Board Secretary

Shawn Merriman-Roberts

Shawn Merriman-Roberts began his traditional Haitian dance training in 1992 with Bjola Bernard Branner. He had taken other disciplines previously, but it was the Haitian drums that called to him, even to this day. The first dance company that he performed with was Adiva Modern Dance company. In 1996 Shawn was invited to join the traditional Haitian dance troupe Groupe Petit Le Croix company. He started his teaching career in 1998 at 24 Hr Fitness. Santa Cruz and Santa Clara University soon followed thanks to the assistance of Blanche Brown, choreographer and director of Groupe Petit Le Croix. He has also danced with Portsha Jefferson’s RaRa Tou Limen, Antoine Hunter’s Urban Jazz Dance and TWDCC’s Diaspora. He has been a featured choreographer in TWDCC’s Deep Roots Dance Fest in 2022 and 2025.