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MEET PENN DANCE
SENIORS
JUNIORS
RISA POLLAK
2025 (she/her)
Risa is a senior in the School of Engineering and Applied Science studying Bioengineering. She started dancing when she was three at a local studio and trained there in ballet, tap, jazz, contemporary, modern, and musical theater. In high school, she joined her school’s dance company, which focused on modern dance and student choreography. She currently serves as a chair for the DAC Emily Sachs Day of Dance Benefit. Risa loves her PDamily and can't wait to keep dancing and performing with PD!
CLAIRE REDMER
2025 (she/her)
Claire is a senior in the College of Arts and Sciences, and she is undecided. She had danced for fifteen years at Westport's Academy of Dance before coming to Penn. Claire's background is primarily in classical and contemporary ballet, but she loves to dance any style, including modern, jazz, and musical theater. She also enjoys teaching and can't wait to choreograph with PD. Claire is excited to continue bonding with this amazing group of people and is looking forward to service as the president.
ROSIE DANIELS
2025 (she/her)
Rosie is a senior in the College of Arts and Sciences. She first started dancing at the age of 2 in ballet and has since danced in numerous styles, including contemporary, jazz, and character. From Michigan, much of her training was at Grand Rapids Ballet where she performed in full-length productions and with the professional ballet company. She has trained at various summer and year-round programs including those at Joffrey Ballet, Kirov Ballet, and in Moscow at the Bolshoi Ballet. Rosie is so excited to join Penn Dance to continue dancing and to grow with the incredible dancers in the company!
LAURA SHIN
2025 (she/her)
Laura Shin is a senior in the College studying English and minoring in French and Digital Humanities. She has trained extensively in ballet, modern, and jazz, and studied at the Rock School of Ballet and the Koresh School of Dance. She is so glad to be part of the PD community and excited to dance with them for the next two years!
VANESSA LU
2026 (she/her) | PRESIDENT
Vanessa is a junior in the College, double majoring in Cognitive Science and Criminology. Starting dance at age three, she trained for six years at On Pointe Dance Studio where she was a competitive dancer, primarily in ballet, contemporary, and jazz. Some of her favorite dance memories include travelling to Melbourne, Bangkok, and Hong Kong for competitions such as YAGP, Dance World Cup, and the Asian Grand Prix. After moving to California, she trained with the Thacher Dance Ensemble and began exploring choreography. Vanessa is so excited to experience the next four years with her PDamily!
SAGE LELAND
2026 (she/her)
Sage is a junior in the College studying Neuroscience on the pre-medical track with minors in Healthcare Management and Computer Science. She began her ballet training at age seven with the Academy of American Dance in California, where she performed as a pointe dancer in the Ballet America Junior Company for five years. She also joined her high school's dance team, where she gained exposure to jazz and contemporary styles, but is excited to branch out further as a member of Penn Dance. She can't wait to choreograph and dance with this talented group of people!
GLORIA LEE
2026 (she/her)
Gloria is a junior in Wharton studying Marketing and minoring in Cinema & Media Studies. She began tap dancing when she was four and later trained heavily in modern dance as well as contemporary, jazz, lyrical, and hip hop. She has competed and choreographed back home in Taipei, Taiwan as well as abroad. Gloria is so excited to join the company to continue her training and explore her passion with a new family!
ELLA NEVO
2026 (she/her) | TREASURER
Ella is a junior in the School of Engineering and Applied Science studying Bioengineering. She started ballet at age four, eventually adding jazz, modern, contemporary, and musical theater to her dance repertoire at age ten with Foster Dance Company and Wayne Ballet & Center for Dance Arts. Ella can't imagine her life without dance, so she can't wait to dance, choreograph, and grow closer with PD!
MIA MANSFIELD
2026 (they/them) | VICE PRESIDENT
Mia is a junior in the College majoring in Astrophysics and minoring in Design. They began dancing at age four, studying tap, jazz, and ballet with The Movement Center and Hawaii Ballet Theatre's Aloha Tap Company. Mia is so excited to be continuing dance in college alongside all the amazing members of PD!
BONNIE CHEN
2026 (she/her)
Bonnie is a junior in VIPER studying Physics and Materials Science and Engineering. She started Chinese dance when she was 10, later training in ballet at the New Jersey School of Ballet. Bonnie is so excited to explore modern and perform with PD for the rest of her time at Penn!
SOPHOMORES
CAROLINA PAYERAS
2027 (she/her) | SOCIAL CHAIR
Carolina is a sophomore in the College studying Political Science and History. She is from Washington D.C., and has trained in ballet and contemporary her whole life at Adagio Ballet School and Virginia Dance Conservatory, spending her summers at programs at PNB, PBT, and Washington Ballet, among others. She also spent several years competing in YAGP and ADCIBC. During her gap year before Penn, she was a trainee with the Philadelphia Ballet, performing in productions such as The Nutcracker and Sleeping Beauty. Carolina is so excited to be a part of PD and continue her dance journey throughout college, as well as be a part of the PD community!
