CONVENTION FACULTY 2022

Troy and Marisa are a married couple who have been dancing together for 10+ years. Since 2010, Marisa has been a dancer on a collegiate hiphop team called High Profile which was then directed by Troy Corrales. Since then, they have participated and won titles at prestigious competitions such as Hiphop International, World of Dance, Prelude, and more. Collectively, Troy and Marisa have worked in the professional industry for companies such as Paul Mitchell, Missy Cochran Entertainment, Dragon Talent Group, and more. Since 2014, Troy has been a dancer and co captain at the Jabbawockeez show at the MGM Grand. Troy is also a professional photographer/videographer. Troy and Marisa currently creatively direct Playground Dance Company and the Desert Oasis Diamondback Dance Crew. This duo operates in excellence and does whatever it takes to see their dancers grow and thrive. If there’s anything entertainment, dance, or production wise that you need, these two can provide. 
 

Rebecca Guile is an innovative director who creates from her highest vibration, aligning her souls work with dance, choreography, healing, fashion and design.  Love and soul connection illuminate and empower those who have the opportunity to work with her.  Her passion for the way the body moves and relays information translated into her desire to continue to study dance at the University at Buffalo. During her time there, she honed her skills and interests in performance and choreography to receive a Bachelors of Fine Arts. At the same time, she discovered a connection and importance of nutrition. Rebecca performed with Princess Cruise Lines on the Regal and Costa Victoria. Returning to land, Rebecca moved to Las Vegas to perform with Charo, Rick Thomas's Magic Show at the Tropicana and Bevertainers at the Rio Hotel. She filmed commercials for Bamboleo Restaurant and signed with iron Beats where she then went on tour through China. Rebecca began her teaching career in 2004 where she taught at David DeMarie and American Academy of Ballet. From there it sparked her inner desire to create more opportunities for the WNY community by providing master classes through her company Xtreme Talent with professionals in the industry. She also co-created and directed Infinity Dance Project, Inc., a neutral ground pre-professional dance company with elite dancers all across from WNY studios. Rebecca's career thus far showed her the value of true self-expression as a strong and fierce woman. As Rebecca continues to commit herself to her own divine path and journey, she is compelled to guide others in learning and discovering what their creative path is in the language of movement. 

Brandon Cournay is a YPAD Certified, Brooklyn-based dancer, choreographer, teacher, and entrepreneur who is originally from Walled Lake, MI, and received his BFA from The Juilliard School. He is currently the Executive Artistic Director of Dance Device Lab and a dancer with the Mark Morris Dance Group. Brandon has performed in the Radio City Christmas Spectacular and with The Metropolitan Opera Ballet, Morphoses, New York Theatre Ballet, The Chase Brock Experience, Schoen Movement Company, Dance Heginbotham, and KEIGWIN + COMPANY (2010-2018). TV/Film/industrial credits include PBS’ Great Performances, Musical Chairs (HBO), Puma, Sesame Street, and Target. Brandon is a sought-after choreographer and educator, whose work has been commissioned by Works and Process at the Guggenheim. Brandon is a teacher of Dance for PD® which offers free, specialized dance classes to people with Parkinson’s Disease around the world. He was honored to teach throughout Africa with DanceMotion USA. He has worked with The Juilliard School, The Pennsylvania Ballet, UNCSA, Whim W’Him, Montclair State University, Marymount Manhattan College, Rutgers University, Barnard College, Southeast Missouri State University, and scores of universities, dance studios, and conventions. Brandon is a Founding Board Member of N-Squared Dance. Brandon is the Founder and Executive Artistic Director of Dance Device Lab (DDL). DDL produces student-focused, interactive, and engaging workshops at dance studios nationwide. Using his career as inspiration and DDL as a vessel, Brandon bridges the gap between the concert and commercial worlds of dance.
 

Lauren Yakima competed on the NBC hit show World of Dance and danced on Disney Channels Summer Singalong. Within the past couple years, she was in music videos for singers AJ McLean, Christina Ricucci and Sam Tsui. She has performed at the Capezio ACE Awards, with the Radio City Rockettes as the role of Clara as well at Tony Robbins Birthday Fundraiser. She has been a member of RoyalFlux, a contemporary company directed by Jaci Royal. Lauren has most recently just finished touring with JoJo Siwa as a dancer in her Nickelodeon D.R.E.A.M Tour.

Dominic Giudici grew up and danced in Youngstown Ohio starting at the age of 4. His first professional job was as the “Little Boy” in the Radio City Christmas Spectacular. He would go on to perform on Holland America Cruise Lines and then perform in the ensemble of the Radio City Christmas Spectacular. From there he would be hired as Chistery in the National Broadway Tour of Wicked and would transition into being a Swing and Dance Captain for Wicked on Broadway. Lastly, he was hired as a Swing for the National Broadway Tour of the Hamilton Angelica Tour.  He is proudly married to his Wife, Nicole, and has two amazing boys, Nolan and Hayden. 
 

Janaya French was a part of the Top 20 dancers on Season 9 of So You Think You Can Dance. Since her time on the show she has appeared on various TV shoes and Films such as; Dancing With The Stars, The Goldbergs, Glee, Teen Beach 2, Ted 2, American Housewife, CMA Country Christmas special, and one of her favorites Grease Live. She also has performed on many awards shows; the Grammy awards with James Corden, the Emmy awards with Stephen Colbert, People's Choice Awards with Jane Lynch, the CMA's with Thomas Rhett and Fall Out Boy and the Latin AMA's just to name a few. Janaya also toured the country twice with Maks and Val from Dancing with the Stars on the Our Way tour and MVP confidential tour. Most recently she has worked with artists such as Kelsea Ballerini on the People's Choice Awards, Shania Twain on The AMA's and can be seen in episodes of Penny Dreadful.

Giovanni Bonaventura has been seen on Broadway in Rodger & Hammerstein's Cinderella with Keke Palmer, Hello, Dolly! with Bette Midler, and Moulin Rouge plus the National Tour of Wicked.

 

Alyssa Guerrieri is an educator, choreographer, and performer with experience of over 20 years from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. A former Miss Dance of America, Alyssa has studied in all genres of dance and has performed on FOX’s So You Think You Can Dance, The Greatest Showman, and various music videos and live stage performances in Los Angeles, CA. Alyssa took on the lead role in Marinda Davis’ live production of UNbreakable, storytelling the human experience through live contemporary movement. She received her undergraduate degree from Loyola Marymount University. Most recently, Alyssa received her Doctorate of Physical Therapy from the University of Southern California, where she now practices in Pittsburgh as a full-time clinician, treating a multitude of athletes of a variety of different specialties and conditions. Alyssa is eager to continue to meld PT with her experience in professional dance and is especially humbled to share her passions with all of the dancers this weekend!