Dancefusion Company

Gwendolyn Bye

Gwendolyn Bye has spent 40 years in the performing arts. She was mentored by Nadia Chilkovsky Nahumck and Mary Anthony, and has worked with some of the most powerful and legendary artists in this country, including Martha Graham, Charles Weidman, Anna Sokolow, and Pauline Koner. She founded Dancefusion in order to carry the rich history of modern dance into the 21st Century; reconstructing historic works, creating new and vibrant choreography and training the next generation of dancers.


A native of Philadelphia, Gwen attended and graduated with honors from the Philadelphia Performing Arts School (University of the Arts) under the direction of Mrs. Nahumck, where she received a Ford Foundation Scholarship. Her early training included the School of the Pennsylvania Ballet and performing in their junior company. Gwen joined the Mary Anthony Dance Theater in New York and became a principal dancer, performing for fourteen years in seasonal concerts and tours throughout America. Two dances were created for her: Tides by Ross Parkes and Lady of the Sea by Mary Anthony. She danced in Dreams and Rooms choreographed by Anna Sokolow and partnered Charles Weidman in Fables of Our Times. Gwen studied and taught at the Alvin Ailey American Dance Center as well as at the Martha Graham School, where she was awarded a Helena Rubenstein Scholarship. Her first choreographic work was commissioned with Juilliard composer Michael White and was presented at the Walnut Street Theater in 1976.


In 1984, she returned to Philadelphia, opened the Gwendolyn Bye Dance Center and became artistic director of Penn Dance at the University of Pennsylvania. Gwen formed Dancefusion in 1987 where she choreographs and performs up to the present. She has directed, choreographed and restaged numerous dance works on Dancefusion for 27 years of concerts and programs, including the junior company fusion2. She has been a movement specialist on the roster of the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts Artists-In-Education Program, teaching in over 100 schools throughout Greater Philadelphia, including work as director/choreographer with Jacques d’Amboise in a four-school residency program. In 1996 and ’98 Gwen was invited to dance the lead rolls in Mary Anthony Dance Theater’s 40th Anniversary Season in New York City and in 2000 she danced with Jeanne Ruddy Dance in a work by Igal Perry. In 2001 she received an Award of Recognition from the City of Philadelphia and in 2007 she received the “Rocky Award” for her contribution to the Philadelphia Dance Community. Currently Gwen is very active as a director, teacher and administrator, for all the programs of Dancefusion and the Gwendolyn Bye Dance Center.

  • Assistant Director - Janet Pilla Marini a native of the Philadelphia area, received her BFA in Musical Theater from Syracuse University and her MFA in Dance from Temple University. She toured nationally and internationally as a soloist of Ann Vachon/Dance Conduit (a company dedicated to the preservation of the José Limón style of modern dance) for 12 years. She was a member of Jeanne Ruddy Dance for 12 years, and an associate artistic director during her last year with the company. She has been featured in performances in Czechoslovakia as a soloist and in England, Scotland and Taiwan as a company member of Terry Beck Troupe and Ed Groff/Jin Wen Yu Dancers. She has performed with many Philadelphia choreographers and companies and has performed numerous reconstructions of the work of José Limón, Doris Humphrey, Anna Sokolow and Mary Anthony.

  • Alec Aversa, from Thornhurst, Pennsylvania, began his dance training at 19 at the Joan Harris Center in Luzerne, PA. Alec quickly developed a passion for dance as a form of self-expression. For three years he studied ballet, tap, jazz, hip-hop, and modern dance while attending Misericordia University for a bachelor’s in computer science and mathematics. Upon graduating in 2020, Alec continues his education at Drexel University. Alec joined the Drexel Dance Ensemble, danced professionally as Cavalier in The Nutcracker for Dance One Studios, and began his PhD. in computer engineering. During this year, Alec was introduced to improvisation and free style dance, further diversifying his training. Alec began dancing at the Gwendolyn Bye Dance Center in 2022 and was invited into the Dancefusion company as an apprentice. Alec has been performing on stage since middle school. His acting roles, cast at Misericordia University, include Man in Chair in The Drowsy Chaperone and Snoopy in You’re A Good Man, Charlie Brown, while his dancing roles, cast at the Joan Harris Center, include Jean in Puss in Boots, Prince Desire in Sleeping Beauty, and Siegfried in Swan Lake.