JACOB TUTEUR
2027 (he/him) | TECH CHAIR
Jacob is a sophomore in the College of Arts and Sciences. At age three, he began taking dance classes in his hometown, St. Louis, MO. Throughout his childhood, he studied various dance styles, including ballet, contemporary, jazz, hip hop, tap, and musical theater. In high school, he performed in and choreographed for his school’s Dance Show. Additionally, he performed in 12 productions at The Muny, America’s oldest and largest outdoor musical theater, and was dance captain of the Muny Teens Troupe. He is very excited to pursue his passions for dance and choreography with Penn Dance!
LOUISE WANG
2027 (she/her)
Louise is a sophomore in Wharton concentrating in Finance and Management. She began dancing at the age of three and has been competing with the Debby Dillehay Dance Studio and her high school dance team from New Orleans, LA. She has trained in 12+ styles including tap, pointe, jazz, and hip-hop. Her favorite has been contemporary modern but loves exploring new ones. Louise is ecstatic to be part of the PDamily and is excited to continue her passion with so many others.
FRESHMEN
CHELSEA ABRAMOWITZ
2028 (she/her) | CO-PUBLICIST
Chelsea Abramowitz is a freshman in the School of Arts and Sciences. Though considering pursuing a dual degree in engineering and architecture, she is currently studying architecture and philosophy. A Philadelphia native, she has danced for 12 years primarily at Koresh Dance Company. With the company, Chelsea trained in Vaganova ballet, Luigi jazz, Horton, and the Graham technique. In high school, she took part in Koresh’s pre-professional Youth Ensemble, performing with other high school dancers around the city of Philadelphia. Chelsea is so excited to continue exploring PD’s unique dance styles and getting to know the PD community throughout her next three years at Penn!
MAGGIE ZENG
2028 (she/her) | CO-PUBLICIST
Maggie is a freshman in the College studying Neuroscience with a minor in English. At age five, she began dancing ballet at Goh Ballet in Vancouver, Canada, training under the RAD technique. After relocating back to Hong Kong, she trained in ballet, contemporary, and jazz with Red Shoe Dance Company. Maggie’s favorite moments involve performing with her high school dance team, choreographing for dance and theatre groups, and her brief musical theatre stint. She is passionate about the artistic freedom and close community of Penn Dance, and she is incredibly grateful for the opportunity to spend her time at Penn amongst such talented people!
RAISSA HANONO
2028 (she/her) | COSTUME CHAIR
Raissa is a freshman in the College studying Cognitive Science. She began ballet at the age of 3 and later explored diverse styles such as contemporary, jazz, and tap. Raissa has competed in numerous events, including the Universal Ballet Competition where she placed first for her ballet solo. She also has attended prestigious summer ballet intensives, including those at the Joffrey Ballet School. Dance has always been an integral part of Raissa’s life, and she is excited to continue pursuing it during her college years with PD!
ADELLE WAMPLER
2028 (she/her)
Adelle is a freshman in the College of Arts and Sciences. She first started dancing ballet when she was three and has since continued her ballet training. She also trained in contemporary and theater dance. She danced at the Philadelphia Dance Academy and was a part of the Philadelphia Youth Ballet where she worked with choreographers from The Philadelphia Ballet, BalletX, New Chamber Ballet, and more. Adelle is excited to join Penn Dance and continue growing her technical skills and creative expression!
YVAN PHAN
2028 (she/her)
Yvan is a freshman in the College of Arts and Sciences. Starting dance at age three, she studied jazz and ballet at Shannon Carney Dance Academy. She went on to join Bucks County School of the Performing Arts in 2016 where she explored lyrical and contemporary styles. For three years, she competed with the company in various styles including ballet, lyrical, contemporary, jazz, and musical theater before taking a hiatus during high school. Yvan is incredibly grateful to be returning to dance and is excited to choreograph, experiment, and dance alongside her lovely Penn Dance family!
NAOMI DEAN
2028 (she/her)
Naomi is a freshman in the College studying Politics, Philosophy, and Economics. She started dancing at age three. She initially trained in ballet and tap and later progressed to contemporary, modern, and jazz among other styles. Naomi is originally from Philadelphia and studied at the Rock School for Dance Education. Later, she joined the Metropolitan Ballet Company, a pre-professional ballet program. She has completed various summer intensives at Philadelphia Ballet, Kaatsbaan, BalletX, and Bolshoi Ballet. Naomi is excited to pursue her love of the performing arts in college with PD!
KATHLEEN YU
2028 (she/her)
Kathleen is a freshman at Wharton with interests in finance and analytics. She started dancing when she was eight and trained in ballet under the Royal Academy of Dance curriculum for seven years. She also has performed contemporary, lyrical, jazz, and en pointe. Throughout high school, Kathleen danced competitively and was a teaching assistant for her school’s dance department for three years. She is so excited to continue dancing with PD throughout her time at Penn!
