Miss Candice is in the Museum of the City of New York

Hey friends! I have the great honor of being included (and my dance partner, Sammy) in an interactive dance installation at the Museum of the City of New York. It's called Urban Stomp curated by Derrick Leon Washington, PhD! It covers Hip Hop, Vogue, Salsa, Bachata, Merengue, Lindy Hop, Hustle, and so much more... Costumes, instruments, and dance shoes and New York DANCE culture. I'm presenting in the Charleston and Lindy Hop kiosk. I'm the first kiosk off the elevator. Come check it out and learn some new moves. Runs for 10 months through February!

Check out these stills!

 

Pro DANZ® Group

Candice Michelle Franklin
CEO & Head Choreographer of The Pro DANZ® Group

Dance Artist
*Choreographer
Creative Director
Producer
Dance Coach
**Teaching Artist
Master Teacher in Jazz Dance Arts
Traditional Jazz Technique Trainer
Beginning to Professional

*Specializing in choreography for live music concerts, musicals, music videos, stage shows, concert dance, festivals, dance conventions, dance camps, master classes, education workshops, high school dance programs, collegiate dance programs, film, television, web shows

**Teaching Artist of Open Level Creative Movement in Jazz Studies accompanied by live Contemporary and Traditional Jazz Music

Dance Choreography Specialties:
Commercial Jazz, Contemporary Concert Jazz, Afro-Fusion Jazz, Musical Theatre Jazz, Industrial Technique Jazz, Latin Jazz, Salsa On2, East Coast Swing, Lindy Hop, Urban Contemporary Jazz, Retro Jazz Soul

 

Music Styles:
Neo-Soul, R&B, Hip Hop, Acid Jazz, House, Funk, Blues, Samba, Afro Cuban Jazz, Bossa Nova, Salsa, Cha Cha, Boogaloo, Boogie Woogie, Swing, Jazz Standards, Contemporary Jazz, Bollywood, Bollywood Hip Hop Fusion

 

Dance Casting:
Live Stage Shows, Music Videos, Back-up Dancers, Theatrical Production, Industrials, Special Events

 

Professional Dancers-for-Hire:
Commercial Pop/Hip Hop Dancers Choreographed for
Recording Artists, Music Videos, Industry Events, Special Events, & Fashion Shows

 

Other Custom Choreography Services:
Custom Choreography Packages for Wedding First Dance, Wedding Court/Sweet 16 Routines, Quincinera,
Father/Daughter Dance, Office Party Routine/Funny Video, Milestone Birthday (I Still Got It! Routine)

 

***Wedding Dancers-for-Hire***  Express your love on your wedding day in a super special way with a professionally danced “LOVE” duet!  ***Hire professional dancers to perform to your favorite love song at your ceremony or reception.  “LOVE DUETS” are Candice’s specialty!  Whether it’s a sexy, current R&B tune, a romantic old-school Soul song, a flirtatious, yet gritty Blues, or an elegant Jazz classic a la Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers, let Candice create a dance just for you.  Dances can be performed to live or recorded music.  Rates start at $500.  Custom choreographed performances start at $600.  Call for details. (212) 426-1305

 

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Hire Professional
LIVE MUSIC & DANCE ENTERTAINMENT

Hire JAZZ AIN’T DEAD® for your next special event!  Jazz Ain’t Dead® consists of a Live BAND and DJ performed with Live DANCERS in a high-energy floor show.  Sets are 15 minute, 30 minute, 45 minute, 60 minute, and 75 minutes.  Entertainment can be planned up to three hours with band and dancers, and up to four hours with floor shows spread throughout the evening.  Music styles include Funk and R&B, Funk Jazz Fusion, Jazz Standards, 20’s, 40’s, House, Acid Jazz, and Top 40 requests.  Rates start at $2500.  Call for additional information on rates and set descriptions.

Miss Candice Michelle Franklin is the Choreographer and the Artistic Producing Director of 
JAZZ AIN’T DEAD®.

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Pro DANZ® Group
Dance Industrial Professionals, Inc.
(212) 426-1305

Candice Michelle Franklin is a proud member of SAG-AFTRA.

