SPECIAL SKILLS

Professional Dance/Choreographer (numerous styles), Singer (R&B to Musical Theater), Dialects: Southern, English, NY & others,  Muay Tai Martial Arts, Fashion Designer, Sewer, previously Licensed Scuba Diver, Climbing, previous Horseback Riding, Rollerblading, Very Physical and Athletic!

 

*Named one of Los Angeles” Five Best Actresses in a Play” – “Stealing scenes at will with her unconstrained and engaging dramatizing energy that flows from deep within,” ENTERTAINMENT TODAY. “Enchanting performer,” BACK STAGE WEST.

 

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0574574/ View Reel and Additional Credits

 

(National Commercial List – Available upon request.)

__________________________________________________________________________________

Monica McSwain

The Teacher/Choreographer/Director/Dancer/Producer

Monica McSwain: Dancer, master teacher, choreographer and director/producer in genres that range from musicals to music videos, from the Hollywood screen to the street scene, and from theatrical stages to runway stages.

•              Over 15 years of professional experience in dance Performances

•              Over 10 years of professional experience in Teaching and Choreographing

•              Over 10 years of experience in Private Instruction and Coaching

Monica teaches Hip hop, ballet, African, jazz, modern (contemporary and lyrical), funk, belly, social, creative movement and liturgical dance along with runway, and fitness classes

DANCE TRAINING:

•              Alvin Ailey Amercian Dance Theater– Manhattan, NY

•              Traditional Indigenes Rwandan dance- Rwanda, Africa

•              Broadway Dance Theater– Manhattan, NY

•              Dance Theater of Harlem – Harlem, NY

•              Traditional Indigenes dances for the Maori Tribe- Auckland, New Zealand

•              Interlochen Arts Academy – Interlochen, MI

•              Ballet Omaha– Omaha, NE

•              Emmy Gifford Children’s Theater– Omaha, NE

•              Omaha Junior Theater– Omaha, NE

DANCE TEACHING SUMMARY: 

•              Ages Pre-School (2 ½) through senior citizens, beginners,

intermediate, advanced and professionals

•              Dance styles ranging from African, Ballet, Hip Hop, Jazz, Modern,

Contemporary, Lyrical, Belly, Social

•              Creating Dance Curriculums

•              Broadening cultural understanding through movement, dance and visual arts

•              Choreographing class performance-showcases, highlighting the diverse work and skills

developed by students from the classes

•              Providing exercise and fitness classes.

•              Teaching creative movement, motion related games and dance to physically and mentally challenged students

•              Teaching in the private and public school system, theatres, hospitals,

studios and community centers

 

CHOREOGRAHER/ ARTISTIC DIRECTOR:

Thru GuiDANCE                                   Artistic Director        International and National

 

HerShe Cinderella Ball                         Choreographer        Los Angeles, CA

 

Faithful Dance Company                     Founder/Co-Director/Producer        Inglewood, CA

 

A Few Good Men                                Coordinator/Director/Producer        Los Angeles, CA

Fashion Show

 

In His Image                                        Creator/Coordinator/Director/Producer       Inglewood, CA

Fashion Show

 

Numerous Musical Theater Productions                         Midwest, Omaha, NE, Los Angeles CA

 

Choreographer/ Director(Social and Lyrical dance)         Colleges, Community Centers, Theaters

 

PERFORMER (abridged):

•              Nutcracker and Swan Lake Suites -5 years (ex: Featured Mouse, Chinese Demi soloist/Coda, Russian Coda, Snow Corps de ballet, Flower Corps de ballet)

•              The Little Match Girl -starred as the Little Match Girl in the stage version and in the Norman Lear movie         version (now available as movie rental)

•              The Tony nominated “Chronicles of a Death Foretold” (Broadway) starred as Divina (aged from 16 to 60yrs. without convenience of make-up and costume changes) also performed for the televised Tony Awards Show

·         Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater  (as invitational dancer)

·         Michael Jackson Featured Dancer (as the youngest of only three female dancers – Beackon Theater Concert)

·         Essence Award Featured Dancer (nationally televised)

·         Star Search  (award winning)

 

TOURS: (Africa, Japan, Europe, New Zealand, New York and USA)

•              Artistic Director and Dancer- Thru GuiDANCE Camps and Ministries

•              Choreographer and Dancer- Raven Symone Music Tour

•              Choreographer for various recording artists (ex: GRP, RCA records) in hip-hop, pop and jazz music for videos and tours)

•              Dancer and Choreographer (as one the youngest dancers) on C&C Music Factory

Japan/ England hip-hop/house music tour

 

ADDITIONAL SKILLS: 

•              Costume designer and creator

•              CoachUSAG and USA-IGC Gymnastics Teams to winning status

•              Special needs  and Dance therapy –  teacher at San Francisco’s

                Log Cabin Boys Juvenile Detention Facility and San Francisco’s all Girls Detention facility

•              Taught, danced and choreographed different church denominations

in the USA and overseas (example: The Vivante Church (Rwanda, Africa)

•              Teach Musical theater classes and coach private acting sessions

•              Public speaker, lecture demonstrator, and workshops presenter in schools, public

festivals, and summer intensives (East coast, West coast and  the Midwest)

 

SCHOLARSHIPS/ AWARDS:

•              Academic, Cultural, Technological and Scientific Olympics (ACT-SO) Three National Gold Dance medals, Two International Gold Dance medals

•              Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater Full Scholarship, NYC

•              Hal Jackson Talented Teen International Pageant NE State crowning title and National 1^st runner-up crowning title, New York

•              Ballet Omaha Lifetime Full Scholarship, NE