Who We Are
DuYe Moves is the community arts project of Chikaba’s Sanctuary a Federal 501c3 non-profit. We are micro-institution Art House dedicated to providing a full spectrum of free to the public and donation based arts programming. Our classes include dance, wellness, and arts. We present porch and living room concerts, readings and theater. Choreographers are provided performance residencies on our outdoor stage. We partner with community organizations and educators to access the resources, space and history of the island to youth and adults.
The Team
Chicava Roslyn Tate, Creative Director
Chicava is a multidisciplinary performer, producer, teacher, and scholar dedicated to the power of movement, cultural expression, and community-building. As the Founder and Director of DuYe Moves, she brings her deep expertise in dance, Taoist healing arts, and creative production to New York City’s Governors Island, where DuYe Moves offers free dance, drum, yoga, and Tai Chi/QiGong classes that unite people through movement and the arts.
A certified Universal Healing Tao and Institute of Integral Qigong and Tai Chi Instructor, Chicava also holds certification as a Tao Tantric Arts Her academic research focuses on the heritage of Black women in burlesque, spirituality & metaphysics, and Taoist practices, culminating in an MFA from Goddard College.
Learn more about her at Chicava.com
Board of Directors
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Lauren M. Smith - Theater Arts Curator, Board Member - Writer/Director
Lauren Marissa Smith is a multidisciplinary director and writer dedicated to authentic storytelling that amplifies the lives of Black women and girls. Her work explores intimacy, family, and systemic impacts on marginalized communities. Notable projects include Free Black Girls, a chronicle of her time in NYC burlesque; Me+You, a coming-of-age story about escaping a criminal past; and Georgia Stars, a female-led heist drama. As a producer, she has created theater, films, and live events for Brown Girls Burlesque and collaborated with institutions like Columbia University, National Black Theater, The Public Theater, and the Brooklyn Museum.
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Gabriel N. Fleming is an artist and community architect dedicated to helping creativity flourish. Her journey began by selling her own work in New Jersey and organizing mental health exhibitions. Now, she focuses on nurturing local talent through mentorship, workshops, and opportunities to showcase their art. She builds vital connections by producing newsletters, blogs, and a marketing platform to increase artist visibility. Her vision expands to publishing, with her Soul Search Art's Contemporary Magazine featuring artists exploring themes like the Black experience. Through these efforts, Fleming fosters a supportive, vibrant artistic community and enriches the cultural landscape for all.
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A veteran event producer, Rasheed brings over two decades of technical expertise and logistical mastery to every project. His career spans managing intricate community activations and 15-hour "Night-to-Day" experiences for major organizations across NYC and California. Through his work with Bawlout Productions, he has streamlined operations for premier venues, specializing in full lifecycle production: vendor logistics, multi-tiered staffing, and specialized guest experiences. Passionate about music and arts, he views professional event production as a form of storytelling that fosters connection and healing. His deep industry knowledge ensures every event is both operationally flawless and culturally resonant.
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Deinya is a performer, educator, and scholar dedicated to cultural exchange and social justice. She has performed at venues from Carnegie Hall to the streets of Salvador da Bahia and taught at NYU and other colleges. With a PhD in Sociology, she has held research roles at organizations like the Council of State Governments, leading data-driven projects on racial justice and public policy. Her work integrates scientific rigor with an artistic sensibility, creating workshops like "Power Through Percussion" that celebrate African diasporic traditions. Her career unites art, education, and research to inspire and empower communities globally.
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Ted Fields is the Chief Operating Officer and co-founder of Big City Tourism, overseeing daily operations, strategic planning, and business development. A University of Virginia graduate with a BS in Business, he brings 18 years of diverse experience from finance and construction sectors. In his role, Ted manages investor relations, revenue optimization, and technology partnerships to ensure operational excellence. He is a hands-on leader passionate about team development, providing colleagues with the tools and support needed to succeed. By balancing strategic vision with practical execution, Ted plays a key role in shaping the company’s future and driving its success
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Renee K. Smith is a strategist, holistic healer, and artist who integrates ancestral wisdom with modern practice. As the proprietress of Akira Apothecary and Akika Flower Essences, she crafts plant-based products for healing and transformation. Her background as a nonprofit leader informs her strategic work, creating systems for organizational transparency and efficiency. An internationally traveled performer and cultural curator, Renee's deep community roots in Brooklyn fuel her passion for youth development and social justice. She embodies the roles of mother, artist, alchemist, and strategist, dedicated to helping individuals and communities manifest wellness and thrive.
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Kweku Sylvester Gbewonyo is an applied mathematician and financier with over 32 years of experience. His career spans securities trading at Merrill Lynch, supporting electronic platforms at Instinet, and specializing in Impact/ESG investing. He has co-founded Financial Capitalization Groups, executing over 350 capitalizations and mergers for middle-market firms, and founded funds like PESWA Capital, focusing on sustainable agriculture and clean energy. Beyond finance, he is dedicated to serving the community through personal healing arts programming and fostering progressive interdependence by uniting like-minded individuals and organizations to build transformative, resilient networks.
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Theater Arts Dept Head at New School, Dancer, Filmmaker, Producer
Cara Hagan (She/They) is a multi-hyphenate artist, curator, writer, and educator who believes in art's power to disrupt time and physics in pursuit of liberation. Their work—spanning performance, film, and installation—privileges ritual over sacred outcomes. Their recent solo physical theatre work, Mama Piranha, exploring loss and reclaiming agency, premiered at JACK! Brooklyn in 2025. Hagan is an Associate Professor and MFA Program Director at The New School and serves as Executive Director of the Dance on Camera festival. Their practice consistently explores what it means to dismantle old worlds to build anew.
Curators
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Chris Bisram is an Indo-Caribbean multidisciplinary artist, educator, and fellow (EmergeNYC, Astoria Film Festival, City Center). Their work centers on dance, theater, and ecological themes. A teaching artist and Hunter College Dance Education student, they also demonstrate Dunham Technique at Ailey Extension. Bisram co-facilitates the collective Kin to the Cove, creating performances about water and climate, and has performed for City of Water Day events. They recently founded ShakunDaviDance, a collective exploring water as metaphor. Through these channels, Bisram's practice investigates environmental stewardship, identity, and the act of resurfacing both literal and figurative depths.
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Ian (Cryptic One) is a hip-hop music producer, instrumentalist, and rapper with a deep passion for the art of beatmaking. His work focuses on highlighting instrumental producers as artists in their own right, without the need for vocalists to take center stage. Through BEATs TABLE, he aims to bring awareness to the beat scene and provide audiences with a foundational understanding of what these producers do and why it is a unique art form. More than just showcasing the music, he seeks to tell the human stories behind the beats—exploring the motivations, inspirations, challenges, and creative journeys that drive producers to create and perform.
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She curates immersive experiences using crystal singing bowls and pure toned instruments, chants, guided meditations, shamanic journeying, Akashic Readings and sacred movement to release blockages of negative emotions/trauma to manifest balance in your being and reactivate your light.
“My path is to help others achieve happiness through sacred sound.”
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Ndigo, is a Certified Reiki/Holistic Practitioner and Founder of The Healing Drum Collective
She is a Spiritual Healer, Self-Published Author, Percussionist & Entrepreneur. She seeks to help people release negative thoughts and energy thru Reiki, positivity & grounding techniques. She promotes Ancient Egyptian/Kemetic principles, ie., MAAT and Sekhem. She helps people “Recharge and Reset!”