  • Gabrielle Wright (Company Member) a native of New York. She worked with various choreographers and teachers such as Mary Barnett, Nina Klyvert-Lawson and Darrell Moultrie and performed Donald McKayles piece "Games" before moving to Philadelphia to pursue college. She graduated from the University of the Arts in 2003 with a BFA in Dance Education. There she performed various works by choreographers and dance pioneers such as Isadora Duncan, Milton Myers, Kim Bears-Bailey, and Brian Sanders. Since her move, she has also worked with Philadanco’s second company Danco2, LEJA, and the Civic Ballet. Gabrielle has been a company member of Dancefusion for thirteen years and has danced in works of Mary Anthony, Pauline Koner, Daniel Maloney, Suellen Haag, Joe Cicala, and Anna Troester to name a few. Along with performing Gabrielle has taught and choreographed for institutions within the Philadelphia area including, Gwendolyn Bye Dance Center, CAPA High School, Point Breeze Performing Arts Center and Stars Studio of Dance. Additionally for the last seven years she has also had the pleasure of directing Dancefusion’s fusion2, a training company for young professional dancers.

  • Alexandra Roberts received her Bachelor of Arts degree in Dance and Psychology from Eastern University, and her MS in Trauma Counseling from Jefferson University. Alexandra has studied dance under Gwendolyn Bye, Janine Bryant, Stephen Welsh, Selena Pettaway, Roger Lee, and Keila Cordova. She grew up outside of Chicago dancing competitively and received further training at the Martha Graham School of Contemporary Dance and Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet. In addition she has danced and performed with Melange Contemporary Dance under Michelle Wurtz and Chicago Dance Crash under Jessica Deahr. She has taught at various studios in the Philadelphia area, worked for dance competitions, collaborated and performed with local artists, and performed at the RAW Artist Showcase. Alexandra joined Dance Fusion in 2018 as a company member. Alongside her dance career, she currently works as a therapist with adolescents and families.

  • Jada Pope attends the Community College of Philadelphia majoring in Art and Design. She began her dance training at 9 years old at the Drexel Dornsife dance program where she was exposed to Hip-Hop, Jazz, and opportunities to choreograph. At 12 Jada was selected for a dance scholarship to attend Philadanco’s school for 4 years before being offered a scholarship at 16 to the Gwendolyn Bye Dance Center. During her time at GBDC, Jada was also a member of their pre-professional training company, fusion2. After graduating from high school in 2022, Jada was invited into join Dancefusion as an apprentice.

  • Kate received her BFA from The University of the Arts, along with training at The Martha Graham School of Contemporary Dance and the American Dance Festival. Kate is a member of Dancefusion, SHARP, and Anne Marie Mulgrew & Dancers in Philadelphia, where she enjoys both reconstructing historical works and exploring new choreography by local artists. Kate previously danced with Underground Dance Works and Between Movement Contemporary Dance Company. She was a guest artist with Esse Eficionado and joined Jeanne Ruddy Dance for its farewell season. Along with performing, Kate helps bring music and dance to children throughout the Philadelphia region as Senior Director of Philanthropy and Community for Dancing Classrooms Philly and Musicopia. Kate joined Dancefusion in 2010.

