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COMPANY MEMBERS
Jose “Boy Boi” Tena hails from the Bronx, NY. After graduating The Fame School: Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School, Boy Boi worked professionally with superstars such as Beyoncé, Jennifer Lopez, Azealia Banks, Becky G, Trevor Jackson, BeBe Rexha, Ariana Grande, Panic! At the Disco, Dumblonde and the film Step Up 3D. He has contributed choreography for performances including the Latin Grammy Awards, TV & video appearances for Ariana Grande and worked as an assistant creative director on Beyoncé’s Formation World Tour.
Boy Boi is a proud company member of Dana Foglia Dance, based in Los Angeles, with whom he trains, travels and performs. He is a skilled teacher with his own class slot at some of the most respected studios in LA. He is a YoungArts 2012 recipient in World Dance, a PULSE Elite Protegé Alumni and a Monsters of Hip-Hop Show Cast. His joy and passion for learning and sharing is contagious.
Not only does his passion come with a great deal of humility, staying humble and grounded are traits that he finds very important. He has many loves that include the teaching and sharing of movement as well as entertaining and performing, helping others around him and striving to push the art of dance forward.
Ai Shimatsu, originally from Tokyo, Japan, started training ballet at the age of 3 and studied with Tokyo Ballet School. She won at the NBA ballet competition in 2001 and Itabashi ballet competition in 2002 which are both known as big ballet competitions in Japan. In 2007, Ai moved to NY and continued her dance training in Jazz, Hip-hop, Contemporary, House and more at Broadway Dance Center. She has toured with top artists including Madonna, Beyoncé, Pharrell Williams, Katy Perry, and Brandy. She has performed on numerous TV and award shows with artists such as Prince, Kanye West, Janelle Monae, Cardi B, Gwen Stefani, Christina Aguilera, and many other incredible stars.
Ai has been a founding member of Dana Foglia Dance since 2010 and has done numerous performances with the company including VATIC, Capezio A.C.E Awards, Jimmy Kimmel Live Show, and more. Her style, grace, and remarkable skill in dance have not only gained mass attention in the dance world but in fashion also. Ai starred in major fashion campaigns with Tommy Hilfiger FW, KENZO FW, KARA, and Katy Perry Collections SS.
Natsuki Miya always had a passion for the art of movement. Born in Tokyo, Japan, she developed her artistry in multiple fields including Contemporary, Theater Jazz, Hip Hop, Locking, Basketball, Baseball, Karate, Acting, Calligraphy and so on. In 2009, right after she graduated high school, her open minded curiosity brought her to New York City to push her craft further. She joined the International Student Visa Program at Broadway Dance Center continuing her training, as well as developing new styles such as Stiletto Heels, Waacking, and House. After 2 years of intense training, Natsuki obtained a US artist visa as a professional dancer, soon after she was chosen to go on the “Tomahawk Technique World Tour” with Sean Paul at the age of 21. She relocated to Los Angeles in 2013 to challenge herself and expand her career. Natsuki was blessed with the opportunity to work with artists such as Beyonce, Rihanna, Usher, Justin Timberlake, Lady Gaga, Ariana Grande, Cardi B, Kehlani, Normani, Camila Cabello, Nicole Scherzinger, Missy Elliot, Mariah Carey and many more. She has also toured with Pharrell Williams, N*E*R*D, TLC, Tinashe, Grimes/Lana Del Ray.
In 2014, she was able to fulfill one of her biggest dream projects, being involved in one of Michael Jackson’s music videos, “Love Never Felt So Good” ft. Justin Timberlake. Every single one of these jobs kept her motivated and willing to learn while pushing herself even further. She continues to strive as an artist day to day always looking for an inspiration that will help her inspire others. Natsuki has been a long time member of Dana Foglia Dance company since 2011 when the company was created. She is eager and excited for her future and believes that "Life is never easy but worth it."
Cilia Trappaud, 26 years old, is a native of Copenhagen, Denmark. Cilia has danced since she was 5 years old and comes from a training background of primarily hip-hop, house, experimental and urban styles. She began working as a dancer in Denmark at a very young age and with time, became one of the most sought-after professionals there.
