The Dancers

Current Geeksdanz Company Members

PATRICIA PETRONELLO, more affectionately known as Patty, grew up in Arlington Virginia from the age of ten with her small, yet loud, Italian Irish family. It was at the age of 13 when she found her love of dance; her middle school offered a dance PE class in place of regular PE, which she took without question (anything to get away from kickball and dodge ball). It wasn’t until her junior year of high school did she realize she could actually go to college for dance. It was her sister in law that helped her to find Slippery Rock University, which Patty later graduated from with a BA in dance and a minor in business management. After graduation she moved back to Pittsburgh three months later to dance with Staycee Pearl Dance project (SpDP) in her ensemble group. She was also fortunate to begin working with Mary Miller, who she continues to work with. She is excited to see the start of Geeksdanz and can’t wait to see the journey this company will take. Patty hopes to dance in Pittsburgh for another year or two before making a big move to Chicago (her dream city) and began a dance career there. No matter what city she moves to however, she will always be a Geek at heart.

I am LAMAR WILLIAMS, 23 years old, of Erie, PA. I started my dance career around 6 years old mainly just freestyling around the house. Around 10 years old I joined/created a dance team of Boys & Girls club of America in Erie, PA along with few neighborhood friends and we competed in several competitions, which jump started my passion for dance and choreography. I also started my own Hip Hop dance team called Ultimatum, where we performed in several states in competition, shows, and taught classes. I always wanted to expand my knowledge of dance in all styles as I only knew what is called street hip hop. In college at Slippery Rock University is where I took on the challenge of teaching an ole dog new tricks as some would say, as in comparison to my amazing colleagues who most have been in a studio since toddler age. I always felt like I had a lot of catching up to do which also fueled my hunger for knowledge, I found a whole new appreciation for dance and its history in college. I have worked with several reputable artists and have had so many humbling experiences that were opportunities that wouldn’t have been available to me if it hadn’t been for the knowledge I obtained at school. I am now facing endless possibilities for my career as an entertainer in general and look forward to future endeavors. And I love my Geeksdanz family and look forward to making Geeky Magic in the dance community!

Geeksdanz Alumni (listed in alphabetical order)

JAMIE CAMPBELL is a Pittsburgh native. She credits the Pittsburgh CLO Academy for giving her the tools to continue her education at Hollins University where she had the privilege of dancing, performing, and traveling with a wide variety of professors, dance educators, and choreographers. After she absorbed all that she could at Hollins, Jamie returned to her hometown to begin her professional career. Jamie has had the pleasure of dancing for a wide variety of artists in the Pittsburgh and surrounding areas. She is currently using her artistic talents to maintain her family and raise her two little kids all while she continues to explore the art of dance. Jamie is thrilled to be a part of the Geeksdanz adventure!

A’NNE ‘ATL’ COLLINS is a native of Rochester Pa and a graduate of Slippery Rock University with a BA in Dance and a minor Adapted Physical Activity. A’nne has performed in the Fall and Winter SRUDT concert, Jazz/ Tap Ensemble, Faculty, and Senior Synthesis Concerts. She is currently working for the Lincoln Park performing Arts Charter School, Henry Mancini Arts Academy specializing in Ballet, Tap, Jazz, Musical Theatre and Hip Hop. She also enjoys working with Glyde Productions and Big Day Entertainment.

LAURA HERBERT is from Cranberry Twp, PA. She is an Adapted Physical Activity specialist, dance artist and dance educator. She received her BA in Dance from Slippery Rock University,the following year she received her Masters of Science in Adapted Physical Activity. She founded a dance program for kids and teens with disabilities at the Woodlands Foundation in Wexford, called Spirit of Dance. She continues to further her professional dance career by training in ballet and modern and teaching at local dance studios. She is pleased to be part of the Geeksdanz family. For more information visit her website http://lauraherbert.weebly.com/.

SOPHIA LEVINE is a dance artist, movement teacher, and yoga instructor based in Pittsburgh, PA. Her exploits include winning a 2012 Flight School Fellowship for her personal dance projects, dancing for a theater-dance company in Southern Italy, and teaching various forms of movement to student Pittsburghers age 5 to 95. Past projects include instrumenting an environmental-theme flashmob in a piazza and performing in a ceramics studio turned fall-out shelter. Sophia currently teaches for Staycee Pearl Dance Project at Propel Schools and dances with local groups Geeksdanz and Col(lab)trix. For more about Sophia, visit her website sophialevine.com.

ELLA MASON is a native of Trafford, PA and grew up dancing in and around Pittsburgh. She attended Point Park University’s Pre-professional Dance Program in high school and apprenticed with Junction Dance Theater. She holds a B.A. in modern dance and international development from Sarah Lawrence College and a degree in massage therapy from the Finger Lakes School of Massage. Since graduating from college Ella has been massaging, dancing, choreographing, teaching, and working on film projects in New York City, Ithaca, Tucson, and New Delhi. She is excited to be back in her hometown where she has had the opportunity to work with the Pillow Project and POOF! as well as Geeksdanz. For more information on her non-Geek exploits check out www.movementandmassage.com.