Meet the Creatives
Andrea E. Woods Valdés
Composer/Librettist/DirectorI work with the fluidity of dance, music, writing, folklore and performance. This opera project is a place where all my passions converge with a stellar group of collaborators and artists. For me, our stories are specific yet universal connections between cultures and lands. My ancestral roots are in the Carolinas. I am a native of Philadelphia, lived and worked in Brooklyn, then studied in Cuba. I am a former dancer/rehearsal director of Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Dance Company. I am faculty in the Duke University Dance Program and a member of Indie Strings Orchestra in Durham, NC. I graduated from Adelphi University (BFA), The Ohio State University (MFA), SUNY Buffalo/University of Havana (MA) and Texas Woman’s University (PhD). I developed wimmin@work and Calabasa Calabasa: dancing and making the music of life as a multilingual, intergenerational, interdisciplinary African Diaspora social justice performance and teaching projects that build Black audiences for Black women’s work. www.souloworks.com IG-wimmin_at_work
Michelle Grant Murray
Choreographer/WriterMichelle Grant-Murray is a choreographer, educator, author, scholar, performer and Artistic Director of Olujimi Dance Theatre, Associate Professor Sr. and Coordinator of Dance at Miami Dade College, Artistic Director of Jubilation Dance Ensemble. She is the founder and host of The Black Artist Talk, Founder and Executive Director of the Artistry In Rhythm (A.I.R.) Dance Conference, Co-Founder of Florida Black Dance Artists Organization and author of Beyond the Surface: An Inclusive American Dance History, She is a Knights Arts Champion. Currently, Michelle is researching the performative intersections of Eco-feminism, Ecology, and Sustainability of the Black Female Body.
Atiba Rorie
Percussion Composer/Arranger/PercussionistAtiba Rorie has been playing percussion instruments since he was a young child. He currently holds a BA in Music from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro and has also studied with Babatunde Olatunji, Fahali Igbo, Bradley Simmons, Chief Bey, and The National Dance Ensemble of Ghana in a one month intensive in Accra, Ghana, and a one month intensive study in Guinea, West Africa. He has taught at Winston Salem State University and Guilford College. He currently is the Dance music coordinator UNC Greensboro. He is the founder of the dynamic band Africa Unplugged. Rorie is also a musician within various professional ensembles; with these ensembles he has performed at many venues including Dance Africa in New York, Tedx Greensboro, National Black Arts Festival, Black Dance USA, and two Presidential Inauguration Celebrations. In 2005 Rorie was invited to participate in a Drums of Passion Tribute to Babatunde Olatunji at the Percussive Arts Society International Conference. Rorie has been a guest artist at CaldCluegh Community Center, Duke University, High Point University, Agnes Scott College, Williams College, Shakori Hills Grassroots Festival, Black College Dance Exchange, North Carolina School of the Arts, and Radford University.
Cybil Haskins
ConductorCybil Haskins is a conductor, composer, arranger, clinician, and music educator committed to excellence, representation, and culturally responsive artistry. She serves as Assistant Professor of Music, Music Education Coordinator, and Audition Coordinator at North Carolina Central University, teaching theory, arranging, conducting, and methods.
Haskins earned her Bachelor of Music in Music Education from North Carolina Central University and her Master of Music in Theory and Composition from Norfolk State University. She is pursuing her Ph.D. in Music Education at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro.
Haskins made history as the first female Director of Bands at historic Hillside High School and the first African-American female guest clinician and conductor for Cumberland County’s top honor band. Her recent composition, As a Woman Thinketh, commissioned by the Chromatic Brass Collective, reflects confidence, criticism, faith, and resilience. A lifelong learner, she continues to push the envelope in education, conducting, and creative performance.
Morgan Burgess
Vocalist | Soprano As a proud Roxboro, NC native, I use my background in opera to tell the stories of those who came before me—through service, song, and storytelling. Classically trained, I’ve learned that opera is more than performance; it’s the embodiment of raw human emotion, where every note carries history, struggle, love, and truth.
My passion lies in expressing what words alone cannot capture, using my voice to connect deeply with others and bring stories to life in a way that feels both powerful and personal. Through each performance, I aim to honor the humanity within every story, allowing audiences to not only hear the music, but feel it.
I believe storytelling through opera preserves legacy and creates space for reflection, empathy, and understanding. With every stage I step onto, I carry a commitment to authenticity, emotional expression, and the timeless art of connecting through voice.
