DeMarcus Akeem Suggs

Title: Graduate Assistant, NCCAkron
Dept/Program: School of Dance, Theatre, and Arts Administration

Biography

A Twin Cities, MN native, DeMarcus Akeem Suggs (he/him/his) is a dance artist, educator, and administrator. He began his formal dance training at the age of 18 under the tutelage of Katharyn Horne, Maryann Mee, and the late Marcus Sherman, continuing his immersive studies at Masterworks Festival and the USA International Ballet Competition & School. In 2011, DeMarcus received his B.F.A. in Dance from Belhaven University where he was selected for the Bezalel Award for Outstanding Artistic Achievement. His professional experience includes performing with Dayton Ballet, Verb Ballets, TALK Dance Company, Neos Dance Theatre, as well as Dayton Contemporary Dance Company (DCDC). During his tenure at DCDC, DeMarcus was selected by his artistic peers to receive the Josephine Schwartz Award (The Josie) for his pursuit of artistic excellence both on and off the stage. A versatile performer, he has performed works by Lauren Anderson, Ron K. Brown, Donald Byrd, Rennie Harris, Ernie ‘Ian’ Horvath, Ronen Koresh, Donald McKayle, Ray Mercer and Septime Webre. 

With his keen interest in the ways in which the arts contribute to personal, community, and economic development, DeMarcus’ professional experience also encompasses leadership roles in non-profit administration. He has served as Program Director of The Victory Project (Dayton, OH); Coordinator of Education & Engagement at Victoria Theatre Association (Dayton, OH); and most recently as Director of Education & Outreach for Neos Dance Theatre where he led the company’s operational and curricular development for its flagship training institution: Neos Center for Dance. Currently, Mr. Suggs is an Adjunct Lecturer at Baldwin Wallace University as well as the Graduate Assistant for the nation’s second choreographic center, NCCAkron. DeMarcus is a Masters of Theatre Arts in Arts Administration candidate at The University of Akron.

Education

B.F.A. in Dance, Belhaven University