FRANCISCO GELLA's distinguished career as a dancer, choreographer, artistic director, dance educator, and social entrepreneur spans more than twenty years—since he took his first formal dance class at the University of Washington at the age of nineteen. His award-winning, innovative choreography and highly effective teaching methods are sought after by professional companies, universities, and conservatories across North America and around the globe. Francisco’s choreographic commissions include Repertory Dance Theatre, Ballet Pacifica, California Ballet, Pennsylvania Ballet’s Shut-Up and Dance Production, and PHILADANCO’s Danco on Danco program to name a few. In 2013, Francisco premiered Concentric Harmonies at Celebrate Dance in Los Angeles, which received the Grand Prize at the McCallum Theatre Choreography Festival in 2014. In 2014-15, his work Solstice, performed by the Phoenix Ballet, had its world premiere at the 60th Anniversary Gala of the Beijing Dance Academy and its European premiere at Poland’s prestigious Lodz International Ballet Festival. In April 2016, his work Souvenirs de Mouvement was featured at the nationally recognized Booker T. Washington High School of the Performing & Visual Arts annual Flying Horse Gala. Francisco is the founding artistic director of NUEVO School of Contemporary Dance and COLABO Youth Dance Collective (2008-2015), the founding artistic director of New Century Dance Project, and the lead ballet faculty of the 24/Seven Dance Convention.

RAY MERCER is a native of Omaha, NE, and has set works on various companies across the country including PHILADANCO!, Dayton Contemporary Dance Company, New Jersey Ballet, Dallas Black Dance Theatre, Ballet Pensacola, Cleo Parker Robinson Dance, and DRA (Dancers Responding to Aids). He has performed with Deeply Rooted Dance Theater, has been a guest artist with Boston Ballet, and is currently in the Broadway production of The Lion King. He is also a resident choreographer for the Ailey/Fordham BFA Program. Mercer is the recipient of many awards including a 2012 Joffrey Ballet Choreographers of Color Award and a Pensacola Ballet Choreographers Award, and he is a five-time winner of Broadway’s Gypsy of the Year Award for best onstage performance. Recently acknowledged for his choreography in The New York Times, Chicago Sun Times, and Movement Magazine, Mercer has also been commissioned to choreograph a work for the Smithsonian Museum in Washington, DC.

ANTHONY BURRELL, a Philadelphia-born creative director, choreographer, and actor, is seen as the creative force on E! Entertainment for Mariah’s World, Mariah Carey’s Vegas Residency 1toInfinity, Sweet Sweet Fantasy Tour, Un-Silent Night Christmas, and All I Want for Christmas at the Beacon Theater. Anthony is part of the artistic team behind Beyonce’s Super Bowl halftime shows, Beyonce’s Grammy performance (2017), MTV Music Awards (2016), Country Music Awards (2016), The Formation World Tour, and countless music videos. He won an MTV Video Music Award for Best Choreography in Beyonce’s Formation and was also nominated for Best Choreography in Beyonce’s Sorry. Recent film credits include Lemonade visual album, Jackass Presents: Bad Grandpa, and Leave It On the Floor, Pepsi, Direct TV, DKNY, Ivy Park, and a long roster of artists, on Broadway debut as Hank in Twyla Tharp’s Broadway Musical Come Fly Away and co-starred the film The Skinny. Anthony has choreographed and performed in Don Ardens Jubilee as lead-choreographer, Raising Asia, Abby's Ultimate Dance Competition, Good Morning America, So You Think You Can Dance Top 24, Dance Moms, GLEE, and Fox’s hit series Empire. Anthony has danced with PHILADANCO!, Eleone, Koresh, Prism Dance Theater, Danco II, Ailey II, and The Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater as a principal dancer. He is the Founder and Director of Breaking Barriers Summer Dance Intensive and AB Project. Most recently Mr. Burrell opened the Anthony Burrell Center for Dance (ABCD), a multifaceted dance institution for pre-professionals located in Atlanta, GA.