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Candice Michelle Franklin –Choreographer, Dance Artist, Master Teacher in Jazz Dance Studies

 

Candice Michelle Franklin

Creator of JAZZ AIN'T DEAD® Live Music and Dance Production

Dance Artist/Choreographer/Master Instructor in Jazz Dance Studies: 

Traditional Jazz Technique, Contemporary Jazz Soul, Lyrical,
Theater Jazz, Afro-Fusion Jazz, Latin Jazz Styles, Commercial Jazz,
Street Jazz for Young Dancers, Ballroom, Lindy Hop, East Coast Swing, Salsa On2,
Studies in Jazz Rhythms for Dancers, Concert Jazz &
Repertory from Jazz Ain't Dead®

Biography

Originally from St. Louis, MO, born and bred into Jazz dance and influenced greatly by the Jazz music scene, Candice Michelle Franklin is a New York based professional dancer, choreographer, and producer who has been seen in numerous film, TV shows, music videos, industrials, and, of course, on the live stage performing in plays and dance companies.  She holds a MBA from SNHU and Berklee College of Music's joint MBA program specializing in Music Business as well as a B.A. in Fine Arts on four-year scholarship from the University of Kansas majoring in Dance.  She also studied on scholarship at Steps on Broadway, trained in St. Louis at Missouri Concert Ballet, and, upon invitation to New York, received her conservatory training at the Alvin Ailey American Dance Center. 

She owns Dance Industrial Professionals, Inc./The Pro DANZ Group in which she oversees the dance and creative direction of several performance groups, recording artists, industrials, and stage shows.  Her work has been performed in a host of New York venues including Lincoln Center Summer for the City, Dizzy's Jazz at Lincoln Center, Harlem Stage, Jacob Javitz Convention Center, The Syracuse OnCenter, MTV/Viacom, Capitale, Odeum Expo Center, Broad Street Ballroom, The Kumble Theater,  the National Black Theater, Symphony Space, Joyce SoHo, Brooklyn Academy of Music's BAM Cafe, Webster Hall, The SPACE at Westbury/Westbury Theater, Stage 48, the Oheka Castle, The Theater of Riverside Church, The Sage Theater, American Theater of Actors, Denny Farrell Riverbank State Park, Marcus Garvey Park,Tribeca Performing Arts Center, John Jay College, and New York’s City College, as well as numerous casinos on the east coast such as Turning Stone, the Foxwoods, Mohegan Sun, Tropicana, Borgata, and Caesar’s. 

Additionally, her choreography has been seen in the WEBBY-nominated music video for the rock band Black Taxi called “Shoeshine,” in the holiday stage play for Tiny Starr Productions, "Coming Home to Christmas," and in the gospel stage play, Blest Be the Tide, performed at Aaron Davis Hall in New York City to name a few.  Moreover, she has performed collaborations with the legendary master jazz pianist Onaje Allan Gumbs II's New Vintage, Alphonso Horne and the Gotham Kings, world renown tap sensation, Dormeshia Sumbry-Edwards, and word music singer and percussionist, Philip Hamilton.  She has also served as Head Choreographer for CEG Productions LLC in addition to being an integral part, as both dancer and dance captain for the production company, for over 20 years.   Furthermore, she has served as choreographer for the 80′s Girl Group, Buffalo Stance, and as choreographer for a number of recording artists including Natiah, internationally celebrated Bollywood Hip hop artist, SHAKTI, the rapper BRASCO, Art Aure, Courtney El, and Grammy award winning recording artist, Macy Gray. 

Currently, Ms. Franklin works on faculty as an Advanced Jazz instructor for the Joffrey Ballet School's elite year-round ballet trainee program and summer dance intensives as well as serve as a Master instructor and adjudicator for Joffrey's National audition tour.  She serves as Artistic Director of the Cumbe RISE Community Dance Company, and works as the producer and choreographer for Jazz Ain’t Dead®, a live music band and dance production group.  She performs as one half of the dynamic Lindy Hop duo, Sammy and Candy, and is a fellowship member of the prestigious Al Minns Next Generation Project. She continues to study Dunham as a certificate candidate with IDTC and teaches Dunham-Informed Jazz Technique and Performance at Cumbe Center for African and Diaspora Dance in Brooklyn, NY.  Miss Franklin is a proud member of SAG-AFTRA and a founding member of the not-for-profit 501(c)3 dance advocacy foundation, iDANZ®, Inc.
 

