ARTISTS

G. Pilar Wilder Lowden is founder and director Hayiya Dance Theatre Movement Institute and Center for Cultural Arts (19th Season) and Hayiya Dance Theatre, Inc. (24th Season).  She is currently lead instructor at Hayiya, W. African dance Instructor at Wesleyan College and Cutno Dance in Augusta, GA  and formally the Performance Arts Technology Consultant, Fine Arts Department Chair and dance instructor at West Side High School in Macon, GA.  An active member in the community, Pilar serves on many community boards and is also leader for Fellowship Bible Baptist Church's Praise and Worship Dance Ministry.  A current member of National Dance Education Organization, Pilar was recently selected by the Knight Foundation and Dance/USA to serve on a national panel of dance educators. She is currently enrolled in the University of North Carolina at Greensboro's Masters of Dance Education Program. 

Macon roots.

Pilar is is a member of the Tubman Museum board. She has served on the boards of Firehouse Productions and Middle Georgia Food Bank. She is Macon's only representative for Leadership Georgia's class of 2014. Pilar is also a member Macon Magazine's 5 Leaders under 40 (2011) and the I Love Macon Campaign as well as Leadership Macon's class of 2012. Pilar serves on the Bibb County Judicial Citizens Review Board and was a member of the Museum of Arts and Sciences executive board and Pan African Festival Executive Planning Committee. Pilar has volunteered as a docent and environmental science teacher for the Museum of Arts & Sciences and currently serves as ministry leader for Fellowship Bible Baptist Church's Praise and Worship Dance Ministry. Pilar formerly served as a member of the Convention and Visitor's Bureau and Macon Arts Alliance boards as well as Tattnall Square Center for the Arts Programming Advisory and Friends of Historic Tattnall Square Park Boards and Junior League.

Dionne Figgins was born in Memphis, TN and grew up in Washington DC. She began her career as a member of the Dance Theatre of Harlem, under the direction of Arthur Mitchell, dancing lead roles in Serenade, Four Temperaments, Agon, and Concerto Barocco, all by George Balanchine. She has also appeared as a guest artist with Complexions Contemporary Ballet. Broadway Credits include Hot Feet, Memphis, Leap of Faith and Motown The Musical. Regional credits include A Wonderful World, Sophisticated Ladies, The Wiz, Ray Charles Live, Smokey Joe's Cafe, Trip of Love, and Chicago. Film/TV credits include: Across the Universe, Walk Hard, The Princess and the Frog, She’s Gotta Have It (Netflix), Starz dramas Flesh and Bone (Yasmine) and Power, Glee, House, and The Academy Awards, to name a few.

Dionne is the co-founder of Broadway Serves, a non-profit organization whose mission is to engage theater professionals to community service opportunities locally, nationally, and abroad. She is a proud member of AEA and SAG- AFTRA.

Rickey Tripp is a dance educator and certified Zena Rommett Floor-Barre Technique mentor. He hold a B.A. in Dance from San Jose State University.

As a Director/Choreographer Rickey has worked on The Temptations Tribute. As a Choreographer he has worked on Hairspray at DTC-Winspear Opera House; Dreamgirls, which recieved a DTC. Irma P. Hall Black Theater Award for Best Choreography; and in Film on It’s Quiet Uptown. He was Associate Choreographer for Choir Boy, MTC Premiere-Broadway; Jesus Christ Superstar Live, which won a 2018 EMMY for Outstanding Variety Special (Live); Once on this Island, which won a 2018 TONY Award for Best Musical Revival; Cabin in the Sky; Encores! at New York City Center; Victoria’s Secret Internet Commercial, and The Broadway Boys. He was Assistant Choreographer for Dreamgirls at North Shore Music Theatre; FLY A New musical: DTC World Premiere; A Winters’ Tale; and Fortress of Solitude A New Musical. Additional choreography credits on: In the Heights, 9-5 The Musical, The Wiz Encore Presentation, Bring It On A New Musical and SMASH.

Rickey's Broadway credits include Hamilton: An American Musical, Motown: The Musical, and the original cast of Tony Award Winning In the Heights. His Off-Broadway credits include In the Heights (Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Ensemble Performance), and T.V./Film credits include the Tony Awards, and SMASH. His other theatre credits include: Stagger Lee A New Musical: DTC World Premiere, AIDA National Tour, Radio City Christmas Spectacular starring the world famous Rockettes. Rickey has been seen in concert work as well with Mark Stuart Dance Theatre.

Rickey has taught Master Classes and set choreography for various dance studios across the country including the prestigious NYU Theatre Department. As a teacher, he has over 20 years of experience and currently on staff at Broadway Dance Center, NYC. 

Dominique Kelley, originally from Bridgeport, CT, has been named one of the most promising up and coming choreographers of his generation. An avid tapper and percussionist, Dominique tries to fuse rhythm patterns with classical movement to create a visual and aural experience. "Black and Blue" was his first Broadway tour at age 12, and then “Bring in ‘Da Noise, Bring in ‘Da Funk national tour at 15, and ever since he has had a love of performing, choreographing, and movement coaching. At the ripe old age of 16, he co-choreographed his first musical named “Wild Women Blues” in Germany starring the incomparable, Linda Hopkins. After this great experience, he helped to choreograph other musical theater staples such as “In The Heights”(Broadway), “The Wiz”(Encores),  “Sammy”(Old Globe Theater), “Robeson” (ERT), “Tarzan”(European Tour), and “Hot Feet”(Broadway). He also choreographed Oklahoma! (DCPA), “Indecent” (DCPA) , “Priscilla: Queen of the Desert”(ZACH), “Singin’ in The Rain”(ZACH), “5 Guys Named Moe” (ERT) and “Sophisticated Ladies”(ZACH) of which he was nominated for choreography awards for all.

Taking his love of musical theater and commercial dance, he has also created movement for movies such as Disney’s “The Princess and the Frog”, “The Smurfs Movie”, “Jo Bole So Nihaal”, “The 41 Year-Old Virgin..”, “Bring It On: Fight to the Finish”, “Jump The Broom”, and “Gone With the Bullets”, China’s first ever 3D blockbuster film. “Flirty Dancing”, “The Masked Singer”, “Crazy-Ex Girlfriend”, “Dancing With The Stars”, “America’s Got Talent”, “ Bar Rescue”, “Lip Sync Battle”, and “The 2015 Critics Choice Awards” are a few of the television shows he has lent his artistic talents to. No stranger to stage and live performance, he has collaborated with recording artists such as Beyonce’, Janet Jackson, Mariah Carey, P!nk, Camila Cabello, Gwen Stefani, Chris Martin, Queen Latifah, Taylor Swift, FKA Twigs, Miley Cyrus, Frank Ocean, Nelly, Cee Lo Green, B.o.B, and Flo Rida,. Not leaving out sports entertainment, he has been one of the main choreographers for such sports teams as the San Francisco 49ers, San Diego Chargers, Brooklyn Nets, Boston Celtics,  LA Clippers, and many teams around the country. Dominique’s goal and endeavor is to bring movement and dance artistry to every facet of the entertainment industry.