Work samples

  • Dance & Bmore
    Dance & Bmore

    Dance & Bmore Theater is a Baltimore-based ensemble of dancers, musicians, and theater-makers who create new and engaging works for audiences of all ages. Their performances are a dynamic fusion of storytelling through contemporary dance, live music, vocals, and spoken word that invite audiences to participate and celebrate light.

  • Dance & Bmore
  • Rise & Shine

    True Story.

    In 2025, Dance & Bmore received the incredible news that we had been selected for a two-week residency at the Voxel, a state-of-the-art black box theater. No rental cost. All ticket sales retained. A community theater dream come true.

    Then I realized the dates fell during Easter weekend.

    So the question became: what show would people actually come out to see during a holiday?

    One of my favorite Broadway albums growing up—one I had listened to a thousand times was Your Arms Too Short to Box with God. I had even choreographed it once before, starring Sissy Houston and Melba Moore. It felt perfect. Inspired. Meant to be.

    Tracking down the licensing rights took far longer than I expected, and when I finally connected with the rights holders, their response was… less than enthusiastic. From their questions, it was clear they doubted whether a community theater could do the work justice. Ultimately, they turned us down.

    I followed up with a letter championing the excellence of

  • Directors Table Talk

    Dance & Bmore’s Director’s Table Talk brings Broadway and regional theater directors to the table for honest conversation. In this video series, season directors connect with aspiring theater-makers, offering insight, encouragement, and inspiration through shared stories, questions, and real-world wisdom.

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About CJay

Baltimore City  

CJay Philip is a Writer, Director, Choreographer, and Artistic Director of Dance & Bmore, an innovative company producing music, movement, and theater to bridge generations - connecting youth, families, and elders through the transformative power of the arts. A Broadway veteran and arts educator, CJay has taught at Baltimore School for the Arts and Peabody Conservatory, and founded theater programs including Voices of Carmen, and Bmore Broadway Live. Her direction and choreography are… more

View CJay's Resume
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CJay's Theater Making Process and Work

Performing Artists know there's a process to bring our art to an audience. I believe there's power in that process and this project work sample highlights and values both performances and process. 

  • Her Across the River - Directed by CJay Philip

    Her, Across the River

    A Play with Movement

    By Hope Villanueva

    Description or Synopsis : An American woman on an escape from reality in Bangkok befriends a novice Buddhist monk. As they work through their wounds together, their lost loved ones journey on in the spirit world. On the other side of the river, separating the living from the dead, their lost loved ones befriend each other. All are trying to achieve some level of peace and maybe even enlightenment. Overseeing this is the Thai Earth Goddess, who is troubled to see her sister Goddess, Demeter, unable to find peace without her daughter, Persephone. Told through movement in a magical realism frame, this play explores the journey from grief to the start of healing. CJay Philip directs this world premiere production.  

  • The Fabulous, The Forefathers, and The Forgotten - AKA The Fab Show

    The Fabulous, The Forefathers, & The Forgotten (The Fab Show) is a vibrant theatrical celebration honoring creative trailblazers who shaped American theater. From the syncopation of Ragtime and the soul of Gospel to the pulse of Hip-Hop and the elegance of Classical traditions, African American artists have redefined the sound of the stage.

    Spanning the 1900s to today, The Fab Show blends music, movement, and storytelling into an electrifying revue. A multi-talented ensemble sings, dances, and plays live instruments as they deliver original poems, prose, and songs—interwoven with the words and wisdom of Langston Hughes, James Weldon Johnson, Eubie Blake, Florence Mills, and others.

    The production is written and conceived by CJay Philip, who infuses warmth and wit that invite audiences to laugh, contemplate, and celebrate. The Fab Show pays tribute to the icons, innovators, and unsung heroes who made American theater what it is today.

    Available for Purchase
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    • Dance & Bmore Elder Ensemble

    During the height of the pandemic in 2021, the Dance & Bmore Ensemble collaborated virtually with elder artists to create Seasons of Change. Seasons of Change weaves spoken word, dance, rhythm, and song into a moving reflection on life’s seasons - exploring the revelations, growth, and wisdom discovered along the journey of learning.
     

