Meet the Team

Pierre Lockett most recently served as the Director of Community Engagement with The Joffrey Ballet where he grew its programming from ten schools in1996 to over 55 schools in 2014. After twenty years as a professional dancer, Mr. Lockett combined his passion and expertise for dance with his desire to inspire youth through invigorating dance programs. He has worked extensively with youth from Chicago Public Schools, Chicago Park District, and various schools and studios throughout the city. He is also the recipient of numerous dance awards and has been recognized by Mayor Rham Emanuel for fostering the talent of young dancers and his commitment to bringing dance to Chicago’s many diverse communities. He is also the recipient of the 1999 Black Theatre Alliance/Ira Aldridge Award for Best Performance in a Music or Dance Program, the Princess Grace Award for Dance and has served as a panelist for The National Endowment for the Arts.

Christina Bourné is an accomplished arts administrator, educator, and performing artist based in Chicago. She began her career as a public speaker and guest soloist for women’s and youth enrichment conferences. During her career she has helped to create school programs, facilitated workshops/lectures and even concert series to discuss social/cultural issues such as race, gender equality, and collective non-violence through the lens of the arts. Her past leadership roles have been Director of Creative Engagement at the Auditorium Theatre of Roosevelt University where she grew the reach to 20,000+ per year, Interim Executive Director of Muntu Dance Theatre of Chicago, founding member and Program Manager for Enrich Chicago, and Assistant Director of Development for All Stars Project of Chicago. Christina is also an independent nonprofit consultant working with individuals and organizations with a focus on fundraising, board development, strategic planning, and organizational leadership and performs with her family of nine—comprised of her siblings and mother—The Bournés.

As a native of Chicago, Bradlee has been dancing since the age of 8. Having participated in Gallery 37’s Advanced Arts Program and the Exelon Strobel Step-up Program under the direction of Pierre Lockett. Her love for the art of dance coupled with her passion for empowering young people has motivated her to continue to be involved with those who have made huge differences in her life. As FMC’s Program Manager she helps manage and develop all dance education programs, curriculums, and professional developments. Bradlee is a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc and currently holds a Bachelor of Arts in Computer Studies and a Master of Applied Computer Science.

Elizabeth is a dance administrator, teacher, and performer from Columbus, Ohio. She danced for 13 years before continuing her studies at Ohio University receiving her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Performance and Choreography, along with a minor degree in Business Administration. Before moving to Chicago, Elizabeth lived in Washington D.C where she served as Artistic Operations Coordinator for the John F. Kennedy Center, Teaching Artist and Outreach Coordinator for Bowen McCauley Dance Company, Administrative Intern for Dance Place, and has performed with DEVIATED THEATRE. Now in Chicago, she’s worked with local dance companies such as Lawson Dance Theatre as a company dancer and Managing Assistant Director, and serves as a Board Member for Illinois Dance Education Organization outside of her role at Forward Momentum Chicago. Elizabeth greatly admires FMC’s mission and is thrilled to be able to share her love of dance to ambitious young dancers across the city.

Andrea Vinson, lovingly known to her students as ‘Mama Andrea’, has been in the dance profession for over 25 years.  She has performed for numerous venues, which include theater, television and film.  Her present endeavors consist of being the Artistic Director of Najwa Dance Corps, and Lead Teaching Artist with Forward Momentum Chicago. Her teaching credits include colleges, elementary and high school, park districts, arts organizations, dance studios, professional dance companies, theatrical productions Joffrey Ballet, Ailey Camp Chicago and After School Matters.  She is a dance artist whose greatest joy is working with young people.  Her fundamental belief is that the arts endow its participants to understand life in a broader spectrum

Jamerial has been dancing since the age of 4. She studied the majority of her dance techniques with Najwa Dance Corps, and has now been a part of the company for 7 years as well as takes extra classes (Ballet, Jazz and Modern Graham, contemporary and Tap) with Joel Hall dance studio, M.A.D.D Rhythms and Hubbard street dance. Jamerial has performed all over the city of Chicago doing African and Tap dance.  She started to teach dance in high school and was able to teach at the Golden Dome park district on the west side of Chicago. Currently, Jamerial is in the process of earning her Associates and Bachelors degree in early childhood education.

Aurea has been training in Ballet since the age of 8. She has been a part of the Exelon Strobel Step-Up Program and After School Matters advanced apprenticeships under the direction of Pierre Lockett. In 2013 Aurea started her teaching career at Upgrade Dance Studio in Lexington, Kentucky where she taught Ballet and Modern dance. She also choreographed and danced  for The University of Kentucky Dance Ensemble. Aurea holds a B.S. in Exercise Science and is a certified personal trainer.

Candace has been trained in dance since the age of 6. Under the teachings of Elaine Mclaurin, she has studied genres including, but not limited to; ballet, modern, jazz, African, hip hop, and tap. In addition to earning her Bachelor’s degree in Kinesiology from Northern Illinois University, Candace earned a minor in Dance Performance and joined the Northern Dance Theater. Throughout the course of her college years, she was a part of the NIU Silverettes Dance Team, and became a member of Delta Phi Delta Dance Fraternity Inc. Following graduating college, Candace was a fitness/dance instructor for multiple facilities before joining the FMC team as a Teaching Artist in 2019. She is currently a member of AList Dance Crew and continues to train to advance her craft.