Meet the 2023-24 TACA Diaspora Dance Ensemble
Alicia Smithson-Edwards
Alicia Smithson-Edwards
Alicia Smithson-Edwards
Mrs. Alicia Edwards began her dance passion at the age of 5 in Yonkers, NY, taking up Ballet, Jazz and Tap at the Yonkers, NY YWCA. For over 20 years Mrs. Edwards has performed as a student and teacher in various locations all over the United States.
Studying at Washington Adventist University in Takoma Park, MD she was sought out to perf
Mrs. Alicia Edwards began her dance passion at the age of 5 in Yonkers, NY, taking up Ballet, Jazz and Tap at the Yonkers, NY YWCA. For over 20 years Mrs. Edwards has performed as a student and teacher in various locations all over the United States.
Studying at Washington Adventist University in Takoma Park, MD she was sought out to perform with Acro-Airs team performing all over the east coast and NBA half-time shows. She has worked with numerous community groups teaching lyrical dance for churches and community programs.
Alicia’s love for dance did not wane after marriage and children. With a belief that lifelong learning is essential for all, she began to expand her repertoire to include dance forms such as Belly-Dance, African traditional, African modern, Mexican folkloric, and Theatrical. Upon relocating to El Paso, TX, Mrs. Edwards was scouted by the professional dance troupe the Sun City Girls and taught dance fitness in the El Paso Independent School District. In 2016, she relocated to Hampton Roads, and she is still sharing her passion with the seven cities community.
Freeman Mweo
Alicia Smithson-Edwards
Alicia Smithson-Edwards
Zambia native Freeman Mweo is a song writer, recording artist and musical performer in Gospel (DM & FM Gospel Network), Afrobeat, and Reggae. He has also had roles in Harriet, and in two TV series: Our Kind of People and The Good Lord Bird. He is excited to share his Zambian culture and many others with the community!
Ibrahim Kamara
Alicia Smithson-Edwards
Ibrahim Kamara
Sierra Leone native Ibrahim Kamara is a Junior at Norfolk State University. He is excited to share his culture and many others from Africa through Dance with the TACA Ensemble.
Jara Clark
Porlicia Brown
Porlicia Brown
Jara, a Health and Wellness Speaker for Fit Goddess Tribe, LLC, remains profoundly
grateful for her fitness journey and the individuals who have shaped it. Her unwavering love and
commitment to fitness drive her to share her passion with others who are eager to step onto the
path of wellness. Her ultimate goal is to help individuals understa
Jara, a Health and Wellness Speaker for Fit Goddess Tribe, LLC, remains profoundly
grateful for her fitness journey and the individuals who have shaped it. Her unwavering love and
commitment to fitness drive her to share her passion with others who are eager to step onto the
path of wellness. Her ultimate goal is to help individuals understand that fitness is predominantly a mental journey, profoundly impacting the mind, body, and spirit.
Jara, in her role as Health and Wellness Speaker, has presented at multiple different local
community events, spreading her message of holistic health and wellness. She's also launched
two insightful podcasts, "Fit to Heal" and "Empowerment Bookstore," to provide a platform for inspiring discussions and insights into personal growth and well-being.
This transformational shift sparked the birth of Fit Goddess Tribe, LLC, a holistic wellness brand
dedicated to cultivating and sustaining healthy lifestyle choices and habits. Their mission
extends to the community, aiming to strengthen individuals physically, mentally, emotionally, and
socially through diverse programs and events.
Porlicia Brown
Porlicia Brown
Porlicia Brown
Norfolk native Porlicia Brown has always had a gift of working with all ages through dance and fitness. She was in the Spartan Legion Band as a member of the Hot Ice Dance team; member of the Order of Eastern Stars; ACHI Awards winner; Arabia Temple #12 Fish Bowl Queen 2023; and Norfolk State Alumni Band.
Porlicia is a proud fitness Instr
Norfolk native Porlicia Brown has always had a gift of working with all ages through dance and fitness. She was in the Spartan Legion Band as a member of the Hot Ice Dance team; member of the Order of Eastern Stars; ACHI Awards winner; Arabia Temple #12 Fish Bowl Queen 2023; and Norfolk State Alumni Band.
Porlicia is a proud fitness Instructor for the Hampton Roads Area and Owner of Smile-Breathe-Move-Fitness & Dance LLC. Porlicia has been getting people excited about fitness for over 16 years now! She is AFAA certified in Group Fitness, licensed in all Zumba formats, R.I.P.P.E.D, Commit, ChairOne, and is a Mixxedfit Master Educator. She also teach Senior Aerobics, Yoga and Line Dancing as well.
Porlicia has also served as a cheerleading coach at many area schools. At Dance Dimensions, she is the stunt coach and fitness Instructor. Porlicia also teaches fitness for the City of Portsmouth. Porlicia motivates others with her smile and energy for all around her to be their very best in all they do.
Rita "KK" Addico Cohen
Rita "KK" Addico Cohen
Rita "KK" Addico Cohen
Mrs. Addico Cohen has fused her performing abilities, fluency in many languages, and innate fitness to become an international Zumba® and African Dance instructor, teaching thousands of kids and adults in her local Hampton Roads area and beyond. She is a multiple Presenter of the
international Zumba Instructors Convention, where she was aw
Mrs. Addico Cohen has fused her performing abilities, fluency in many languages, and innate fitness to become an international Zumba® and African Dance instructor, teaching thousands of kids and adults in her local Hampton Roads area and beyond. She is a multiple Presenter of the
international Zumba Instructors Convention, where she was awarded Humanitarian of the
Year in 2022.
Korkor/KK has created several highly acclaimed avenues through which she shares her African culture with adults and children alike, using the arts, history, and language. She has created a 3-tier educational program that has placed her and the nonprofit she founded, Tidewater African Cultural Alliance (TACA), on the Teaching Roster of the Virginia Commission for the Arts. She is also a teaching artist with Young Audiences Virginia/Arts 4 Learning, and a highly sought after (African) Dance Instructor and Choreographer.
After having spent part of the 2023 summer immersed in the cultural arts of her native Ghana,
KK is excited to share what she learned with the community, mostly through TACA, and to broaden the high school dancers’ vocabulary through teach West African Dance for the Governor’s School of the Arts be joining the Dance faculty of the Governor’s School of the Arts in the 2023-24 academic school year.
Sam Lewis
Rita "KK" Addico Cohen
Rita "KK" Addico Cohen
Sam is an energetic Dancer with 7 years of experience performing solo and with highly talented dance groups (Balie Fuzion Dance Company, Ubuntu Dance Company).
She is a confident and driven dancer with exceptional desire and endurance, abundantly skilled in Breaking, House and Whack/Punking dance genres.
Sam is a compassionate mentor in Ri
Sam is an energetic Dancer with 7 years of experience performing solo and with highly talented dance groups (Balie Fuzion Dance Company, Ubuntu Dance Company).
She is a confident and driven dancer with exceptional desire and endurance, abundantly skilled in Breaking, House and Whack/Punking dance genres.
Sam is a compassionate mentor in Rites of Passage to young girls at Village Academy, Volunteer
and activist in the African-American Community (Together We Stand nonprofit and Eturnal Roots Band).
Her goal is to use dance to heal the sector of society that is by and large ignored by the
dominant culture. And in doing so, free the minds of people who have been restricted in their own natural growth, thus promoting self-awareness, discipline, confidence, and healthy expression.
