XSTUDIO

	MICHAEL CAIN Extended Studio Coordinator After growing up on Soul and R&B, then studying Jazz, Classical Piano, African, and Indonesian music, pianist/composer Michael Cain began a performing career in the Los Angeles area working with musicians such as flutist and composer James Newton, jazz vocalist Marlena Shaw, the Gerald Wilson Orchestra, drummer Billy Higgins, and the New American Orchestra among others. After moving to New York, Mr. Cain began working with members of the M-Base collective such as Greg Osby and Robin Eubanks, joined Jack DeJohnette's Special Edition, and worked with artists Dave Holland, Steps Ahead, Dewey Redman, Ravi Coltrane, Bobby McFerrin, Stanley Turrentine, Pat Metheny, and Meshell N'degeocello. He has performed on numerous recordings as a sideman including Dance of the Infidel, Meshell N'degeocello's Grammy nominated 2005 Shawnachie Records release on which Mr. Cain is pianist and co-arranger. He has also recorded several records as a leader including Circa, a 1996 ECM release. Mr. Cain has been a faculty member at the Eastman School of Music, where he was the Co-Director of the Undergraduate Jazz Studies Program, and is currently on faculty at the New England Conservatory of Music in Boston, MA.
	CHELSEA ROSS GREEN Extended Studio Coordinator Chelsea Ross Green is a visual arts teacher and co-coordinator of the Extended Studio program at UAMA. Ms. Green has been teaching art at community art centers and public high schools in New York City since 2001. She received her Masters in Art and Art Education from Columbia's Teacher's College in 2005. Ms. Green received her undergraduate degree from the Art Institute of Chicago, where she studied sculpture and installation.
	IANTHE JACKSON Studio 9 (9th grade) Art and Arts Integration As UAMA's 9th grade arts integration specialist, Ianthe Jackson is in charge of an arts integration strategy for the ninth grade, managing a program of elective courses, and teaching an introductory studio art class. Jackson was born in Buffalo, NY and currently lives and works in NYC. She attended undergraduate school at School of Visual Arts in Manhattan and received her MFA in Sculpture from Tyler School of Art in Philadelphia. She has had solo shows at Jack the Pelican Presents Gallery in Brooklyn, and Luxe Gallery’s project room in NYC. She has also exhibited at Philadelphia’s Eastern State Penitentiary in 2004. Ms. Jackson has attended residencies at Sculpture Space in 2003, ARTOmi in 2005, Shining Cliff Residency as part of My House Gallery in England, and Homeland Gallery in Portland Oregon in 2007. Jackson’s work regularly shows internationally. Ms. Jackson’s teaching work includes working for the New York City Department of Education, in various nonprofits and foundations in NYC, and as a professor at Tyler School of Art in Philadelphia. She has developed and implemented programs and collaborated with teachers on many projects throughout her teaching career. At UAMA Ianthe Jackson will be developing an arts integration program for the 9th Grade cirriculum. She will also be the studio art teacher for the 9th grade.
	AKILI BROWN Digital Design and Illustration Akili Brown, son of Jamaican parents and a Washington D.C. native, received his BFA from Howard University in 2003 and his MS from Pratt Institute in 2007. Since completing his studies, Mr. Brown has strived to educate students about the viability of a career in the arts. He is quoted as saying, “Unless they plan on becoming architects, the majority of visual artists are told they can’t make a living or be totally happy doing that. Yes they can! I never got this message when I was growing up, and now that I have it, I’m sharing it.” Mr. Brown is the founder and director of the Fresh Academy of Art and Design, an organization that constructively exposes young artists to creative career opportunities in the field of art and design. Fresh Academy harnesses the power of popular culture to reinforce the importance and vital role of applied arts in our everyday lives. Through Fresh Academy and his personal efforts, Mr. Brown has provided uplifting community events and design assistance to numerous organizations and groups including Wheat Bread Life, Latina Magazine, Center for Arts Education and Pratt Institute. Akili Brown's curriculum provides students with the opportunities, understanding and confidence to pursue their passion in the area of arts of their choice.