Courtney Bailey
Vocalist | Alto and Mezzo SopranoCourtney Bailey is a vocalist, composer, arranger, and educator whose expressive voice has captivated audiences since childhood. A North Carolina native, she is a double graduate of North Carolina Central University’s award-winning Jazz Studies program. She brings a versatile artistry to every stage, deeply shaped by jazz, soul, and contemporary vocal traditions.
Bailey has secured commercial placements with Disney and ESPN and has contributed writing and guest vocals to numerous recording projects. An accomplished performer, she has shared the stage with acclaimed artists including Carmen Lundy, Marlon Saunders, Nnenna Freelon,and the late Geri Allen. She recently completed her second featured residency at Carnegie Hall with Dr. Lenora Helm Hammonds, the NCCU Vocal Jazz Ensemble and her “Tribe Orchestra”.
Beyond the stage, Bailey is a dedicated music educator committed to nurturing young artists and fostering transformative musical experiences through classroom and community engagement.
Derrick Hamilton Jr.
Vocalist | Baritone-bassDerrick Hamilton is a bass-baritone and junior at Duke University studying Theater Studies with a Chemistry minor on the pre-medical track. Originally from Memphis, Tennessee, he studies voice in the Federle Voice Studio and performs across musical theater, opera, and contemporary vocal performance. Notable roles include Coalhouse Walker Jr. in Ragtime, Audrey II in Little Shop of Horrors, and LeFou in Beauty and the Beast. Offstage, he performs with Speak of the Devil, Duke’s premier all-male a cappella group, and practices capoeira through Duke Dance. Derrick is excited to be part of this production, and working with Professor Woods-Valdés has been a joy.
Laurence Horne
Vocalist | Bari-tenorLaurence Joseph Horne is a talented singer from Raleigh, NC, who has been honing his craft since 2014. With a deep passion for music, Laurence has built a reputation for his soulful voice and dynamic performances.
Aissatou Diallo
DancerMy name is Aissatou “Ais” Diallo (pronounced “ice-uh-too”), and I am from New Haven, CT. I am a graduating senior at Duke University pursuing a self-designed major called The Intersections of Performing Arts and Science: Incorporating Biological and Psychological Perspectives through (Program II), as well as the Health Policy Certificate through the Duke-Margolis Center for Health Policy. My individualized major examines how performance, anatomy, physiology, neuroscience, and psychology can inform and enhance one another, reflecting my dedication to interdisciplinary practices and research. After graduation, I will attend the Master of Quantitative Management program at the Fuqua School of Business (Class of 2027) to further develop my financial and analytical skills, and I will serve as the Competition Coordinator for Empower School of Movement.
Stephanie Franco
DancerStephanie Franco is a Cuban American choreographer, teacher, and movement artist rooted in Miami, Florida. She trained at Dance Attack Miami, under John Culbertson & Cookie Ramos. Her research expanded later in Los Angeles under the direction of Erica Sobol and Lobos Art Collective, in deep process with artists such as Medhi Walerski, Tilman O'Donnell, Jermaine Spivey, and Adi Salant. Her performance and choreographic work spans collaborations with Mia Michaels, Urban Bush Women, Live Arts Miami, Adele Myers and Dancers, NWD Projects, Pioneer Winter Collective, Jamar Roberts, Rena Butler, Tawanna Hall, Hattie Mae Williams and more. Stephanie is currently a company member of the Peter London Global Dance Company, Olujimi Dance Collective, & Syncopate Collective. As a 2022 Rennie Harris University cohort member, she explores Hip Hop & Street Dance alongside her cultural dance research. Stephanie teaches at Dance Attack Miami and Dance Empire of Miami, and is guest faculty at Steps on Broadway and Broadway Dance Center as a catalyst for raw embodiment and contemporary movement exploration.
Brianna Pierre Georges
DancerBrianna Pierre-Georges is a Miami-born dancer of Haitian descent whose training began in elementary, middle school magnet programs, and RickyDanco School of Dance. Her work delves into the cultural heritage of the African diaspora, exploring themes of spirituality, ancestral connections, and the realities of her community. Brianna is rooted in the integration of West African and African diaspora movements--specifically Haitian folklore—blended with the fluidity and experimentation of modern and contemporary forms. Through this embodied fusion, Brianna seeks to honor the traditions of her ancestors while carving new pathways for expression. Currently, Brianna is pursuing her Associate of Arts in Dance at Miami Dade College’s Kendall Campus, training under Professor Michelle Grant Murray as President of the Jubilation Dance Ensemble. She also dances with Olujimi Dance Collective, founded by Michelle Grant Murray. Her performances reflect real life and draw audiences into her movement and story.
