We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Angelica Alexander. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Angelica below.

Alright, Angelica thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. We’d love to hear about a project that you’ve worked on that’s meant a lot to you.

The most meaningful project for me is my dance production In Her Feelings: a Danceography. We are meant to feel and have a wide range of emotions. The hardest part for me in going through what I went through in life, is being okay with the fact that I’m not supposed to act or feel one kind of way. I strived for perfection, not wanting to crack, because if I cracked, I wouldn’t be “Angel” .Women are a puzzle and should never feel guilty for being so. This production is not designed to solve or answer the many questions of emotional intelligence. By no means, does this summarize how ALL women feel, or should feel, but it does give a small glimpse of my story along with fellow women’s stories told through dance. For me Dance explains, it heals and it releases. Creating this project has been a huge part of my healing process & and a small part of my story. The music has been a part of my rollercoaster of emotions playlist, so choreographing the movement to each of these songs has been therapeutic. So I hope that each performance touches something in everyone in attendance.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

Born in Los Angeles, CA, Angelica had big dreams of becoming an actress & a dancer. Being raised in the south: Richmond Heights, FL & Atlanta, GA, Angelica always wanted to take dance classes & with her mother unable to afford the pricey dance schools, this was the beginning of her imagination soaring. Moving furniture wherever she went to make her own dance studio, getting private dance lessons in ballet, contemporary, jazz and hip hop from her cousin; dance became the love of her life! As the Co-Captain of her cheer team at Columbus High School in Columbus, GA, modeling & participating in pageants after graduation Angelica became a cheerleader for Clark Atlanta University and would soon transfer to Georgia State University.

After graduating from Georgia State University with a degree in Theater, Angelica would not only perform as an actress and a dancer for Atlanta theatrical, screen, and dance productions with companies such as ARCH Productions, Steel City Pictures, Black Voices of Clark Atlanta University, and TPN Productions. She would also choreograph, teach and direct for Cobb County Schools of Atlanta, Fulton County Schools, Atlanta Public Schools, Future Foundation, Tinseltown Performing Arts Studio, Oasis Family Life Church, Word of Faith Family Cathedral’s Camp 212 & Elizabeth Baptist Church.

After years of performing, she received an add-on Bachelor’s Degree/Teaching Certification in Theater Education from
Columbus State University. Angelica would then begin teaching theater and dance at South Cobb High School, Sandtown Middle School, Language Arts & cheer at The Wilson Academy, and then onto starting & teaching for the dance program as well as spearheading the design the first-ever dance studio at South Atlanta High School.

With over ten years of experience, she had the pleasure of working with Atlanta non-profit organizations such as NBAF &
Communities in Schools of Atlanta. Her responsibilities have ranged from teaching, leading the day-to-day programmatic operations, curriculum development, supervision of teaching artists & budget management. Angelica received her Master of Arts degree in Creative & Innovative Education (Non-Profit Arts Leadership Concentration) from Georgia State University. Her life experiences, passion for dance, youth & community are her inspirations for creating Life is an 8 Count! Inc.

A God given gift of dance & creativity, choreography has become a true passion & central focus in Angelica’s life. In addition to her role at Life is an 8 Count! Inc., she is a writer, an actress imdb.me/angelicaleontyne & proud mother of two teenage sons, Shaun & Austin.

What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?

As former public school dance educator, I started my non profit Life is an 8 Count Inc. to do more than just provide choreography services & put on productions! The pandemic was a catalyst for not only health and economic unrest but emotional instability. Not just for adults but for our youth. With the back and forth of decision making on if students should go back to school or learn virtually, it caused a range of emotions in our community. With schools trying their best to get “back to normal”, there has been an increase in mental and emotional health issues with youth. Fast forward to the uncertainty in our economy and political unrest, it is a lot emotionally. I use the term “Dancing in Mindfulness” as we need moments of creativity and joy now more than ever. I am looking forward to opening a dance space! Life is an 8 Count. Inc. is a non-profit organization that aims to utilize dance & performing arts as mediums to enhance emotional & mental health wellness. Our goal and desire is to fulfill our mission by creating a safe space for dancers and lovers of dance!

Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?

I could write a book on my journey of resiliency, which is why I use my life as a platform for creativity. Being born in Los Angeles, living on Skid Row and to a mother who was addicted to drugs, abusive & later diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia , I was exposed to many things I wished I could forget. With God’s grace, being raised by my true mother (biologically my aunt/mom’s sister) and lot’s of therapy, healing had no choice but to enter my life. All of the stories in between to include finding my biological father when I was 41 years old, WHEW CHILE , Resiliency is definitely engraved all through my name & journey. I am grateful beyond measure. My hope is that one day on some platform I can share my entire story to encourage others that there is such a thing as light at the end of a tunnel!

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.lifeisan8count.com
• Instagram: @angelicaleontyne @lifeisan8count

Image Credits

Jamari Warren – Marifiles Photography