Achievements

Naila Ansari Carbonell Catilo, associate professor of theater and Africana studies, is a cum laude graduate of Point Park Conservatory and a distinguished honors graduate from the University at Buffalo. She is a multidisciplinary artist whose work intertwines performance, public scholarship, and advocacy. Renowned as a choreographer and cultural strategist, she focuses on Black joy, collective healing, and Afro-diasporic legacies, with notable research and performances exploring The Movement of Joy.

Ansari Carbonell Catilo is the co-founder of AnsariSaxon Productions with Karen Saxon, and her latest project is choreographing Dreamgirls at Shea’s 710. This award-winning show celebrates Black womanhood, excellence, and the American Dream, inspired by 1960s and ‘70s Motown and R&B. Catilo infuses movement and meaning into her work, whether on stage, in classrooms, or on the stage. As an artist and scholar, she focuses on Black joy and collective healing, particularly through her research on The Movement of Joy. Through her choreography, she illustrates how music, movement, and heart empower the Dreamettes in their journeys of ambition, betrayal, JOY, and liberation. The show ran from September 10–28 and highlighted Buffalo State and its featured talented students/alumni (Damario Burks, Jacqueline Cherry, Jonise Hall, Taliyah Oaks, and Zhanna Reed).