Soul Xpressiion is a non-profit organization designed to educate students in fine and performing arts and create opportunity to utilize their gifts to inspire others.

Kenyani Shanai' Vaughn

Founder, Artistic Director

Shanai (formally Shanai Henderson) is the owner and artistic director of Soul Xpressiion School of the Arts. She was born and raised in Linden, New Jersey with her loving family. She began her dance training within her church’s dance ministry, Judah, where she learned her foundation of ballet, modern, and liturgical dance. Shanai then continued her dance training as a dance major student in high school and a member of Linden High School’s Dance Company under the direction of Barbara Greco-Brady. Shanai was formerly a company member of Work of Art (WOA) Dance Theater from 2010 to 2012 and was featured in the annual Christmas show Spellbound and production Deliver Us. Shanai has also performed at Sisters Network Inc. Woman’s Empowerment program hosted by actress/dancer Victoria Rowell in 2011. Shanai was also a member of Revelations Dance ministry out of Newark, NJ under the direction of Crystal Glass, and performed along with the company at Newark Symphony Hall’s Christmas production and the 2014 Mc Donald’s Gospel Fest at the Prudential Center in Newark, NJ. In 2014, Shanai was the choreographer of an off-Broadway play, “Life of an Addict” at the Symphony Space Theater in NYC. She received her Master’s Degree in Occupational Therapy (OT) and holds a BA in Social and Behavioral Sciences with a concentration in Psychology, receiving both degrees from Seton Hall University. In conjunction with her academics, she was an instructor/choreographer for Touching Humanity Inc., a non-profit theatre/educational organization that creates services and opportunities for children/adults with various disabilities. Combining her OT and dance skills, she is able to fulfill her dream in assisting those with disabilities, to help children and adults participate in performing arts despite their disabilities. Devoting her dance to Christ, Shanai was the Dance ministry leader at Abundant Life Family Worship Church in New Brunswick, NJ, the liturgical dance instructor for Inspira Performing Arts & Cultural Center, and Director of Dance at Resting Place HOP. In 2021, Shanai helped to establish the Dance Track and served as the coordinator for Resting Place House of Prayer School of Ministry.  Filled with the love to teach, Shanai was also an educator at North Star Academy in Newark, NJ, teaching advanced drill step to her after-school enrichment program and currently works as a pediatric occupational therapist.  She was an adjunct professor for the Dance Fundamentals Course at Seton Hall University.  She loves to see others learn and find joy in learning the arts. Shanai is the author of “Instrument of Dance”, a journaling and training book for Worshipers.  She plans to continue to inspire others through dance and all art forms while creating an atmosphere where students can "Express themselves with all their Heart and Soul".

Shannon Henderson

Chief Operating Officer

Mrs. Shannon Henderson was born and raised in Newport News, Virginia. Before graduating from Hampton University with her BS in Computer Science and a Minor in Mathematics, she served in the United States Army for 3 years where she was stationed in Germany. She has over 25 years of management experience as a Manager for Seton Hall University's PC Support department. Her passion for motherhood, entrepreneurship, mentoring and the arts is what fuels her to keep operations running smoothly at Soul Xpression. As a dedicated life long learner, Mrs. Henderson furthered her education by securing her Master’s Degree in Information Technology and Instructional Design from Seton Hall University in 2011. Most recently she has received two different certifications (Basic and Gold) as a ZUMBA instructor. 

DANCE

Caitlyn Bess

dANCE competition Team Coordinator

ACRO, BALLET, Hip Hop, Jazz & Dance Company instructor

Caitlyn Bess is a New Jersey based dance educator with an emphasis on Hip-Hop dance. She feels that dance has been a part of her since birth, as she had a natural ability to count music and create movement and imagery to music at a very young age, without having formal training until her preteen years. She then began training rigorously in many dance styles, including ballet, modern, jazz, tap, and hip-hop. She holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts in dance through multimedia from The City University of New York-Lehman College and a Master of Fine Arts in dance from Temple University. Her research centered around the evolution of dance styles under the Hip-Hop or street dance umbrella, including breaking, popping, locking and house, and its impact and representation amongst the ever-evolving dance community, Latino and African-American communities, and commercial dance markets. She has performed at BAAD! (Bronx Academy of Arts and Dance), The Royal Theatre (Manhattan, NY), The American Theatre of Actors (Manhattan), and the Music Hall of Williamsburg (Brooklyn, NY). Caitlyn has been an instructor at Soul Xpressiion since 2014 and is currently the Competition Team Coordinator. She has enjoyed watching her students improve at the art form, and is excited to see the continued growth in all of the students at Soul Xpressiion.

