Monique Walker is a dance artist and educator that has traveled the world as a performer, educator, and choreographer. Based in Waldorf, MD, Monique holds a Bachelor of Arts in Arts Administration, is an adjunct dance faculty member at the College of Southern Maryland and Bowie State University, and the Executive Director of the National Association of American African Dance Teachers (NAAADT). She is a Master Teacher of the Umfundalai contemporary African dance technique and teaches Umfundalai at CityDance (MD) and The Viva School of Dance (DC). Monique has served as a guest lecturer at several universities and on the dance faculties at North Carolina State University and The School at Jacob’s Pillow. She is the former Administrative Director of the Charles County Arts Alliance, Assistant to the Artistic Director of Chuck Davis’ African American Dance Ensemble (NC) and former principal dancer with Kariamu & Company: Traditions (PA). Her choreography has been presented at the North Carolina Dance Festival, the Philadelphia Fringe Festival (PA), Dance Place (DC), and the Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center (MD).
Monique is committed to using the art of collaboration to advance all the arts in the private and public sectors. This commitment has drawn her to serve as the Vice President on the Board of Trustees for the Phoenix International School of the Arts (Charles County); the Southern Maryland Regional Representative for the Maryland Dance Educators Association, on several grant panels with the Maryland State Arts Council, and provide consulting services to non-profit organizations in Charles County. As the Executive Director of NAAADT, she works with a team of dance educators and scholars from across the country to heighten the quality of contemporary, neo-traditional, and Diasporan African dance teaching in North America through teacher training, performance opportunities, professional development, and certification in the Umfundalai contemporary African dance technique.