	ANTOINE 'DOC' JUDKINS Hip Hop Dance Antoine 'Doc' Judkins began performing at the age of 12. Inspired by the early stages of 'Popping' and 'Locking' he saw on Soul Train, this Bronx native wanted music and dance to be his vehicle for expression. He unknowingly danced his way into the Hip Hop realm where he developed a multiple blend of different dance forms. Doc later joined a group of friends to form the Ghettoriginal Dance Co. Their mission: Bring the elements of Hip Hop (Djing, Mceeing, Dance, Art) to the stage for all to experience. The company received a 1991 Bessie Award for its astonishing vocabulary that defied the conventions of contemporary dance. Alas! Jam On The Groove (Int'l Tour 95-98), to which Doc contributed choreography, as well as music production, helped create the first Hip hop musical, setting the foundation for what Hip Hop theatre is today. It received a Drama Desk nomination for best choreography which led to a collaboration with Bill Irwin's New Victory Theatre performance of Hip Hop Wonderland. Doc's other stage projects include choreography and music for the Doug Elkins Dance Company, Love Productions' Urban Funk Spectacular, and N.Y. Theatre Workshop (Mister, Eyewitness Blues). In addition to theatre, Doc has per-formed with N-Sync ('99 Video Music awards), Mya (Soul Train Awards), Jamie Fox, Missy Elliot and worked in movies Music & Lyrics and Marci X. In addition to his dance credits, Doc also wears the hat of a DJ for a monthly event dedicated to the dance culture called The House Dance Conference, and plays at dance contests throughout the country.
	AMATUS-SAMI KARIM Music Production In her Music Production class at UAMA, Amatus-Sami Karim facilitates a beat-making workshop using Reason and Pro-Tools software. As a music producer, she currently works with Me'shell Ndegeocello, RES, Jneiro Jarel, Phillip Glass, Barry Harris, and Roger Guenevere Smith. She is a graduate of New York University in creative writing and politics, and studied for two years at the Barry Harris Jazz Workshop. Originally from the South Side of Chicago, Amatus comes from a very diverse racial and spiritual background. She feels that experience has been her greatest teacher, and she likes working at UAMA because "it's amazing seeing younger people inspired by technology, in an environment that works very hard to provide for them."
	BRIAN LANDRUS The Band with Jazz at Lincoln Center Brian Landrus brings many years of music education experience to UAMA, at diverse schools. He has been playing music professionally since age 15. Mr. Landrus received his B.M. in music performace from U.N.R., and an M.M. in jazz performance and M.M. in jazz composition from N.E.C. He is originally from Reno/Lake Tahoe, NV. Of his work with UAMA students, he says, "I love passing on my creativity."
	BENNETT MILLER The Band with Jazz at Lincoln Center Bennett Miller is a performer, composer, producer, and music educator. He has been an active bass player in the Boston jazz and groove music scene since 2000, playing and studying with a wide variety of musicians. This inspired him to found the Bennett Miller Band, which performs music with a unique blend of influences including Latin, reggae, jazz, and rock rhythms. In July 2006, the Bennett Miller Band was invited to the Jazz Aspen Snowmass Summer Sessions, an honor given to bands “having already distinguished themselves as gifted artists with the well-deserved expectation to sustain a professional career in performance.” Mr. Miller received Bachelors and Masters Degrees in jazz bass from the New England Conservatory.
	OJA DJ'ing: So you want to be a DJ? Oja has been a working DJ since the age of 17. A radio show producer and host for four years, activist, beat designer extraordinaire, event producer and founder of his own production company (Sunchild Productions), Oja’s energetic, effervescent excitement for collaboration and creation embodies what music-making is all about. He has brought music to crowds all over New York City, across the country and in Canada for 10 years as the DJ for parties, art exhibit openings, festivals, conferences, and live performance. As the DJ for independent music artists such as: Toni Blackman, Nemiss, Sharrif Simmons and Invincible and turntablist/samplist with the live band music collective Earthdriver, Oja has obtained real-life experience to share with students in the form of class curriculum. As a music business student at NYU’s School of Education, he learned about music business, broadcast, and music production. In the years following his NYU experience, Oja applied the knowledge to co-produce poet Sharrif Simmon’s “Echo Effect” album with other members of the Earthdriver collective, tailoring music for independent films, creating soundscapes for live art performances, musical directing theatre pieces, producing various radio shows and leasing original music pieces to PBS Television. Oja was led to teaching through music. He started working as an audio production consultant with The City Park’s Foundation’s Technology Initiative After School Program for teens (Hook Productions) in South Brooklyn, and later became the coordinator of the program. Presently, Oja coordinates and teaches audio at Hook Productions, is the coordinator of a new youth radio production program at the Red Hook Initiative, and is the newest member of UAMA’s Xstudio faculty. When he is not teaching, designing curriculum, leading a workshop, producing music, or gathering sounds for an ever-expanding media archive, Oja can be found at a show near you motivating crowds with sound and challenging corporate media messages with powerful musical montages.
