim to inspire and engage the senior population of Atlanta, promoting the benefits of movement and positive conversation about aging.

Founded on the belief that dance has the power to bring people together and improve physical and mental health, the Engele Edeliegba Senior Dance Ensemble is dedicated to sharing the joy and art of dance with seniors in the community. From ballet and modern dance to tap and hip hop, the ensemble's diverse repertoire showcases the versatility and creativity of their members.

In addition to their performance schedule, the Engele Edeliegba Senior Dance Ensemble also offers dance classes and workshops for seniors, providing a fun and welcoming environment for people of all ages and abilities to learn and grow.

Join the Engele Edeliegba Senior Dance Ensemble in celebrating the beauty and vitality of aging through the power of dance.

Engele Edeliegba Senior Dance Ensemble

Company Biographies

Diana Stevens

Diana Jones Stevens has over 20 years corporate experience and over 30 years in the arts. As a child, she studied ballet, tap, and jazz dance and was exposed to a variety of cultural arts. Her love of dance fueled her desire to dance professionally. As a founder and board member of Jomandi Productions Inc., she lived out her love for the arts. She was also an appointee to the Fulton County Arts Council for 14 years, and served 13 years as Vice-Chair. She utilizes her creative talents and management skills as Executive Producer of VIA Theatrical. Diana is a founding member of Edeliegba Senior Dance Ensemble, and is currently fulfilling her lifetime goal of dancing professionally.

Ebony Woods

Ebony Woods is a native of Detroit, Mi. and is now retired after 30+ years in the medical field. She is a member of Edeliegba Senior Dance Ensemble, where she performs Praise, African, Indian, Belly, Ballet and Hip-Hop, under the guidance of Theresa Howard. Ebony Woods also performs tap under the direction of Mona Scott and line dances with the Bowden Soul Strutters. Her dance training began at the age of 6 with ballet lessons. She continued to study modern dance under the direction of Vera Embree and earned a scholarship to college. Ms. Woods also attended the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater summer dance intensive and performed African dance with Marygrove College Dance Company under the direction of Penny Godboldo. Ebony has experience teaching Detroit Ballroom dance and performs in Ballethnic Dance Company's productions of the Urban Nutcracker, Leopard Tale, Flyin’ West, Jazzy Sleeping Beauty and others.

Malinda Newel

Dance for Malinda Newell is an art like no other. Her relationship with dance began in the household at an early age. She recalls mimicking her mom’s dance moves on Saturday mornings while they cleaned their house and danced to soul music. And from there, her love for dance was born. Malinda’s first introduction to Edeliegba Senior Dance Ensemble reignited her passion for dance. She was astounded by how this group of dancers would change the way that she saw the art of dance. Malinda is proud to be a part of this collective of dancing seniors, who challenge, grow, and dance. Malinda is proud to be a part of this collective of dancing seniors, who challenge, grow, and perform together.

Barbara Price

Barbara Price is a native of Atlanta, Georgia. She is a mother of two, a grandmother of three, a great grandmother of one, and a wife of 58 years. At 14 years old Barbara chose to pursue a career in nursing. She’d always had a passion for caring for others and decided to put it to use for a nearly 35 year career as a nurse. Her love for dance, however, commenced at the age of ten when she began lessons in tap dance. As a teacher of dance, she is sharing her passion with fellow seniors with the hopes of improving their overall health and well-being. Barbara lives by this motto, “live life to the fullest, and it doesn’t hurt to dance along the way”.

Patricia Winfrey

Patricia Verna Winfrey, aka Pat, is a New Orleans native. At the age of two, her family relocated to New York City. Pat had always had a passion for the arts, however, dancing was not allowed in her household. So upon moving to Atlanta, she had the opportunity to train with a dance school, and has been dancing ever since. Pat is a proud founding member of Edeliegba Senior Dance Ensemble, and hopes to continue to grow under the direction of Theresa Howard.

Artistic Director/Founder

Dr. Theresa Howard

Theresa M. Howard is a native of New York where she received her Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Dance Theatre and Education. She holds a Masters of Science degree from Hunter College in Dance-Movement Therapy, and is pursuing a doctoral degree. Howard is an accomplished professional dancer. She has performed with many prominent dance ensembles for over 30 years, including: Chuck Davis African-American Dance Ensemble, Joan Miller and the Chamber Arts Players, Eleo Pomare, Rod Rogers Dance Company, Giwayen Mata, Barefoot Ballet, Manga African Dance Ensemble, Alvin Ailey’s “Revelations” at Herbert H. Lehman College, Ballethnic Dance Company, and the 1996 Summer Olympics. She has performed for dignitaries such as Andrew Young, Desmond Tutu, and The King and Secretary of Travel for Oshogbo State, Nigeria. She is a part-time Assistant Professor of Dance at Kennesaw State University. Ms. Howard is the founder of Edeliegba, a traveling dance company comprised of male and female senior citizens aged 60 years and older. Ms. Howard has traveled to West Africa as a cultural exchange dance instructor and has shared her knowledge both in Africa and in the states.