New LEJA Dances, the company

Jaye Allison, Founding Director of New LEJA Dances, the company, celebrates her 27th year in the performing arts world as a dancer, choreographer, instructor and director. She is best known for her choreographic style that popularized the works: Carols in Color, Oluwa and Black Jazz 101, along with Leon Evans and the defunct Leon Evans Jaye Allison DANCE THEATRE. Today, Miss Allison is creating new avenues for including a broad community of dancers, professional or not, in performances and opening new audiences for them. Philly Tap Challenge “ON FIRE! “ (A tribute to the vitality of the art form that has historic value in Phila), is one of those avenues with more to come.

Miss Allison's grant history includes: Leeway Foundation Art and Change Award, the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts (PCA) Fellow and Intern programs, Community Education Center's PIAS, and Emerging Choreographer for Choreo LAB with Martha Meyers of American Dance Festival. Miss Allison attended: Philadelphia High School for the Creative and Performing Arts, the University of the Arts, University of MA at Amherst and Community College of Philadelphia.

Portions of Miss Allison’s choreographic repertory is a staple for Eleone Dance Theatre, and has been commissioned by: the Philadelphia Civic Ballet Company (PCBC), Johari Dance Troupe of Purdue University (Indiana). Allison’s work receives top honors regularly for various school dance companies in competitions on the east coast. Additionally, she works with Jubilee Praise Dance Ministry of New Covenant Church.

Miss Allison has performed and choreographed professionally with: Philadanco, PCBC, Astral Theatrical Dance Company, Modern Dance Collaborative, Power 99 FM, Tap Team II & Co., Dancefusion and fusion2. Among her favorite dance performances were, the "THRILLER" video for KYW-3's Evening Magazine and Tweet Theater Prod. "Walking down on Broad St.", solo dance artist for Baba Olatunji at the Million Women March.

Unlimited by Nature, Allison toured Europe as a featured dancer in "Le Jazz Expectac". Her Jazz and Tap dance instructional residency in Bari, Italy at the Rosanna Scuola di Danse Artes, where she wrote and directed her first musical, "The Fantastic Voyage to Shangri-La!" performed at the third largest Theater in Italy, Teatro Petrucelli. This preceded her most notable dance musical "Carols in Color" (CIC) and "I AM", written as a sequel to CIC. Allison appeared in movies, Beloved, Rocky III, Mannequin II, Taps, and several music videos.

Miss Allison lived in New York City where she trained at the Ailey School, Rod Rodgers Dance Company, and Broadway Dance Center where she was on scholarship. Her teachers included the best in the modern and tap dance arena, including: Maurice Hines, Hinton Battle and Cecilia Marta. Students under her tutelage have excelled to dance with world-renowned companies as: PHILADANCO, Cleo Parker Robinson Dance Company, Rod Rodgers Dance Company, Bejart and others. They have also achieved status as teachers and choreographers of good reputation throughout the Eastern and Western seaboard and Europe.

Mentors that assisted in Allison’s developmental stages were: Cheryl Shepherd, during her formative years, Rod Rodgers, through the experimental stages and Alicia Dakerian Craig, who created realities that consistently challenged Miss Allison's artistic, managerial, political and humanitarian skills.

Miss Allison, currently trains Philadelphia students in modern, jazz, tap, lyrical, ballet and hip hop at: Gwendolyn Bye Dance Center, Center in the Park, Progressive Center for Dance, Motion -n-Dance Studio, Arch Bishop Ryan Color Guard, and in New Jersey, Haddon Heights - High Voltage Color Guard and Miss Sandy’s Dance Steps in Burlington County.