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Ms Ella

@_msella_

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Artistic Director, Choreographer, Dancer, Educator
Founder, CEO, & Director @_socafusion

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Read what Ashleigh Gordon AD Emeritus of @castleskins is saying about Harnessing our Gardens and swipe to meet some of the interviewees.

Purchase your copy at vladance.com/harnessingourgardens or using the link in my bio

BOOK CREDITS
Author & Editor - Victoria Lynn Awkward
Illustrations - Katiana Rodriguez
Contributing editor, author, advisor - Sarah “Nnenna Loveth” Nwafor
Advisor - Angelique Motunrayo Folasade Àyìnkẹ́ C-Dina
Advisor - Phaye Poliakoff-Chen
Copy Editor - Flinn Eng

Harnessing our Gardens is a way to tend to the garden that my ancestors have, and my descendants will, plant in, feed from, and play with.

This art drawn by Katiana Rodriguez @boogie.down.baby reflects interviewees answers to the question, what do they connect to in the garden?

Sunflower for @thevontasticpoler and the cover image of the book!

Purchase your copy at vladance.com/harnessingourgardens or using the link in my bio

Harnessing our Gardens is a way to tend to the garden that my ancestors have, and my descendants will, plant in, feed from, and play with.

This art drawn by Katiana Rodriguez @boogie.down.baby reflects interviewees answers to the question, what do they connect to in the garden?

Marigolds for Makeda Wallace @_keda247

Purchase your copy at vladance.com/harnessingourgardens or using the link in my bio

Harnessing our Gardens is a way to tend to the garden that my ancestors have, and my descendants will, plant in, feed from, and play with.

This art drawn by Katiana Rodriguez @boogie.down.baby reflects interviewees answers to the question, what do they connect to in the garden?

Hibiscus for Ella Wechsler-Matthaei @_msella_

Purchase your copy at vladance.com/harnessingourgardens or using the link in my bio

Harnessing our Gardens is a way to tend to the garden that my ancestors have, and my descendants will, plant in, feed from, and play with.

This art drawn by Katiana Rodriguez @boogie.down.baby reflects interviewees answers to the question, what do they connect to in the garden?

Sunflowers for Pearl Young @pearlyounggreen of @pearlmovementco

Purchase your copy at vladance.com/harnessingourgardens or using the link in my bio by @_msella_

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10 days ago

What @juviethegreat said 😜

Cuz this back is backin’ and glow is glowinggg 🤩

#HappyFriday 🥳 taken in New York, New York by @_msella_

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25 days ago

Listennnn Fit Fete with @elzz__herself was a TIME! She kicked my butt, thighs, and staminaaaaa 😮‍💨😅

If you’re looking to better your physical AND mental health while having fun…YEAHHHH @_socafusion #FitFete is where it’s at!

@zanyah_d next and I can’t wait 🤩

Oh and y’all know I ain’t a techy gal so bare with my #recap 😝 taken in JET Boston - Roxbury by @_msella_

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a month ago

#HappySaturday

Some BTS showing off my joy and sweetness 😊💛

Also even if it’s just practice, I LOVEEE ME A LIVE BAND!

Lawwwwd! It feels good to FEEL GOOD.

Thank you God for getting me to this point. I don’t take any part of this journey for granted.

Oh and that GLOW! My skin and BACK. YEAAAH. You’re welcome 😜

1: Boomie post S&D
2: Tech for voicey concert
3: Tech ft my band members HA
4: A happy gal 🥰 taken in Brooklyn, New York by @_msella_

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a month ago

Day 2!! #stinkandduty #nyc #labordayweekend #2026

AMAZINGGGGGGGGG. EVERYTHINGGGG MY SOUL NEEDED TO JUST LET GO AND HAVE A TIME!