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Candice Michelle Franklin Master Teacher in Jazz Dance & Jazz Dance Rhythm Studies Dance Conservatories/Colleges/Academies State Joffrey Ballet School New York, NY Mauro Compañía y Academia de baile y producción San Juan, Puerto Rico Pro Arte Dance Centre Vancouver, B.C., Canada Andanza Contemporary Dance Company San Juan, Puerto Rico Union County Academy of the Performing Arts Rahway, NJ Talented Unlimited High School New York, NY Vancover School of Arts and Academics Vancouver, WA IABD/Dallas Black Dance Theatre Dallas, TX Boston Ballet Boston, MA University of Hartford/The Hart School Hartford, CT Harlem School of the Arts New York, NY High School for Contemporary Arts Bronx, NY The Global Learning Collaborative High School New York, NY East Coast Ballet Jacksonville, FL Detroit Music Hall Center for Performing Arts Detroit, MI University of Utah/Marriott Center for Dance Salt Lake City, UT IABD/Joy for Motion Dance Center Washington, D.C. Pacific Northwest Ballet School Seattle, WA Maria Verdeja School of the Arts Coral Gables, FL Freddy Jet Art House and Dance Conservatory Oxford, AL Colorado Ballet Denver, CO The Ballet School of Stamford Stamford, CT Walnut Hill School for the Arts Natick, MA NOCCA -New Orleans Center for Creative Arts New Orleans, LA Booker T. Washington High School for the Performing Arts Dallas, TX Young Dance Academy Milwaukee, WI Joffrey Ballet School/Miami -New World School of the Arts Miami, Florida University of Kansas Department of Dance Lawrence, KS Uptown Dance Academy New York, NY Ballet Hispanico New York, NY Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre Pittsburgh, PA Wycoff School of Dance Wycoff, NJ Cycely Tyson High School of the Performing Arts East Orange, NJ Next Step Dance Studio Milwaukee, WI Expressions Dance Studio West Union, IA Infinity Dance Company Lyndon, WA N'Ferno Performing Arts Center Baltimore, MD Center for Performing Arts Methuen Boston, MA Together We Dance St. Louis, MO Pinx Academy of Dance St. Louis, MO Jovan Miller Productions Seattle, WA IABD Wyndham Hotel/Cleveland Cleveland, OH IABD Denver Center for the Performing Arts Denver, CO Carolina Dance Center Raleigh, NC Hubbard Street Dance Chicago Chicago, IL Arkansas Academy of Dance Little Rock, AK Kansas City Ballet Kansas City, MO Eisenhower Dance Rochester, MI Kent State University Kent, OH Classical Ballet Academy Portland, OR Suzanne's Main Street Dance Centre Detroit, MI Angela Floyd Schools Knoxville, TN The Majestic Bellingham, WA School of Alberta Ballet Calgary, Canada Edge School for Athletes Calgary, Canada Hovi Strauss - Dance Etc.! Fargo, North Dakota Elite Dance Studio Portland, OR California Dance Theater Agoura, CA Jody Phillips Dance Company Overland Park, KS The Putney School Putney, VT Webster University St. Louis, MO Portland School of Ballet Portland, ME Pennsylvania School of the Performing Arts Newtown, PA School of Nashville Ballet Nashville, TN Heart of America Dance Center Lee Summit, MO School of Classical Ballet & Dance West Des Moines, IA Beck Center for the Arts Cleveland, OH Center for Dance Education Carolina Ballet Columbia, SC The Joyce (Arts Educational Programming) New York, NY Miami Arts Charter/Joffrey Ballet School Wynwood, FL

*** Click Here for C.V. Click Here for Videos Click here for choreography recommendation letters: Michael Blake, Director of Jazz and Contemporary at Joffrey Ballet School (Recommendation for Katherine Dunham Certification) Randy Thomas, Universal Music Group (Jazz & Contemporary Music Label Executive) Beverly Fish, CEG Productions, LLC (Live Music and Dance Event Corporation) Adam Hootnick, Resonance Interactive (Music Video Film Director/Film Production Company) Lafayette Harris, Jr., Pianist (Major Jazz Recording Artist and Music Director of Bring in Da’ Noise/Funk) SHAKTI, Internationally Celebrated Bollywood Hip Hop Recording Artist Joffrey Ballet School, Director of Jazz and Contemporary at Joffrey Ballet School (Testimonial of Choreography/Instruction) PS 87, Testimonial of Student Lecture Demonstration ***

Join Cumbe RISE Community Dance Company

Cumbe RISE Community Dance Company

Dunham-Informed Jazz Technique & Performance Workshop

With Instruction & Choreography by Candice Michelle Franklin

Join Cumbe RISE Community Dance Company

A Community Dance Performance Group Open to Dancers of All Levels

How to join? Come join us for Dunham-Informed Jazz Technique & Performance Workshop, a special class and choreography series open to community dancers of all levels culminating into a live concert-staged performance presented by Cumbe with the option to perform at Cumbe socials and locally produced community events. There are no auditions. All classes are on Saturdays at Noon.

