Tenisi Davis

Tenisi is an activist, cultural ambassador, creative, and versatile actor who has performed in theater, film, national commercials, and network television projects. Most recently he's made guest appearances in television shows such as CBS's FBI, NBC's Manifest, Blue Bloods on CBS, and NBC's The Blacklist. On stage he has performed at the Shubert Theater in New Haven, National Black Theater in New York City, Collective Consciousness Theater, Studio 54, Capital Classics in Hartford, and the Klein Memorial Auditorium where he received many accolades for his portrayal of Frederick Douglass in the 1-man show, "Frederick Douglass: An American Slave". Some of these accolades include; receiving the Barry M. Gordy Artistic-award from the Greater Bridgeport NAACP, receiving a proclamation from the Mayor and Governor, and being bestowed The Key to the City of Bridgeport. A native of Bridgeport, Connecticut Tenisi received his formal training in the theater arts program at Housatonic Community College, as well as Performing Arts Center of Connecticut, the Alvin Ailey Foundation, and Music and Arts Center for Humanity where he accepted the Coming Up Taller Award for excellence in the Arts from the President and First Lady. He continues to fulfill his passion of acting while giving back to his community through ReBirth Arts Collective, an arts and production company co-founded by Tenisi. Tenisi first started dancing and drumming at the age of 7 with the Ralphola Taylor African dance Ensemble and Hip-Hop Troupe. He has danced with the MACH Dance 2 program and opened for the Ailey 2 Dance Company. Some other performances include dancing with the Cleo Parker Robinson Dance Company, The Arts and Ideas Festival in New Haven, and The Sankofa Kuumba Dance ensemble In Hartford. He has studied African drum and dance with Masters: Baba Tunisi "Jack" Davis, Jami Ayinde (rest in power), Kemoko Sano (rest in power), Abdoulaye Sylla (rest in power), and Lansana Toure. Tenisi was also a performer with Tunisi's Compound, Fotoba, and shared the stage with Ballet Merveilles de Guinee.