Melvin Deal • Senior Cultural Advisor – is the Founding Director and Executive Artistic Director of the African Heritage Dancers and Drummers, the oldest continuously operating dance company of its kind in the Washington, DC area.
Mr. Deal, a veteran artist of more than fifty-five years, has worked tirelessly in researching African cultural manifestations to be used in the building of Self-Esteem and addressing the presence of Violence, Delinquency and Dysfunctional lifestyles and abuse in African-American communities. An accomplish-ed, Dancer, Musician, Choreographer, Researcher and Director, Mr. Deal is a graduate of Howard University, with a BA degree in Fine Arts & Education. He has studied at Ghana University, University of Nigeria at Ibadan, and at numerous cultural institutions nationally and abroad in the African Diaspora. The recipient of many prestigious awards, among which include: The Washington Post’s “Living Legends” Award, 1980; “Washingtonian of the Year, 1981;, “Mayor’s Arts Award, 1981″; Baltimore’s”Great Blacks In Wax Award”, 1995; and the ADACI “Standing on the Shoulders of Our Ancestors Award”, 1999, Mr. Deal performs and teaches regularly in the African Heritage Dance Center and in many elementary and secondary school systems in the greater Washington, DC area. A consummate scholar of African dance, music, and culture, he conducts classes, seminars, master classes and lecture demonstrations for colleges, universities and provides special cultural input to motivational programs sponsored by the Robins Research Institute, National Association of Social Workers, National Association of Black Psychologists, Boys & Girl Scouts of America, the U.S. Department of Justice Office of Criminal Justice, and many others. A community artist of uncommon perseverance, Mr. Deal is a consummate “Performance Artist”, focusing his revealing and insightful presentations on issues of healing and spiritual renewal in the African diaspora community.