In 2015, she did her first training program with Dana Foglia and has returned to attend Dana’s program each year until finally moving to Los Angeles in 2018 and becoming a Dana Foglia Dance company member. In addition to being in the DFD company, Cilia works as a commercial dancer and model.
Martel Jackson, born and raised in Peoria, IL, has been dancing ever since he could remember. As a young child he started always being the center of attention at parties, weddings, and anywhere else he was taken and there was music. At 7 his grandmother enrolled him into tap, jazz, and tumbling lessons at D/D Productions, the local studio in Peoria, mainly so she could positively direct his energy and stop him from getting hurt flipping off her furniture. There he took for 12 years dancing and competing in places like Dallas, TX, Las Vegas, NV, Myrtle Beach, SC, Gatlinburg, TN, and many other places. After graduating in 2002 in the top 10% of his class at Peoria Central High school he applied and enrolled in at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign that fall. There he majored in Business Administration with a concentration in Entrepreneurship.
In the fall of 2003 he auditioned and joined Dance2xs International Dance group, he joined Dance2xs UIUC (hip hop) in 2003 and Dance2xs Caliente (Latin styles) in 2005. For the rest of his college career he performed on many stages on campus and off campus and also got to perform in Portugal at Dance2xs' first international Urbanite event that included multiple bases. He started attending Monsters of Hip Hop dance convention in 2005 and eventually went on to be come a finalist and show cast member in the 2007 Inspirations show at the El Portal Theater in Los Angeles, CA. Since then he's gone to multiple cities assisting choreographers Tabitha and Napoleon Dumo, Marty Kudelka, Chonique Sneed, Kevin Maher, Rhapsody James, and many others.
Currently he resides in North Hollywood, CA where he trains as a professional dancer and works at Movement Lifestyle Dance Studio. Martel joined the company after attending the very first Apprenticeship Program in 2013.
Mariah Chandler is a Los Angeles-based professional dancer with Michigan roots and Midwest work ethic. She earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance at Oakland University in 2015 and moved to L.A. to pursue her passions as a working dancer and teacher. Mariah first trained with Dana Foglia in 2014, as a mentee, and later on began dancing for her as a company member.
She has performed as a DFD company member in productions in Amsterdam and L.A. Mariah feels her most fulfilled performing and training with Dana Foglia Dance. She lives by the motto: “Be a good, hard-working human first and the rest will follow.”
Brianna Pavon, originally from New Orleans, Louisiana, graduated in 2016 from Pace University in New York City, earning a Bachelor of Fine Arts in commercial dance. After college, Brianna moved to Los Angeles, California to pursue a career as a performer in the entertainment industry. Since moving to Los Angeles, Brianna has worked on award shows, music videos, commercials and world tours alongside musical artists including Beyoncé, PInk, Dua Lipa, Kelly Clarkson, Shania Twain, MUSE and more. She has worked with numerous brands such as Target, Kohl’s, Sketchers and Samsung.
Aside from the commercial industry, Brianna has been a member of Dana Foglia Dance since 2017. She is extremely honored and passionate about being of part of such an innovative and unique dance company that she now calls her family.
Eric Schloesser is a professional dancer and emerging model. Hailing from Colorado, he moved to Los Angeles at 18 to pursue a career in commercial dance. He danced for artists and companies such as Billie Eilish, Lady Gaga, Katy Perry and Dua Lipa as well as performing in Shaping Sound.
In 2019, he joined Dana Foglia Dance. He is currently based in NYC where he seeks to continue and expand his work in both movement and fashion on a global scale.
Denae Luce, a native of Southern California, began dancing at the age of three. In 2013, she moved to Los Angeles to attend the University of Southern California, earning degrees in three diverse areas: Dance, Business Administration and Graphic Design. Since graduating, she has made LA her permanent home while pursuing her professional dance career. She has danced in national commercials, performed in a variety of live events, and trained closely with some of the best choreographers in the industry, including Dana Foglia.
In 2019, Denae performed with Dana Foglia Dance for the first time, in Amsterdam.
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