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Dr. Darshell DuBose-Stone was introduced to music at an early age and was trained as a classical pianist throughout her teenage years. When she was accepted at Lycoming College in Williamsport, Pennsylvania she began to study Ragtime and Jazz piano and their history. Therefore, in addition to studying the required great European composers and their music, DuBose-Stone devoted much time to an independent study on the progression of jazz piano for which she received a Departmental Honor and was inducted into Phi Alpha Theta, an International Honor History Society. This was the beginning of her journey as a music historian. 

After graduating from Lycoming College with honors, DuBose-Stone decided that she wanted to continue her studies in Music History and was accepted into the master’s program at Rutgers University. It was during this time that she studied at the Jazz Institute and devised her master’s thesis, Learning How to Play Jazz Piano from the Beginner’s Point of View. 

Shortly after graduating from Rutgers University, DuBose-Stone began teaching piano performance at several reputable music studios in New Jersey until she built her own private and online music studio and wrote a curriculum in which she uses on all of her students. Afterwards, she developed music curricula for various institutions such as community homes and secure-care facilities at the new Jersey Juvenile Justice Commission, a Freedom School program, and a small New Jersey independent charter school. Out of this curriculum, D.S. Education Alliance, LLC, an instructional company was established by DuBose-Stone and her late husband, Jerel Stone. This company provides education in various disciplines to schools, churches, secure-care facilities, camps, and private households. Under the umbrella of D.S. Education Alliance, the Freedom Tour was created. This program gives music and dance students (trained by various educators) the opportunity to travel to historic cities throughout the United States and showcase their talents. In addition, under D.S. Education Alliance, LLC, DuBose-Stone partners with educators of various disciplines who provide instructional workshops that meet the learning needs of students in all types of educational institutions. 

Upon completing her doctoral studies in curriculum and education at Northcentral University/National University, DuBose-Stone continues to serve as a certified music educator and writes music curricula for educational institutions that request well-rounded music programs to be established. She has been recognized by the National Association of Professional Women (NAPW), the National Society of Leadership and Success (NSLS), and the International Honor Society of Kappa Delta Pi. 

Greg Searvance is a drummer, bandleader, and composer who has worked with diverse artists such as Gloria Lynn, Charlie Byrd, Baba Olantunji, and Claudio Roditi and many other. He has recorded with his own group and performed throughout the United States and Europe. He has been leading a teen gospel group called, CTK (Changing the Kingdom) which utilizes music styles from Rhythm and Blues, Jazz, and World Music to give praise and honor to one's spiritual path. In addition to educating the youth of D.S. Education Alliance, Searvance has been training young and upcoming performers in the art of Jazz through presentations, workshops, lectures, ensembles and private and online lessons.

Brother Jerome Hunter is a master dancer, national & internationally known choreographer and drummer who has merged several dance disciplines such as traditional Africa dance, Brazil, Caribbean, as well as North America, to create a unique fusion that is synonymous with LaRocque Bey, and has been performing these dance styles for over 30 years.

Mr. Hunter has studied at the LaRocque Bey School of Dance Theatre for over two decades. He is currently the Executive and Artistic Director as well as the chairman of the board at the Institution. LaRocque Bey School of Dance was established in 1960 and is one of the oldest African

American Cultural Institutions in New York State and across the United States.

Mr. Hunter has studied a multiple of dance disciplines such as African, Tap, Jazz, Hip-Hop, Lindy Hip, Swing, Ball room, to name a few. He has studied with Master Teachers worldwide and performs domestically and internationally on stage productions and film.

Mr. Hunter has worked with artists such as Herold Melvin’s Bluenotes, The Delfonics, Savion Glover, Phyllis Yvonne Stickney, George Clinton, Phylicia Rashad and many more.

Recently, Mr. Hunter toured Great Britain as a choreographer and performer of the play Tap Fusion with choreographers from the Broadway play River Dance; as well as worked with several artists in the Broadway play Fela, currently on Broadway. Also, Mr. Hunter has received several Proclamations from the Mayor's, Senator's and city Counselman's office of New York City, New York State as well as the Bronx Counsel for the Arts.

In addition to educating the students of D.S. Education Alliance, he is an instructor at four private, and charter schools in the New York, New Jersey school system. He teaches discipline through dance, spreading his cultural message as well as teaching skills for life to all students with whom he comes in contact.

Diarra Grace has a Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree in Dance Theater. She began dancing at the age of four and has studied Ballet, Pointe, Lyrical, Contemporary, African, Hip Hop and Jazz.  Her passion for dance  has inspired her to use her skills to bring awareness to important issues in today’s society.  She has performed for both, the “Make A Wish” and “A Cure for Cancer” foundations with the 5-6-7-8 Dance Company and has danced as a soloist at The Bethwood in Totowa, N.J. to raise money for college scholarships. She has performed her award-winning Contemporary solo at the World-Famous Apollo Theatre to express the importance of African-American creativity in American society. Also, for four consecutive years, she has danced for the “Walk Against Domestic Violence,” in Newark, New Jersey and was invited to dance her solo, Beauty in the Rain, for the “Community Book Bag Giveaway” sponsored by the My Sister’s Lighthouse Organization and the NFL Alumni Association to promote the importance of education.   

Some of Diarra Grace’s greatest accomplishments exemplify her passion for different genres of dance.  Between 2018 and 2019, she became a six-time Title-Award Winner throughout New Jersey’s regional dance competitions for her Contemporary solos, and has won numerous Judges Awards for her Lyrical dances.  In 2018, she was accepted to the Dance Theatre of Harlem’s Summer Dance Intensive and achieved the Ballet Award for Ballet and Pointe.  In December of 2019, she represented the USA with the American Dance Company and competed in the Contemporary and Jazz categories at the IDO (International Dance Organization) Dance Championship held in Poland and for the last three years, she has become a title-winning choreographer at national dance competitions. Recently, she was accepted and completed a dance choreography intensive at Art-Ez University in the Netherlands.

Because Diarra Grace has a strong sense of community, she has dedicated her life to becoming an instrument of change by using dance to enlighten humanity about the adversities that plague our society while bringing healing through the arts to those who endure them.  

  Brian Bilsky is a multi-instrumentalist and recording engineer who has played, recorded, and performed with a variety of genres for decades and plays djembe with Kamate Traders, an African drum group that plays for entertainment, interactive educational purposes, and to back African dance performances.  

Also, Brian is a certified Holyoake, facilitator for DRUMBEAT. DRUMBEAT stands for Discovering Relationships Using Music Beliefs Emotions Attitude Thoughts which consists of students playing in drum circles that promote social understanding and connect them through a team drumming experience. It is fun, safe, creative, engaging and rewarding.  Through social learning and cognitive behavioral therapy, participants lift their self-esteem, learn to work cooperatively, and are exposed to the therapeutic and recreational benefits of rhythm and music.  DRUMBEAT drum circles address bullying, peer pressure, dealing with emotions, identity, social responsibility, and teamwork.  DRUMBEAT consists of ten drum sessions ending with a public performance but can also be offered open-ended for the immediate therapeutic benefits without the pressure of a performance at the end.

Brian got his MA in political science in 2010 from UH Manoa with focus on the racial, class, and gender disparities inside the criminal and juvenile justice systems.  He served on and later chaired the Hawaii Juvenile Detention Alternatives Initiative (JDAI) from 2008 - 2015.  He and his cohorts began providing programming inside three HI State secure youth facilities in 2010 and later inside nine New Jersey Juvenile Justice Commission Secure-care and residential facilities.  Brian loves merging his passion for music with his informed drive for social justice; to help underserved individuals realize their potential and identify opportunities for success.