Announcing the 2026/27 Dance for World Community Council
Mariko Cantley
Professional Ballroom Dancer & Coach
Mariko was born in Cambridge, Massachusetts. She started dancing at age five, studying classical ballet for thirteen years, training at Boston Ballet, Jose Mateo Ballet Theatre, and the American Academy of Ballet. She earned her Bachelor’s Degree at Harvard University in Intellectual History. At Harvard she discovered ballroom dance, serving as the Captain of the Harvard Ballroom Dance Team, and turning professional while finishing her degree.
Mariko began dancing with Nazar Batih in 2012. Together they are five time United States Ballroom Showdance Champions, Two time World Ballroom Showdance Silver and Bronze Medalists and five time World Ballroom Showdance Finalists. Other results include Canadian Open Professional Ballroom Champions, US Open Professional Ballroom Finalists, Eastern United States Professional Ballroom Champions, Eastern United States Showdance Champions, World Masters Showdance Champions, Yankee Classic Showdance Champions, US National Professional Rising Star Finalists and British Open Professional Rising Star Finalists.
Mariko and Nazar are Licentiate members of the American International Dancers Association and members of the National Dance Council of America. They teach at various studios in the Boston area and can be found online at:
instagram.com/nazarandmariko
facebook.com/nazarandmariko
patreon.com/nazarandmariko
www.nazarandmariko.com
Roberta Chicos
Brian Corr
Wendy Jehlen
Artistic Director, ANIKAYA Dance Theater
Wendy Jehlen is the Founder and Artistic Director of ANIKAYA. She received her Bachelor’s degree in ritual and performance from Brown University and her Master of Theological Studies degree from Harvard Divinity School with a focus on performance and religion in the former Persian world. Her unique approach to choreography incorporates elements of Bharata Natyam, Odissi, Capoeira, Kalaripayattu, West African dance, Butoh, and a wide-range of Contemporary movement forms. Her emotionally powerful choreography has been created and performed in the US, Canada, France, Italy, India, Japan, Benin, Brazil, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Mali, Mozambique, South Africa, Palestine and Turkey.
Jehlen has received support from the Doris Duke Foundation for Islamic Art, Theater Communications Group, the Japan Foundation, the Boston Foundation, New England Foundation for the Arts, Network of Ensemble Theaters, National Performance Network, Boston Center for the Arts., Massachusetts Cultural Council, the American Institute of Indian Studies, Boston Dance Alliance, Indian Council for Cultural Relations, the National Endowment for the Arts, US Embassies in Benin, Botswana, Brazil, Burkina Faso, Haiti, Japan, Mexico, Rwanda and South Africa among others. She is an Arts Envoy of the US Department of State, a Fulbright Scholar and Fulbright Specialist and is on the Speaker Roster of African Regional Services.
Samantha Lakin, Ph.D.*
Senior Fellow, UMASS Boston
*Also a Panelist
Samantha Lakin, PhD, is an educator, researcher, and specialist in comparative genocide, human security, conflict resolution, and African affairs. She is currently a Senior Fellow at The Center for Peace, Democracy, and Development (CPDD) at the University of Massachusetts Boston. Dr. Lakin holds a PhD in History from Clark University in Worcester, MA, a Master’s in International Law and Diplomacy from The Fletcher School at Tufts University, and a Bachelor’s in Politics and International Relations from Brandeis University.
Dr. Lakin’s research focuses on issues of transitional justice, genocide and atrocity prevention, and human security in post-conflict and post-atrocity settings. Her dissertation, “Kwibuka: Divergent Memories and Quests for Justice in Post-Genocide Rwanda” analyzed local perspectives of memory and justice from the perspectives of Rwandan genocide survivors, former genocide perpetrators, ordinary citizens, and key informants. Samantha frequently publishes articles and op-eds on global social justice issues. She serves on the Board of Trustees of Survivors Fund, a UK-based NGO that supports genocide survivors living in Rwanda and has taught courses for incarcerated students through the Emerson Prison Initiative.