    • Seasons of Change

      Seasons of Change is a multidisciplinary performance exploring life’s seasons through spoken word, dance, rhythm, and song.

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    Singer Songwriter

    Since founding Dance & Bmore, I've written several songs for ensemble performances and staged productions.

    • Celebrate Your Light written by CJay

      We recognize the light and love we each bring into a room, an interaction, a conversation, and a life. As we recognize our strengths and our capacity for good 'we don’t throw shade we throw shine' and celebrate the people in our lives who’s light brightens our day, our hearts and our minds. 
       

      Available for Purchase
    • "All the Way Live" written and performed by CJay Philip (and DeMerris)

      When I consider what it means to be alive...truly stirred, and fulfilled by the life we live, creation is at the center - the heartbeat, breath, and life of a soul. 

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    • Opera - Voices of Carmen

    VOICES OF CARMEN is a musical adaptation of the opera Carmen, reimagined in a high school setting. The production brings a contemporary spin to this iconic story, featuring fresh yet familiar interpretations of Georges Bizet’s compositions alongside a dozen new songs spanning pop, rap, and R&B.

    Written, directed, and choreographed by CJay Philip, this vibrantly staged work examines escalating conflict, pivotal crossroads, and the many voices that shape the choices we make.

    • Habanera

      I originally wrote and produced an early version of this work in Zurich, Switzerland, in collaboration with my brother, Kelvin Hardy. Many years later, after relocating to Baltimore, I revised the script, added new characters, and wrote half a dozen additional songs.

      The premiere of Voices of Carmen, featuring Baltimore youth performers, took place in Summer 2019.

    • Carmen Blue and Our Hero

      Fresh remakes of classical mix Opera with R&B, Pop, and Rap. Voices of Carmen is a vibrant new take on Georges Bizet Carmen. New lyrics, arrangements, and song by CJay and Winston Philip feature Baltimore area teens who bring their own energy  and style to this classical tale. 

    • Cast Album

      Annual productions of Voices of Carmen has produced three cast albums. 

    • Crossroads (Voices & Choices)

      Dominic recalls a pivotal moment in his sisters Carmens tragic joureny. 

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    • Choreography - Dance & Bmore

    The Dance & Bmore Ensemble brings together dancers, musicians, and spoken-word artists to create vibrant performance experiences. Through a dynamic fusion of contemporary dance, live music, vocals, and spoken word, their work invites audiences into participation, reflection, and the celebration of light.

    • "Fire Bird" with the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra

      Carnegie Halls LINK Up program present annual by the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra performances for over 6,000 students. 

      "The Orchestra Sings" and "The Orchestra Swings" directed and choreographed by CJay Philip and featuring the Dance & Bmore Ensemble  

    • The Birth

      The Birth explores themes of creative discovery, community, conflict, and loss. The work was presented in a showcase featuring Baltimore dance companies at Theatre Project.

    • Life is a Circle

      When my mother read me a poem she'd written, I asked if I could create a piece around it. This is the result 

    • Present Tense Trio (Dancer CJay Philip, Singer DeMerris, Poet April Kersey)

      I was struck by a poem written by Jason Lehman when he was just 14 years old. This performance for over 200 women seemed to truly resonate 

    • Send Me

      Send Me was the first piece the Dance & Bmore Ensemble ever performed, and to this day it remains one of the first works new company members learn.

      The piece is especially meaningful to me because, at the time I created it, I did not see myself as a choreographer. I didn’t want the assignment. I said no, more than once but it was for a good cause, and they simply would not stop asking. So I agreed.

      I sweated, prayed, and nearly vomited while building the piece on my incredibly supportive dancer friends - some of whom appear in this video. I was green, uncertain, and deeply unsure of my place in this field. But together, we got it done.

      To my complete surprise, Send Me closed Act I of the benefit performance with a standing ovation.

      During intermission, the organizer came backstage and asked if we could bring the piece to Philadelphia for a volunteer summit on the steps of the Art Museum—yes, those steps Rocky runs up—and perform before a speech by Colin Powell.

      I was speechless. Jaw on the

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