http://www.urbandancecollab.org/

Urban Dance Collab, Cleveland, OH (2026)

06/15/2022

👋🏼 Hello Family and Friends! Current and New Followers!

💜 I am the Founder and Owner of Dance~by Sha’Ran LLC Studios. The Artsitic Director of Sha’Ran Studios Sha'Ran Studios_ . The Founder and President of Urban Dance Collab. The creator of brands “Salacious Stilettos” “YO!STRETCH” and “216 Cardio.”

💜 I am a former NBA Dancer and Choreographer. First Fitness Instructor to bring HIP HOP Cardio to Bally Total Fitness Northeast, Ohio.

💜 I am a former Thespian. Staring in roles as, “Hello Dolly,” :Guys N Dolls, “West Side Story,” “A Chorus Line,” “Cinderella,” and so much more.

💜 Over the past few years I have Produced and Directed many Independent Dance Works

🤫 A lot of people don’t know that I was in a Neighborhood Rap Group when I was a Teenager….If I really tried, I could probably throw some bars😂

👀 You can always find me in the Dance and/or Fitness Studio; Shopping; Exploring my City; Watching a Musical or Play

❤️ I am the mother to theee amazing boys to young men, Chrystian .chrystian Nicky and TJ .jitta and I do what I do to leave them a legacy they will be proud of.

💜 Currently, I am inviting you to share in the LOVE for MOVEMENT. Join me or someone else who encourages you at any level and journey of life, to “play the music, give you a chance to come through, because all you need is the music, the mirror, and the chance to dance for………….

Dancingly Yours,

Sha’Ran Marshall

03/31/2022

As Women’s History Month comes to a close, we’d like to take a moment to recognize Debbie Allen and the Debbie Allen Dance Academy. 👯‍♀️

DADA’s mission states “With a focus on disenfranchised Black and Latino communities, the world class faculty and staff members of the DADA use dance, theater, and performance to enrich, inspire and transform the lives of their students.”

Here’s to celebrating women and their impactful achievements everyday of the year! 🥂

03/04/2022

Here at UDC, it’s important to all of us that ALL kids and young adults with a passion for dance have the opportunity to receive quality lessons and mentorship opportunities, no matter their family’s financial status!

UDC’s mission statement expresses our collective ‘why’ - the reason we believe in this organization.

02/24/2022

Misty Copeland is a prodigy who made on June 30th, 2015 as the first African American Female Principal Dancer with the American Ballet Theatre.

Her website states “[Misty] was dancing en pointe within three months of taking her first dance class and performing professionally in just over a year; a feat unheard of for any classical dancer.”

02/22/2022

We've been working hard behind the scenes to get UDC up + moving, but we'd like to take the next week to highlight dancers in the African American Community in honor of !

Alvin Ailey Jr. was a well known , , , and . According to the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater (AAADT) website, “Mr. Ailey was a pioneer of programs promoting arts in education, particularly those benefiting underserved communities.”

Alvin Ailey Jr. founded AAADT with a vision to “enrich the American modern dance heritage and preserving the uniqueness of the African-American cultural experience.”

01/29/2022

Last but not least, let’s introduce our newest UDC board member and Development Chair – Emily Paige Armbrecht. 💃

Emily is a professional currently working at Rizpah Estelle Co. Passionate about assisting small and nonprofit businesses through creative strategies and problem-solving, Emily is excited to begin this journey with UDC!

As a child (and honestly still today), Emily didn’t seem to have an athletic bone in her body. What she lacked in athleticism, she made up for with a passion for dance. Emily started lessons at the age of 3 but unfortunately, in eighth grade, her family came upon financial hardships that paused her dance lessons. Although her formal training ended, it didn’t stop her love of dance! Between dancing in the rain or creating her own dance floor in the candle aisle of Target, Emily can be found shaking her groove thang at any time.

What’s a song that no matter where you are, you have to stop and shimmy a bit? 👯‍♀️

01/28/2022

Our Community Outreach Chair, Michael Poindexter, is a lifetime fan and supporter of dance. Although, today, he doesn’t consider himself a dancer, while studying at BGSU, Michael was a member of the University Dancers, dance company. 👯

In his debut piece with the dance co., Michael danced the title role in “Midwest Creole”. He reflects back on his performance saying “Just before my entrance I suffered a panic attack because I couldn’t remember a single count of the choreography; I didn’t even remember which foot I step on first. Eventually my cue came, and the body just moved – thank God for muscle memory.” 🙏

By day, Michael is an accountant for the US Dept. of Defense, USMC. He believes in UDC’s mission saying “If money is the only thing holding someone back, let’s address that!”

If money wasn’t an object, what’s an experience you’d like to have? 👀

01/28/2022

As a with over twenty years of experience, it’s no wonder Kei M. Yanamayu is our Board ! ✍️

Being an native, Kei graduated from Youngstown State University with a degree in Combined Social Sciences. Currently, Kei’s most exciting projects are writing a book and a publishing company for children’s and adult literature, which brings therapeutic coloring journals to women of all walks of life.

