Darnell Pierre Benjamin is a multidisciplinary artist, educator, and community builder from Southern Louisiana. He earned his MFA in Acting from the University of Houston in 2009. Deeply rooted in art and activism, Darnell is known for his radical 2020 dance film 13th & Republic. Since 2009, he has worked with Pones as a dancer, choreographer, teacher, DEIA Ambassador, and board member. His directing credits include T-Room…The Musical, Lady Day at Emerson’s Bar & Grill, Sweat, and The Niceties. He’s choreographed for numerous Cincinnati arts organizations and teaches at Northern Kentucky University, Xavier University, and UC’s College-Conservatory of Music. A certified Michael Chekhov Technique educator, Darnell is also active in Actors Equity, Society of American Fight Directors, and Shakespeare Theatre Association. He serves on the boards of Treehouse Cincinnati, Stop the Stigma Productions, and Caracole. Guided by love and community, Darnell believes, like James Baldwin, that “great art can only be created out of love.
Hattie Clark finds it an honor to teach with Pones. They began dancing later in life and found it to be a form of expression that they needed. Teaching through Pones allows them to share this love of dance with others and to let individuals know it’s never too late to start dancing.
Lucía Duque dances because it feels true to who herself, dance has been the most fun way to express ever since discovering it. Lucía started with classical dance training, which progressively became more formal and then expanded into other dance styles. Although, in Lucía’s words: “dance will be dance as long as it expresses the dancer’s self.” In teaching, Lucía has found endless room for growth in both personal and professional aspects of life. Lucía learns the most by being able to create an environment where students can make the connections that will enable them to own their learning process.
Ian Timothy Forsgren is a multidisciplinary movement artist dedicated to exploring the body as a source of connection, expression, and transformation. With a practice that bridges technique and intuition, Ian invites others to experience movement not only as physical exercise, but as a pathway into creativity, healing, and presence.
His work draws from a range of influences—dance technique, somatic awareness, and improvisational practice—woven together to create spaces where people can rediscover freedom in motion. Ian’s approach emphasizes curiosity, play, and embodied listening, encouraging movers of all levels to deepen their relationship with themselves and the world around them.
At the heart of Ian’s practice is the belief that movement is a language we all share—a way to cultivate resilience, express identity, and build community.
Marrow Kretzer is passionate about movement, anatomy, and the body. They were trained in contemporary and jazz from a young age and danced competitively across the Dayton, Ohio region. They would go on to pursue their 200 Hour Yoga Teacher Training. Currently, Marrow works as a Licensed Massage Therapist, helping clients through manual therapy. They love to dance and are passionate to bring healing and joy-filled movement to the Cincinnati area!
Alexandra Leurck, a Cincy native is a multidimensional and interdisciplinary learner, artist, and person. She graduated from Miami University in Oxford, OH with a BA in Theatre and Arts Management/Entrepreneurship with minors in Dance and Women/Gender/Sexuality Studies. Her creative practices primarily lie within theatre, directing, dance, and performance art, focusing on crafting site-specific, immersive work in response to social justice and environmental issues. She believes art is a way to form bridges and strengthen awareness of the challenges and joys of our ever-changing world. She is also a RYT200 Yoga Instructor and aims to incorporate meditation, movement, and Yoga philosophy into arts in healing and various mindful spaces. She hopes to ignite feelings of empowerment, self-discovery, healing, and zest through dance and art. Leurck is proud to be teaching with Pones!
Daimy McInroe has been dancing since she was three years old. In her teenage years, she decided she wanted to pursue ballet professionally. This led her to continue her dance education at a collegiate level. She received her BFA degree in Dance with an emphasis in Pedagogy from the Hartt School of Dance at the University of Hartford. Upon graduation, she was offered a company position at the Stavna Ballet in Richmond, VA. Daimy danced with Stavna for three seasons. She then made her way to Cincinnati where she now teaches for the Cincinnati Ballet. Daimy is very excited and grateful to be a part of Pones.