Felicia Adizue
United Strings of Color Quintet | ViolinNow calling Raleigh, North Carolina, her home, Felicia began playing violin at 9 in Taiwan. She has studied with Margaret Partridge, Helena Bandy, and Kevin Lawrence, focusing on Western to Afro-American classical pieces. In 2018, Felicia, three other black musicians, and Margaret Partridge founded the United Strings of Color Quartet, addressing racial disparities in classical music. At 16, she debuted with the Raleigh Civic Symphony, premiering Daniel Bernard Roumain’s “Home, Migration, and Our Imaginary Daughter.” She has been a finalist in the NC Symphony Concerto Competition (2023), first place winners in the Omega Psi Phi Talent Hunt (2022-2024), and a NAACP Society Awards Scholar (2025). She is a recent graduate of the UNC School of the Arts High School and a freshman at Duke University, majoring in Music Performance and Psychology with a certificate in Marketing. In her free time, she enjoys playing Afrobeats on her electric violin at events!
Zion Anderson
United Strings of Color Quintet | CelloZion Anderson is a 15-year-old cellist with impressive accomplishments for his age. At 13, he performed at Carnegie Hall as part of the Elite International Winner’s Circle and won first place in the Elite International Competition. This led to another performance at the Kauffman Music Center in New York this past March. Zion is a Kidznotes Ambassador and plays in the Maestro Orchestra. He is also a member of United Strings of Color and performs in Youth Symphony and chamber groups at Duke.
This summer, Zion was selected for NYO2, the National Youth Orchestra of America program for musicians ages 14–16. He will perform again at Carnegie Hall and travel to the Dominican Republic, representing the United States.
Zion studies with Ms. Bonnie Thron, principal cellist of the North Carolina Symphony. He has written and performed an original song in Conversations, a play about Black abolitionists, and will appear in the opera, Magic of Water, marking a new exciting milestone.
Sterling Elliott
United Strings of Color Quintet | ViolaSterling is a 21 year old native of Raleigh, NC. He is currently a rising 3L at NCCU School of Law and alumnus of the United Strings of Color. Sterling has been playing viola for over 10 years and has had the opportunity to perform with the Durham Symphony, the Duke Symphony Orchestra, and the Durham Medical Orchestra. After finishing his studies at NCCU, Sterling hopes to practice family law while continuing to foster his love of classical music.
Amara Izuakor
United Strings of Color Quintet | ViolinAmara is a freshman at Saint Thomas More Academy (STMA) in Raleigh NC. She embodies the meaning of her name “Grace” from her family’s Igbo heritage in her approach to life. Amara views music as a tool of diplomacy and a vehicle for education and cultural preservation. She has never listened to a genre of music she did not like. As such, besides USC, she can be seen honing her musical skills with Duke String School, STMA’s musical theater and choir, the Triangle Youth Jazz Program etc. Amara is a jazz aficionado and daydreams of time travel to a Satchmo and Ella concert. She is an aspiring polyglot, fluent in English and Spanish, decent in Igbo, Russian, and Latin, and dabbling in German, Korean and Swahili. Working on this opera has inspired her to expand her Yoruba skills from only “ose” and “shakara.” She thanks her teachers, family and friends for supporting her on this wonderful journey of life.
Zaynab Salifou
United Strings of Color Quintet | BassZay Salifou has played bass for 5 years. Zay also plays guitar, and has hobbies in art, literature, and music.
Margaret Partridge
United Strings of Color Quintet | DirectorMusic, especially playing with others, has been one of the most rewarding things in Margaret’s life and she is very keen for all young people to have the opportunities she has had. She believes it is vitally important for children to see children who look like them, playing classical music. Margaret brings her wealth of experience as the former Executive Director of the Philharmonic Association (2005 -2020) to United Strings of Color. She began United Strings of Color in 2018 as a project to address racial disparity in classical music. Margaret is a respected freelance violinist, having served as Concertmaster for the Carolina Ballet, Capital Opera, North Carolina Opera, Raleigh Symphony Orchestra, Tar River Orchestra, North Carolina Master Chorale and Durham Chorale. From 1990 – 2006 she performed regularly with the NC Symphony and currently plays with the NC Opera and the Carolina Ballet.
