Today we’d like to introduce you to Mya Dixon Ajanku.
Hi Mya Dixon, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
Today I would describe myself as a dancer, an educator, and a dance educator.
Oddly enough, my first memory of dancing is actually what I like to think of as my first performance.
I remember my mother taking out a white tutu and saying you have a performance tonight…I couldn’t have been older than about 4.
And while I remember absolutely nothing of that performance, it is forever etched in my mind and in my mind as my first performance.
It’s also the reason I believe that dance has always been present in my life; watching my parents dance, watching my grandparents dance, dancing with my siblings and my cousin at birthday parties, at weddings and funerals dance is the consistent thing.
For me it only made sense to take dance classes in the after school program during my elementary school years, it only made sense to do summer dance programming in my Middle School years. And when dance classes became too expensive it was dance that was the solution.
I was young at the time probably around 13, when I began to serve as a teaching assistant. Teaching assistance/ apprenticeship is normal in the West African dance world. You study under a dancer, and that dancer gradually lets you lead more portions of the class and then one day you’re leading the entire class. I would later instinctively use the same process with aspiring teachers. But because this happened so naturally it didn’t seem special or something that could be a sustainable career until my twenties when I decided to return to school.
Oddly enough, I attended Paul Laurence Dunbar High School in Baltimore City and finished as a certified nursing assistant with the desire to pursue a degree in nursing but life had a different plan for me. When I did return to school to finish my college degree I completed it as a dance major with a minor in education while working in academic settings all throughout the process. Preschool, K-12, middle school, high school, public school, private school, Independent School, special education you name it I’ve worked there. And having a masters of Fine Arts in dance has allowed me to step into the realm of higher education which can lead to additional opportunities.
I still love science, but I love dance just as much. Dance is what has taken me around the world. I mean I was studying and performing on stages in other countries before I even finished High School.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Not at all—but it’s been simple – finish school and teach dance.
I got pregnant just before my 17th birthday, during the summer before my senior year of high school. It felt like the end of my childhood, but it was also the beginning of my daughter’s life. I promised her biological father I would finish school, and when he was murdered just weeks after her birth, that promise became everything.
Not everyone supported my pregnancy, but I’ve always been a little stubborn and a bit of a researcher. Which came in handy when a healthcare provider suggested I terminate the pregnancy due to a potential sickle cell diagnosis. I literally drew a Punnett square to walk him through the odds—that Dunbar High School education came through.
During my pregnancy, I balanced early mornings at clinical sites, a part-time job, and high school. There were moments when I was questioned, doubted, and dismissed—but I kept going. The birth itself went fine, but that night, a woman came into my hospital room, accused me of having narcotics in my system, and threatened to take my child if I didn’t confess. I reminded her that I was a minor, that she hadn’t checked my ID bracelet, and—most importantly—that I had never given a urine sample, which where she claimed to have found the traces. She left, and I never saw her again.
When I tried to apply for daycare vouchers so I could attend college, I was denied and treated horribly at the social services office. So, I put college on hold. I danced professionally, worked multiple jobs, and leaned on family when I needed to.
Years later, in 2017, I returned to the university—not as a student, but as a professor. That moment made every struggle worth it.
My journey and has been powered by accountability, endurance, perseverance, and support—the very values I live by and now pass on to my children and carry into my professional work
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
Great question. Outside of the health of my beautiful children, I’m most proud of finding a way to share my gifts with the world in a way that feels meaningful and intentional. I hope to be known for curating transformative experiences rooted in tradition and purpose.
In 2022, I founded Mya D Specialist LLC, a multifaceted platform that offers three distinct pathways to personal and professional empowerment. The platform provides expert instruction in West African dance forms, supports educators in developing culturally responsive curriculum, and offers a curated collection of guided journals designed to help Black women embrace self-love, mindfulness, and intentional goal-setting.
What sets me apart is that I show up as my full, imperfect, and authentic self. With over 20 years of experience in dance education, a deep personal commitment to journaling, and my lived experience as a Black woman, I’m dedicated to reshaping how knowledge is shared, how teachers teach, and how Black girls and women see themselves. My work is about creating a ripple effect—one of healing, empowerment, and cultural legacy.
Before we go, is there anything else you can share with us?
If I understand the word correctly, courage means doing it—even when you’re a little scared. So, I encourage readers to be courageous enough to be themselves, because that’s the only way your community—your people—will truly find you.
Also, be courageous enough to ask for help when and how you need it. I’m currently building and strengthening my own community, so please reach out if you’d like to join me—especially if you’re interested in collaborating on an idea, event, or project.
I’d love to offer movement sessions at women’s retreats, share my guided journals at events, support dance educators with culturally responsive curriculum, or co-create anything else we can dream up together.
Pricing:
- journal collection starts at $20
- Dance/ dance related workshops start at $250
Contact Info:
- Website: https://myadspecialist.com/
- Instagram: @myadspecialist
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mya-ajanku727
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@MyaDspecialist
- Other: @mindfulnessbymyad