GRADUATE STUDENTS
DORIS MEI
2026 (she/her)
Doris is a first-year graduate student at the Graduate School of Education studying Intercultural Communication. She began dancing at age three, training in Chinese dance for eight years and Latin dance for five years. In sixth grade, she transitioned to rhythmic gymnastics, which she continues to practice. Most recently, she started contemporary dance and was honored to join Hofesh Shechter Company member Yeji Kim's experimental piece, “When I Enter,” at the 2024 Greater Bay Area Dance Festival. Doris is excited to keep growing as a dancer with PD!
ALUMNI
CLASS OF 2024
LEANNA CHEN
2024 (she/her)
Leanna graduated with a major in Health and Societies on the pre-medical track. She has training in a variety of dance styles including ballet, pointe, jazz, modern, tap, contemporary/lyrical, and hip hop. Before coming to Penn, she was a competitive dancer that had competed in and attended dance competitions and conventions such as Groove, VIP, and JUMP. She absolutely loved getting the chance to dance and choreograph again with Penn Dance!
STELLA HUNG
2024 (she/her)
Stella graduated from the College of Arts and Sciences with a major in Cognitive Science and a minor in Consumer Psychology. She first started dancing ballet at the age of 5 and has continued training for the past 13 years at Ballet Hawaii and Hawaii State Ballet. Although she dabbled a bit in modern dance during high school, she is excited to explore new styles through Penn Dance. Stella delighted in being a part of PD and loved dancing and choreographing with them during her time at Penn!
LAURYN REYNOLDS
2024 (she/her)
Lauryn graduated from the College of Arts and Sciences with a major in PPE. A Philly girl, she trained at the Gwendolyn Bye Dance Center in the styles of ballet, modern, tap, hip hop, and jazz. She also danced in many musicals at her high school. Lauryn was thrilled to continue her dancing with Penn Dance during her time at Penn!
VICTORIA DE LA ROSA
2024 (she/her)
Vicki graduated from the College of Arts and Sciences. She began dancing in school programs throughout middle school and high school. Her love for performing comes from her background in competitive gymnastics. She had so much fun exploring the creative aspect of dance with the rest of the company!
ANGELA RODRIGUEZ
2024 (she/her)
Angela graduated with a major in Electrical Engineering in SEAS. She first started tap dancing when she was three, and then started trying out other styles over the years. By the end of her senior year, she was doing tap, jazz, ballet, lyrical, and contemporary. She is so happy to have joined Penn Dance and loved growing and being with them for all four years!
ELLA SIEFKEN​
2024 (she/her)
Ella Siefken graduated with a major in Chemical Engineering in SEAS. She has been studying dancing since age 4, focusing in modern, jazz, and ballet at the Dance Conservatory of Pittsburgh through middle and high school. She had the best four years choreographing and performing with PD!
EMILY WARDEN
2024 (she/her)
Emily graduated from the College after studying Health and Societies. She grew up outside of Philly and began ballet when she was 4 years old. She has participated in multiple summer intensives, including ABT and Atlanta Ballet, and competed in Youth America Grand Prix. While Emily has primarily done ballet in the past, she enjoyed exploring more modern styles with Penn Dance.
ALUMNI
CLASS OF 2023
GRACE BANCROFT
2023 (she/her)
Grace graduated from the College majoring in Neuroscience with minors in Computer Science and Chemistry. She has been dancing for 16 years, focusing on ballet, jazz, and contemporary. Additionally, she was a member of the Civic Ballet of San Luis Obispo for 4 years and choreographed multiple pieces at the Academy of Dance in San Luis Obispo. She was so happy to continue dancing with Penn Dance family for her time at Penn!
CAMRYN FETZER
2023 (she/her)
Camryn graduated from the School of Nursing. She has been studying at Rockwell Dance Center, previously Performing Arts Center of CT, since she was 9 years old in modern, ballet, pointe, and more. She was a member of the Pre-Professional Modern Company there for 5 years and has performed in various venues including Youth American Grand Prix. She loved continuing her passion for modern dance and gain more choreography experience in Penn Dance.
SUZANNE LIU
2023 (she/her)
Suzanne Liu graduated from Wharton after studying Finance and Legal Studies. She has been dancing for more than 10 years and has experience in ballet, jazz, modern, and contemporary. Before coming to Penn, she was a student in the Youth Program at the Joffrey Ballet School and has choreographed five pieces for the Nightingale-Bamford School's Dance Collective. She is so grateful to have danced with PD during her time at Penn!
SERENA MARTINEZ
2023 (they/them)
Serena Martinez graduated with a Gender, Sexuality, and Women’s Studies major and English minor in the College of Arts and Sciences. They have studied primarily modern, ballet, and jazz but the style matters less as long as they get to do some floor work. Serena loves to choreograph and was grateful to continue to dance and set pieces with Penn Dance.
CHERIE SIO
2023 (she/her)
Cherie graduated from Wharton after studying Business Analytics and Finance, minoring in Cinema & Media Studies. Since she was 4, she had been trained in traditional Chinese dance and ballet back in China. In high school, she became experienced in modern, lyrical, contemporary, jazz, tap, and hip hop and choreographed 12+ dances for the concerts. She loves the PD family and had the best time creating beautiful shows with its talented dancers!
ALUMNI
CLASS OF 2022