Next Workshop Series Begins June 7, 2025

Please note that this class series is part of Cumbe RISE Saturdays at Noon,

a curated class series to train Cumbe RISE Community Dance Company student dance members. This class is also open to all Cumbe dance students.

Class Description: Inspired by the work of Katherine Dunham, dancers will explore Dunham's movement vocabulary often used in Jazz dance, traditional modern Jazz motifs, as well as vernacular jazz movement and experiment with the three to ultimately train and strengthen the body for a concert Jazz dance movement aesthetic.  For each meeting, a classic Dunham warm-up will be given followed by lively, Dunham-inspired Jazz progressions.  The final 45 minutes of class will be reserved for choreography creation, ultimately building a concert dance piece.   Class is open and embraces all levels, yet challenging enough for students who haven't danced for many years in a fun, freeing, and supportive environment.  

Perform with Cumbe.  All Are Welcome.

Excited to join?  Check out our recap video!

Performance Workshop Recap

December 4, 2022
Performed at the Billie Holiday Theatre

Sample Dunham-Informed Jazz & Performance Technique Class Schedule

        Saturday Technique Classes         12:00 pm - 1:15 pm Dunham-Informed Jazz Technique Class         1:15 pm - 2:00 pm Creative Choreography Session and Rehearsal

        Show at the Billie Holiday Theatre         Show Week (Dates To BE Announced)         2 Night Rehearsals                  Tech Rehearsal & Performance (Same Day)

        ***Performance opportunities for other community events and Cumbe socials         are optional and may require additional rehearsal.

Dunham-Informed Jazz Technique & Performance Workshop

Come Dance With Us!

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Miss Candice Advocates for the Reinstatement of Funding from National Endowment of the Arts

 

Reinstate Funding from the National Endowment of the Arts

On Wednesday, May 21, 2025 -on an otherwise miserably rainy day when most folks would rather stay at home- I traveled down to New York City Hall for the first time in my life to exercise my right as a citizen and a working New York City teaching artist.  Emerging from the subway, I walked around all lost, literally didn't even know where the front door was located, but, it didn't matter, I was determined to find the entrance, exercise my right, and testify. 

Why was I there?  I was testifying in front of the New York City Council to advocate for the replacement of funds cut by the federal government issued by the National Endowment of the Arts. 

Flanked by leaders from some of the most prestigious arts institutions and libraries in New York, I stood as the lone independent teaching artist speaking in favor of all arts organizations on the necessity of maintaining arts funding.  As I waited my turn, I saw representatives from the New York Public Library, the Metropolitan Museum of Modern Art, Lincoln Center, Flushing Town Hall, and Dance Parade, arts advocacy organizations like New Yorkers for Culture and Arts and Dance/NYC, as well as smaller arts organizations such as the Chocolate Factory Theater, CCCADI and Cumbe Center for African and Diaspora Dance. When my turn came up, I walked up to the council's dais, sat in front of the microphone, and gave a short two-minute summarized statement live to the New York City Council.  Below is the full testimony I submitted online.  

https://legistar.council.nyc.gov/Calendar.aspx

Sammy & Candy Goes Country

Sammy & Candy goes Country with the
 Amazing Queen Esther at Flushing Town Hall!

Thank you, Queen Esther, for inviting us again to share
a little dance and relate a little history.

I Got my MBA! Graduation Highlights Class of 2025 :

I FINALLY Did It!

I Graduated with my MBA

SNHU & Berklee College of Music Joint MBA Program

Concentration in Music Business

Candice Michelle Franklin-Cox, MBA
Class of 2025

Official Photo with the Provost of SNHU

Video Screenshots

Digital Photo of Diploma

Point of view from the stands in SNHU Arena

Selfies taken before my name was called...

I did it! Check out my #SNHUcelebrate graduation video from #StageClip | #ClassOf2025 :

Dancing at Schomburg for Schomburg's 151st Birthday

 

Top: Iconic photo captured by Chester Higgins Jr. of Maya Angelou dancing with Amiri Baraka at the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture.

Bottom: My fabulous friend and accomplished historian of black culture, @jloving71, found this photo of me and Franck "Life" Muhel dancing Salsa on top of the same cosmogram where Langston Hughes' ashes are interred. It was to celebrate Arturo Schomburg's birthday (January 24)!

So grateful for the opportunity to dance on SUCH sacred ground and follow behind such huge and amazing shoes... Thank you, Schomburg...