Paul Gordon Emerson (Artistic Director) moved to Washington for what was supposed to be a brief stopover while waiting for his first posting in the U.S. Foreign Service. He ended up serving as Legislative Director to the late Thomas M. Foglietta (D-PA) for seven years and liaison to the House Armed Services Committee. He has worked on more than 20 federal campaigns, including races for the White House, Senate, and House of Representatives. Paul is a published author on defense and foreign policy, and is a former radio broadcaster, having served as a news director, disk jockey, and sports announcer for several radio stations in Ohio. He has traveled nationally as a professional photographer, specializing in industrial photography. He has worked as a journeyman in construction and design and dabbles in bronze as a sculptor. He served as Executive Director for CityDance Ensemble from 1996-2004 and has been Artistic Director since 2000. During his tenure with CityDance Ensemble, the company has been awarded the 2010 DC Mayor's Arts Award for Service to Education, the 2009 DC Mayor's Arts Award for Artistic Excellence, 2003 DC Mayors Arts Award for Outstanding Emerging Artist and the 2005 DC Mayor’s Arts Award for Innovation in the Arts, has been named a “Top 25 To Watch” worldwide by Dance Magazine, created one of the largest and most successful education outreach programs in the region, launched CityDance FilmWORKS, and opened the CityDance Centers at Strathmore and Mt. Vernon Square and in 2010 the new partnership with the DC Dance Collective in Washington, DC. He has guided CityDance through five international concert tours since 2003, traveling to a dozen countries. In 2006, Paul received the Pola Nirenska Award for Artistic Excellence in Dance. He is the co-host of the Addy Winning "Performance Moves" television news magazine, which airs on Montgomery County Cable in Maryland. His God children Aidan and Nathan are his real pride and joy.

Read Mr. Emerson's Opinion piece, "The Diplomacy of Dance,"
in the International Herald Tribune/New York Times (May 21, 2010)

Read the Washington Post article on Mr. Emerson, "Changing the Rhythym of His Life" (March 13, 2010)

DANCERS: CityDance in Motion. A book of dance images by Paul Gordon Emerson
Mr. Emerson is an accomplished photographer, and the person behind the camera for all of CityDance's imagery. A book of those images, Dancers, featuring the members of CityDance Ensemble, is now available for purchase.. View and buy the book now!

Christopher K. Morgan (Rehearsal Director & Choreographer-in-Residence) is a choreographer, performer, and arts facilitator who divides his time between New York and Washington, DC. His work stems from a belief in the urgency of art in an increasingly isolating, commercial, and digital world. Said to be "charming and poignant" by The New York Times, he has been presented in Germany, Lithuania, Ireland, Poland, Hong Kong, and throughout the U.S. In addition to his work for CityDance Ensemble, Christopher creates work through New York based pick up dance company Muse, which he founded in 2005. Christopher is also the Director of the Dance Omi International Dance Collective, an annual 3-week collaborative residency for professional dancer/ choreographers. Teaching credits include Hong Kong Academy of Performing Arts, Shawbrook (Ireland), Iwanson Schule (Munich), Stephens College, Western Kentucky University, and lectures for the Alliance of Artist Communities, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, New York City Ballet’s Education Department, and Dance Theater Workshop.  He recently served on an NEA funding panel. Performing credits include David Gordon, Fabulous Beast Dance Theater (Ireland/UK), Malashock Dance & Co., Verb Ballets, Selfish Shellfish (Germany), as a soloist with the Washington National, Houston Grand, San Diego and New York City Operas, and continued work as a Guest Artist for the Liz Lerman Dance Exchange.

Watch Christopher's Inside Look interview

Nancy Lubin (Senior Consultant for International Relations and Engagement) is President of JNA Associates, Inc. -- a research and consulting firm on the former USSR, especially Central Asia and the Caucasus -- and CityDance’s Senior Consultant for International Relations and Engagement.  She has lived, worked and traveled throughout this region since the early 1970s, as a Congressional staffer (1982-89); university professor (Carnegie Mellon University); corporate consultant; and advisor and consultant to the media, private foundations, US government agencies, and the international donor and policymaking communities.  The heart of her work has been navigating the informal economic and political systems in these countries.  Her over seventy consultancies and projects have focused on public diplomacy, public opinion, and cultural engagement; on designing, negotiating, and evaluating US and international assistance efforts; and on advising corporations, legal counsel and donors in the US, Europe and Japan. She received her BA, Magna Cum Laude, from Harvard University; her PhD from Oxford University; studied at the Universities of Leningrad and Moscow (1974-75); and was one of the first westerners to spend a year conducting doctoral research in Uzbekistan (1978-79). She is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations; serves on the Boards of the Open Society Institute, Central Eurasia Project, the Eurasia Foundation Board of Trustees/ Board of Advisors, and of other organizations; and has been a Fellow at the Woodrow Wilson Center for International Scholars, the US Institute of Peace, and currently, with the American Foreign Policy Council. She is the author of several books (reviewed in the New York Times and elsewhere); Congressional testimony and reports; a range of scholarly publications; and popular articles including cover stories for GEO Magazine and Readers Digest.  Her recent pro bono work includes establishing a joint videoconferencing project with high school students in the US and Azerbaijan.

Julie Ana Dobo (Production & Company Manager) specializes in lighting design and production management for national and international music concerts, festivals, special events, fashion shows, performance art, its artists and their companies. She recently concluded a production management "tour of duty" at New York City’s Joyce SoHo, a pre-eminent "downtown" dance performance space. For the last 11.5 years Julie has commissioned her energies and expertise as an integral force in the growth of Joyce SoHo’s dance performance space, picking up from a pioneering salon showcase format and "riding the wave" into one of the most coveted NYC downtown contemporary dance venues.  Her most current commitment is as technical director and light designer for CityDance Ensemble’s contemporary dance company, which is based at the innovative Music Center at Strathmore in Rockville, Maryland.  Julie has joined forces with CityDance Ensemble to participate in their pursuit of a more "perfect world!"

Clifton B. Brockington (Music Director) holds a B.M. in Jazz Studies from Howard University and has recorded with numerous gospel artists, including Donnie McClurkin, Fred Hammond, Andre Crouch, Richard Smallwood, and Israel, along with Mo’ Horns Ensemble. In addition to performing in 30+ cities in the United States, this native Washingtonian has traveled to Japan, London, St. Croix, and the Republic of Georgia playing jazz, R&B, and gospel music. He also regularly performs salsa music with Joe Falero and the DC Latin Jazz All-Star as well as La Leyenda. Originally known as a jazz trumpeter and pianist, Mr. Brockington has evolved into a celebrated composer, arranger, and jazz educator. He co-wrote the music to the play Roll On!, which was performed by Tony Award Winner Melba Moore at The Historic Lincoln Theater in September 2006. Mr. Brockington teaches jazz piano at the Ottley Music School in Hyattsville, MD and recently completed his first CD as a featured solo artist.

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