Our Board

Our board works to cultivate and sustain an interconnected dance community.

Executive Board

Sonia James Pennington

PRESIDENT
Artistic & Executive Director, That Which Connects Camden and National Dance Showcase and Artists In Motion
Karen Love

VICE PRESIDENT
Company Owner, Umoja Dance
Dance Educator, Hillside High School
Karen Cleighton

SECRETARY
Dance & Musical Theatre Educator, Chartertech High School for the Performing Arts
Sukanya Mahadevan

TREASURER
Founder & Artistic Director, Shishya School of Performing Arts
Kandice N. Point-Du-Jour

PAST PRESIDENT
Dance Educator, South Orange-Maplewood School District
Paul McRae

Assistant Director, New Jersey Ballet

Board of Trustees

Arvin Arjona

Dance Educator, Millburn High School; Adjunct Professor, Rutgers Mason Gross School of The Arts in the Dance Dept.
Michele Byrd-McPhee

Executive Director, Ladies of Hip-Hop
Kathy Costa McKewon

Owner/Director, DanceWorks Studios
Kathleen Flynn Gavin

Co-Director & Dance Educator, Union County Academy for Performing Arts Dance Department
Kamille King

Dance Educator, East Orange Campus High School & Montclair High School
Dajhia Maddox

Dance Educator, Irvington High School
Cristen Pennello

Supervisor and Career Technology Education Co-Supervisor, Union City Board of Education District Performing Arts
Susan Pope

BA Dance Education Coordinator/Adjunct Professor, Montclair State University
Kristine Smith

CEO/Co-Founder, InSpira Performing Arts
Kim Vaccaro

Associate Professor, Rider University
Heather Warfel

Director of Dance/Choreography, Hudson County Schools of Technology

25th Anniversary Gala

On National Dance Day, September 21st, 2024, the Dance New Jersey community gathered to celebrate 25 years of sustaining a healthy, connected, diverse, and equitable dance community in our state. Guests enjoyed cocktails, dancing, live performances from our member companies, and our inaugural Community Impact Awards ceremony. Learn about our award recipients here. The evening was hosted by the beautiful Camden Arts Yard in Camden, NJ.