Sonja M. Kelly, Founder & Artistic Director of Divinity Dance always found her place in dance and arts-focused spaces. In her formative years she was involved in school, community, and faith-based activities and organizations. The seeds of curiosity, movement, and truth that were planted in her many years ago have yielded a harvest of direction and impact in dance throughout most of her life. The community spaces where she received much of her exposure in the arts are the very doors that have been opened for her to provide these same opportunities for others through Divinity Dance.

Ms. Kelly earned her undergraduate and graduate degree from Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University and began her professional career as a high school English teacher. She would later take a leap of faith from her role as a classroom teacher in 2005 to establish Divinity Dance and fully pursue her passion for dance and the creative arts. Fast forward 20 years from that initial decision and there’s no denying the indelible mark and impact she has had as an artist and entrepreneur.

Ms. Kelly has been afforded the unique opportunity to teach at every educational level (elementary, middle school, high school, and post-secondary). This distinction has provided a diverse teaching pedagogy to best serve her students and organizational partners. This professional work has included serving as a classroom teacher, adjunct professor, teaching artist, artist-in-residence, and guest choreographer. In these various roles her expertise has been used for a broad range of programming such as developing arts-integrated curriculum, creating residency experiences with over 15 Broadway national touring productions, including Disney’s The Lion King and Hamilton, choreographing countless dance pieces, as well as serving as a consultant in various educational, artistic, and business capacities. Her work has been recognized and awarded at both local and national levels.

In addition to Ms. Kelly’s impact through Divinity Dance’s community partnerships, she also led the company in presenting its original full-scale stage productions. Divinity Dance’s two original productions Revelation: A Story of Life, Truth, and Redemption and Because He Loves Me were both written, directed, choreographed, and produced by Ms. Kelly. The support and audience response of both shows solidified another area of service and focus for the company.

For the past 20 plus years Ms. Kelly’s professional desire has simply been to be faithful with whatever opportunity was placed in front of her. There is so much more that could be shared and has yet to be realized through her position in Divinity Dance and in life. At her core, she truly believes it is not about her in the totality of it all. She holds to the simple conviction that her life can be used beyond herself to encourage, serve, and be a blessing to others.