As a teaching artist, Kwame Opare has been working in Maryland public and charter schools as an Artist-in-Residence for the better part of a decade. His extensive career as an artist and educator includes, among other things, performing and touring with the hit Broadway show “STOMP” and working extensively as a freelance choreographer, teacher and performer of West African dance. Using his diverse experience in the performing arts Kwame founded DishiBem Traditional Contemporary Dance Group to bridge the gap between traditional West African and contemporary dance and music. Kwame has created critically acclaimed, award-winning work that speaks to social issues around the world. He attended the Maryland Teaching Artists Institute in 2007, and completed the comprehensive professional development program, which trains and strengthens artists’ ability to fully integrate the arts with state curriculum. He then went on to complete a BFA degree in Dance and Education at Towson University, and a Masters of Fine Arts in Dance from the University of Maryland’s School of Theatre, Dance, and Performance Studies.