Gwendolyn Bye Dance Center Faculty & Staff

  • Gwendolyn Bye has spent 45 years in the performing arts. In those years, she was mentored by Nadia Chilkovsky Nahumck and Mary Anthony and has been able to work with legendary artists Martha Graham, Charles Weidman, Anna Sokolow, and Pauline Koner. She founded Dancefusion to carry the rich history of modern dance into the 21st Century; reconstructing historic works, creating new and vibrant choreography, and training the next generation of dancers.

    A native of Philadelphia, Gwendolyn was awarded a Ford Foundation Honors Scholarship and graduated from the Philadelphia Performing Arts School under the direction of Nadia Chilkovsky Nahumck. Gwendolyn joined the Mary Anthony Dance Theater in New York and became a principal dancer, performing in seasonal concerts and tours throughout America for over fourteen years. Two dances were created for her: Tides by Ross Parkes and Lady of the Sea by Mary Anthony. She danced in Dreams and Rooms choreographed by Anna Sokolow and partnered with Charles Weidman in Fables of Our Time. Gwendolyn taught at the Mary Anthony Dance Studio, Alvin Ailey American Dance Center, and the Martha Graham School, where she was awarded a Helena Rubenstein Scholarship. She has choreographed and taught at universities and colleges including, University of Pennsylvania, Temple University, Drexel University, and Rowan University.

    In 1984, Gwendolyn returned to Philadelphia, opened the Gwendolyn Bye Dance Center and became Artistic Director of Penn Dance at the University of Pennsylvania. She formed Dancefusion in 1987 where she choreographs and performs up to the present. Gwendolyn has directed, choreographed, reconstructed and restaged numerous dance works on Dancefusion for over 35 years. She is a movement specialist for the Philadelphia Arts in Education Partnership and has taught in schools throughout Greater Philadelphia, including work as director/choreographer with Jacques d’Amboise. In 1996 Ms. Bye was invited to dance the lead in Mary Anthony’s masterpiece Threnody, presented at Mary Anthony Dance Theater’s 40th Anniversary Season in New York City. Gwendolyn has received the Award of Recognition from the City of Philadelphia and the “Rocky Award” for her contribution to the Philadelphia Dance Community. Currently Gwendolyn is very active as director, teacher and administrator, for the programs of Dancefusion and the Gwendolyn Bye Dance Center.

  • Assata Hazell started her dance career at the Wharton Settlement Center under the watchful eye of Eugene Harris. With his recommendation Ms. Hazell was accepted with scholarship, into the Philadelphia Dance Academy of Performing Arts, directed by Nadia Chilkovsky. While attending the Academy she became an honor student and began performing with Civic Ballet. Assata received a scholarship to the Pennsylvania Governors School of Performing Arts, which allowed her to work closely with Alexei Yudenich & Barbara Sandonato. In Philadelphia, Assata taught & danced with so many extraordinary teachers, & dancers and landed her with Philadanco. While on Scholarship at The Alvin Ailey American Dance Center and, dancing with Philadanco, she began working with Mr Talley Beatty. Assata was assistant choreographer, with the broadway, production of, “Your Arms to Short To Box With God” under the direction of Vennette Caroll. Ms. Hazell went on and continued receiving scholarships (New York Conservatory of Dance & more), and performing as a featured dancer with musicals, Mahalia, Louis, Stompin At the Savoy to name a few). She has worked with so many extraordinary musical directors costume and set designers, dancers, actors, choreographers, recording artist (Chaka Khan), & all those folks that make it happen. I am so blessed to be back in Philadelphia teaching at the Gwendolyn Bye Dance Center, dancing with the New LEJA Dances the Company. Assata is looking forward in impacting lives through the Arts. Assata is the Scholarship Director at the Gwendolyn Bye Dance Center where she also teaches African dance. Assata is an Assistant Director and teacher at Sound Space Center.