1: Me and MY signature pose 😊
2: Support & Scream by @janfoosh 😘
3: Enjoying my peace, joy, and free 🥰
4: @iamlyrikalace always sets it off 💥💥💥
5: Got my @ladylava_official photo!! Fan girlin’ hard!
6: THIS man is an ENTERTAINER @duwan_de_entertainer_
(And if you ain’t coming towards me with this energy, I don’t want it!)
7: Cheers to a GREAT weekend 🎉
8: Finale 👏🏽🫶🏽👏🏽 twinning with @alyssa_branker
(did y’all hear that #lasvegas 👀)
9: And YEAAAAAAAH excuse me as I show off my giraffe gang legs and body 😜 taken in Brooklyn, New York by @_msella_

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a month ago

Night one was a timeeeee 🤩🤩🤩

Thank you @voicetheartiste #VWV 🙏🏽💛
Thank you #nyc #labordayweekend #2026 💥💥

The VIBES were ALL THE WAY UPPP‼️

1: Remember shakey footage = RAW SUPPORT
2: MY FAVVVV “TOO OWN WAYYYY”
(Peep me & @ugq_kels with the unplanned in sync *clap* like yeaaah dance partnaaaas)
3: Soca music in my veins for sureeee!
4: Love performing with fam present! @zanyah_d
5: Found myself in someone’s content *gas meh up* 😝 taken in Brooklyn, New York by @_msella_

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a month ago

This thread is a love letter to myself.

When you watch these videos, you wouldn’t know that I was scared of this year. That I didn’t believe I’d live to see this 5 year anniversary. You wouldn’t guess that 5 years ago I had to swap out the lungs I was born with to be here today. To be able to breathe, move, and dance again. #doublelungtransplantrecipient

This was #VIBESWITHVOICEY #2026 💥💥💥 And as you can see, a TIMEEEE was had! Shoutout to my girls cheering me on in the crowd! Their smiles, energy, and love were everything that night. The moment I saw them I remembered my first dance director @angeliquc voice saying “alright now. FULL OUT!” I hope you see them high knees in the last slide Ms Liqueeee HA

It was so surreal to dance to #cheerstolife (slide 4) in a similar outfit to @voicetheartiste first ism win 10 years ago. And in that same fit perform to my fav choreo “Too Own Way.” Thank you Voice & the whole team for trusting me from year one through now to execute the vision 🙏🏽 Looking forward to more years ahead!

So much has happened in these 10 years and yet here we all are. Breathing. Living. Creating. Thriving. Looking gooooood AF. And living our lives with so much joy!

From here on out, I’m no longer fearing any of the years ahead. I’m going to live each moment as full out as I can, rest and sleep included, knowing my own lungs couldn’t even take me out. As one doc said, I’m here to live 😘

Thank you @massgeneraltransplant for giving me a second chance at life! Trust, I’m enjoying every second of it ✨

I #CYAHBEHAVEMYSELF 😜 taken in Trinidad and Tobago by @_msella_

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7 months ago

Couldn’t leave sweet sweet #tnt without shouting out some of the main girls that got me through the season! From rehearsals, to shows, to rides, to laughs, to side eyes and more 😜…thank y’all for an unforgettable #2026 #carnival season 🙏🏽 We did that! 💥💥💥

A time was had 😍 until next time ladies 🫶🏽😘🫶🏽

#voice #dancers taken in Trinidad and Tobago by @_msella_

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7 months ago

#34 and only getting sweeter 😚

You’re welcome. taken in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago by @_msella_

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7 months ago

The season might be done, but this joy is forever ✨

#trinidad #carnival #2026 taken in Trinidad and Tobago by @_msella_

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7 months ago

How beautiful this life is 😊 Full of wonder and surprisesssss for sure! Love it here ☺️

Beyond grateful God blessed me in this life with *great* men who inspire, protect, and support me through. Love y’all so much!

PS - We all born in the start of the year ♑️ ♒️ ♓️
Have no choice but to go straight down to the end 🫡 taken in Mount St. Benedict, Trinidad by @_msella_

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7 months ago

Manifest Queens, boundless and free ✨- we ask and we receive, essentially God’s favorites. We speak that thang until we’re cheering each other on about it!
💁🏾‍♀️💁🏽‍♀️

Big up @iamscottevans & @chloebailey for the inspo.

🎶: @sashahthegoddess

#FreedomSisters by @_msella_

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8 months ago