DeMa Dance Company's performig artists are a team of talented young dancers that are selected on an annual audition or by invitation. Each one of them posses an exquisite individual style. Their technical skills, invaluable artistry, uniqueness and bold qualities are the core of The Company.

JESSICA black

With the generous love and support from her parents, Jessica was able to move to NYC to further her training at several ballet studios throughout the city. Ms. Black had the opportunity to perform classical variations from Swan Lake, La Bayadere, Paquita, Don Quixote, and Balanchine’s Episodes and La Source. After attending the famous LaGuardia H.S. of the Performing Arts, Jessica was selected as the top ballet student of the year under the Jacques d'Amboise award. Jessica also received a scholarship to train in the Alvin Ailey School’s Fellowship Program and was chosen to perform with the Alvin Ailey company in "Memoria" at New York City Center. Under the tutelage of the Master of Jazz, Luigi, Jessica was the first American to perform his work "Solitude" in several NY venues. Jessica has worked as a freelance dancer with Edgar Cortes Dance Theater, Ballets with a Twist, Eglevsky Ballet, TranscendanceGroup and is currently with DeMa Dance Company.

HALI  bekofsky

Hali Bekofsky was born and raised on Long Island, New York. She attended the University of the Arts in Philadelphia and graduated in May 2010 with a BFA in Jazz Dance Performance. While attending UArts she received the Faculty Award for "Excellence in Dance", performed works by Christopher Huggins, Bob Fosse (re-staged by Scott Jovovich) Roni Koresh, Ginger Cox, and was also a founding member and soloist of the Xhale Dance Company. After graduation she was honored to have the opportunity to dance for a year in Israel under the MASA Apprentice Program with Kibbutz Contemporary Dance Company. In Israel she had the pleasure to perform choreography by Rami Be'er, Mats Ek and Sharon Vasivaser.  Since returning to New York she has worked with Leon Contemporary Dance Company, Amalgamate Dance Company, BEings Dance Company and performed different project works the at 2013 APAP Festival, 2012 NYC REVERBdance, The 2012 Young Choreographers Festival and as a dancer for recording artist Ja'Shayla. She joined DeMa Dance Company in 2012 and is honored work alongside such amazing talent!

SAIOA lopez-briones

Saioa López Briones started studying ballet in her hometown in Spain. At 17 she moved to Madrid where she graduated in Ballet. She was a member of Ballet Carmen Roche, one of Spain’s most prestigious ballet companies. During this time, she was also a ballet teacher in SCAENA Conservatory. Saioa had a scholarship in Madrid Dance Center Project Company and she had the opportunity to work with different choreographers like Ivan Barreto, Fernando Lázaro, Tino Sánchez and Claudia Vogelsanger. She has performed with OUI Danse, Periapsis Music and Dance, Oliva Contemporary Dance Project and works with DeMa Dance Company as a Guest Artist. For her the dance is:´´Move with the rhythm of the heart soul``.

JESSICA mena

Jessica Mena was born and raised in Brooklyn, NY. She discovered her love for dance at the age of 5 at the Vicky Simegiatos Performing Arts Center under the direction of Vicky, Matina and Despina Simegiatos. Her dance training ranges from Classical Ballet, Pointe, Contemporary, Jazz and Tap. Jessica graduated from La Guardia High School of Performing arts in 2010. She is currently attending Baruch College where she is pursuing a degree in management and entrepreneurial studies She has performed in works by Tyce Diorio, KC Castellano, Yesid Lopez, Tokyo, Mathew Neff, Ginger Cox, Caitlin Gray, Daniel Gwirtzman, Latrice Gregory, Elisa King and Deborah Zall. She has also performed at the half time show of the New York City Liberty basketball team as well as performing feature roles in full length productions with the Vicky Simegiatos Dance Company. Jessica joined DeMa Dance company in 2009.

ALEXANDRA pernice

Alexandra Pernice is a Point  Park  Alum  with a BA in dance and Musical Theatre minor. Originally a Florida native, she performed with  Orlando  City  Ballet  where she  danced leading roles by the age of fourteen. She attended ballet intensives with American Ballet Theater and Orlando Ballet.  She  has  worked  with artists such as  Broadway's Tome' Cousin and Rachelle Rak, Michael  Lichtefeld, Jack  Allison, Doug Bentz, PBT's Jaibin Pan, Luba Gulyavea, Jason Winters,  Jeff Saver,  Mary  Rawson, SYTYCD's Neil Haskell and many more.  Regional  Broadway  credits  include:  West  Side  Story  (Graziella) and  The Music Man. Other  career  highlights  include Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines  as  well as performing at the Kennedy Center in Washington  D.C.  She  has recently  been   seen as one of   Paramount  Pictures'  promotional  Captain  America  girls. She joined  DeMa  Dance  Company  in  2012. Ms. Pernice  is  a proud  member of Actors Equity Association (AEA).

