Our ‘25 BLOOM Team
Courtney Paige (Founder)
began her formal dance training at the NORD/NOBA Center for Dance and New Orleans Center for Creative Arts (NOCCA). Courtney earned her BFA, with honors, from The Ailey School/Fordham University. She has toured with Ailey II and later, EVIDENCE Dance Company (Dir. Ron K. Brown), and is now a performing artist with Camille A. Brown & Dancers. In addition to her performing endeavors, Courtney is Associate Choreographer for the Broadway bound production of 1776. She has worked and performed closely with Tank & the Bangas, Jemel McWilliams, Jeffrey Page, Ray Mercer, Darrell Moultrie, and The DynamitExperience. Other credits include 2022 Grammy Awards and 2023 Jazz & Heritage Festival with Jon Batiste, Porgy & Bess (Metropolitan Opera), 2021 Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade (NBC), Broadway Bares: Takeoff (Chor. Laya Barak), POWERPLAY (The Shed), 2016 VMA's: Beyoncé (MTV), and release industrials for The Wheel of Time (Amazon Prime) and Samsung S8 Release (Chor. Rich & Tone Talauega). Courtney is a student at PRATT University, where she is earning her Master’s Degree in Dance Movement Therapy. She is the 2019 recipient of the Artie Award, presented by Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, INC of which she is a proud member. She is a Certified Mental Health First Aid Responder, and Vinyasa Yoga Teacher in training (with a concentration on Black Wellness). Because of her expertise, she has taught at many studios and institutions, both nationally and abroad. She regularly holds workshops in various community centers, parks, and after school dance programs. She gives thanks to God, her family, and chosen tribe for the unwavering support!
A group of women committed to the affirmation and empowerment of young BLOOMers
Mama Mariama Curry
Mariama Curry is a New Orleans based educator, choreographer, dancer, and proud member of the New Orleans Chapter of the Black Panther Party. Although she initially pursued a career in Civil Rights Law, Curry dedicated her life to teaching the community about the beauty and richness of African Culture and Dance. With this passion, she founded Culu and N’Kafu Traditional Dance Companies. In 2021, SUNO’s Center for African and African American Studies honored her with the Living Legend Award. Mama Mariama Curry is a true guiding light for the empowerment of our community.
High Heal Doula
High Heal Doula is a soul activist deeply informed by the activism that happens within our souls when we are planted in the right soil. A universal being, she believes in the healing of the planet through sound, movement, birth & death, and parenthood in all the forms that it takes. Birthed from the womb of a 9th Ward woman, HHD seeks to " align the eye with the I " which means finding intentional consumption as a way to interrogate and revolutionize our image collectively and individually.
Celeste Mercadel
Celeste is a movement architect, performing + teaching artist, creative consultant, & researcher from New Orleans, LA. She is the Founder/ Artistic Director of Celartise Creative & Celartise DANCE. Her work has been presented in residence at Keshet MSE (Albuquerque, NM), the Binge Dance Festival (New Orleans, LA), & the Black Art Expo (Washington, DC) with research supported by the National Institutes of Health. Her community programming has been supported by the Southern Black Girls & Women's Consortium & The Pete & Thomas Foundation. With an academic background in Public Health Science & Sociology, Celeste integrates artistic practice with social impact, bridging traditional & contemporary forms. Her work spans live choreography, site-specific installations, film, community programming, creative consulting, art direction, and more!
Emiko Stroud
Emiko is a special education educator and community organizer based in New Orleans, originally from Oakland, CA. Coming from a large family of educators and being the third of ten siblings, teaching has always been in her blood. She began working with children through summer camps and babysitting, eventually becoming an assistant camp director. Since entering the special education field in 2020, she has remained passionate about supporting youth. Influenced by her mother, a professional SEL coach, Emiko deeply values social-emotional learning and is excited to explore how it can intersect with the arts.