	ADESOLA OSAKALUMI Hip Hop Dance Respected within his profession as the “best all around dancer,” award-winning dancer/choreographer Adesola Osakalumi's fascination with the art form began as a child - his mother was a principle dancer with Africa I Dance Theater. The mission of Africa I, to perpetuate African dance and culture throughout the US and the world, would later energize Adesola’s motivation to dance, choreograph, and teach. He began his career in hip hop dance with Rhythm Technicians – a “dance crew” made up of some of hip hop’s best known B-Boys. While with Rhythm Technicians (RT), Adesola won a Bessie Award and two choreographic grants from the National Endowment for the Arts. RT later morphed into GhettOriginals Productions Dance Company (GPDC), the undisputed pioneers of hip hop theater. As a co-founder of GPDC, Adesola helped his genre make a permanent impression on commercial theater. More recently, Adesola has choreographed for and/or been a featured dancer with Mariah Carey, Sean “P Diddy” Combs, N’Sync, Joe, Dru Hill, and Amber. For television, he danced in ABC Television’s Double Platinum (with Brandy and Diana Ross), and choreographed segments from the 2001 and 2002 MTV Music Video Awards. For film, he has choreographed for School of Rock (Paramount Pictures), Marci X (Paramount Pictures), and Idlewild featuring Outkast (HBO Films, 2006). For theater, he has created dance for Hip Hop Wonderland at the New Victory Theater, Mo Moves at the Serious Fun Festival at Lincoln Center, Echo Park: The Hip Hop Musical at the Apollo Theater, and with the Doug Elkins Dance Company at the Joyce Theater. When not on stage or in front of the camera, Adesola is teaching or giving lecture/demonstrations about his craft. Says Adesola, “I believe that the power of art can change lives. I have seen dance, for example, breed confidence and give people a greater sense of self- expression. It allows for a rather liberating experience with life…unlike anything I’ve seen.”
	MIKE PETERSON Music Business with Abstract Academy Mike Peterson has worked within a conglomerate of communities over the past ten years. He began his professional career at Harlem's Salvation Army, while in high school. Upon graduating high school, Mr. Peterson became more focused on channeling his passions into a viable entrepreneurial venture that could still positively affect the community. Mr. Peterson has designed curriculum and instructed high school students in countless Music, Art, and Business programming, while running his own ventures. These include a Lifestyle Brand, Campus Entertainment company, and youth curriculum. Born and raised in Brooklyn, Mr. Peterson continues to further his impact on the community and channels his passions into viable avenues for youth and teens. Mr. Peterson currently teaches the Music Business Xstudio, which focuses on using the draw and excitement of music to teach common business practices and a better understanding of the corporate infrastructure and culture.
	LENARD SMITH Digital Photography Lenard Smith is a photographer specializing in Fine Art Photography. Mr. Smith is a BARD-ICP MFA candidate in Advanced Photographic Studies at The International Center of Photography. His work has been featured in publications and exhibitions in the US and abroad. Mr. Smith has worked in the Advertising/Corporate Assignments Department at Magnum Photos, New York Bureau. Mr. Smith was selected for the inaugural Digital Photography Extended Studio as Digital Photography Instructor for The Urban Assembly School of Music and Art in 2006. Recently, Mr. Smith was appointed as Guest Curator for Kids With Cameras, a non-profit organization that teaches the art of photography to marginalized children in communities around the world. www.lenardsmith.com
	DAN WINCKLER VJ-U : Live Visual Performance, Video Production Dan Winckler is a performing artist and teacher of improvisational theater, networked collaboration and new media performance. He is a core member of SHARE, a not-for-profit support organization for audio, visual and new media artists. For the past five years, he has worked in improv and sketch comedy, live visual performance and video art, improvisational cinematography, webcasting, web programming, and community support and fundraising. He has performed bare stageimprovisation with Gunshow and video improvisation with the ground-breaking groups Neutrino and Improv Everywhere. He has performed visuals at MenschMeerMedien Festival 2007, Ultrahang Fest 2007, Pixelache 2007, SHARE, SubTonic, { R } A K E, EyeWash, Blip Festival 2006, the Tank, ISEA 2006, and in the virtual world Second Life. Heholds an M.S. in Integrated Digital Media from Polytechnic University, where he initiated an international collaboration between the University and Dutch new media organizations in the Kids Connect program, and a B.A. in Literary and Cultural Studies from the The College of William and Mary. When asked where he is from, he says Texas, Virginia, Belgium and New York.