Featured Artists

 Kristin Santiago is a dancer, teacher, choreographer and whacker currently living in the DC, Maryland and Virginia metropolitan area. Born and raised in Maryland, Santiago gained experience teaching and dancing in local dance teams and studios both in the community and when she lived in Los Angeles, California. With the mission statement of always being a student; Santiago has paved her way these years by being a dancer, choreographer and artist while dancing with artists such as Ruby Ibarra and Jody Watley. Santiago constantly is adapting and creating avenues for her community. She strives to continue to share knowledge in all she learns through her journey.

Santiago draws her style from the idea and art of poetry and story telling. She believes that freestyle is the essence of ones true self, being how one introduces themselves without words. The pure movement and feeling allows one to represent their creativity and uniqueness. Training under a non-profit organization, Culture Shock in both DC and LA chapters- she has explored different avenues of her craft and creative side to continue doing what she loves in wherever she resides. Teaching all levels of dance in both Whacking and in Choreography influenced with Hip Hop, she has taught in popular studios in the area such as Millennium Dance Complex, Movement Lifestyle, Quest Dance Studio and the Kinjaz Dojo.

Santiago hopes to continue to share and grow with her community through dance in all ways possible, opening avenues to more creatives in the world and connect everyone in every step of the way through her classes, programs and freestyle connections. 

 Lesole Zachariah Maine was born in Sebokeng, South Africa. This small township just outside of Johannesburg, rich in diversity, culture and tradition was an environment where he recognized his love of dance and appreciation for the many ethnic customs taking place around him. Fluent in more than three languages, Lesole is able to use his heritage to enhance his performances. In 1995, he was awarded a scholarship to study with Johannesburg based Moving Into Dance Company, where he studied contemporary, jazz, Afro-fusion, modern, ballet, jive, hip hop, traditional and modern South African dance. After graduating from the Community Dance Teaching Course, Lesole was offered a position as a dancer and teacher in 1997. He has since performed and taught dance workshops in several countries including: Canada, Cote d’Ivoire, Croatia, France, Germany, Holland, Jordan, Lesotho, Malaysia, Nigeria, Portugal, Switzerland, and the U.S.

For the past five years he has performed several solos by Vincent Mantsoe, Gregory Maqoma and Themba Nkabinde’s pieces, and has worked with internationally acclaimed choreographers and companies, such as Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater; South Africans Vincent Sekwati Mantsoe, Sylvia Glasser, Gregory Maqoma and Jackie Semela; Michel Kelemenis from France; and Canadian Joe Laughlin.

Since his move to the United States in 2002, Lesole has been involved in several projects. He was a resident instructor for the Kuumba Ensemble Heritage House Community Theater and a guest lecturer/residence and thought master class at University of Colorado, Community College of Baltimore County, Goucher College in Baltimore, Maryland. In 2002, Lesole received a grant from the Washington Post to teach African dance to students in the Montgomery County Public Schools system, where he emphasized cultural awareness and leadership skills to encourage academic achievement. Lesole performed with the University of Maryland-based choreographer Alvin Mayes and Nejla Yatkin at Dance Place and the Kennedy Center Millennium Stage in Washington, D.C.

Lesole is currently working with several recognized dance companies, including: Liz Lerman Dance Exchange; Jane Franklin Dance; Step Afrika; Knock-on-Wood Tap Studios, Arena Stage, Dance & Praise Cultural Arts Center; and the Cathedral School for the Performing Arts.

 Ryan “Future” Webb is the Education Director for Urban Artistry, Inc., President of Funk in Focus LLC, a cultural ambassador for multiple forms of street dance, and a community leader within the global dance scene. Leading a Popping Online Education Center, organizing events, mentoring, curriculum writing, conducting dance research, cultural exchange, preservation, and archival work are some of his main focal points within his career. Ryan’s dance disciplines and movement expertise are in Boogaloo/Popping, Strutting, Memphis Jookin, & Locking, most of which he began learning around or write after the late 90’s. Mentored by Junious Brickhouse, he was taught to be 3 dimensional, culturally driven, and courageous as an artist. This artistic journey has led Ryan to contribute, inspire, build career paths, and give opportunities to many artists from all across the globe. His multitude of work has led to him traveling nationally and internationally to consult, teach, perform, compete, lecture, and judge in various regions of the world.