Bio

Edna Stevens is a choreographer, performing, and teaching artist that has taken her craft locally, nationally and internationally. She has performed and offered instructional dance presentations and performances in Korea, Japan and Nigeria and led Gospel devotions in Senegal. She taught at 3 secondary schools in Nigeria & 2 in the Gambia. Edna got her start in New York as a dancer on MTV “The Grind” and danced in numerous music videos for well-known celebrities. Soon after, she booked one of her biggest opportunities dancing in the World Culture Expo representing the United States of America in Gyeongju, Korea. She was one of the twenty-five cast members flown in from NYC, performing as the lead African dancer in the production for a period of six months. This life-impacting experience and meeting people from all over the world, inspired Edna years later to create Universal Dance Destiny (UDD). She instructs classes, workshops and residencies at various locations yearly. Born in Liberia and raised in New York, Edna’s unique style blends both her African roots and American flavor. Edna is the founder and Artistic Director of Universal Dance Destiny, a pioneer non-profit dance company based in Minneapolis. UDD specializes in traditional African dance with live drumming accompaniment, Hip Hop, and productions that represent multiculturalism and solidarity. Under Edna’s artistic direction, UDD has presented for Flint Hills Festival at Ordway, Be- Girl Be at Indermedia Arts, Choreographer’s Evening at the Walker Art Center, and yearly presentations at the Festival of Nations- to name a few. Her production of African Roads American Streets at the Southern Theater was a hit in 2006 which led her company to be selected as one of the acts in “Best of the Fringe” at the Guthrie Theater! To see a full list of all the events that Edna and UDD has participated in, refer to our “Events” page on this website.