Aysha Upchurch is a Washington, DC-based dancer, choreographer, instructor.  She has trained in many dance forms, but most extensively in Hip Hop and tap dance, having studied with legends in both genres, from Buster Brown and Diane Walker to Rennie Harris and Mr. Wiggles.  In DC, she was a member of local dance companies, Jam Crew and DC ARTistry.  Aysha has choreographed, taught and performed throughout the country in Philadelphia , New York , Texas and North Dakota , as well as internationally in the Caribbean, Central America and Eastern Europe .   In the Washington , DC area, Aysha is in demand as a dancer, instructor and choreographer.  She has been on faculty at Joy of Motion Dance Center since 2000, has worked with CityDance Ensemble since 2003 and recently joined the faculty at Dance Place .  Her work has been seen at the Kennedy Center , Dance Place , the Carter Barron Amphitheatre, DARS Constitution Hall, Atlas Performing Arts Center , the Verizon Center and on promotional commercials for the Washington Nationals.  She has choreographed for Georgetown University Dance Company, DCypher Dance Company, Namyanka Dance Ministry and Joy of Motion's Youth Dance Ensemble Senior Company. In 2007, Aysha received the Kennedy Center 's Millennium Stage Local Dance Commissioning Project, and was nominated for a Metro DC Dance Award for Emerging Choreographer.   In 2008, she and her company were nominated for five Metro DC Dance Awards. 

In 2006, Aysha formed her own dance ensemble to reflect her experience as a writer, educator and children's rights advocate.  Life, Rhythm, Move Project (LRMP) uses a mixture of various dance forms, including Hip Hop and tap, and spoken word to fuse passion and education with artistry.  LRMP's mission for the stage is to put on a fun show while provoking deeper discussion.  The company is committed to upholding the history and integrity of the Hip Hop culture, showing that the dance is a powerful tool to entertain and engage diverse audiences.

Aysha is a St. Louis , MO native who motive to DC to attend American University where she earned a BA in International Studies and an MA in International Peace and Conflict Resolution.