Founder, E. Leon Evans, II began to develop his great talent as a dancer and choreographer during his years at High School for the Creative and Performing Arts, Philadelphia, PA. In 1978 he began to build his repertoire based upon philosophies he formed during his extensive experiences in both the theatrics and dance with the Playward Bus Theater Company and dance master, John Hines. In 1980, he co-directed a company that flourished and eventually became Eleone Dance Theatre.

Leon, as he is affectionaltely known, worked as an entertainer, a choreographer, a performer, a composer, and an educator in programs sponsored by the Institute of Arts and Education, Wanamaker Middle School Theater Arts Program, the Christina Cultural Arts Center, The American Music Theater Festival, and many others.

In addition to being mentored by and working with Maurice Hines, Leon also worked with such greats as Chita Rivera, Donald O’Connor, the Boston Pops, Dee Dee Sharp, Roberta Flack and Tachina Arnold. His most enduring engagements were with “Browser,” the notable performer from the Group Sha Na Na.

Leon received a special citation from the City Council of Philadelphia and the Bright Hope Baptist Church to honor his generosity and commitment to elevating the artistic programs of the church to new levels of excellence. He was also presented the Imhotep Award from the Christina Cultural Arts Center, and featured in the “50 Rising Stars” article in Seven Arts Magazine, February 1997.

 

Artistic Director/Co-Director Shawn-Lamere Williams
a native Philadelphian began his dance training with Cheryl V. Shepherd and has studied with Faye B. Snow, Althea Leslie, Scott Shultz, LaDeva Davis, Leon Evans, Traci Hall, Jaye Allison, Milton Meyers, the Late Great Denise Jefferson and James Truitt just to name a few.  He was a Scholarship recipient  at the Alvin Ailey School of Dance in New York, NY, Philadanco in Philadelphia, PA., and is a graduate of The Philadelphia High School for Creative and Performing Arts  {CAPA } in Philadelphia, PA., all where he has trained with various teachers.  Shawn-Lamere has performed and traveled with such dance companies as the Juba Contemporary Dance Theatre, Leja Dance Theatre, Brenda Lee Dance Co., Eleone Dance Theatre, New Freedom Theater Repertory Theater, Mark Scott Dancers, Danco 2 and Philadanco.  

He has appeared on television on Evening Magazine, Check it Out and the major screen in the film “Belovedâ€.  He has had the honor of performing with and for such celebrities as Patti LaBelle, Cab Calloway, Grover Washington, Jr., Howard Hewitt, Melba Moore, Jean Carne, the Winans, Wynton Marsalis, Carol Riddick, Coretta Scott King and Rev. Jesse Jackson.  Shawn-Lamere has taught  and choreographed many Ballets and Theater Productions for CAPA Dance and Drama Department, Philadanco II, Leja DTH, Eleone DTH, The New Freedom Theatre Dance Department and Repertory Theater, Christina Cultural Arts Center Dance Ensemble., Philadelphia School of Dance Arts, Straight to the Point, Wm. Meredith Elementary School, Wanamaker Middle School  and Elements of Style, all which received rave reviews.

He has also conducted master classes at Cheyney University, Virginia State University, Hampton University and Norfolk State for the Black College Dance Exchange.  His many awards include a Liberty Bell from the Mayor of Philadelphia, Citations, Commendations and Tributes from the City of Philadelphia, Philadelphia City Council, NAACP Act-So, Philadelphia Board of Education, 100 Black Men of Philadelphia, the Lawrence Epstein Choreographers Award , 1992 listing in “Who’s Who†Among Young Professionals in America, a 1996 listing as one of the “Outstanding Young Americans, a 1998 Dance Advance Grant recipient funded by Pew Charitable Trust, A Channel 17 2002 UNSUNG Hero Award, Best of 2003 in Philadelphia Magazine and a 2006 Philadelphia Rocky Performance award winner.  

He also received the Teacher of the Year and Outstanding Teachers award from the Philadelphia School of Dance Arts, the School of Philadanco.  Shawn-Lamere is a former Co-Artistic Director and Founding Director for Philadanco II, former Director for the Christina Cultural Arts Center dance ensemble in Wilmington, DE and former Resident Choreographer for Danse4nia a Philadelphia professional based dance company.  Shawn-Lamere is the director of dance at the Wm. Meredith School in Philadelphia, PA and guest Modern Instructor At The Philadelphia High School For Creative and Performing Arts. Shawn-Lamere is The Founder of Eleone Connection, the second company of Eleone Dance Theatre and The Founder of Eleone Dance Unlimited-The Official School of Eleone Dance Theatre and Eleone Connection.

