MISSION STATEMENT
It is the belief of the dance company’s creator and artistic director, Joede Persson, that while dance can entertain, it can also educate and even heal. The Persson Dance Ensemble (PDE) endeavors to bring awareness to the human condition through carefully conceptualized and choreographed dance works. Her pieces explore all manner of subject matter and thereby appeal to a wide audience regardless of age, gender, race, level of education, economic position and acumen of the art of dance.
The PDE extends its efforts beyond staged performances. It actively participates in community outreach causes and avails itself to master classes and specialized camps for all types of willing participants. These classes/camps are a vital part of the PDEs purpose as they allow for an even more immediate platform to bring dance to its audience. The classes PDE conduct for schools, children and adults with disabilities, senior citizens and other special interest groups demonstrate this rooted commitment.
At its core and in the simplest of terms, the PDE believes in:
“Emotion through motion while making a difference”
JOEDE PERSSONDirector, choreographer and artistic director for the Persson Dance Ensemble (PDE) has choreographed and taught dance for over thirty years. Joede is also the owner and artistic director for Dance Plus in Little Silver NJ. Joede graduated from Mason Gross School of the Arts ~ Rutgers University with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance. Joede danced professionally in the NY metropolitan area immediately after graduating in the concert dance world with companies such as the Don Redlich Dance Company, fashion shows and exercise/dance videos. Eventually, she wanted to give back. She opened Dance Plus in 1989 with a vision of creating a studio where artistic and educational excellence was provided for ALL students. Her efforts have been recognized and awarded with features on E! Entertainment, the Bravo Network, Time Magazine, Self Magazine, the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award, adjudicator for the National Alliance for Excellence with Gene Kelly and Monmouth Arts Council’s Community Arts Education Advocate of the Year recipient. Joede feels her greatest achievements lie in the successes of her students as professionals in many fields in and out of dance after they have graduated and also in the mini-miracles she witnesses in her students on a daily basis.
ALEXA LUCCHESE
Alexa Lucchese started her dance journey at Dance Plus when she was very young. She graduated from Montclair State University with her B.A. in Dance Education and her B.F.A in Dance Performance. Alexa has trained and taught various styles such as Hip Hop, Jazz, Modern, Ballet, Contemporary and Bollywood. Dance has allowed her to work both live onstage and behind a camera. Some of her accomplishments include dancing in American Horror Story’s Season 7 Promo “The Cult,” the Bollywood live show “Mystic India the World Tour,” Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City, Max Amini's Persian New Year Show on the VOA Network, performing at the D23 Disney convention in Anaheim, California and dancing at the World Pride Opening Ceremony at the Barclay Center. Her choreography has also been featured in festivals, such as the "Festival for Emerging Dance Artists" in New York City. Aside from performing, Alexa has taught various classes to inspiring dancers both children and adults and experience teaching students that are cognitively and physically challenged. Alexa believes that everyone has the capability to dance and she loves to share her passion with others. Alexa is thrilled to be performing with the Persson Dance Ensemble
VICTORIA BOND
In 2019 Bond acquired a Dance Performance & Choreography B.F.A. and an English B.A. with a concentration in creative writing. Victoria is also currently a member of Spare/Change Dance Company, Meagmoves Dance Company, and Mignolo Dance Company. Alongside dancing in these companies, Bond is the artistic and program director of mal ped dance collective, where she has choreographed and performed in the music videos of: Late Waves, Idle Wave, Marina City, Blue Chips, Super American, Val Astar, Blaise, Cloud Hands, Julia Afinito, David Ross Lawn, and Christian Sporacio.