Maurice Chestnut

tAP dance instructor

Newark, New Jersey native Maurice Chestnut began dancing at the age of five, under the direction of Mr. Alfred Gallman. He became a professional dancer at the age of nine as an original member of the New Jersey Tap Ensemble under the direction of Ms. Deborah Mitchell. As one of taps’ brightest young stars, he was featured on The Sally Jesse Raphael Show in the “My Kid’s A Star” segment, where he proudly proclaimed that he loved to dance and would keep doing it “until I die”. He was a gold medalist in the NAACP Act-So competition and was crowned “Top Dog Performer” at The Apollo Theater. At the age of fourteen, the Newark Star-Ledger’s arts reviewers named Maurice, “one of the twenty New Jersey faces to watch for in the new millennium.”

In 2003, Maurice was recruited by tap master Savion Glover, to join the national touring company of the Tony Award winning Bring In ‘Da Noise, Bring In ‘Da Funk. Maurice received critical favor in that role. He has continued to work with Savion as a member of his Improvography and Bare Soundz tours, as well as performing in productions such as Classical Savion, Tappin’ Into Monk, Invitation To The Dancer and on ABC-TV’s Dancing With The Stars. Off-Broadway credits include Shades of Harlem, The Wiz, Bubbling Brown Sugar directed by George Faison at Atlanta’s Fox Theater and Can I Hit That and in 2011, He was one of the performers in the movie"Happy Feet 2".

Maurice has developed an impressive list of credits. In addition to performing with his own band, he is often invited to perform or tour as a special guest with such prominent jazz musicians as Christian McBride, Cyrus Chestnut and Thelonius Monk III. His high profile engagements have included the JVC Jazz Festival, the Playboy Jazz Festival, The Apollo Theater and Birdland, as well as appearances at Carnegie Hall and throughout Europe with the Geri Allen Trio. As a featured soloist and choreographer, Maurice skillfully uses these venues to further develop his signature style of “playing tap” as a “live instrument.” He seamlessly weaves complex dance steps to interplay with musical notes, creating a powerful and distinctive energy that resonates with his audiences.

Inspired by such hoofing greats as the Nicholas Brothers and Jimmy Slyde, yet equally influenced by and connected to urban culture, Maurice Chestnut dances with truth, soul and power. As his appearance on BET’s 106 th and Park demonstrated, watching him dance is like walking through Harlem in the 1940’s…while bumping a hip-hop beat.

Moji Adesanya

LITTLE’S (combo) dance INSTRUCTOr

Moji Adesanya's love for dance began at the age of three when she started taking classes at Michelle Oxedine Dance Studio in Union, NJ. Since then, the studio became Harmony Dance Center and Moji has recieved 15 years of training in ballet, tap, jazz, modern, and hip hop. In addition to this, she has been a part of the Union High School Performing Arts Company as a member of the color guard and swing choir. Moji is looking forward to continuing her education at Seton Hall University and continuing her passion for dance as part of the Soul Xpressiion family!

Dr. Malachy Williams

LITURGICAL DANCE INSTRUCTOR

The Rev. Dr. Malachy M. Williams currently serves as a Transitional Pastor, Professor and as an Emmy® Award-winning Producer in the New York metropolitan area. Passionate about worship, education and the arts, Dr. Williams holds an MA in Dance and Dance Education from Teachers College, Columbia University; a ThM from Dallas Theological Seminary; a PhD from Talbot School of Theology, Biola University; and a ThD in Pneumatology with a concentration in Semiotics from Evangelical Seminary. Her practice is to live a Christ-centered life that reflects holistic Christian worship and wellbeing.

A liturgical artist with over 3 decades of dance ministry experience, Dr. Williams is the author of Simple Steps for Starting a Youth Dance Ministry. While the book is geared towards helping young people engage with worship & the arts, this primer is one that encourages leaders and dancers at all levels to remember that we were created to worship God with our whole selves—that is with body, mind, soul, spirit. Some of this teaching on Holistic Christian Worship can be heard in her podcasts, “SoulJourn with the Rev. Dr. Malachy M. Williams, and “Rest Stop: A Time of Sweet Refreshing.” You can also check out some of her other musings about flourishing in Christ in her blog “Mala-Key’s Musings.” To learn more go to malachywilliams.com.

