Shartoya Jn.Baptiste

Born and raised on the picturesque island of Saint Lucia, Shartoya’s spark for the arts ignited from the age of seven. She has represented Saint Lucia at numerous regional and international Cultural Dance Exchanges and has performed and choreographed for national events.

When Shartoya is not performing, she can be found in the theatre or the design studio. Shartoya’s interest in scenic design stemmed from her mother’s career in interior and commercial design, and it peaked during her undergrad education at Towson University. Currently, Shartoya is an M.F.A. Scenic Design candidate at the University of Maryland. She has worked with theatres such as The Kennedy Center, The Hangar Theatre, Joe's Movement Emporium, and Imagination Stage - where P.Nokio directed by Tony Thomas, was nominated for a Helen Hayes Award in 2023. 

In her spare time, she enjoys philanthropy, teaching Caribbean dance and creating concept videos that merge the worlds of choreography and scenic design. Shartoya’s classes and concepts can be found on her YouTube channel – shr758. One of her biggest accomplishments to date is “The SHR Experience” – a one-day dance workshop where international choreographers visit Saint Lucia to teach various dance styles, and in turn, learn a Saint Lucian cultural dance. The proceeds from The SHR Experience are injected into the Saint Lucian dance community by purchasing equipment for dancers and dance studios that lack the basic necessities for training.