KARA MENENDEZ
IKara Menendez is from Tinton Falls, New Jersey. She is a New Jersey Dance Theatre Ensemble Alumni. After many years of training under artistic director Nancy Turano, Kara furthered her dance studies and attended Marymount Manhattan College where she performed works by Emery Lecrone, Paul Taylor, Alexandra Damiani, Norbert De La Cruz, Darrell Moultrie, Adam Baruch, Breton Tyner Bryan and Larry Kegwin. She graduated magna cum laude receiving her BFA Degree in Dance with a Ballet Concentration along Minor. Post graduation her pwroitfhesasioBnuaslincersesdits include Off-Broadway Women On Fire: Stories from the Frontlines and Anne of Green Gables (Royal Family Productions). Regional theatre credits include West Side Story (Virginia Repertory Theatre) and Mamma Mia! (Axelrod Performing Arts Center). She has also been featured in a music video for the pop-rock band KITTEN (song: Strange Embrace). Internationally Kara performed in Tokyo Broadcasting Service’s production of West Side Story at IHI Stage Around; a 360 degree theatre in Tokyo, Japan. She teaches master classes and choreographs at local dance studios in the Monmouth county area. Kara travels around the country with Starbound National Talent Competition. i
BOBBY DAVIS
IBobby M. Davis is a NYC based actor, singer, dancer, and choreographer who received his degree in Musical Theatre from Marymount Manhattan College. Bobby grew up dancing at Dance Plus and studied tap, jazz, lyrical, hip hop, and ballroom since the age of 8 with Joede and Robert. This past winter Bobby was the onstage swing in the original cast of The Elf on a Shelf Christmas Musical. Other past credits include Ted Hanover in Holiday Inn Who’s Who in the Company and Bert in Mary Poppins. Bobby is so excited to be dancing with the Persson Dance Ensemble!
MEAGAN DILLON
Megan began her dance training at Dance Centre North in Syracuse, NY, and later moved to New Jersey where she studied at The Academy of Dance Art in Red Bank, NJ, under the direction of Jennifer James Church. Megan later went onto training at Miami City Ballet School, The Rock School for Dance Education, and Cary Ballet Conservatory and has had the opportunity to attend School of American Ballet, Pacific Northwest Ballet School, and The Chautauqua Institution summer intensives. Megan has danced professionally with Co Charlotte Ballet, Ballet Met lumbus, and Colorado Ballet, performing works by Dwight Rhoden, Sasha Janes, Jean-Pierre Bonnefoux, Alonzo King, Septime Webre, Lucinda Childs, and George Balanchine to name a few. Most recently Megan performed choreography by So You Think You Can Dance’s Dee Caspery and played Cassandra in Andrew Lloyd Webber’s CATS on Royal Caribbean’s Oasis of the Seas.
KAT REESE
IKat Reese is a New York/New Jersey- based dance artist. In addition to dancing for Persson Dance Ensemble and teaching at Dance Plus, Kat also currently dances for The Equus Projects, based in NYC, and for the Kennedy Dancers Professional Repertory Company, where she serves as rehearsal director and assistant choreographer. Kat has performed her own solo work throughout New York City, and has been featured as a dancer and choreographer on television, in articles, on podcasts, and on film, including a featurelength documentary that is currently n process. She has also worked for other dance artists including Brit Falcon, Joe Monteleone, and Salvatore LaRussa. Kat has also taught dance and choreographed for students of all ages in studios and schools throughout New Jersey and New York. She received her BFA in dance from Mason Gross School of the Arts at Rutgers University.
LAUREN STUCKO
Lauren Stucko grew up training at The Academy of Dance Arts, New Jersey Dance Theater Ensemble and Allegro Dance Academy. She then attended George Mason University as a dance scholarship student. While at GMU, she performed soloist roles in works created by Christopher D’Amboise, Doug Varone, Nick Pupillo, Roger C. Jeffrey and Susan Shields. Lauren was casted as the lead soloist of Lar Lubovitch’s “A Brahm’s Symphony,”and performed the ballet multiple times at the Center for the Arts in Fairfax, VA, as well as the Joyce Theater New York during LAR’s 30th iannniversary closing show. Before her final year at GMU, she was selected to perform a pas de deux at the Kennedy Center in DC. After graduating Magna Cum Laude and receiving the “Dancer’s Excellence” award in 2018, she traveled to Greece to perform an original work created by Ian Robinson and Rachel Osborne of Batsheva. Lauren has performed works by Lucinda Child’s at the American Dance Festival, Julie Carter at STEPS on Broadway, and Christian Von Howard at the Ailey Citi Group Theater. She has also danced for Lydia Johnson Dance, Nimbus2, apprenticed for ZviDance, has been featured in music videos, and collaborated with artists for dance film projects. Passionate about all types of movement, Lauren is a 200 hour certified Yoga teacher, 750 hour Pilates Apprentice, dance teacher, choreographer and dance competition adjudicator. She is grateful to be performing on a stage with her closest Jersey friends. Huge shoutout to Joede for believing in all of us and pulling this together! Not even a pandemic could stop our love of dance.