Dr. Williams is a worshiper who believes in the transformative power of the arts especially through a deeper engagement with God’s Word. Her prayer is that we will all become fully engaged disciples of Jesus Christ and love God fully—which will inevitably lead us to love others and ourselves more fully.

~ Soli Deo Gloria

Gabrielle Buckle

MINI’s (combo), ballet, & hip hop dance INSTRUCTOR

Gabrielle Buckle is a dance educator, choreographer, and performer with over 15 years of competitive dance experience and nearly a decade of teaching experience. Since 2017, she has worked with dancers of all ages and levels, from preschool-aged students through adults, in dance studios, schools, and community programs.

Gabrielle is trained in a wide range of styles including ballet, tap, jazz, lyrical, contemporary, modern, artistic movement, and creative dance. She is passionate about creating engaging classes that build strong technical foundations while fostering confidence, creativity, discipline, and a lifelong love of dance.

As a choreographer, Gabrielle has created award-winning works for solos, duets, trios, small groups, and large group performances. Her choreography has earned numerous accolades, including the Starpower Golden Buzzer Choreography Award for her junior jazz piece, Pure Love. In addition to competitive choreography, she has created performance pieces for showcases, community events, and large-scale productions.

Gabrielle's dance experience extends beyond the studio, having performed as a member of the University of Virginia Dance Team. She has also served as a competition judge, providing her with a unique perspective on dance education, performance quality, and student growth.

Known for her positive energy, strong classroom management, and ability to connect with dancers of all ages, Gabrielle strives to create an environment where students feel supported, challenged, and inspired. Her goal is not only to develop skilled dancers but also to cultivate confidence, artistry, and a sense of community through the transformative power of dance.

Connie Mills

Dance company INSTRUCTOR

Connie Cherelle is a New Jersey-based dance educator, performer, and arts administrator dedicated to creating meaningful experiences through movement, mentorship, and the performing arts.

Connie began her dance training at InSpira Performing Arts in New Brunswick, NJ, studying under Lanette Costas-Stampley and receiving extensive training in ballet, pointe, and contemporary dance. She earned her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance from Montclair State University, where she performed works by acclaimed choreographers including Kathleen Kelley, Maxine Steinman, Michelle Manzanales, Christian von Howard, Tommie Waheed-Evans, Doug Varone, and Kyle Abraham.

Connie currently performs with Faith Moves Dance Company, under the artistic direction of Taniyyah Payne. As a faith-based company, Faith Moves uses movement to express God’s love, peace, and presence.

As an educator, Connie teaches at M.A.D.E. Stars Performing Arts School in Union, NJ, and Soul Xpressiion School of the Arts in Orange, NJ. She is passionate about developing dancers through technical training, mentorship, and confidence-building. She also remains connected to her roots by supporting and mentoring dancers within the Piscataway High School Dance Program, PHS Chiefs Dance Team, and Montclair State University’s Band Dance Team, Complexions.

Beyond the studio, Connie brings her experience in event operations and arts administration to her work within the performing arts community. She continues to expand her career across performance, dance education, arts administration, and event management, with a commitment to building opportunities and experiences that strengthen and uplift the arts community.

Jacqueline Selesky

ballet, JAzz, and hip hop & dance company INSTRUCTOR

BIO COMING SOON!

MUSIC

ADMINISTRATIVE TEAM

Stephanie Hall

studio administrator

Stephanie Hall has a  background in both the sciences and worship dance that uniquely brings together education, organization, faith, and the performing arts. Currently serving in an administrative role at Soul Xpressiion School of the Arts , she is passionate about creating an environment where dancers can develop their skills, confidence, and appreciation for the arts.

Stephanie holds a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry with a minor in Biology, reflecting her strong academic foundation and commitment to excellence. While her educational background is rooted in the sciences, she has always maintained a deep appreciation for creativity and the arts, particularly dance.

Her connection to dance and ministry has been a significant part of her life. She has taught liturgical dance for many years, using movement as a meaningful form of worship and expression. She also served as a Praise Team Leader for 10 years, providing leadership and encouragement through music and ministry.

As a mother of two, she values family, faith, education, and service. Her diverse experiences have shaped her into a well-rounded leader who is dedicated to supporting others and creating opportunities for individuals to grow both personally and creatively. Through her work in teaching and ministry, she continues to use her gifts to inspire, encourage, and make a positive impact within her community, her church, and Soul Xpressiion School of the Arts.