Blog

No one has ever seen a spring like this one. While we’ve been disappointed and discouraged by not being able to bring you the arts experiences we were planning, we continue to be amazed by and deeply proud of our students. In the midst of social distancing, essential worker shifts, and remote learning, our stellar musicians, dancers, actors and technical theatre students have been learning, creating, and succeeding. We are highlighting a few of our graduates for 2020 here, and invite you to explore their stories.

Stay safe, dear friends, until we meet again!

DANCE at CCBC

ARMEARA BLACKWELL
Armeara began her dance experience starting at B.funk Dance Company where she trained for two years as a hip-hop dancer. She then transitioned to Morton Street Dance Company where she trained in ballet and modern for a year. After leaving Morton Street she started her own dance group as well as joining her high school dance company at Perry Hall HS. During her time in high school she was also training with Culture Shock, where she is currently in her fourth season. She has performed in Los Angeles, Chicago, San Diego, and Las Vegas.

AVA CORRELLI
Congrats to Ava — not only is she graduating this semester, she has also been selected to be a character performer at the Disney College Program this Fall!
Ava started her journey at CCBC in 2018 as a Home-schooled tenth grader and is now graduating from CCBC with her Associate in Fine Arts Degree in Dance. Ava will be leaving in August to go to the Disney College program to fulfill her life long dream of performing in Disney! She has also been accepted to Goucher College and received a scholarship and plans to attend after the Disney College Program. Ava would like to thank Tommy, Melinda, and Kristi for giving her so many opportunities both at CCBC and outside of school.

PAIJ HARDY
Born in Washington, DC, Paij began her training at the New Hope Academy under the instruction of Concha Egea Marchitelli. She continued her training at the Marcellus Dance Studio and under the tutelage of Michelle “Ms. Mimi” McDonald, Adrian V. James, and Maya Yamada in PG County Schools. After high school Paij attended Temple University as a dance major. Some of her memorable performances include B.E.T. television, the White House, The Kennedy Center, The Fringe Festival and the Departments of Army and Navy. Paij is also the founder of aPART: Inclusive Arts Initiative, a nonprofit arts organization whose mission is to promote various avenues of the arts through accessibility, training, and performance opportunities to reach the artistic voice in everyone. Following graduation Paij plans to attend UMGC to obtain a bachelors in Psychology, pursuing her goal to become a certified Behavior Specialist. She also plans to continue to grow aPART: Inclusive Arts Initiative.

MIKA ROYSTER
Congrats to Mika who completed her degree in December! Mika Royster started dancing at the age of 8 with The Baltimore County Youth Ballet where she studied intensively for 10 years. In 2003 she graduated from The George Washington Carver Center for Arts and Technology where she majored in ballet and modern dance and performed with the Inertia Dance Company. In the Fall of 2003 Mika began attending CCBC where she majored in dance for about 2.5 years. She was very active in the CCBC dance company. She chose to take a break from attending CCBC to perform professionally with 2 local dance companies ,“The Moving Company Dance Company” under the direction of Dana Martin and “Clancy Works Dance Company” under direction of Adriene Clancy for for about 4 years. She has taught as a studio teacher at several Baltimore area studio’s for 13 years and has choreographed several guest pieces for Baltimore County Public Schools. One of her most rewarding experiences as a dance instructor was receiving her certification for Rhythm Works Integrative Dance because she truly believes that dance is for everyone. Mika made the decision to return to CCBC to finish out her Associates degree in the Spring of 2017 and proudly received her degree in December of 2019. She plans to finish her dance journey by earning her Bachelors in Dance Education within the next few years.

MUSIC at CCBC

NICOLE OKUNDAYE
Nicole is the recipient of the “Outstanding Achievement in Music” award. She is a dynamic performer in multiple vocal styles, excels in the academic study of music, and has played a key role as a work-study in the music program. On top of all of this, Nicole exudes joy in her daily life. Professor Dan Lewis says “I look forward to every chance I get to hear Nicole sing, and am excited to see her flourish as a musician at each next step along her path.” Nicole performed with the Chamber Singers for four semesters, and has been in Jazz Plus for three semesters.

KENDALL PROTHRO
Kendall is a Voice major and sang in Chamber Singers for four semesters. He is  the recipient of the Three Arts Club of Homeland Award (in Music Theory and Ear Training). Professor Dan Lewis says “There is no better recipient for this award than Kendall. His command of the material, excitement about the concepts, and expressive musical application make him a natural choice for this award in Music Theory and Ear Training. Even in moments where the material could have been slow and dry, I would catch Kendall dancing along to the dorky melody that I had written 10 minutes before class in his chair. Along with his own deep understanding of the material, Kendall did excellent work as a tutor for other music students. This achievement is well-earned, and proudly awarded.”

KYLE POWERS
A Composition and Bass Guitar Major, Kyle will be attending Towson University in the Fall as a Jazz and Commercial Music Composition major.  He has performed in Jazz Plus for a number of semesters, and even composed a piece for the ensemble.

ARTHUR GREEN
A Voice major, Arthur performed with the CCBC Chamber Singers for four semesters.

STEPHEN HANKE
A French Horn major, attending Towson University in the Fall, Stephen has been an eager participant in performing ensembles at CCBC. He was in Chamber Ensembles for six semesters, as well as the Baltimore Symphonic Band. Stephen performed with the Baltimore Symphonic Band on their 2019 tour of Europe.

SCOUT MEYERS
Voice major Scout Meyers looks forward to graduating from CCBC this spring.

THEATRE at CCBC

JESSICA MATTHIAS
Jessica relocated from St. Thomas, Virgin Islands, in her junior year of high school and attended Perry Hall HS. She hopes to transfer as a theatre performance major to UMBC or Morgan. Jessica’s first performance at CCBC was in a short film, In My Mind by Malia Branford. Last spring she played a runaway in CCBC’s production of Suzan-Lori Parks’ Father Comes Home From the Wars…Parts 1,2 & 3 and this past fall, she was the goddess Hera in Argonautika. She is cast to play Alphonsine in Katori Hall’s Our Lady of Kibeho, when CCBC academic theatre resumes. Jessica was awarded the John Bruce Johnson Scholarship, Jennie M. Pittinger Scholarship, and Eva Davis and Christopher P. Gansert Drama Scholarship. She says, “Being chosen to receive these scholarships is an honor and blessing. I will forever be thankful for them.”

MYA TAMBURELLO
An Eastern High School graduate, Mya Tamburello has made the most of her time as a Theatre Production major at CCBC. She stage managed CCBC’s production of Hand to God, served as Assistant Stage Manager for Father Comes Home from the Wars … Parts 1, 2 & 3, and served as both ASM and assistant lighting designer for Argonautika. Since the Fall, she has been indispensable in her role as Assistant Director for the college’s original adaptation of Frankenstein, attending every rehearsal, managing every revision of the collectively written script, and designing projections for the production. She’s been admitted to her dream program in Theatre Production and Management at Marymount Manhattan College, where she plans to attend in the Fall.

BECKY ST. LAWRENCE
Becky began her artistic journey at George Washington Carver Center for Arts and Technology pursuing culinary arts. While at CCBC she designed make up for She Kills Monsters and assisted Cockpit in Court on the run crew and construction crew. Her talent was vital to the production of Frankenstein where she did makeup design, wrote part of the play and is cast as Victoria. Becky’s journey continues in the Fall when she’ll be attending the Douglas Education Center under their Special FX Makeup program.