Imani Hayward is a Mother, Evangelist, Artist, and Businesswoman. She began dancing on stage at the age of eleven and found creative arts the most enjoyable form of expression. With her oldest sisters influence plus her inherit love for the arts, Imani started taking dance classes at a local community park in Carson California.

For seven years she trained under the direction of the late Paul Kennedy of Universal Dance Designs Los Angeles, and continued to dazzle audiences throughout her college experience. Not completely satisfied with local performances and college theatrical plays, Imani took an opportunity of a lifetime to leave college for a summer and test the waters at a career with the Alvin Ailey Dance Troop in New York. It was a great opportunity to dance with the best modern dancers of her generation. However, the life of a full time devoted dancer did not give Imani a sense of completion. It wasn’t enough. Imani left New York upon the completion of the summer program and completed her Accounting degree at San Diego State University.
 
Still searching for balance, Imani started sharing her gift by teaching children tap and modern dance in San Diego County. Acknowledging the success and satisfaction gained from giving back to the community, sharing the gift of art, and impacting the lives of children, in 1992, Imani established a community based dance school called Positive Images of Dance. 

It was apparent to Imani and her patrons that Positive Images of Dance was not an ordinary dance school. It was common place for Imani to make school visits, request report card copies, and provide counseling and mentoring services. Positive Images of Dance illustrated that balance amongst the arts and education was achievable. In 1996, Positive Images of Dance was reorganized to formally represent what it truly was, a full service performing arts school that provides fun educational programs emphasizing self-esteem and the arts as a form of positive expression. Imani partnered with a close college friend LaNet Love, who acquired a Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology. The dance school was renamed Positive Images of Self-Expression (PISE) and services was expanded to include counseling, etiquette, tutoring, career development and theater.
 
PISE was incorporated in 1997 and as Executive Director Imani has become not only a teacher of the arts, but a successful entrepreneur and mentor to hundreds of children and young adults. She spearheaded PISE annual celebrity fashion show, theatrical production “Let Me Dream”, and the Deliverance Dance Company. 

Positive Images of Self-Expression is challenging and fulfilling as Imani balances PISE, a full time job and motherhood. Her accomplishments are evident when looking at the positive impact she’s made in the lives of many children. With her influence, children have been given the opportunity to share the arts with corporations, political dignitaries, churches, schools, and Juvenal rehabilitation facilities. Imani taught youth who have grown-up to teach children in their own communities. To know Imani is to experience the epitome of the arts through self expression.