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Women Of The Cross Listen to a Sample Women of the Cross (WOTC) moves your spirits with their repertoire of original contemporary spirituals. Originating at Hartford’s Artists Collective in 1988, they have been uplifting audiences with their unique harmony ever since. Each member draws upon her own background to create a unified sound with a universal appeal. As collaborative partners of JDPP they have performed with Judy Dworin in Stories of My Sisters, Flying Home, The Glorious Knot, Time In, and Dreamings. WOTC performs throughout the region at a wide array of venues. They are available for performances, lectures, demonstrations, and workshops, and can be contacted through JDPP: JDPPinc@judydworin.org. Leslie Bird (Composer and Musical Director, Women of the Cross) was a voice student at Hartt School of Music and at the Artists Collective. In 1988, Women of the Cross was founded at the Artists Collective and began performing throughout the greater Hartford community. As musical director, Leslie composes WOTC’s original songs. In 2001, Leslie became a Teaching Artist for the CT Commission on Culture and Tourism and has since completed several residencies in Connecticut schools. She has also been a teaching artist on JDPP’s collaborative teaching team at York Correctional Institution, at Synergy Alternative High School, and at the H.O.T Schools Institute. JDPP was recently awarded a Meet the Composer Grant from the New England Foundation for the Arts for the development of the song score by Leslie for Dreamings. Elaine Hairston (Women of the Cross) was born in rural Georgia and during her early years lived in the segregated South. She moved to Connecticut in the early 60s. During her vocal training at the Artists Collective, she met Leslie Bird and Leslie Manselle and they later formed Women of the Cross. She currently works as a Corporate Trainer specializing in computer software instruction. Leslie Manselle (Women of the Cross) has been making music since she was so little that she had to be placed on a piano bench to be seen. She grew up in The Salvation Army, a musical church, where she learned to read music, play an instrument and sing in the choir. Leslie has since conducted choir and band, and created plays for children at church. A former music teacher, Leslie worked with elementary school children to generate vocal, instrumental, dramatic and drill team productions. Leslie, an Urban Artist Initiative member, has performed her trademark ‘a skit and a song’ for churches, schools, community events and organizations. Leslie possesses a full three-octave range and utilizes the lower register in singing tenor for WOTC.