 

Co-/Executive Director, Ms. Sheila A. Ward, a native of Richmond, Virginia, is presently a tenured Associate Professor in the Department of Physical Education and Exercise Science at Norfolk State University, Norfolk, VA. She holds the B.S. in Physical Education with an emphasis in Dance from Indiana University and the M.Ed. and Ph.D. in Exercise Physiology from Temple University. Ms. Ward also earned the Masters of Public Health with a concentration in Epidemiology from Eastern Virginia Medical School/Old Dominion University, Norfolk, VA. Ms. Ward is the Executive Director of and professional dancer with Eleone Dance Theatre, Philadelphia, PA. She is the former Associate Instructor and Acting Director of the Afro-American Dance Company, Indiana University. She is currently on the Virginia Artist in Residency Roster, Virginia Commission on the Arts and the Dance Roster of the Richmond Arts Council. She serves on and holds leadership positions on several national boards including, the Editorial Board of JOPERD and The Physician and Sportsmedicine and a 3-year term as Publications Chair of the National Dance Association (2005-2008).

Ms. Ward is a regular presenter at local, state, and national conferences on such topics as: managing the chronic diseases of cancer, arthritis, and diabetes through exercise; physical activity, exercise, and African-Americans; healthy living through dance; and, staff training workshops on implementing exercise for persons with developmental disabilities and the frail elderly and cultural competency. She is the recipient of several program and research grants and is currently funded for an HIV/AIDS Prevention Grant through the Office of Women’s Health, Department of Health and Human Services.

She is published in The Physician and Sportsmedicine, the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, and Pediatric Research. Recent publications, “Why We All Should Learn to Dance: Reflecting on the African American Culture†(August 2007) and “African-centered Dance: An Intervention Tool in HIV/AIDS Prevention,†“Health and the Power of Dance†and “Redesigning the Body†appeared in the 2008 September, April and February issues, respectively, of the Journal of Health, Physical Education, Recreation, and Dance. The May/June 2008 issue of Diabetes Self-Management featured an article by Ms. Ward entitled, “So You Think You Want to Dance?†Memberships include the American College of Sports Medicine, the Cancer Prevention Action Coalition, Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated, Iota Omega Chapter, Black Women in Sport Foundation (Philadelphia, PA), and the Alpha Kappa Chapter of Delta Omega, the honorary society in public health.

Ms. Ward began dancing in the Richmond Public School System where she studied jazz dance with Robert Pemberton, Jr. at the Arts and Humanities Center and modern dance with Rodney Williams. In the Philadelphia Dance Company Training Program, she studied with Denise Jefferson and Milton Myers among others. In the Eleone Dance Theatre Training Program, she studied with Marion Cuyjet, Faye Snow, and Melvin Purnell among others. She attended the Summer Training Program at the Alvin Ailey School of Dance. She was a member of the Afro-American Dance Company and the Indiana University Dance Theatre where she studied with Bill Evans, Gwen Hamm, Iris Rosa, and Fran Snygg. Awards and appointments include: AAHPERD Outstanding Dance Student, Pew-Foundation Philadelphia Repertory Development Initiative, Young Professional Award-AAHPERD, and served a three-year term on the Advisory Panel for Virginia Arts on Tour, Virginia Commission on the Arts.

As primary grant writer, Eleone Dance Theatre, a PENNPAT Roster Artist, has received 14 dance grants and acceptance to 3 juried showcases. She has completed over 25 extended dance residencies in grades K-12 throughout the States of Virginia and Delaware, and the city of Philadelphia, PA. She has performed professionally as one of the original members of Philadanco II , the Philadelphia Dance Company, and the choreography of Talley Beatty, Louis Johnson, Milton Myers, Rod Rodgers, and Kariamu Asante Welsh among others. She is currently a student of Umfundalai and has presented at three previous intensives on the application of kinesiology and injury prevention to Umfundalai core movements. She is currently on the Virginia Artist in Residency Roster, Virginia Commission on the Arts and the Dance Roster of the Richmond Arts Council. Ms. Ward was cast as one of the dancers in the movie “Beloved†and she conceived and staged, “From These Roots,†a historical journey with dance highlighting the emergence of African-Americans in Spring 2003. Most recently, Ms. Ward was featured in the magazines, Dance Teacher Now and Upscale Magazine. Ms. Ward received a 2008 Citation from the City of Philadelphia honoring her contributions toward Eleone Dance Theatre and the community at large.