COMPANY BIOS

Artistic Director | Assistant Director | Board of Directors | Dancers

Dancers:
 

  Isaiah Cooper
Isaiah is originally from Smyrna, Delaware. He has been a competitive gymnast since 5 years of age. He has expanded his gymnast knowledge to the field of dance where he has been studying hip hop and contemporary styles for over 2 years. He is currently a potential for Cirque du Soleil and has a goal to compete for Team USA for the Olympics. He has a passion for working with kids and is currently a gymnastics and tumbling instructor for a high school cheerleading team. He enjoys traveling, cooking/baking, fashion. In the future, Isaiah plans to continue gymnastics instruction, modeling, and dance performance.

  Stephanie Vasta
Stephanie earned a B.A in Psychological and Social Sciences from Penn State Abington. During her years at Penn State she participated in the University's Dance Company as a dancer and student choreographer, and after graduating she became one of the Company's Associate Directors. She currently teaches at Carol Ann School of Dance, Jenkintown Dance Arts, and the Academy of Dance Artistry. Stephanie performed professionally around the country with New Vision Cirque and Dance Company, and locally with companies including Vada Dance Collective, Underground Dance Works, and Jenkintown Dance Company. She has been with ContempraDANCE Theatre since 2004. She toured Poland with the Company performing at Ladek Zdroj International Dance Festival with performances in Wroslow and Klodzko.

  Sarah Warren
Sarah is originally from Maryland, currently resides in Philadelphia, PA where she received her BFA in Dance Performance & Choreography from Temple University. Since graduation, Sarah has performed work for Keila Cordova Dances, The InterACTion Project and many other freelance artists in the Philadelphia area. Sarah formerly was an apprentice with NYC based company Kaleidoscope Dance Theatre and currently dances for Putty Dance Project, Nickerson-Rossi Dance (East), and ContempraDANCE Theatre Company.

  Meghann Myers
Meghann began her dance training at the age of five. She studied in multiple genres of dance including Ballet, Jazz, Tap, Modern, Lyrical, Hip Hop and Acrobatics. Meghann’s early training took place at studios in the Harrisburg and Hershey areas of Pennsylvania. She had furthered her dance education at Broadway Dance Center as well as Steps on Broadway in New York City. In 2009, Meghann began college at Penn State Altoona where she later obtained a degree in Kinesiology. Throughout her years in Altoona she became captain of the Penn State Altoona Dance Team. Meghann has also participated in multiple dance performances at venues such as the Hershey Theater, Hershey Park, Six Flags, and the Philadelphia Thanksgiving Parade where she performed as a background dancer for Ace Young from American Idol. She then took a brief hiatus to go back to school and earn her Master’s degree as a Physician Assistant.

  Todd Munoz
Todd is a Philadelphia based hip-hop dancer who started dancing at the age of 19 with Versatile Entertainment, under the direction of Andreas Johnson. Todd currently holds 3 national titles as a co-choreographer of the University of Delaware Blue Hens dance team 2008-2010. He worked on set for BET's 106 & Park, taught workshops across the US and internationally, and most notably was hired as a feature dancer for Oscar nominated movie Silver Linings Playbook starring Bradley Cooper and Jennifer Lawrence. Currently Todd Munoz is the co-owner and co-founder of Beat Addikts United, Inc and X-Calibur Entertainment. Todd is currently the Hip Hop choreographer for the Theatre’s “Philly Nutt Crak-Up”.

  Bilal Simpson
Bilal is a Charlotte, North Carolina Native who began dancing at the age of 10 formally at Fletcher School of Dance first studying Hip-Hop and secondly Ballet. In 2004 attended Northwest High School of the Arts with a focus of Ballet. Also in 2004 Bilal joined BB Dance Productions and afterwards Miss Donnas School of Dance where he began to compete at dance competitions. Bilal won several 1st overalls and platinum high scored awards and 4 titles. During High School Bilal began to dance professionally with the NBA and WNBA Dance Team. Shortly after, Bilal began to start his own journey exploring choreography and winning awards at several dance competitions and opened the door to choreographing throughout the state of North Carolina. In 2005 Bilal moved to Philadelphia, PA to attend University of the Arts where he studied Ballet, Jazz, Tap, Horton, Graham, Limon, Dunham and several other forms of dance. Shortly after relocating Bilal began to teach at Dshay Academy of Dance Arts which opened the door to several other opportunities; Teaching at Progressive Center for Dance; and Dance Workshops for studios such as Straight to the Pointe Dance Studio and Triplett Dance Academy. In 2009 Bilal joined Grace Dance Theater, a grass roots Dance Company that is Horton based and still currently resides there. Bilal became a resident choreographer for all the 3 company levels, GDT, GD2, and Training Company of Grace. Bilal has had the opportunity to work with prestigious choreographers and artists such as Mia Micheals, Abby Lee Miller, Dale Lamb, Dee Caspary, Travis Wall and Anthony Burrell.

