Eduardo Vilaro (Panelist) - Artistic Director & CEO, Ballet Hispánico

Eduardo Vilaro joined Ballet Hispánico as Artistic Director in August 2009, becoming only the second person to head the company since it was founded in 1970. In 2015, Mr. Vilaro took on the additional role of Chief Executive Officer of Ballet Hispánico. He has been part of the Ballet Hispánico family since 1985 as a dancer and educator, after which he began a ten-year record of achievement as founder and Artistic Director of Luna Negra Dance Theater in Chicago. Mr. Vilaro has infused Ballet Hispánico’s legacy with a bold and eclectic brand of contemporary dance that reflects America’s changing cultural landscape.  

Born in Cuba and raised in New York from the age of six, he is a frequent speaker on the merits of cultural diversity and dance education. Mr. Vilaro’s own choreography is devoted to capturing the spiritual, sensual, and historical essence of Latino cultures. He created over 20 ballets for Luna Negra and has received commissions from the Ravinia Festival, the Chicago Sinfonietta, the Grant Park Festival, the Lexington Ballet, and the Chicago Symphony. In 2001, he was a recipient of a Ruth Page Award for choreography, and in 2003, he was honored for his choreographic work at Panama’s II International Festival of Ballet.  

Mr. Vilaro was inducted into the Bronx Walk of Fame in 2016 and was awarded HOMBRE Magazine’s 2017 Arts & Culture Trailblazer of the Year. In 2019, Mr. Vilaro was the recipient of the West Side Spirit’s WESTY Award, was honored by WNET for his contributions to the arts, and most recently, was the recipient of the James W. Dodge Foreign Language Advocate Award. In 2022 and 2023, Mr. Vilaro was included in Crain’s New York lists of Notable Hispanic Leaders and Notable LGBTQ Leaders; and was acknowledged as one of Forbes’ Kings of Culture, Legends of Business.

Angelica Christina (Panelist) - Actor, Activist, and Artist, POSE

Angelica Christina is a passionate and driven Queer Latina activist, actor, model, producer and trans consultant hailing from Spanish Harlem in New York City. Angelica is a proud alumni of the nation's first fully accredited LGBTQIA+ high school, The Harvey Milk High School. She is a sexual assault & homelessness survivor. She is on the Board of Directors for the Stonewall Inn Gives Back Initiative, since 2020. Angelica is an accomplished media personality and actor having appeared on several television shows, documentaries and networks such as The Oprah Winfrey Show, MSNBC, America's Next Top Model and most recently Pose Seasons 2 & 3 on FX. She has made it her mission to further educate the world on the issues that plague the trans community, to promote healing for marginalized communities and to continue to carve out space for trans and queer stories to be told. 

Dev Doee (Panelist) - Creative Director, Ali Forney Center

Dev Doee (they/she) is an actor, dancer, drag performer, beauty influencer, and the Creative Director at the Ali Forney Center. As a nonbinary artist, much of their work focuses on gender and diversity. Dev has spoken at SXSW and Samsung about diversity in the beauty industry and has been featured in publications such as Vogue, Paper Magazine, Them, and Forbes.  Recently recognized as a member of Ulta’s Muse 100, Dev strives to bring black queerness to the forefront of everything they do, especially in the beauty space. In addition to the makeup world, Dev can be found on the screen having worked on shows such as POSE on FX and campaigns with HBO. Dev Doee was also recently awarded "Breakthrough Artist" at the Glam Awards, NYC's biggest nightlife awards show. With their presence, they hope to ensure that all groups of people and perspectives regardless of race and gender are seen and heard. 

Princess Lockerooo (Panelist) - Artist, Director/Producer, Educator, and Activist

Princess Lockerooo (Samara Cohen) is a visionary in the dance industry, known for her exceptional work as a producer, public speaker, event curator, director, and choreographer. With a reputation for excellence and numerous accolades, including a Bessie award for Breakout Choreographer and a nomination for Sustained Achievement as a fellow of the RSA, Princess is a highly regarded artist and leader in the dance world.

In 2022, she founded The Fabulous Waack Dancers, a dance company, and the Waack dancer training program, showcasing her commitment to preserving the legacy of Waacking. Through her passion and expertise, she has brought the art of waacking to communities around the world, promoting self-love, building communities, and inspiring confidence. Princess is dedicated to preserving the history of waacking and conducted the interview for the oral history of Choreographer and Waacking Pioneer Bill Goodson for the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts.

Princess has been featured on leading television platforms such as So You Think You Can Dance? and America's Got Talent, and has collaborated with renowned pop artists such as Madonna, Jody Watley, Icona Pop, Bob The Dragqueen, Pangina Heals, and more. Her productions have been showcased at world-renowned venues including Lincoln Center, NYBG, Summerstage, Women's Entrepreneurship Day, HATCH, Original Thinkers, ASAP NextGen, and the United Nations.

Her impact on the dance world has earned her recognition from prestigious press outlets, including the New York Times, which featured her on the cover of the Sunday Times Metro section for her pioneering work in the resurgence of Waacking. She has also been featured in Brut, Dance Magazine, Dance Teacher, The Medium, Document Journal, and Get Out Magazine. Princess is not only an artist but also a philanthropist and activist for LGBTQ rights, producing a night of entertainment for Global Ambassadors at the United Nations event F4D, and working with and raising funds for organizations such as Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS, The Omomuki Foundation, The Center, GMHC, and NYC Pride.

Princess continues to push the boundaries of her art and industry through her current role as co-director of an untitled feature film with an Academy Award-winning team, and as writer and director of a new musical, "Princess Lockerooo," supported by the Musical Theater Factory. She is an Artist in Residence with Guggenheim Works & Process and will be producing events with The New York Public Library for The Performing Arts and Lincoln Center in the summer of 2023. With her talent and expertise, Princess Lockerooo is leading the way in the dance world, making a lasting impact on the art form and those she inspires.

Tamia Santana (Moderator) - Chief Engagement and Inclusion Officer

Tamia Santana is an advocate for dance and the arts. Previously she was Executive Director of the Brooklyn Dance Festival, owner of Jete Dance Center, Resident Dance Director of the Brooklyn Museum, Co-Founder and Executive Producer of the Tap Family Reunion Festival, and producer and Steering committee member of the televised Bessie’s New York Dance and Performance Awards. Born and raised in Brooklyn, New York, Santana now raises her own family there. She serves on the Board of Directors for One Brooklyn to the Brooklyn Borough President, Eric Adams, and READ 718. As a prominent concert dance and performance producer, Santana has executive produced and directed concerts and events at the Brooklyn Academy of Music, the Alvin Ailey Theater, Summer Stage, and The Schomburg Center Barclay’s Center, as well as for music artists such as Big Daddy Kane, Thomas Piper, and more. Her previous experience as a dancer has been performing at Madison Square Garden, Carnegie Hall, The Apollo Theater, Lincoln Center, and Europe.