  • Mary Therese Escueta (Maritess, she/her) is a dance artist and educator. She began her dance training at the Academy of Dance Arts in Red Bank, NJ under the direction of Viorica Stampfel, Nicholas and Shayne Mishoe, Jennifer James Church, and Bridget Denise Trochiano. Prior to college, MaryTherese was a trainee at the Joffrey Ballet Chicago. She received her BA in dance and sociology from Case Western Reserve University while studying the Graham technique under Gary Galbraith and Karen Potter. After graduating, she danced professionally with Kanopy Dance and Scratch Dance in Madison, WI performing works by Lone Larson, Lisa Thurell, and Erica Pinigis. Currently MaryTherese is a dancer with Gwendolyn Bye’s Dancefusion, where she has had the opportunity to perform works by modern dance pioneers such as Pauline Kohner. Since moving to the greater Philadelphia/Delaware region, Maritess has performed at the Philadelphia Fringe Festival and the American Dance Guild Festival in NYC. She is a founding member of the Isthmus Dance Collective, a cooperative non-profit, aimed at making dance more accessible for working artists and community members.

  • Neeka Guenther received her Bachelor of Arts in Dance from Eastern University where she studied under Stephen Welsh and mentored and guest choreographed as a postgraduate. A Portland, Maine native, Neeka attended the Urbanity Dance Company Summer Intensive in Boston for two consecutive years, where she performed works by Jackie Nowicki and Betsi Graves. In 2017, her piece, "Tremolo," was adjudicated by Bill Evans, Adam McKinney, and Onye Ozuzu at the Mid-Atlantic American College Dance Association Festival. Neeka became an apprentice with Gwendolyn Bye’s Dancefusion in 2021 and joined as a company member in 2022. She enjoys reconstructing historic works with the company and training in the Mary Anthony Technique. Recently, Neeka performed in Dancefusion’s reconstruction of Pauline Koner’s, “Concertino” at the American Dance Guild Festival in New York City.

  • Robert Burden is a Philadelphia Native whose training started at Gwendolyn Bye Dance Center in various forms such as ballet, jazz, tap, codified modern techniques, and multiple hip hop styles. Burden is inspired by world building as a manifestation of the very experiences of being black and holding multiple identifications as well as the otherworldly and imaginative spaces of Anime and illustrative media. As a dancer he is also inspired by developing a pedagogical approach to movement and is equipped with teaching and choreographic skills of various levels.

  • Omar-Frederick Pratt began his dance training at the age of 8 at a local dance studio. He later went on to attend the creative and performing arts high school in Camden NJ to pursue his education in dance. After graduating high school in 2009, Freddy continued his education at the University of the Arts where he majored in ballet performance. Freddy has danced with local Philadelphia companies such as Dancefusion, Philadanco's 2nd company Danco 2, and Grace Dance Theater of Philadelphia INC. Outside of Philadelphia he has danced with Dissonance Dance Theatre in Washington DC. He is currently a member of Eleone Dance Theatre. In addition to dance, Freddy is also a pianist, singer, composer, choral director, and studio engineer. He is the minister of music for both Camden Bible Tabernacle Church located in Camden New Jersey and Zoar united Methodist church located in Philadelphia. He currently is employed with the Creative and Performing Arts High School of Camden NJ as assistant vocal music director. He has been awarded for his original music compositions.

  • Jennifer D. Yackel is a dance artist whose extensive career has taken her from ballet companies such as the Richmond Ballet and the Ballet Theatre of Maryland, to contemporary companies such as Jeanne Ruddy Dance and the Ellen Sinopoli Dance Company. She has enjoyed past projects with Mark Dendy, Adam Weinert, Bowen McCauley Dance, Lior Shneior, and Megan Flynn Dance Company. Jennifer has performed in notable venues such as the Kimmel Center, Jacob’s Pillow, Kaatsbaan International Dance Center, and the Lincoln Center Plaza.

    With a deep love and respect for classical modern dance Jennifer has had the honor of performing Mary Anthony’s Songs reconstructed by Gwendolyn Bye and Mary Wigman’s Hexantanz reconstructed by Victoria Hutchinson.

    Jennifer's choreography has been presented in several festivals and venues including Dixon Place, American College Dance Association Festival, YES Dance Invitational, Suite Summer Festival and Come Together Festival. She has created new works and dance films for Dancefusion and Ballet Theatre of Maryland.