2026 Barbara Ensley Award Recipients
NHYIRA OFORIWAA ASANTE - RYAN CHARLES-MARC
NHYIRA OFORIWAA ASANTE
I am grateful for the opportunity to be a recipient of the Ensley Award, and to Barbara Ensley for laying the foundation that has made this support possible. It is a true honor to be part of the Cunningham legacy, and I am excited to contribute my own artistic voice meaningfully to this community.
Nhyira Oforiwaa Asante (she/her) is a Ghanaian-American dancer and choreographer based in New York City. A Bronx native, she graduated magna cum laude from New York University as a Tisch Dean Scholar, earning a B.F.A. in Dance and a B.A. in Sociology. Her training includes the Dance Theatre of Harlem School, The Ailey School, Hubbard Street Dance Chicago, MOVE|NYC|, Ballet Hispánico, and HAMU in Prague, Czech Republic.
Her choreographic practice integrates modern and contemporary dance with Ghanaian traditions and folklore, centering themes of identity and community. Her work has been presented at the Battery Park Dance Festival, Jamaica Performing Arts Center, Moving Forward’s Emerging Choreographer Festival, and featured in The Dance Enthusiast. She was a recipient of the 2025 Eryc Taylor New Choreographer Grant and the 2022 Upsurge Dance Festival Choreographic Mentorship Award with Sidra Bell. In the media space, her experimental dance film Sincerely, was an official selection of the 2025 Reeling: Dance on Screen Festival in Edmonton, Canada.
As a performer, Nhyira has appeared in works by Robert Garland, Jamar Roberts, Sidra Bell, Trisha Brown, Bill T. Jones, and Robyn Mineko, and performed in Jacolby Satterwhite’s digital installation “ An Eclectic Dance to the Movement of Time” at Lincoln Center. She also serves as a Dunham Technique lecture demonstrator and dancer for PAKA (Passing Ancestral Knowledge Along) under the direction of Dana Manno.
Her professional experience includes serving as associate choreographer for the Stephen Sondheim Awards at the Shubert Theatre and as a research fellow with Sidra Bell’s MODULE. She has also served as a Junior Mentor for the NYC DOE/Lincoln Center Arts Bootcamp and as a mentor with the Exploring the Arts Foundation, founded by Tony Bennett and Susan Benedetto. She has worked with brands and publications including The New York Times, Travis Scott, SNIPES USA, and Amika.
RYAN CHARLES-MARC
I’m incredibly grateful for the opportunity to grow within the New York dance community through the Cunningham Trust and to contribute in meaningful ways. I’m excited to continue growing in all capacities with the Cunningham family.
Ryan Charles-Marc is a Haitian-American dancer and choreographer based in South Florida. He is currently a company member with Peter London Global Dance Company and a member of the Nieces & Nephews dance crew. Ryan’s artistic journey began at Diamonds Minds Transformational Leadership Academy, a private school in Miami Gardens, after relocating from Haiti following the devastating 2010 earthquake.
He continued his formal training at the New World School of the Arts, earning his BFA in Dance in Spring 2025. With over a decade of experience across a wide range of dance styles, Ryan brings depth, versatility, and intention to every performance. His performance credits include works by renowned choreographers such as Peter London, Martha Graham, Robert Battle, Paul Taylor, and Jamar Roberts, among others.
Beyond performance, Ryan is deeply committed to creating work that advocates for, preserves, and celebrates Black culture while expanding access to the arts for underserved communities. He has collaborated with local artists and dance companies and has presented his choreography at the New World School of the Arts.
Currently, Ryan embodies a passionate and evolving artistic voice. Dedicated to growth and discovery, he remains eager to embrace new opportunities, deepen his craft, and continue shaping his journey as both a dancer and choreographer.
READ ABOUT PREVIOUS BARBARA ENSLEY AWARD RECIPIENTS