Meet the Artist

As Synergy Magazine describes him, he is a performer, scholar, dancer, choreographer, creative visionary and director. Diaunte has been involved with the entertainment industry for the past 16 years and has been trained by some of the most elite performers and choreographers in the industry. His path to success through education began at Precious Academy, then Wanza and Braxton Pink and Blue where he graduated to begin furthering his young mind at A Mother’s Love to matriculate on to John G. Dupuis elementary. He attended there from kindergarten to second grade. During this time, he had received the “Do the Right Thing” award for saving his classmate from choking in class. Once after being accepted into North Dade Center for Modern Language (CML), he left Dupuis mid-year to attend what he thought was a greater destination for learning. Around this time in life, he had joined Diamond Minds Dance Academy under the leadership of Ms. Vernee’ Randolph, to stay active in the community and continue his passion for the arts. His family decided to enroll him into Charles R. Drew elementary in which he stayed a Ram from the second half of his 3rd grade year and entire 4th grade year. Thankfully, with the help of a former Antioch member, he was blessed to hear about the greatness of the Cushman School, and was accepted his 5th grade year. That became his home for the next four years, in which he now claims were the most impactful moments on his character, attitude, as well as his views on things in life.

At this stage of life, he decided to venture out and dive into the athletic world while dancing at Genesis Dance World under the leadership of Mr. Rod Davis. Diaunte played JV basketball, JV and Varsity baseball, intermural basketball, and track and field. Upon graduating and matriculating into a higher level of learning, during the summer moving on to his freshman year in high school, he was accepted into Ailey Camp Miami which took place at the Adrienne Arsht Center where he studied Ballet, Modern, Jazz, West African, Contemporary, and began testing his creative writing skills. While attending the summer camp Diaunte fell in love with the performing arts.

When entering Miami Northwestern his freshman year, Diaunte decided to join the Young Contemporary Dance Theatre under the Direction of Traci Young-Byron and has been an active dancer ever since. Within the company, he was granted several opportunities such as competing on Lifetime TV Series "Bring It!" as well as being a main cast on our own TV Series "Step It Up". One of his most memorable moments was being selected to participate in the ATLA TAKEOVA dance convention, which exposed him to different genres of dance such as locking, and break dancing. While taking classes with world renown choreographers who toured with artists such as Mariah Carey, and other, he received a lot of insight of this dance industry and truly felt in love with the touring life of a dancer.

Diaunte was honored with a scholarship from the Alvin Ailey Extension in New Work City for the summer of 2016. Indeed, throughout his journey as a dancer, he has faced many adversities but had the strength and courage to keep overcoming them to achieve his goals in life to be a professional dancer/performer, thespian and singer on tour.

As an University of Florida graduate with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance, Jenkins has proceeded to began his journey in education as the Magnet Dance Instructor at Norland Middle School. During his undergrad tenure, he contributed to the School of Theatre and Dance by serving as the Rehearsal assistant for the MOD Ensemble, an advocator for the minorities in the department as well as the Founder and Artistic Director of his own local Dance Company entitled IDANce Xperience LLC. He strived to continue educating the community, teaching dance and giving back to Alachua County. Without a doubt, his contributions have led him to several success while at the University of Florida. He has also been recognized on a national level for his humanitarian acts for the community with his company, given the title “Most Artistic Student” by the Black Student Assembly, as well as even being able to direct three productions.