Samantha is a proud member of the West African drum and dance community in Boston. From 2015 to 2024 she was a performing member with Benkadi Drum and Dance, under the direction of the late Marianne Harkless and Sory Diabate. Samantha continues to dance and perform atcommunity events, school programs, assisting and teaching as needed. Dance For World Community is one of her favorite programs, as it bridges her passion for fostering social change through dance, advocacy, and building community. She currently lives in Arlington, MA, with her husband and two daughters, who also love dancing.
Stephanie Scherpf
Co-Director / CEO, Arts at the Armory
Stephanie is motivated by a mission-driven passion for the arts and social impact. Stephanie co-founded the Haitian dance organization Jean Appolon Expressions in 2011 and served as Executive Director for the organization’s first five years. She has held senior leadership positions as Managing Director of El Sistema USA at New England Conservatory and Project Director for Quincy Jones Musiq Consortium.
In Maputo, Mozambique, she was the Founder & Project Manager of a grassroots project called “Dance for Life,” done in partnership with a Mozambican dance company and funded by foreign embassies and corporations. She served as the Director of Outreach & Education at Pacific Northwest Ballet (PNB) in Seattle, WA. Having received a B.A. in English Literature at the University of Virginia and an M.A. in English Literature at the University of Washington, Stephanie has written about arts and culture for a wide variety of U.S. and foreign publications, and speaks French, Portuguese and Spanish. She has worked internationally in Haiti, Mozambique and Venezuela.
Folashade Solomon
Associate Professor, Framingham State University
Dr. Folashade Cromwell Solomon received her Ed.D. in Administration, Planning and Social Policy from Harvard Graduate School of Education. She is currently a tenure line Assistant Professor at Framingham State University and a principal investigator at TERC. Folashade is drawing upon her experience as a third-grade teacher, researcher, and lifelong performing artist to explore the ways in which effective out-of-school learning environments in the arts support youth of color in building strong academic identities. She is also concerned with teacher development by helping teachers design instructional approaches that a) identify and build on students’ intellectual strengths, and b) take account of issues of race, class, gender, and other positionalities in relationship to subject matter learning and teaching.
Folashade also serves on the Board of Directors at José Mateo Ballet Theatre.
Annawon Weeden
Consultant, Presenter, Performing Artist
Annawon Weeden (Mashpee Wampanoag/Pequot/Narragansett) was born and raised in his father’s Tribal community of Charlestown Rhode Island learning the history of his Narragansett/Pequot lineage. He eventually made his home in his mother’s Wampanoag community located in Mashpee, MA.
Following in his father’s footsteps, Annawon began sharing the culture of his tribes along with his family during public programs/performances at a very young age. As an adult, Annawon’s passion for preserving the culture has been made clear throughout decades spent working at institutions such as Plimoth Plantation (Plimoth Patuxet), Boston Children’s Museum, and the Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation’s Cultural Resource Department in CT as a Cultural Instructor. Currently self-employed visiting schools, colleges, museums, libraries, birthdays and more, Annawon has found many creative ways to educate any audience.
On stage or in the classroom, his ability to share his Tribal culture has been sought after by world renowned institutions. Having appeared at prestigious venues such as Smithsonian, National Geographic, Scholastic, PBS, History/Discovery Channel, Alaska Native Heritage Center, Harvard University, Tennessee Tech & many more. In addition, his cultural expertise has been called upon by such international government agencies as: Bermuda Ministry of Cultural Affairs, U.S. National Park Service & most recently his Congressional honor as culture & arts bearer for the region as well as many corporate, educational and environmental organizations.
In addition to speaking on numerous topics, Annawon also provides cultural services such as musical performances, outdoor exhibits, professional development, and consultation.
All of his work falls under the umbrella of his organization, the First Light Foundation.
Jose Mateo
Laura Rodriguez
Jason Weeks
The DWC Council will be advising on matters related to Conference 2027, schedule for June 2027, and other DWC activites.