Leah D. Willis, MBA
Leah Danyelle Willis was born in Van Nuys, California but grew up in Portland, Oregon. She began dancing at the age of five, and completed 10 years of dance training at Hollywood Dance and Fitness. She earned her High School Diploma from Woodrow Wilson High School, as well as distinguished recognition from the Oregon Alliance of Black School Educators for academic achievement and citizenship, in working to improve the climate of her school and community. During her Sophomore year, she was selected for the musical Brigadoon, ushering in her experience in Musical Theater.
She attended Jefferson High School half time during her Junior and Senior years as a member of their professional dance company called The Jefferson Dancers; led by Artistic Director Steve Gonzalez, formerly a member of Moses Pendleton’s New York Company, MOMIX. The Jefferson Dancers performed at such venues as: The Millennium Stage at the Kennedy Center in Washington D.C., The Hult Performing Arts Center in Eugene Oregon, The Newport Performing Arts Center in Newport Oregon, and the beautiful P.C.P.A. (Portland Center for the Performing Arts) in Downtown Portland, Oregon. The company gave lecture demonstrations to Portland Public Schools within the city when they weren’t on tour. Ms. Willis attained her Associate’s Degree in Liberal Arts/Dance Concentration with Honors in 2004 from Santa Monica College. As a student at SMC from 2002-2004, Leah studied Modern, Ballet, West African, and Salsa and performed in SMC’s contemporary dance ensemble Synapse Dance Theater. She also presided over a student-run organization called The International Dance Club. In Addition, she was personally selected by world renowned West African Dance Master, Nzingha Camara, to join her company: Ballet Kouman Kele, of which she is still intermittently a member. Ms. Willis earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Dance from California State University, Long Beach, in 2007. As a student, her original choreography and musical compositions were selected for the 2006 and 2007 Undergraduate Contemporary Dance Concerts. She earned her Master’s Degree in Business Administration from the University of Phoenix in 2010.
In the summer of 2010, Leah performed for R Dance Company, led by renowned choreographer and associate faculty member in the Dance Department of Santa Monica College, Roberta Wolin-Tupas. She was noted as giving “compelling performances in the modern dance works Rising Above and Just Do It.” While studying business, Ms. Willis founded a nonprofit organization in 2009 called Leah Willis Dance Arts. Presently The organization places Dance curriculum, nutrition education and career programs into under served schools and facilities. LWDA has worked with: the Long Beach Unified School District, in Long Beach, CA, Boys and Girls Clubs of Southern Nevada and St. Louis, Missouri, St. Louis Public Schools and We Rock The Spectrum Kids Gym Corp. Dancers experience guest artist workshops, service learning projects to improve their communities, perform throughout the city, take educational field trips and learn dance technique and discipline in 7 different disciplines of Dance. Ms. Willis has an eclectic mix of professional and performance experience and is very eager to share this passionate journey for many years to come.
