Patriann “Firegoddess” Edwards Multidisciplinary Performing Artist, Dance Educator & Cultural Researcher

About Patriann Edwards

Patriann Edwards, known as the “Firegoddess,” is a multidisciplinary performing artist and dance educator hailing from Trinidad & Tobago. With extensive training in Afro-Traditional/Folk Dance Forms, West African Dance, and fire arts, Patriann is a highly accomplished artist with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Performing Arts – Dance from the University of Trinidad & Tobago.

Early Life and Training

Coming from a family of folk artists, Patriann began her foundational dance training at Neptune’s School of the Arts under Winifred Foster. She later pursued the fire arts, including fire-eating, fire-dancing, and fire-breathing. Her training continued under Terry David with the South Minors and Pleasantville Community Council Performing Theatre, and she performed with many other notable dance artists and traditional dance practitioners.

Professional Affiliations

Patriann is a registered artist under the Ministry of Tourism, Culture & the Arts’ National Registry of Professional Artists, and a member of the National Dance Association of T&T. She has trained, danced, and performed with numerous companies, including:

  • South Minors Performing Company
  • Pleasantville Community Council Performing Company
  • ATOPA
  • Trinity Dance Theatre
  • Belmont Freetown Cultural & Performing Arts Company
  • Soul Cultural Ambassadors
  • MacFarlane Studios
  • Malick Folk Performing Company
  • Elle NYTT
  • Wasafoli Trinidad & Tobago
  • UniverSoul Circus

Fire-Breathing and Performance

Known as the “Fire Goddess,” Patriann’s fire-breathing expertise, combined with her dance finesse, has made her a high-impact performer. She has been a featured supporting act for many soca artists at the International Soca Monarch and has collaborated with both local and international artists, including:

  • Spice
  • Machel Montano
  • Freetown Collective
  • Motto
  • Preedy
  • Bunji Garlin
  • Fayan Lyons
  • Nadia Batson
  • Voice
  • Blaxx
  • M1
  • Mr. Killa
  • Destra Garcia

Her work has been featured on VH1’s Love & Hip Hop Atlanta, DIGICEL’s “Carnival Lives On” campaign, and various other media platforms.

Academic and Scholarship Achievements

Patriann is a multiple scholarship recipient, having received:

  • Makeda Thomas’ New Waves Performance Institute Scholarship
  • Woodshed Online Dance “Unrest & Survival” Summer Intensive Scholarship
  • New Waves/Movement Research Institute N.Y. – Summer Intensive Joint Scholarship Award
  • Founder Scholarship from the K.D.S. Dance & Education Foundation of Trinidad & Tobago

Internationally, she has facilitated master classes and workshops at numerous festivals and institutions, including:

  • Mojuba Black Dance Festival
  • Wood Shed Online Dance Winter Intensive
  • Wood Shed Online ‘Mas Beyond Borders’ Initiative
  • Batinqua Arts Dance & Drum Productions ‘Black History Month International Project’ (New York)
  • WestCan Folk Performing Company
  • Diamano Coura West African Dance Company
  • Collages Des Cultures Africaines
  • DonBa African Diaspora Dance & Drum Festival

Current Endeavors and Philosophy

Patriann is currently a graduate research assistant and student at the College of Education & Human Development at Georgia State University. She is passionate about promoting, presenting, and preserving the traditional dance and movement forms of Trinidad & Tobago. Her work aims to inspire moments of discovery through multicultural learning, emphasizing the importance of cultural appreciation and awareness.