Kei reflects on her journey growing up:

“I was always dancing in somebody's group or another. In those days, the main places to perform were school talent shows, variety shows, local productions, African Culture Weekends, and pretty much any other place or event that allowed local talent to complete. Most of us couldn't afford to get studio training, which meant if you were gonna dance at all, you had to have real skills – you had to have natural talent, and you couldn't be afraid to put yourself out there. It took heart. That's why I'm passionate about Urban Dance Collab.”

For Kei and the rest of the UDC board, our mission is about opening opportunities for dancers just like young Kei – those with a heart for dance that may lack the ability to attend formal studio lessons. ✨

⬇️ We believe there’s enough room for every organization with a genuine cause in CLE, so we’d love to hear, what are some other nonprofits that you are passionate about supporting?

01/26/2022

Let’s welcome UDC’s longest running board member and Treasurer, Dr. Jennifer Thatcher!

Jennifer is a native and Case Western Reserve University alumna. Although she earned a bachelors degree and worked in computer engineering for several years, she followed a calling into the health care field and pursued a Doctorate of Optometry at the University of California Berkeley School of Optometry. Today, she has returned to the Cleveland area and started her own eye care practice, Beachwood Family Eye Care.

As a and enthusiast, Jennifer occasionally teaches , a popular cardio dance fitness form and is a long-time Sha’Ran Studios student.

Using her practice management skills, she provides financial guidance for the UDC board. Jennifer states, “I love that I have seen and been a part of Sha'Ran's mission to bring dance to the community and what it has evolved into.”

Who else is excited to see where UDC heads to this year? 🙋

01/25/2022

Next up, please give a warm round of applause for UDC Vice President, Rizpah Estelle Waytes! 👏

Rizpah’s passion for is evident throughout her life. She started by dancing around the house in a tutu before she was old enough for dance classes (as seen in the second photo). Then, at the age of 3, she began dance classes and continued dancing all the way through her years at Baldwin Wallace University where she was a member of Urban Dance Association (UDA, the university’s hip hop dance team)! While in high school, Riz met Sha'Ran and have been connected ever since.

Today, Rizpah is the owner of Rizpah Estelle Co. where she works with passionate entrepreneurs and businesses as a Marketing Ops + Integration Specialist. But no worries, she hasn’t left the dance community yet and is now in her third year of teaching at her very own childhood dance studio with classes for kids ranging from ages 6-16. 👯‍♀️

Do you have a from your childhood that’s travelled with you into your adult life? We’d love to hear about it, let us know in the comments!👇

01/24/2022

As the first month of 2022 comes to a close, we’d like to take a moment to (re)introduce our board members. So without further ado, we’d like to introduce the heart, + of UDC – Sha'Ran Marshall. ✨

Sha’Ran, originally from Toledo, , made a home out of in 1997, as she spent 5 years and for the Cleveland Cavaliers. In 2012, she formed Dance~by Sha’Ran, now Sha'Ran Studios. 👯‍♀️ After seeing a need financial support amongst minority and enthusiasts at her studio, she created Urban Dance Collab to help supply scholarships to minority dancers.

Sha’Ran is full of for both dance and her .✨ She reminisces on a memory that changed her perspective on community:

“When I was about 14 years old, our childhood home caught fire. Everything had smoke damage. I was, first, worried about my family, but then I was concerned about not having dance clothes to wear to dance. I cam from a middle class family, so I knew with time the dance clothes could be replaced. But then, my home studio, Daryl Jervis, came together with staff, teachers, and families, and within 48 hours I had clothes and shoes to last me awhile. I think this changed my perspective on life and giving. This will always be a reminder of love, community, and why it is so important to me that God has allowed my passion to be my purpose.”

We invite you to share your own perspective-altering moment that affirmed the idea of community and/or giving! Comment below 👇

01/24/2022

Calling all and professionals – UDC has two open volunteer roles! 💃

We have 4️⃣ open positions on our Scholarship Selection Committee. If you have dance and/or nonprofit experience, this is a wonderful opporutnity to give back to the Greater Cleveland Area!

As we prepare for the IRS decision on our 501(c)3 tax filing, we'd like to onboard a volunteer Grants Manager with experience in grant writing and managerment. This volunteer role will begin at roughly 10 hours per month.

👉 If either of these positions interest you, head over to https://urbandancecollab.org/volunteer for more details about the roles + how to apply!

Urban Dance Collab

06/15/2022

03/31/2022

03/04/2022

02/24/2022

02/22/2022

01/29/2022

01/28/2022

01/28/2022

01/26/2022

01/25/2022

01/24/2022

01/24/2022

Address

Website

Alerts

Contact The Organization

Shortcuts

Share

Category