Modern & Contemporary
Jennifer Florentino
Jennifer Florentino, (Paterson, NJ) received her BFA in Dance from Point Park University. Upon graduation she worked with Disney Cruise Line as a Main-stage dancer on board the Disney Fantasy. In her return back to NYC she became a company member of Deeply Rooted Dance Theater. Jennifer’s freelance career has granted her to work with artists such as Cindy Salgado, Jonathan Emanuell Alsberry, Maleek Washington, Yoshito Sakuraba, and Antonio Brown. She had the opportunity to be a part of the inaugural family of Axis Connect, where she worked extensively with The Barton Movement founders Cherice and Charissa Barton, and many of the worlds leading industry professionals. This led her to work and be apart of Sonya Tayeh’s “You’ll Still Call Me By Name.” Her Musical theater credits include On Your Feet (1st National), Moulin Rouge The Musical (Boston), Evita (Encores), Once Upon a One More Time Television/Film: Steven Spielberg's West Side Story, Starling, Modern Love, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, Isn't It Romantic, Kennedy Center Honors (Gloria Estefan), SNL. Jennifer feels incredibly humbled and honored to return back to Effusion Dance Collective. LoveJoy! @jenniferflorentino
***Jennifer is a former student of Mrs. Cynthia Jones while attending Paterson Public School’s Academy of Performing Arts, grades 5th - 8th.
African, Tap & Jazz
Munyiva Munguti
Munyiva was born and raised in Paterson, New Jersey. She began dancing at the age of 3. She has trained extensively in ballet, tap, jazz, modern, lyrical, hip-hop, African and pointe. She has also trained at Broadway Dance Center with Shiela Barker, Frank Hatchett, Chuck Kelly, Tweetie and Deborah Wilson. She has competed and won numerous awards as a group performer and soloist at competitions like Dance Educators of America, Starquest, Starbound, and Dance Masters of America. Munyiva continued to dance in college as a member of Syracuse University Dance Team in Syracuse, New York where she received a dual B.S in Political Science and Communications and Rhetorical Studies. As a student athlete, she was also able to balance involvement with a prominent African/modern based dance company on campus, Creations Dance Company. By her junior year, Munyiva was named Coordinator/Director of the Company and held this role until she graduated. Throughout high school and college, Munyiva remained active with dance in her hometown by performing at her church (Calvary Baptist Church) and for her Sorority events (Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc.). Her favorite Style of Dance is African and Funky jazz with technique and attitude. She is a proud mother of 3 year old twin girls Makayla and Maliya.
Jazz,tap & Ballet
Julissa Espino
Julissa Espino has been dancing since the age of 3 and is a graduate of Paterson Public School’s The Academy of Performing Arts, where she was trained by Cynthia Jones. Julissa is also a graduate of Passaic County Technical Institute, where she majored in Dance, training extensivley in Ballet, Tap, and Modern dance. Ms. Espino has competed in numerous State, Regional and National dance competitions earning numerous awards and honors, as well as winning the Dance portion of the Hispanic Youth Showcase at New Jersey Performing Arts Center. Julissa was a student of Effusion Dance Collective and has been teaching at EDC for 3 years. She is currently a student at Montclair State University.
Hip Hop
Leanna Barnes
Leanna Barnes has been dancing since the age of 3. In 2006 Leanna started teaching and choreographing for Teaneck High School Terpsichoreans, and still choreographs for the group. She is currently a dancer with Community Baptist Church of Englewood and assists with other Praise and Step Teams at various churches in the area. Leanna has now found a new dance family with Effusion Dance Collective!
Jazz, Technique, Contemporary & Acrobatics
Joy Giuffre
Joy Giuffre is a performance artist and movement instructor from New Jersey. A 2020 graduate of the University of the Arts in Philadelphia, Joy has worked with artists such as Marguerite Hemmings, Shayla-Vie Jenkins, Jesse Zaritt, Paul Mattenson, and Jimena Paz. Other credits include 1975 by Boris Charmatz for The Philadelphia Museum of Dance, the closing performance of the Mascher Space in Philadelphia directed by Curt Haworth, and Boat by GALLIM restaged for the University of the Arts. Alongside performance, Joy is a teacher for children in dance, musical theater, and acrobatics, ages K-12. Joy’s coaching seeks to give students the confidence to explore their world through movement and always dance as their true selves.
Guest Teacher
Crystal Lynn Rodriguez
Crystal Lynn Rodriguez was born in Paterson, New Jersey and studied at the Academy of Performing Arts under the direction of Mrs. Cynthia Jones. She furthered her education at the Rosa L. Parks Fine and Performing Arts High School and went on to graduate from Montclair State University with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Dance. Throughout her college career, she has performed repertoire by Chase Brock, Joao Carvalho, Jessica DiMauro, Douglas Dunn, Martha Graham, Bill T. Jones, Larry Keigwin, José Limón, Andrea Miller, Earl Mosley, Doug Varone, and has had the honor of performing at The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, Jacob’s Pillow, and The Joyce Theater. Over the years she has received scholarships to attend New Jersey Performing Arts Center’s Youth Artist Institute, Earl Mosley’s Institute of the Arts, and the Movement Invention Project. She has performed with Life Dance Company, JENNIFERCHINdance, DiMauro Dance, Robert Mark Dance, Zest Collective, and marked dance project. Since conquering her battle with ovarian cancer in 2015, she has continued to rehearse, perform, and teach within the NY/NJ area. She feels immensely grateful for being able to pursue her passions in the performing arts and having the opportunity to share knowledge and exchange experiences with others who feel the same way.
Guest Teacher
Jamie Perkins
Jamie began taking dance classes at a young age and practiced a variety of styles of dance such as Ballet, Tap, Jazz, Lyrical, Acro, Hip Hop and many more. At age 6 Jamie began performing in competitions all over the East Coast as a soloist, as well as in small and large group numbers. Jamie later on attended Rosa Parks School of Fine and Performing Arts as a Dance major adding Modern dance and Dance Composition to her repertoire. After graduating in 2008, she attended University of Arts in Philadelphia, PA as a Dance major. In her freshman year Jamie choreographed and performed in multiple pieces for the student choreographed show at UARTS. In 2010 Jamie was accepted to participate in Broadway Dance Center's summer internship where she studied many different styles of dance under many influential teachers. There she also was guided through the fundamentals of auditioning for professional dance work, such as resumes, head shots, and even mock auditions. Jamie joined "4June" a group of four female Hip Hop dancers, who performed in the North Jersey area at various events as well as music videos for artist such as Lumidee. In 2012 she relocated to providence, Rhode Island where she danced in the show "Cabaret"choreographed by Shura Baryshnikov with "Wilbury Theater Group". Jamie recently returned back to the New Jersey area in the Fall of 2015. She is currently working towards a professional dance career and is so excited to work with Effusion Dance Collective!
