Marcea T. Daiter

Marcea T. Daiter is a distinguished and seasoned dance educator of 40 years, actress, choreographer, Research Consultant, Performing Artist, and NYS Licensed Dance Educator specializes in dance forms of the African and European Diaspora and skillfully integrates 21st-century approaches and interdisciplinary perspectives into her work. Her expertise extends to intersectional methods, delving into history, critical dance studies, performance studies, body somatic, post-colonial theory, and critical race theory. She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Sociology from Loyola University of Chicago, a Master of Fine Arts degree in Dance from New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts and received her certification to teach the Katherine Dunham Dance Technique in 2006. Marcea is also a Certified Pilates Mat Trainer and a Teacher of the Zena Rommett Floor Barre Technique. She is the recipient of the 2009 Surdna Arts Teachers Fellowship, a Core Artist Member at New York Live Arts, and member of Screen Actors Guild/ AFTRA.

Marcea is a native of Chicago where she commenced her studies in ballet, jazz, modern, African dance, dramatic arts, voice and music. She was one of the many dance artists representing the United States in Lagos, Nigeria at the International Arts Festival (FESTAC) in 1977, performing with Darlene Blackburn’s Afro-American Dance Theater on stage with Fela Anikylapo-Kuti at the Afro-Shrine. She relocated to New York in 1977 and received scholarships and studied dance at The Martha Graham School of Contemporary Dance, Harkness House for Classical Ballet, the Alvin Ailey American Dance Center, Clark Center for Dance performed with, and the New York Baroque Dance Company, the Joan Miller Dance Players, the Eleo Pomare Dance Company, Nanette Bearden's Contemporary Dance Theater and Fancy Dancers Inc.

The breadth of Marcea’s knowledge expanded through field-study trips to Africa, Cuba, Mexico, Haiti and the United States, visiting the Katherine Dunham Institute of Intercultural Studies and Jacob’s Pillow. At the Katherine Dunham Institute for Intercultural Studies in East St. Louis she had the privilege of learning from former Dunham company members and Master Teachers, including Vanoye Aikens, Tommy Gomez, Talley Beatty, Walter Nicks, Louines Louinis, Jeon Leon Destine, Ruby Streate, Keith Williams, and Theodore Jamison. Marcea also participated in intensive Horton, Limon, and Graham workshops for dance teachers at Jacobs Pillow, and Arts Education programs for dance under the Office of Arts Special Projects in New York City.

In 2022 Marcea retired as a full-time dance educator from the NYC Department of Education teaching in Central Harlem at Wadleigh Secondary School for the Performing and Visual Arts.

Her contributions were pivotal in developing a four-year high school Dance Scope and Sequence curriculum with culturally relevant pedagogy. Under her guidance, the dance program received arts endorsement from former Chancellor Carmen Farina and hosted visiting teaching artists, students from Denmark, and arts institutions nationally and internationally.

Marcea recently co-hosted a thought-provoking panel discussion at the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts titled, "The Style and Politics of Talley Beatty’s Dance." This engaging event brought together an array of dance historians, students, professionals, and artistic directors who have worked with or been influenced by Talley Beatty's groundbreaking choreography. The panel explored the rich stylistic elements and sociopolitical contexts of Beatty's work, highlighting his contributions to the world of dance and his impact on contemporary movements.

Notably, she is engaged in choreographic and publishing collaborations with Catherine Turocy, the Artistic Director of The New York Baroque Dance Company. She is presently teaching the Katherine Dunham Dance technique at the Alvin Ailey Extension and pursuing a PhD in Leadership and Change with a concentration in Humanities and Culture at Antioch University.

Through her scholarship and creative practice, Marcea continues to expand the discourse around the cultural and political dimensions of dance and theater, making invaluable contributions to the performing arts.