  Daria Vartanian-Gibbs
Daria trained at ContempraDance School and was a member of ContempraYouth Dance Ensemble from age 7-18. She debuted in ContempraDANCE Theatre's "Woman" as the daughter at the age of 4. She attended the Creative and Performing Arts High School in Philadelphia her freshman and sophomore years studying with LeDeva Davis, Michael Susten, Darrell Williams, Shawn Lamere Williams and Peter Sabasino. She performed in Disney World, Ladek Zdroj International Dance Festival in Poland, Schuylkill Valley Dance Company's Nutcracker and Melange Dance Company. Daria trains with Meghan Braun of Waves Dance Company. In June 2014, Daria received her yoga teacher training certification for Jivamukti Yoga attending a 300 hour program in Costa Rica training with Sharon Gannon and David Life. She received her BFA from Temple University receiving the College of Liberal Arts’ Annie Hyman Award for Outstanding Service & Honors Society. Daria presently teaches dance & yoga throughout the Philadelphia area.

  Chayvon (BSwan) Dessus
Chayvon who has recently took on a stage name known as “ B. Swan" (black swan) that have been developed during the journey of building her career in dance. BSwan has been dancing for about 17 years studying various techniques including Ballet, Jazz, Hip Hop, Modern, along with Burlesque Dance. BSwan's journey in dance started out at an early age with L&L Dance Production, YPTC, infatuation Dance Company then later became a member of the Youth Ensemble with Koresh Dance Company back in 2010. She's currently teaches at multiple Dance Schools throughout Philadelphia such as L&L Dance Productions, Bella Ballerina Dance Academy, Precisions Pride Dance and A Leap Beyond Dance. BSwan is currently apart of The Pure Project Dance Company who's also the Assistant Director of The Pure Project founded by Itola Byrd. BSwan is also a solo inspiring artist who has her own brand, dance movement that is successfully going on four years now. Her goal is to inspire other Dancers/Artists especially the youth to dance as if they were Black Swans, her motto she lives by is to BRare, BNoticed, BYou!

  Eric Wood
Eric is from West Philadelphia where he was introduced to the hip hop dance culture at the age of 17. In 2011 he began dancing with Illstyle and Peace production touring for three years dancing hip hop and African. His experience with Illstyle company educated him in dance movement as well as the history of hip hop culture.

  Tia Di Pietro
From Northern New Jersey Tia is a 2012 graduate of DeSales University with a B.A. in Dance. Technically trained in ballet, modern, and jazz; She has created two original pieces that have been showcased in New York (Dance New Amsterdam), Pennsylvania (Emerging Choreographers Concert) and Wisconsin (ACDFA). Most recently, Tia was selected from a national group of candidates’ to participate with Regional Dance America’s Choreographer’s conference. Her choreography was presented and performed under the direction of “ Nelly van Bommel”. She has worked administratively and artistically with Freespace Dance Company as an Intern, as well as performing and choreographing along side Weird Al Yankovic in his concert Apocalypse. Tia was also a member of the DeSales University dance team for four years. While training at the King Centre she danced for the New Jersey Foundation of Dance and Theater Arts. Also performing pieces under various residences from all over the United States.

  Lisa Urbanowicz
Lisa is from NJ where she began dancing with The New Jersey Dance Theatre Ensemble. She went on to train with members of Alvin Ailey, Martha Graham, New Jersey Ballet, Ballet Hispanico, Paul Taylor, Geo Hubela, and Cecily Bradly. She was captain and choreographer of her varsity high school dance team and coach of her college dance team at Monmouth University. She performed at events such as KTU’s Beatstock, World of Dance, charity events, and local artists in the Philadelphia area. Lisa is currently a member of female hip-hop company, FloMotion, is a choreographer for Beat Addikts United, and teaches at Dance Artistry in Swedesboro, NJ. When not dancing, Lisa is a full-time special needs elementary teacher in Freehold, NJ.

  Sarah McWilliams
Sarah grew up dancing in Glen Mills, PA and went on to graduate with a BFA in Dance from Temple University. She performed in works by faculty members Jillian Harris and Dr. Laura Katz Rizzo, and guest artists Larry Keigwin and Kyle Abraham. Sarah travelled to Israel where she spent five months training with the Kibbutz Contemporary Dance Company. She currently works as a dance instructor for students of all ages at KICKS Academy of Dance, Institute of Dance Artistry, and KMC Dance, and also teaches barre fitness and children's creative movement classes throughout Philadelphia and the surrounding areas. Additionally, Sarah is a company member with Philadelphia-based jazz dance company Project Moshen and NYC-based contemporary company kaycruddenco.

|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Join Us on facebook