Meet Denisea Woodard Patterson | Artistic Director

We had the good fortune of connecting with Denisea Woodard Patterson and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Denisea, why did you decide to pursue a creative path?
I wanted to give youth opportunities that I didn’t have growing up. After college I was determined to make a difference in my community so I decided to go back and build a program where youth can have access to fine arts training, mentorship, and educational experiences through a creative platform.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I am the Artistic Director of RSA of Dance & Performing Arts. Most people for the longest viewed me as just a dancer & choreographer, but I’m much more. My destiny is to build youth development programs in underserved communities where youth have access to dance, theater, visual arts, music, mentorship, college access, health and wellness programs. Our goal is to build confident leaders for the next generation and we are doing just that at RSA! This journey has not been easy. I started RSA by myself so you can imagine the many financial and physical sacrifices that I had to make over the years. Those sacrifices are paying off and I’m now able to see the fruits of my labor. I now have an incredible team of teachers, community partners, sponsors, and active parents who support the mission and future of RSA.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
My friends and I are foodies! We are always looking for the next hot spot to eat. We love to support black own establishments so we would probably start by looking up a brunch or dinner spot.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I would like to dedicate this article to God, my baby girl Ari Patterson and my supportive husband, Sean Patterson. Ari Thank you for giving me the strength I didn’t know I had, every sacrifice is to make your future brighter. Sean, thank you for your support and encouragement along this journey. You’ve seen me fight through my toughest battles and I’m thankful that I get to share every milestone with you. And thank you God for choosing me for this path, your glory reigns forever.

Website: https://www.rsaofdance.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rsaofdance?igsh=ZXRsemo3MmVpbTR3&utm_source=qr

Facebook: @Risingstarsacademy

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