LULA WASHINGTON (Artistic Director/Choreographer) - Lula Washington gained national and international respect as a dance leader, teacher and entrepreneur as well as for her demanding choreography - a unique and highly theatrical blend of African, modern, and ballet techniques. Mrs. Washington grew up in Watts, Calif. and did not begin serious dance training until she was 22, married and a mother. While earning a masters degree in dance from UCLA, she danced with R'Wanda Lewis; and in film and TV in Ledbelly, Funny Lady, King Kong and Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Heart's Club Band. She choreographed Aida for the Orange County Performing Arts Center; The Little Mermaid movie for Disney; and the Running The Halls TV series for NBC, among others. Mrs. Washington has taught in Spain, Germany and Mexico and many universities in the U.S. She has a continuous commitment to educating children and initiated the “I Do Dance Not Drugs” after-school program. The recipient of numerous awards, her newest piece, Rite of Spring 2000, is funded by a grant from the National Dance Project and premieres in February 2000 at UCLA's Royce Hall.