We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Monique Barashango a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Monique , looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. What did your parents do right and how has that impacted you in your life and career?

I was raised by a group of strong, resilient , community minded women ( all were educators and led by example) who reinforced the importance for me to give back to others with consistency. At a very young age, I was taught the joy of volunteerism on a consistent basis by assisting them with reading to young school age children during read-a-thon/book drives, collecting and distributing toys to youth for the holidays, helping to serve meals to those in need or simply doing errands for friends or family recovering from illness, experiencing grief or other difficult circumstances. Because of these early experiences, social action and community advocacy became a vital part of my life and purpose!

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I am a Music/Video Producer, Songwriter, Youth Motivator, Artist Development Coach, Community Servant and Health Advocate, that has dedicated my life to improving the mental, physical, and spiritual well being of youth and the global community. While working as a substitute in various schools, I established an inspirational, empowerment resource to positively nurture the talents and self-esteem of troubled youth, called ViZion Dynamic Dance Ministries.

As ViZion began to impact the national community, I saw a need to provide a global platform for talented urban youth to be able to express themselves in front of both peers and established music/tv industry artists as well as develop their social and physical skills. As a result, “Blaze the Floor-National Dance Battle and Tour” was established in which some of the most respected street dancers and crews compete in a positive and inspirational atmosphere, while learning to uplift and empower one another as they strive to grow and become better artists. ViZion also hosts various health and fitness workshops (“Sole2Soul”) during the event and in an effort to evoke positive social change, has world renown community leaders and artists discuss social issues with the youth and young adults.

Now a world renown “Broadway worthy”, multi-generational / multi-cultural, all inclusive performing arts company, Atlanta-based ViZion Dance International is a consortium of diverse creative artists, musicians, health educators and entrepreneurs that perform and create a “high-level and demanding” repertoire of inspirational, patriotic and historic works that evoke a moral and social consciousness in humanity.

ViZion Dance is also known for their seemingly effortless and organic fusion of various styles of dance including Breakdancing, Step, Bollywood, African, Jazz, Tap, Salsa, Liturgical and more!

Moreover, The Company is dedicated to the development of individual purpose in talented artists and the global community through the promotion of self-esteem, non-violence and positive mental and physical health, while using the Arts as a visual stimulator. This is achieved through our Non- Profit (501-c3) ViZion Dance, Inc. and our collaborative youth programming at Rockwell Dance Academy ( led by breakdance pioneers, Honey Rockwell and Orko Romero). Since the founding of our non-profit, we have taken our artists on Arts and Humanities experiences around the nation ( and abroad) during which they have the opportunities to have cultural exchanges with international and world renown artists, iconic civil rights leaders, choreographers, producers and musicians. Some have also had the opportunity to choreograph and present their own works for film and stage both locally and internationally. These experiences have led some to become Broadway performers and a part of Oscar, Tony and Emmy award winning projects as well as groundbreaking film and documentary producers in their own right!

As members of the International Peace Syndicate project and the “We The People” collaborative international arts project, we joined forces with Grammy, Emmy and Peabody award winning artists and producers to combat bullying and invoke positive social action through music and dance ( along with creative artists from around the world). ViZion has also produced numerous fitness videos under the “Fitness with ViZion” series as well as a reality show, “Blaze The Floor” (featuring our diverse and talented choreographers).

Additionally, ViZion Dance Inc, in collaboration with The Dunham Institute Inc established (2016) and still presents the Bi-Annual “A Day of Respect: Honoring Luminaries In The Community” during which we offer free educational and engaging panel discussions, dance workshops taught by legendary artists, and will culminate the day with an awards presentation saluting “unsung” luminaries in the fields of education, community development, law, medicine, arts and culture from the Metro-Atlanta area and from around the country. Our Living Legend and Honoree lists have included Dr. Doris A. Derby ( legendary civil rights photographer, educator and philanthropist), Mrs. Naomi King ( Sister of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr), Dr. Georgianne Thomas ( Author, Civil Rights Foot Soldier and Educator), Tommy Ford ( actor and philanthropist), Major General (ret.) Marcelite J. Harris, Kid Dynamo Polanco (Hip Hop Pioneer) and many more!

While being a culturally diverse dance and dramatic arts institution, ViZion Dance also prides itself on being an emissary of African-American history and culture by using their gifts to enable the audience to experience history through the African-American vernacular. We also help edify the empowerment of women and youth in our local, national and international communities and are committed to producing performances that will highlight social change heroes in order to galvanize the public around people who have risked their lives for the common good.

Through the tutelage of an incredible advisory team consisting of Emmy and Peabody award-winning artists that have composed music and performed with Alvin Ailey Dance theater and Broadway, as well as activists that have worked with some of the greatest choreographers and civil rights footsoldiers in history, ViZion continues to impact the world with its unique and creative, yet inspirational approach to drama and dance as we “Change The World, One STEP At A Time”!

Can you tell us the story behind how you met your business partner?

I met my Business Partner, the Legendary Honey Rockwell ( ViZion Dance, Inc Vice President and Co-owner of our collaborative production company Rock-A-ViZion Productions) after doing a promo video for her Rock Da Floor youth dance battles hosted by her company, Rockwell Dance Academy. Our purpose and vision for our companies and goals were so symbiotic that it was inevitable that we join forces to create a more global impact for our brands collectively and individually.

Since uniting over 8 years ago, we have produced several groundbreaking productions that we are looking forward to use as a platform to introduce the world to the phenomenal artists that we have been privileged to cultivate. The productions will also feature legendary dance icons as we strive to unify generations internationally through this exciting and historic theatrical experience! One of our productions, “The New Legacy, Reclaiming the Dream, premiered at The Jimmy Carter Presidential Center, where it was presented with a Proclamation from the Georgia House of Representatives.

Additionally, we have established scholarships for our youth and young emerging artists ( The Doris A. Derby Dreamcatcher and Legacy Scholarships and The Kid Dynamo Legacy Scholarship) and continue to provide life and career changing community service and performance opportunities for young artists as they establish and pursuit their life purpose with discipline and training through our institutions.

Do you have any insights you can share related to maintaining high team morale?

Our management style is rooted in transparency genuine empathy and respect. We encourage and try to stand on the principle of “treat others as you would want to be treated”. Because of this, loyalty and camaraderie has never been an issue in the 15 year history of the organization ( in regard to youth and adults). We have always had a great and enthusiastic time performing and traveling internationally together surrounded by purpose driven and genuinely loyal attitudes.

The artists of ViZion Dance Inc are truly family! Because we are all entrepreneurs, the reach of each person goes beyond dance and the performing arts ( although this is what connects us). We are composed of healthcare workers, professional actors and movie industry professionals, culinary artists, teachers, students, mental health specialists, military veterans and inventors (all with a common heart for humanity.).

That interconnection and humanitarian nature carries through to our performances since we don’t have competition “for the spotlight “ between the artists but instead can focus on connecting with and authentically impacting the audience with the message at hand.

These management methods have worked for us universally without fail because we let the artists know we truly care about them as a person and give them motivation and opportunities to pursuit their personal goals and not just those for us as a collective!

Contact Info:

• Website: www.viziondance.org www.rockwelldanceacademy
• Instagram: @viziondance @rockwelldanceacademy
• Facebook: @viziondanceinc @viziondance @rockwelldanceacademy
• Twitter: @viziondance
• Youtube: @viziondanceinc @viziondanceinternational
• Other: Facebook: A Day of Respect: Honoring Luminaries in The Field www.newlegacyusa.com

Image Credits
ViZion Dance, Inc Global Flo Images