If ever there were hard acts to follow, it’s the rising flood of First Wave talent. Every cohort raises the bar, and the 6th Cohort is no exception to that expectation. 
In their Fall Semester Showing in the Margaret H’Doubler Performance Space in Lathrop Hall, the 6th Cohort gave a fierce preview of what lies ahead for the latest freshman addition to the First Wave Learning Community. The unique trait of the 6th Cohort is a fascinatingly brave active solicitation of feedback.
6th Cohort work to watch for:
GIVE ME A PEN — Written and performed by Melana Bass.
INVASION — Devised, written and performed by Amani Breanna Alexander, Taniesha Broadway and Joanna Gordan.
BODY LANGUAGE — Written and performed by Daniel Kaplan.
LIKAS — Written and performed by Gretchen Carvajal.
FATHERS — Written and performed by Jordan Gaines.
BACK IN THE DAY — Devised, written and performed by Gretchen Carvajal, Sean Medlin and Ashley Thomas.
DADDY — Written and performed by Joanna Gordon.
MOMMA BLUES — Written and performed by Amani Breani Alexander.
FOR MYSELF TO MY MOTHER — Written and performed by Ashley Thomas.
MEN — Written and performed by Sean Medlin.
YOUNG, WILD AND FREE — Devised, written and performed by Daniel Kaplan, Justin Sparapani and Sydney Parsons.
WATCHMEN — Written and performed by Christian Robinson.
COUNTERCLOCKWISE — Written and performed by Justin Sparapani.
MISSING THE MOMENT — Devised, written and performed by Melana Bass, Jack Dunn, Jordan Gaines, Amy Reidel and Christian Robinson. 
FIRST WAVE is administered by the Office of Multicultural Arts Initiatives (OMAI), a unit in the Division of Diversity, Equity & Educational Achievement. The First Wave Learning Community is the first university program in the country centered on urban arts, spoken word and hip-hop culture. A cutting-edge multicultural artistic program at UW-Madison, First Wave brings together young artists and leaders from across the U.S. and beyond, and offers scholars the opportunity to live, study and create together in a close-knit, dynamic campus community.
Meet the 6th Cohort:
Amani Breanna Alexander is a writer and performance artist from Brooklyn & Queens, NY. Her experiences as an artist has helped her in teaching her younger brother about the importance of exploring & feeling, earning her the Best Sister of the Year Award. Amani is investigating a strong physicality in her work and has won multiple slam awards around NYC. Amani Breanna is a 6th cohort First Wave Scholar studying Psychology & Special Education using art pedagogy. 
Melana Bass is a 6th cohort First Wave Scholar majoring in Art. She is a visual and spoken word artist whose writing is inspired by her childhood experience of beating the odds of low income Southside, Chicago neighborhood. Melana comes from a slam poetry background where she succeeded as a 2-time Louder Than A Bomb slam champion as a member of the All-Star team. 
Taniesha Lynette Broadway is a spoken word artist and dancer from the Southside of Chicago, IL. She is a cancer survivor who uses her experience to motivate and inspire people. She’s been awarded the opportunity to speak to speak at the Teach For America ceremony in Downtown Chicago to inspire her community on the necessity of good education. Taniesha is a 6th cohort First Wave Scholar intending to major in Legal Studies.
Gretchen Bello “C4RV” Carvajal is a writer, emcee, performance and visual artist from the Bay Area California. Gretchen’s work focuses on her experiences as a first generation Filipina immigrant balancing her rooted traditions, with the hip hop and soul culture she was raised in. She accredits her success to her community and family who always kept her humble and never let her forget who she was: a renaissance woman. Gretchen is a First Wave 6th Cohort Scholar tackling a double major of East Asian Cultural Languages and an Art BFA with a certificate in TESOL.
Jack Dunn is a writer, poet, hip-hop artist, an actor from Denver, CO. He draws his artistic energy from everyday internal and external situations he contemplates and is inspired by emotionally. He is a 6th cohort First Wave Scholar with an intended major in English with an emphasis in Creative Writing.
Jordan Shafah Gaines is a writer from Milwaukee, WI. Jordan’s writing is influenced by the role of women in their societies with a focus on female sexuality. She used her work to teach young girls in her community about their roles and coming into themselves as women. Jordan is a 6th cohort First Wave Scholar with an intended major in Elementary Education with a focus in English and a minor in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages.
Joanna Gordon is a writer & performing artist from Honolulu, HI. Her work currently focuses on body image and its portrayal in society & media. Joanna has done a lot of work in her community to open up opportunities for high school students to develop their writing skills. She is a 6th cohort First Wave Scholar with a double major in Kinesiology & Communication Arts.
Daniel Leonard Kaplan is a rapper & poet from Chapel Hill, NC. His work is informed by incongruence between language and communication. He is a member of the Sacrificial Poets, North Carolina’s premiere youth spoken word team. Additionally, Daniel is a 6th cohort First Wave Scholar studying Linguistics and Philosophy.
Sean Avery Medlin is hip-hop artist (writer, performance artist, poet), from Phoenix, AZ. His work explores identity and intersectionality, and deals with social issues. Sean is a 6th cohort First Wave Scholar with intended Double Majors in Creative Writing and Sociology. 
Sydney Parsons from Kina Maui, HI and Brooklyn, NY, is a writer, producer, and performer with an interest in movement. Being from these places informs and inspires her artwork. Sydney was given the opportunity to perform her writing at venues such as the Luerve and p’ais de Tokyo. Sydney is a 6th cohort First Wave Scholar with intended Majors in Physics and Theatre.
Amy Julia Riedel is a poet, singer/songwriter, and performance artist from Waunakee, WI. Amy’s art is inspired by her personal experience, her passion for History and teaching, as well as investigations in social justice. She was selected to perform for MC Lyte and Tia Fuller in 2012. Amy is a 6th cohort First Wave Scholar pursuing a degree in contemporary American History and Elementary Education.
Christian Robinson is a performance poet, rapper, and musical engineer born in Oak Park, IL and raised in Philadelphia. His work is inspired by family struggle, life as a black suburban kin, and experiences through childhood. He has won many local awards for poetry, including the Ishma Stewart award in honor of a classmate’s memory. Christian is a 6th cohort First Wave Scholar majoring in English and Creative Writing along with a certificate in Criminal Justice. 
Justin Sparapani is a writer/slam poet/emcee/performing artist hailing from Milwaukee’s Northside. His work is informed by the social issues he sees in his city and his experiences in surrounding neighborhoods. He has been the WI Grand Slam Champion, representing the state at the Brave New Voices International Teen Poetry Slam. At 17, Justin is the youngest 6th Cohort First Wave Scholar. He intendeds to major in History.
Ashley M Thomas is an actor, poet, and playwright from Harlem, NY. Ashley’s art is inspired by social change that creates progress for urban communities. Ashley is a 6th cohort First Wave Scholar planning to Major in Theatre and Social Work.
Christopher Walker, Artistic Director
Danez Smith, Creative and Academic Advisor
Claude Heintz, Technical Director, Dance Dept