Q&A with Sankofa Managing Director and Principle Dancer Kasha Smith-Poynter *Courtesy Image O'Hara Shipe: The Sankofa Dance Troupe formed in 2017. What was the catalyst behind its formation? Kasha Smith-Poynter:The catalyst was a series of African Dance workshop at Rhythm of Light, taught by our now co-artistic directors Johnnie Wright and Misha Baskerville. Those workshops were wildly popular and sparked interest for an adult professional African Dance Troupe. We held auditions and members were selected to create Sankofa Dance Theatre-Alaska. We are in our second dance season. OS: So, Sankofa Dance Theatre – Alaska is part of a bigger program? KSP: Yes. The original Sankofa Dance Theatre fo

The Rasmuson Foundation’s Sabbatical Program provides tribal executives and nonprofit executive directors with time away from the office for rest and personal renewal. For awardees the 3 – 6 months is a chance to see the world, visit family and maybe even spend some time on an exotic beach. But if your Alaska Junior Theater Executive Director Lainie Dreas, taking a respite seems like a far more insurmountable task than a 60-hour work week. “When I first started planning my sabbatical, I tried pitching the idea of going to a theater workshop in New York and the administrator gave me a firm ‘no’. He told me I should be thinking beaches not workshops,” chuckled Dreas. After some coaxing, Dreas

Turning around I caught a glimpse of Watsky’s naked ass pressed firmly against a window. I’m still not sure if it was a sign that I made an