Quianna Simpson

Quianna Simpson

Teaching Artist

Quianna is a Columbus native who began training at the early age of 7. During and after college, she worked the dance audition circuit, auditioning and successfully selected to open for heavy hitters like P. Diddy, Usher and Ludacris. She was then hired full-time to be a back-up dancer for R&B group Blackstreet. Her wide swathes of experience in a myriad of dance forms have informed her teaching, and her technique is firmly rooted in the methods taught to her from a very early age. Quianna is an advocate of community engagement, diversity and inclusion and social activism. Her recent work “She Stands,” a response to the riots in downtown Columbus last year, has been selected to premier at the  Solo/Duo festival in New York in 2022. In addition to her current work, she is a 2nd year MFA student in the Department of Dance at The Ohio State University. Her research interest primarily focuses on embodied African dance as a transformative power for African Americans, supporting the development of cultural pride and identity.  Her work with Thiossane Institute and BalletMet allows her to continue to engage the youth in community class programs like “Soar on Saturdays” giving back in spaces where she gained her first dance lesson. Quianna is also a loving mother of two teenagers, Richard and Kendall, who keep her going.

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