Cherisse Bradley is a Flint, Michigan native whose early foundation in music began at the young age of 10. She was afforded the opportunity in the arts showcasing her singing in local talent shows and musical theater. Her exposure to musical theater developed a natural dance ability that she began to cultivate by studying other forms of disciplines in tap, jazz, hip hop and ballet at Creative Expressions Dance Studio in Flint Michigan. Cherisse continued a concentrated study in tap dance under the direction of her father Bruce Bradley and ballet and jazz with the legendary late Tony B. White. Her training led her to receive awards in showmanship excellence, teaching, and choreography from Joe Tremaine national dance competitions in jazz, hip hop and tap dance.

 

While making strides in her dance career she was noticed for her soulful vocal ability and sang lead with a local band on a tour in Germany for the troops on Army bases. Upon returning to the states it was not long after Cherisse was awarded a one month scholarship in North Hollywood, California at Joe Tremaine School of dance. The following year she was awarded a year scholarship in North Hollywood becoming the only black female recipient of that year. She studied under celebrity choreographer’s Marguerite Derricks, Paula Abdul’s assistant Bill Bohl, and hip hop dancers Kevin Columbus and Robert Vinson. Cherisse was also the first scholarship student to have a choreographed tap number “It Don’t Mean a Thing If It Ain’t Got That Swing” featured in the professional show. During that show she was noticed by three top talent agencies, signed and began auditioning.

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Auditioning led her to perform in Debbie Allen’s Chocolate Nutcracker and also work with the legendary choreographer Eartha Robinson. Cherisse then began to train, perform and receive mentorship under legendary tap dancer Chester Whitmore who also introduced her to a local R&B group called Attraction performing locally around Los Angeles.

Cherisse eventually moved to New York and began vocal jazz studies at Long Island University Brooklyn Campus under the direction of Dr. Gloria Cooper and Jazz saxophonist Sam Newsome. New York afforded her many opportunities to perform at such venues as Billie’s Black in Harlem, the internationally acclaimed jazz cabaret Metropolitan Room in Manhattan, New York with band leader and pianist Nick Rolfe, guitarist Jerome Jordan, and saxophonist Sam Newsome. Another great opportunity was performing at Long Island University Theater sharing the stage with Melba Moore and various artists hosted by actor Michael K. Williams from the hit show Broadway Empire. Cherisse was also featured as the

closing act in the New Orleans meets Luxembourg Jazz festival and background singer with Shelley Nicole’s Blackbushe in a tribute to Labelle which also featured seasoned female rockers Tamar Kali and Joi. She is also currently a featured vocalist in sci-fi electro funk techno band Girls like Bass with Monstah Black and Manhattan, New York’s Dubspot electronic music production and DJ school instructor Michele Darling from Brooklyn. The band received stellar reviews for their performance at Archway under the Manhattan Bridge sponsored by the Brooklyn Arts Council.

 

While living in New York Cherisse would return home to Flint every year as co-founder, producer, and vocalist along with her sisters and father in the family non-profit tap festival and community outreach TAPOLOGY. In the 12 years of production she has shared the stage with numerous legendary artists such as Savion Glover, Jimmy Slyde, Diane Walker, Mable Lee, Arthur Duncan, Jeni Legon and many others.

 

In August of 2013 Cherisse took a huge leap of faith by exposing deep embedded childhood wounds in sharing her survivor’s story of an incest survivor by the hands of her Stepfather in a dream project. She added the role of a sexual assault advocate to her resume and was awarded a grant by the Greater Flint Arts Council, and founded I found my voice a creative arts wellness movement for survivors of domestic violence and sexual abuse. She partnered with the YWCA of Greater Flint and Natasha Jackson from Raise It Up! Youth arts and awareness poetry group to work with survivors. She produced a show at the University of Michigan Flint Theater in tribute of luminary female artists Phyllis Hyman, Billie Holiday, Tina Turner and Natalie Cole. The show featured herself along with legendary author, poet, Detroit native extraordinaire Jessica Care Moore, songstress and Detroit native Steffanie Christia’n, national seasoned female MC/Poet and Flint native Mama Sol, Johnny Manuel, tap dance sensation and sister Brinae Ali. She is still receiving rave reviews for her efforts of founding and producing this movement going four years strong.

 

Cherisse currently resides in Flint, Michigan where she has recently completed 32 hours of first response for sexual assault survivor’s volunteer training with Wayne County SAFE. This was under the direction of strong Detroit advocates including Kalimah Johnson, founder of the SASHA Center of holistic services for female sexual assault survivors of African American descent in Detroit. Her future plans are expanding the I found my voice movement, traveling, and continued development of her solo musical project that will consist of various musical forms of house, jazz, and soul along with multimedia expression of her obstacles and life triumphs.