From Chicago, Illinois, Jaymes Crowder-Acres is a dancer, choreographer, and educator whose work explores themes of self-expression, individuality, and the human experience. Since starting dance at 17 his repertoire has grown to include street and club styles, Umfundalai, Jazz, and Ballet among other practices. He’s performed in works by master teachers C. Kemal Nance, Tere O’Connor, and Roxane D’Orleans Juste as well as a plethora of graduate and undergraduate student works and films. He holds a BFA from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign where he served as a dance department intern, student board representative, black advocacy team board member, mentoring program lead coordinator, videographer, live-stream director, teaching assistant, and high school summer intensive counselor. Additionally, he premiered 5 works at the Krannert Center for Performing Arts. Under the alias Echo Enigma, he practices DJing and participates in the street dance scene.