Sawyer Pardo is a dancer, playwright, dramaturg, and actor from Cincinnati. He received his degree from University of Roehampton, where he studied contemporary dance. He is currently a trainee with De La Dance Company. His credits include playwriting for the Cincinnati Fringe Festival, choreography for the Synergy Dance Series, and dramaturgy for the Cincinnati Opera. He also has extensive experience in facilitating arts education in both visual and performing arts. He is so happy to be with Pones teaching and dancing this year!
Chelsae Plageman is a Cincinnati native (and sister to Pones teacher Noelle) who has a deep value for the impact of somatic movement practices and dance on people’s lives. She hopes to bring joy to others through dance as a teaching artist for the Laboratory of Movement program.
To Noelle Plageman, joy starts with experiencing flow and a sense of purpose. By releasing ourselves to move freely we can express, heal, and connect. With formal dance training in salsa and bachata, as well as a passion for hip hop, Noelle deeply values the art of physical expression. She is excited to be teaching with Pones and hopes to help people grow their confidence in self expression and experience the therapeutic freedom of dance.
Donna Rubin discovered her love of dance as a teenager when she started training in ballet, jazz and modern in Pittsburgh. She continued dedicated studies while earning her BFA in theater performance at CCM. Post undergrad she created choreography and direction for numerous productions in greater Cincinnati and later in SF. While living in SF she immersed herself in the wealth of dance training and performance opportunities available there. Donna has been working with children creatively throughout her life. She receives great joy in her work as a teaching artist for Pones and is honored to have helped develop a movement class for Pones’Art’s in Healing program, where she teaches healing movement to veterans. Donna believes Dance to be a powerful tool of Healing, Community, and Liberation.
Kylyn Schadewald is a dance teaching artist and preschool dance teacher with a lifelong passion for movement and performance. Kylyn has been dancing since the age of five and brings years of training and enthusiasm into every class she teaches. Kylyn is a graduate of Ohio Northern University, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts in Theatre with a minor in Dance. Dance has always been her passion, and she loves sharing that passion with young dancers, creating a joyful and encouraging environment where children can explore movement, creativity, and confidence.
Angela Schierberg is excited to be part of the Pones teaching team. She is a dancer, choreographer, and fitness & wellness coach. She has studied & performed in many different genres, & currently trains in salsa & other Latin dances. She believes movement can be a powerful tool for the mind, body, & soul.
To Jackie Smith, Pones is all about movement. Of course it’s about moving your body, but it’s so much more than that. Through Pones’ programs we help move people’s spirits, moods, social consciousness, and perspectives. As a teaching artist for Pones, Jackie has the opportunity to experience and help our community get up and get moving!
Christiana Tait is a multifaceted artist and teacher. She discovered a love for dance at an early age and loves the freedom & peace movement brings. She has trained in multiple styles of dance like ballet, hip hop,tap , musical theater and more. As a teacher, Christiana loves to build connections with her students and provide them a safe space to express themselves.
Amy Tuttle is a passionate practitioner of Arts & Healing. She grew up in the dance community- studying ballet, jazz, and modern dance from childhood. She views dance & creative movement as beneficial tools for communities and individuals to process difficult experiences, build resilience, and cultivate their sense of purpose. Tuttle is thrilled to be teaching with Pones!
Grace Wagner works as a director, choreographer, creative collaborator, and more in the Cincinnati area and across the country. Working with organizations, like The Carnegie, Cincinnati Fringe Festival, Precision Arts Challenge, and The National Women’s Theatre Festival, she believes in bringing true compassion and communication through a variety of artistic mediums to every moment. Her love of dance and movement began in Cincinnati where she was born and raised. Studying and competing with tap, musical theatre, jazz, ballet, hip hop, and more from a very young age, Grace has always found movement to be the basis of her artistry and exploration. She hopes to ignite freedom to live in your own body through her teaching with Pones, as she has found mediation, joy, and expression through movement improvisation and dancing for one’s self later in life.
Pones Inc. 