Monik Jones

Monik Jones - Associate Faculty

About Monik Jones

Monik Jones is a dancer, teacher and choreographer. She trained at the Los Angeles County High School of the Arts, danced with the Ka-Ron Lehman Dance Company, UCLA’s African Art Ensemble Modern Dance Group and The Gospel Music Workshop of America. Ms. Jones received her BA in World Arts and Culture, concentrating in dance, with a minor in Education from the UCLA.

She also received her MFA in Dance from UCI, where one of her mentors was the legendary Donald McKayle. And in 2004 she founded Monik’s Creative Movement Education Program, where the goals are to focus on the development of gross motor skills, coordination, rhythm, flexibility, creative expression and self-confidence through the medium of dance for children.

Ms. Jones teaches all forms of dance, but she is best known for her reputation as an African teacher and as a liturgical dancer, choreographer, and teacher. She is the Artistic Director of Vessels of Praise Liturgical Dance Ministry from Judson Baptist Church where Dr. Johnny V. Baylor is Pastor/Teacher. Under her leadership they have been featured nationally and internationally.

Ms. Jones has developed a liturgical dance curriculum that she teaches across the country. The research for this curriculum is based on her graduate thesis “A Comparative Study on Pedagogical Techniques of two Liturgical Dance Instructors in African American Baptist Churches” which has been published.

Additionally, Ms. Jones has worked as an adjunct professor at various community colleges including, Cypress Community College, Cerritos College, and Santa Ana Community College where she has taught social dance and African dance. She currently teaches African dance and Hip Hop dance at Irvine Valley Community College.