  • Andrea Brock has trained in classical Ballet from a young age. She expanded her training to include jazz, tap, African, improvisation and modern at the age of 18. She received her B.A. in Dance Performance from St. Olaf College in Northfield, MN. Andrea then moved to Philadelphia where she then received her M.F.A. in Dance Choreography and Performance from Temple University. Andrea has enjoyed over 25 years of dancing, choreographing and teaching in Philadelphia. She has danced with choreographers such as Jeanne Ruddy, Christopher Fleming and Jaye Allison's New LEJA Dances. In addition to classical dance, she has also performed and choreographed for a number of Mainstage Philadelphia musical theater productions. Andrea currently teaches creative ballet, ballet and pointe at the Gwendolyn Bye Dance Center.

  • Jim Bunting graduated from the University of the Arts in 1995, receiving his BFA in Dance. During this time, he became a founding member of Koresh Dance Company and went on to dance professionally for an 8-year tenure with the company. Jim then developed as a choreographer and teacher and has over 25 years of experience teaching and choreographing dance in the greater Philadelphia area. As a choreographer, Jim has had the pleasure of creating works for Koresh Dance Company, Pennsylvania Ballet's Shut Up and Dance at the Forrest Theater, the Philadelphia Fringe Festival, The University of The Arts and Drexel University. In 1999, Jim received a Fellowship Grant from the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts for original choreography. His 25 years of experience teaching contemporary has allowed him to serve as a mentor and educator for both children and adults. Jim currently choreographs on youths performing for the pre-professional dance companies in residence at Gwendolyn Bye Dance Center and Haverford Dance Center and in addendum has taught Master Classes for the dance departments at the University of the Arts, St. Bonaventure University in New York, the University of Colorado, The Roswell Dance Theater in Atlanta, The College of Charleston, Dance Davidson in Charlotte NC and Eastern University. Additionally, Jim has been on faculty as an adjunct professor of jazz dance at Drexel University since 2007 and currently Temple University. He started Jim Bunting Dance Company in 2014 with the 1 st full length production of “The Shaman’s Dream” which premiered at the Mandell Theater in Philadelphia. The company has performed at the Capitale in NYC for the School of Visual Arts Annual Holiday Party, the Philadelphia Art Museum's "Friday After 5 Series", Kun Yang Lin’s “InHale Performance Series”, “The 2016 Henri David’s Halloween The Ball”, “The Koresh Artist Showcase”, “The Koresh Come Together Festival”, “The Philadelphia Fringe Festival” and “The Philly Raw Artists at the Trocadero”

  • Robert Burden born in Philadelphia, Robert started dancing at age 10 with Gwendolyn bye Dance Center, where he trained in ballet, tap, African, Graham, Horton, jazz, Dunham, and other contemporary styles. At 14 he was accepted into the Creative And Performing Arts High School (CAPA) as a dance major. While in CAPA, Robert performed with Brian Sanders “JUNK”. During Robert’s years at CAPA he also was part of the high school dance company, Eleone EC company, JOVO Dance and Gwendolyn Bye Dancefusion's fusion2— including performing in the Thanksgiving Day Parade and the Cherry Blossom Parade from 2014-2018. After graduating from CAPA in 2018, he continued his studies in dance as a student at University of the Arts. While at UArts, he danced with Philadanco’s apprentice company D2 as well as Grace 2 and trained at intensives with Gwendolyn Bye, Earl Mosley EMIA, Philadanco, and New Orleans Dance Collective. Additionally, Robert has trained under Mark Caserta, Kyle and Danita Clark, Wayne St. David, TommieWaheed Evans, Kareem Goodwin, Shaylah-vie Jenkins, Gary Jeter, Ndiaye Kaolack, Shawn-Lamere Williams, Donald Langsford, Michael Sheridan, Uwazi Zamani, and Jesse Zaritt. Robert graduated from UArts in May 2022 with a BFA in dance. He joined Kun-Yang Lin/Dancers in 2022.