Ayinde Lewis
PercussionistAyinde Lewis, is a dedicated and talented young musician with a strong passion for music and performance. Over the years, Ayinde has developed his skills as a percussionist through experience, discipline, and consistent hard work. He has worked with ADF Studios as a seasoned percussionist, and plans to continue pursuing music professionally throughout his career. Ayinde has trained in multiple genres, including African, classical, jazz, and gospel music, with gospel currently being his primary focus as of 2026. Music has always played a major role in Ayinde’s life, giving him a creative outlet to express emotion, energy, and individuality through every performance. He enjoys collaborating with other musicians, learning new techniques, and continuing to grow as an artist each year. Ayinde’s goal is to inspire audiences, strengthen his musical abilities, and build a long-lasting and successful career in the music industry through passion, dedication, and perseverance.
Matt Stutzman
Musical Consultant/Arranging Assistance/RecordingMatt Stutzman is the owner of Indie Strings, a community orchestra and violin shop in Durham, NC. Indie Strings specializes in training adult beginner string players to perform together as an orchestra. Matt also conducts the Intermediate String Orchestra at the Duke University String School and likes to boulder at the TRC climbing gym several times per week.
Tristian Griffin
Narration/Voice OversA native of Kansas City, MO Tristian Griffin graduated from Texas Christian University in Ballet and a minor in English. Following graduation, Tristian began his professional career and danced with Garth Fagan Dance Company, Wylliams-Henry Contemporary Dance Company, the Metropolitan Opera House (NYC), and Springboard Danse Montreal. In 2019, Tristian began his endeavor as a choreographer by starting his dance company, Tristian Griffin Dance Company. As a choreographer, he has been commissioned by over 15 different institutions or companies. In 2023, Tristian was selected as a recipient of the Jacob’s Pillow Residency: Ann & Weston Hicks Choreography Fellowship. He is currently pursuing his MFA in Choreography at Duke University, with a certificate in African and African American Studies. While at Duke, he received the Outstanding Student Choreography Award from the American College Dance Festival, and his research has been supported by both the Global Affairs Department and the Dean’s Research Grant.
Amari Jones
Narration/Voice OversAmari Jones is an educator, choreographer, and performer based in Raleigh, NC. She holds a Master of Fine Arts in Dance: Embodied Interdisciplinary Praxis from Duke University (2022), where her research focused on racial identity formation and the role of public education in shaping this process. This work led to the creation of Embodied Resonance, a liberatory pedagogical intervention that uses improvisation to explore Black girls’ embodied knowledge. Amari also earned a BA in Dance Studies and a minor in Entrepreneurship from UNC Greensboro.
Amari has taught in both studio and public school settings, fostering inclusive, culturally aware environments that encourage self-expression and critical thinking. Amari has performed in repertory work by Mari Meade, The Clarice Young Dance Project, and the Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Dance Company. Amari has presented her research at the Conference on African- American & African Diasporic Cultures and at the Collegium for African American Dance.
Joan Francisco Valdés Santos
Cultural ConsultantDr. Joan Francisco Valdés Santos is a prolific writer, composer, and journalist with a wide range of knowledge and experience in Cuban sports, music, art, literature, and culture. He organizes chess workshops for young people in the Triangle Area and is the author of Teaching Chess in the Schools. He is the creator/author of Rapisub Underwater Chess©, created to develop both physical and intellectual mobility as a professional and recreational sport.
In 2005, he received his Doctorate from the Instituto Superior de Cultura Física Manual Fajardo in Cuba. He has produced works for radio and television programs and authored four poetry collections in North Carolina. He collaborates with and is a cultural consultant for several artists.
Lee Edwards
Project/Rehearsal AssistantLee Edwards (they/them) is a profoundly sensitive and curious artist, educator and arts administrator/organizer with a deep commitment to the convergence of art, care, and sociopolitical action. They have served as a Programs Manager with The International Association of Blacks in Dance (IABD), Conference Manager for The Collegium for African Diaspora Dance (CADD), and Project Manager for The Black Artist Space to Create Residency under New Dance Alliance.
Lee earned their BFA in Dance from the University of the Arts and their MFA in Dance: EIP, and Master’s Certificate in African and African American Studies, from Duke University. They are currently an artist in residence with North Carolina Dance Festival. To learn more about Lee visit leeedwards.org .