JOELLE preziotti

Joelle began to train at Danceworks Dance Center under the direction of Margaret Tapogna Gatzonis at the age of three. As her passion for dance grew she attended & graduated LaGuardia High School of Music & Art & The Performing Arts. During her years as a competitive dancer Joelle had the privilege of dancing with the USTD dance team at Madison Square Garden & Disney World in Orlando, Florida. She has also traveled to Beijing, China with OSA's Team USA. After high school Joelle worked as a fellowship student at The Ailey School in NYC where she had the honor of performing in Ailey's "Memoria" alongside the Ailey Company for two consecutive seasons. Professionally, Joelle has traveled to Edmond, Washington & Los Angeles California with the SD Prism Dance Theater for the ChopShop Festival & the 13th Annual Choreography Festival. Currently, Joelle is a dancer with the DEMA Dance Company. She has performed in works by Yesid Lopez & Tyce Diorio. Most recently, Joelle was asked to dance with Michael Susten’s company the Xhale Dance Company at the Peridance Theater. At Danceworks, Joelle has developed into an excellent teacher & gifted choreographer. Her choreography has earned her students 1st over all top honors as well as a choreography award in 2011. This summer Joelle will be working with Tracie Stanfield & The Synthesis Dance Project. 

JENNA simon

Jenna Simon began dancing at the age of five at Mid Maryland Performing Arts Center in Frederick Maryland.  There she received training in the R.A.D. and Graham technique under the direction of Esperanza Alzona.  At the age of thirteen she joined the Potomac Classical Youth Ballet Company dancing soloist roles in ballets including, Peter and the Wolf, Paquita, and The Nutcracker.  Jenna graduated cum laude from Goucher College in 2008 with a BA in Communications and Media Studies and a minor in Dance Performance.  At Goucher she performed in works choreographed by Jean-Pierre Bonnefoux, Michael Vernon, William Whitener, Nilas Martins, and Anne Hutchinson-Guest.  During her last semester of college, she joined Washington Reflections Dance Company for one season.  She has also been a guest artist for the Baltimore Ballet Company, Trainor Dance, and The Albano Ballet.  In 2008, Jenna moved to NYC after receiving a fellowship to dance at the Alvin Ailey Summer Program.  Jenna currently performs with Ballet des Amériques in NYC.  This is Jenna's fourth season with DeMa Dance Company.

 ALEXIS stefanou

Alexis Stefanou has attended the Vicky Simegiatos Performing Arts Center since the age of six and studied under the direction of Matina Simegiatos and Despina Simegiatos. In 2005 she joined the Vicky Simegiatos Dance Company and has performed in various full length ballet productions. She has also performed at Madison Square Garden for a season opener of the NY Liberty. Alexis attended the School of American Ballet, and performed in several professional ballet productions at Lincoln Center with the New York City Ballet. Alexis has also used her talent to raise money for Sarcoma awareness and AIDS through dance. She attended LaGuardia Arts High School of the Performing Arts. Alexis has trained with the Miami City Ballet, Suzanne Farrell, American Ballet Theatre, Alvin Ailey, Seiskaya Ballet Academy, Pacific Northwest Ballet, Ballet Academy East, New York State Summer School of the Arts, and Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet. She has performed works by Despina Simegiatos, Matina Simegiatos, Vicky Simegiatos, Yesid Lopez, Billy Bell, Tokyo, Joey R. Smith, and Zvi Gotheiner. Currently, Alexis is a dance teacher at Vicky Simegiatos Performing Arts Center. She is also a student at Brooklyn College, and a featured model for Body Wrappers Dancewear. Alexis joined DeMa Dance Company in 2012

EILA valls

Eila was born in Gandia, Spain. She started her Ballet training at the age of 7 at a local school and moved to Madrid at the age of 15 to attend the Professional Real Conservatory of Dance Mariemma, where she graduated as Professional in Classic Ballet. She received 1st prize in Classic Ballet from the Community of Madrid and 1st prize in the 2nd International Dance Competition “Ciutat de Barcelona” where she was awarded with a full scholarship for the Certificate Program at Peridance in New York City, NY and The Joffrey Ballet in Chicago, IL. Eila has work with Griselda Hunt as a model/performer for her Release Sequence instructional Dance Fitness Video and has been a guest performer/instructor at Dance Times Square. Eila is an apprentice for The Peridance Contemporary Dance Company and joined DeMa Dance Company in 2013.