About Raquelle

Raquelle Chavis is from Queens Village, New York. Her studies began at The Long Island School of Music, The Eglevsky Ballet School, The Alvin Ailey American Dance Center’s Children’s Program, The Alvin Ailey American Dance Center’s Merit Scholarship Program, and The School of American Ballet. Chavis is a Graduate of New York’s Prestigious High School of The Performing Arts (La Guardia High School of music and performing Arts), where she received The B’nai Brith Award for Excellence in Dance, and the “Arts Award” from The National Foundation for the Advancement of The Arts; placing as Finalist Raquelle has performed throughout the U.S and the Caribbean with The Alvin Ailey Repertory Ensemble / Ailey II, under the direction of Sylvia Waters, and she has performed throughout the United States, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, Scandinavia, the Soviet Union, The Middle East and Asia as a 7 Year Principle Dancer with The Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater under the Direction of Alvin Ailey until his death in 1989, and Judith Jamison until 1994.

                               

Raquelle has worked very closely with; Alvin Ailey, Mary Barnett, Talley Beatty, Fred Benjamin, Donald Byrd, Vanette Carroll, Ze’eva Cohen, Blondell Cummings, Katherine Dunham, Ulysses Dove, George Faison, Sylvia Waters, Warren Spears, Mari Kajiwara, Jerome Robbins, William Hammerstein, Pearl Primus, Keith Lee, Josephine Premice, Kelvin Rotardier, Anna Sokolow, Jimmy Truitte, Garth Fagan, Ralph Farrington, Linda Haberman, Judith Jamison, Jowole Willa Zollar, Norma Miller, Frank Manning & Donald McKayle, just to name a few..

        

Ms. Chavis was a featured Soloist in the “Emmy Award” winning documentary film “Two by Dove” for PBS and Great Performances. She has appeared as a featured singer in four Radio City Music Hall productions, “PIPPIN”, the Broadway Concert with B. D Wong, Lucie Arnez, Audra McDonald, Pia Zadora, Gregory Harrison, Boyd Gaines, and Dr. Ruth Westheimer. For many years, she assisted the legendary choreographer Talley Beatty on productions of “Carmen Jones” (Assistant Choreographer/Lead Dancer/Dance Captain) and the restaging of his Ballet - “Congo Tango Palace”.

 

Raquelle was Dance captain and Assistant Director to the Tony Award winning Director / Play-write Vanette Carroll and received outstanding reviews for her starring leading Dance role as “Mary” in Carroll’s “Your Arms Too Short to Box with God” - with Teddy Pendergrass, Stephanie Mills, BeBe Winans, and Jennifer Holiday. In 2002 she directed and choreographed the musical/play Marion Anderson the lady from Philadelphia for the National Black Theatre NYC, and Town Hall NYC, produced by Dr. Barbara Ann Teer, and Woody King Jr.

As a Singer/Songwriter Raquelle Chavis has performed in numerous European music festivals and Touring engagements with The Andy Lutter Trio; her Jazz Quartet; and has written music and lyrics for American Independent films and European feature films. In 1999 she hit the charts in Europe, as a featured artist on the compilation CD “Rave around The World Vol.II” with the single “The Girl from Ipanema”. Ipanema was later released as a single for Warner Music; it hit the dance charts in Japan and Australia, at 2 & 4, it was featured on Video Vox, and Radio stations daily. She has written lyrics and Hooks for Taca Tuca records and an eclectic group of talented DJ’s and producers.

                                        

 In 2009 she was the recipient of the 2010 “ASTRAL” Award- from The NFAA (National Foundation for Advancement in the Arts) Alumni Association. Ms. Chavis has taught Master Classes, and Choreographed for numerous Universities, Public Schools, Dance companies and Dance studios in the U.S.A and Europe. In 2017-2019 she moved to the UAE to found and head the Dance Unit at Fit Republik and Studio Republik- Dubai. Raquelle’s Students have furthered their education and careers at Prestigious schools, and Dance Companies in the USA and Europe such as: North Carolina School of The Arts, Ailey Fordham, Northwestern, Julliard, Frankfurt Ballet, The Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, Philadanco, Ailey II, The NYC Broadway Stage, Cal Arts, NYU Tisch School of The Arts and more…

 

Raquelle continues to Perform. She Directs, Choreographs, and Stages Productions worldwide, and is currently creating Dance, Theater, Musical Theater, and Music works for her multidisciplinary Performing Arts company -Geechie Anne Productions.