  • Kathryn Schweingruber is a versatile dancer, teacher and choreographer from Philadelphia, PA. Her preprofessional training came from Gwendolyn Bye Dance Center and she went on to earn a B.S in Dance from Drexel University. Throughout her time at Drexel, Kathryn performed works by Sandra Parks, Jennifer Morley, Dinita Clark, Cachet Ivey, Miriam Giguere and Brendan Fernandes and was involved in several community based learning opportunities. Kathryn has choreographed works for Drexel Dance Ensemble, Drexel's FreshDance Ensemble, Dancefusion's fusion2, Penn Dance Company and Philadelphia Dance Academy. She has attended summer programs at Earl Mosley’s Institute for the Arts, Philadanco and Urban Bush Women’s Summer Leadership Institute. After graduating from Drexel in 2020, Kathryn spent two years as an ArtistYear Resident Teaching Artist at Samuel Fels High School and was a member of Academy of Phresh Performance Company directed by Smart Mark and Shanika QP. Most recently, Kathryn has performed with the Philadelphia Jazz Tap Ensemble and teaches at several studios and schools in the Philadelphia area.

  • Jill Zhuraw pianist and clarinetist, performs in the Penn Wind Ensemble, Ed Bogusz Opera Orchestra, Verdi Band, master classes, and has as well in the Main Line Symphony, Penn Orchestra, Rose Tree Orchestra, and the Main Line Ecumenical Choir Orchestra. She has performed as dance accompanist at the University Arts League for Binnie Ritchie Holum and Anne-Marie Mulgrew and has been staff pianist at the Gwendolyn Bye Dance Center since its inception in 1985. She studied piano with Estelle Kahn, Max Koffs, and David Sokoloff, and clarinet with Rick Lawn and Paul Stauffer.

  • Nancy Berman Kantra, CMA, MFA, is a choreographer/dance educator presently spending most of her time as Lecturer of Dance at Rutgers University Camden and as faculty choreographer (since 1988) for Gwendolyn Bye Dance Center and fusion2 Dance Company. In 2021, after 38 dedicated years of training artists at the University of the Arts, Professor Kantra was awarded Emeritus status and retired from her role as Head of Dance and Movement in the Ira Brind School of Theater Arts. During her lengthy tenure at her UArts alma mater, Ms. Kantra choreographed over 30 musicals including, High Fidelity, Hot Mikado, On Your Toes, Cabaret, Carousel, Into the Woods, Nine, Once On This Island, Sweet Charity and She Loves Me. Nancy continues to serve as Artistic Director Emeritus for Penn Dance Company at the University of Pennsylvania, and as educational consultant/teacher/choreographer for many arts organizations, studios, local theater companies and universities including LaSalle, Rutgers Camden and Villanova. Nancy is a Certified Movement Analyst and is associated with the Laban Institute of Movement Studies and the Actors Movement Studio of New York. Ms. Kantra was first trained by Thomas Cannon of the Littlefield Ballet and performed with the Philadelphia Metropolitan Opera, The Duncan Ensemble, South Street Dance Company and was soloist with Philadanco (1978 to 1985). Favorite performance credits include working with choreographers Ellen Forman, Alice Forner, Louis Johnson, Pearl Primus, Rudolph Nureyev, and Twyla Tharp. Ms. Kantra has been honored by the Barrymore Awards Committee and the American College Theater Festival for her choreographic contributions and cited her for her contributions to educational excellence by Who's Who in America College Teachers and Girl Scouts of America. Nancy’s choreography for the Nice Theater Company's HAVE A NICE LIFE was showcased with rave reviews in the 2010 New York and 2009 Edinburgh Fringe Festivals.

  • Gabrielle Wright a native of New York. She worked with various choreographers and teachers such as Mary Barnett, Nina Klyvert-Lawson and Darrell Moultrie and performed Donald McKayles piece "Games" before moving to Philadelphia to pursue college. She graduated from the University of the Arts in 2003 with a BFA in Dance Education. There she performed various works by choreographers and dance pioneers such as Isadora Duncan, Milton Myers, Kim Bears-Bailey, and Brian Sanders. Since her move, she has also worked with Philadanco’s second company Danco2, LEJA, and the Civic Ballet. Gabrielle has been a company member of Dancefusion for thirteen years and has danced in works of Mary Anthony, Pauline Koner, Daniel Maloney, Suellen Haag, Joe Cicala, and Anna Troester to name a few. Along with performing Gabrielle has taught and choreographed for institutions within the Philadelphia area including, Gwendolyn Bye Dance Center, CAPA High School, Point Breeze Performing Arts Center and Stars Studio of Dance Additionally, for the last seven years she has also had the pleasure of directing Dancefusion’s fusion2, a training company for young professional dancers.