Arts900 Team Bios

Cristin Carole

Cristin Carole, our co-founder, began her dance training at the Sammy Dyer School of the Theatre in Chicago under her great aunt, former director of the National Dance School and Company of The Bahamas, Shirley Hall-Bass. She is a former lecturer at the School of Education at the University of The Bahamas, served for ten years as adjunct faculty for Columbia College Chicago’s Graduate Program in Education and is presently faculty in the Theater department at Loyola University in Chicago. In 2001, Cristin passed The Royal Academy of Dance Ballet Instructor’s Exam and choreographed for various organizations in The Bahamas including the National Dance Company and Youth Choir. Later, Ms. Carole joined The Joffrey Ballet as the Education and Community Engagement Manager and was instrumental in the creation of its Bridge Program for children of color in Chicago. Cristin has worked as a dance consultant, choreographer, and director for many Chicago theaters. In addition to her 20 years of teaching general education in Chicago Public Schools with endorsements in secondary science, social studies, drama and primary education, Ms. Carole has led numerous professional learning workshops for teachers on the implementation of movement across the curriculum. Cristin is a member of the National Dance Educators Organization (NDEO), a NDEO Connected Arts Network Fellow, and Society of Directors and Choreographers Foundation Denham Fellow. She is the director of the Shirley Hall Bass Foundation (SHBF), a US non-profit, which supports the legacy of her great aunt.

Sharon Poitier

Sharon Poitier's connection to the Shirley Hall Bass Legacy Project began as one of its original cultural exchange students, an experience that shaped her belief in the transformative power of cultural education. As the former Deputy Director of Education for The Bahamas, she led a groundbreaking 2017-2022 strategic plan that revolutionized curriculum development across 27 divisions. Her four-decade journey from classroom teacher to national education leader reflects her dedication to academic excellence and innovative learning approaches.

Throughout her career, Poitier has championed the integration of arts and cultural education into traditional academic curricula, recognizing their vital role in student development and national identity formation. Her implementation of The Bahamas' first standardized curriculum development cycle established a framework that continues to enhance educational outcomes nationwide. Holding degrees from Howard University and the University of St. Thomas, Minnesota, Poitier now serves as an adjunct professor at the University of The Bahamas School of Social Sciences. Her unique blend of personal experience with cultural exchange and extensive expertise in curriculum development makes her an invaluable addition to SHBLP's Board of Directors and facilitators. Poitier's vision for education, which emphasizes the importance of identity, joy, and cultural heritage in learning, perfectly aligns with SHBLP's mission to empower youth through performing arts and cultural education.

Dr. Nicholeen DeGrasse-Johnson

Dr. Nicholeen DeGrasse-Johnson has been involved in dance and dance education for over three decades. She holds a PhD in Dance from Temple University, USA; a Master of Arts in Dance Education; a Bachelor of Science in Dance from the State University of New York (SUNY); and a Diploma in Teacher Education from the Cultural Training Centre, now Edna Manley College of the Visual and Performing Arts (EMCVPA), School of Dance, Jamaica. 

Dr. DeGrasse-Johnson has served as Principal of the EMCVPA, and Director of the School of Dance where she also lectured in courses such as Methods for Teaching Studio Dance, and Applied Movement Technique for the Classroom. She has served as Adjunct Lecturer in Dance Education at The Mico University College, and the University of the West Indies, Mona (Jamaica). She has also served as Assistant Chief Examiner in Theatre Arts with the Caribbean Examination Council (CXC) from 2000 to 2015, co-writer of the Dance Component of the CXC Theatre Arts Syllabus, and reviewer of the Dance Education Baccalaureate Degree at the University of the West Indies, St. Augustine (Trinidad). Dr. DeGrasse-Johnson is co-author with Professor Christopher Walker (University of Wisconsin-Madison) of “Roots to Routes: The Evolution of Jamaica's National Dance Theatre Company and the School of Dance”, Edna Manley College, published in Cultural and Pedagogical Inquiry, Fall 2019.

Shara Goldsmith

Shara Goldsmith, born in Freeport, Grand Bahama, is a Holistic Arts Educator with over 20 years in Education and over 35 years experience in the Performing Arts. Shara began her dance training in the UK studying with the Royal Academy of Dance, The Royal Ballet School & Italia Conte. Upon moving back to The Bahamas, Shara enrolled in the Lois Seiler Academy of Dance and later went on to study ballet at North Carolina School of the Arts after which she became a member of the National Dance Company of The Bahamas (NDCB). In 1997 Shara was awarded the Paul Meeres Award for the Most Outstanding Individual in Dance during the Bahamas National Arts Festival. Choosing to study Dance Education and then Humanities at The University of North Carolina Greensboro, she graduated with a BA in Humanities and a minor in Dance. Shara taught at Provo Primary School, Graceway Sports Centre, and also ran Breaking Free Dance Academy and Company in Turks and Caicos. Over the years, she developed her professional pedagogy specializing in the integration of movement & the arts into pre-primary through secondary curriculum and developing mindful, culturally responsive and inclusive teacher training methods. She has recently completed a Masters in Education studying the Psychology of Education at The University of The West Indies, Cave Hill in Barbados. She continues to educate and advocate for equitable access, inclusion and empowerment of students through Arts programming and policy.  She is the Shirley Hall Bass Justice, Equity and Inclusion Officer.

Lindsey Bauer

Lindsey Bauer is a dance artist, teacher-leader, and arts advocate. Lindsey recently joined the faculty at Towson University in the Master of Arts in Dance Education Program supporting students in their thesis projects. A Teacher Leader in the Connected Arts Network, Lindsey co-leads a Professional Learning Community whereby participants build their capacity to embrace and integrate equity, diversity, inclusion, access, and social-emotional learning in their classrooms. Lindsey has presented research in dance education at Towson University, Central Connecticut State University, National Dance Education conferences: virtual, Denver, and Atlanta, and the New York State Dance Education Association Conference. Lindsey is the Co-Artistic Director of Elm City Dance Collective, leading the organization in providing dance experiences in the community of New Haven, Connecticut and beyond. Lindsey has a background in K-12 dance education, working as the lead dance teacher at Cooperative Arts & Humanities High School, teaching technique and choreography, serving on leadership committees, production teams, and as the advisor for the National Honor Society for the Dance Arts.  Lindsey has a BFA from Towson University, MFA from Arizona State University.