Been doing music since 2001. Artist/Producer/Writer/Arranger
Donde lieta uscì (La Bohème - Puccini)
Mimi's aria - Act 3
Joy Schreier, Pianist
Joy Schreier, Pianist
Quando m'en vo (La Bohème - Puccini)
Musetta's aria - Act 2
Joy Schreier, Pianist
Joy Schreier, Pianist
J. Joy “Sistah Joy” Matthews Alford was appointed as the inaugural Poet Laureate of Prince George’s County, Maryland in September 2018 to serve a 3-year term supporting and promoting poetry as well as cultural and literary arts in Prince George’s County. She is an author, arts advocate, and produces and has hosted the award-winning poetry-based cable television show, Sojourn with Words since its inception in 2005.
Originally from Chester, Pennsylvania, Monique Newton Walker has traveled the world as a performer, educator, and choreographer, and living in Maryland since 2003. She specializes in neo-traditional and contemporary African dance and has studied from many dance masters and institutions including Chuck Davis, Walter Nicks, Philadanco!, The School at Jacob’s Pillow, and Dr. Kariamu Welsh.
The Dancing Princesses Presented by Ballet Theatre of Maryland
Excalibur The Sword and The Stone presented by Ballet Theatre of Maryland
Selections from, ‘Excalibur: The Sword and The Stone’
This ballet was choreographed by Dianna Cuatto and is set to original, award- winning music by Maggie Sansone which is played live by her and her musicians.
A powerful retelling of The Legend of King Arthur: ‘Excalibur The Sword and The Stone’
The Lady of the Lake, Viviannne is the High Priestess of Avalon and the keeper of Excalibur, the mighty sword of truth and light. Excalibur is destined to be wielded only by the one true king of the land in Britain- a warrior king who can unite the British peoples to defeat King Lot of Orkney and the invading Saxons. As the Lady of the Lake had long foreseen, the awaited king, Arthur is born. The Lady fo the Lake’s father, Merlin takes baby Arthur into his safekeeping and gives the Lady of the Lake Arthur’s half sister Morgan Le Fay to train her to become a priestess where she eventually is appointed as The Lady of the Lake’s successor. Morgan meets Lancelot, is assigned to be his guide and falls in love with him, but she is sworn to celibacy as a priestess in Avalon. Together, they look into the Lady of the Lake’s scrying bowl to see what the future holds for them. They see the young warrior princess, Guinevere and a vision of the grown woman and queen she is destined to become. Lancelot is drawn to the image of Guinevere, and the disappointed Morgan feels powerless.
Several years pass and knights are and kings are given the opportunity to try and move the sword, Excalibur from its stone. At the tournament, the powerful and ambitious King Lot of Orkney is favored to be the man most likely to pull the sword from the stone, making him the High King. Quickly, Merlin appears with a mysterious young man, Arthur, who easily removes the sword and is appointed by the Lady of the Lake as the High King. Out of jealousy, Morgan teams up with King Lot and orders him to a battle against the warrior Princess Guinevere. Merlin sends Arthur to join the fight where he kills Lot and rescues Guinevere. The fall in love and agree to marry, making Guinevere Arthur’s Queen.
This ballet was choreographed by Dianna Cuatto and is set to original, award- winning music by Maggie Sansone which is played live by her and her musicians.
A powerful retelling of The Legend of King Arthur: ‘Excalibur The Sword and The Stone’
The Lady of the Lake, Viviannne is the High Priestess of Avalon and the keeper of Excalibur, the mighty sword of truth and light. Excalibur is destined to be wielded only by the one true king of the land in Britain- a warrior king who can unite the British peoples to defeat King Lot of Orkney and the invading Saxons. As the Lady of the Lake had long foreseen, the awaited king, Arthur is born. The Lady fo the Lake’s father, Merlin takes baby Arthur into his safekeeping and gives the Lady of the Lake Arthur’s half sister Morgan Le Fay to train her to become a priestess where she eventually is appointed as The Lady of the Lake’s successor. Morgan meets Lancelot, is assigned to be his guide and falls in love with him, but she is sworn to celibacy as a priestess in Avalon. Together, they look into the Lady of the Lake’s scrying bowl to see what the future holds for them. They see the young warrior princess, Guinevere and a vision of the grown woman and queen she is destined to become. Lancelot is drawn to the image of Guinevere, and the disappointed Morgan feels powerless.
Several years pass and knights are and kings are given the opportunity to try and move the sword, Excalibur from its stone. At the tournament, the powerful and ambitious King Lot of Orkney is favored to be the man most likely to pull the sword from the stone, making him the High King. Quickly, Merlin appears with a mysterious young man, Arthur, who easily removes the sword and is appointed by the Lady of the Lake as the High King. Out of jealousy, Morgan teams up with King Lot and orders him to a battle against the warrior Princess Guinevere. Merlin sends Arthur to join the fight where he kills Lot and rescues Guinevere. The fall in love and agree to marry, making Guinevere Arthur’s Queen.
Interlude
Choreographed and performed in 2013, 'Interlude' is a contemporary ballet choreographed on the dancers of The Ballet Theatre of Maryland by Dianna Cuatto and is set to music by Meg Ryan which was played live on stage by Julie Frazier.