Matthew Roberts

Matthew Roberts is an Akron native who, at the age of 10, discovered he was bilingual and his real native language was dance. After studying at the University of Akron’s Dance Institute, he moved to New York looking to become more fluent and graduated from Marymount Manhattan College in 2013 with a B.F.A. in Dance with a concentration in Choreography. There he performed works by Lar Lubovitch, Robert Battle, Jessica Lang, and Shen Wei. He has danced with Lustig Dance Theatre, Oakland Ballet Company, Awakening Movement, Molissa Fenley, Tami Stronach Dance, Neos Dance Theatre, Bruce Wood Dance, Zion Dance Project, Pegasus Contemporary, Osage Ballet, Ballet Papillon, Störling Dance Theater and MooreDunson Co. He now freelances and teaches Choreography and Modern at the University of Akron, while he forges Frtrss Dance Theatre. He enjoys teaching dance, discussing movement, and leading worship jams, but his love for storytelling, choreography, and sharing the human experience are what fuel his passion to create.

Richard Oaxaca

Richard Oaxaca is originally from Texas where he grew up competing in gymnastics and cheerleading and was named “America’s Number One Male Cheerleader” four times by the National Cheerleaders Association. He was an original member of the now Netflix Famous, Navarro College Cheer team, from Corsicana Texas. He graduated from Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio with a Master of Fine Arts in Contemporary Dance. Upon graduating he studied at the Martha Graham School of Dance in New York City, where he was accepted into their teacher training program and had the honor of performing for the Next@Graham Studio Series. After that Oaxaca joined Kanopy Dance Company of Madison WI. In 2015, he performed as a member of the Los Angeles based dance company Diavolo: Architecture in Motion Company B. Notably, he was invited to perform at the 2012 World Expo in Yeosu, Korea and appeared on Season 7 of America’s Got Talent. He has danced for Princess, Carnival, Royal Caribbean, and was a principal acrobat and dancer for Norwegian Cruise Lines. . In 2011, Oaxaca choreographed for Ringling Brothers and Barnum and Bailey Circus. In 2017 Oaxaca performed as a mainstage dancer and performer in Disney’s Aladdin, A Musical Spectacular, on board the The Disney Fantasy Cruise Ship portraying the part of The Magic Carpet. He was nominated for a Broadway World Award for Best Choreography for his regional work in Boston, MA. While in Boston Oaxaca was the Director of Dance for Dance With Energy in Weymouth, MA. Most recently Oaxaca performed as a guest artist for Dancing Wheels Dance Company in Cleveland, OH. He has taught at Case Western Reserve University, University of Wisconsin, and is the former Assistant Director of Dance at Notre Dame College, in South Euclid, OH. Oaxaca is currently the Visiting Assistant Professor of Dance for the Case Western Reserve University Dance Department

Janice Rosario

Janice Rosario is a nationally recognized contemporary dance choreographer, educator, and activist. As a native New Yorker, Janice studied at some of NYC’s most elite institutions including Ballet Hispánico, Ballet Academy East, and The Ailey School. She is a graduate of LaGuardia High School for the Performing Arts and Hunter College. When not in the studio, she is running her nonprofit, The Good Neighbor Collective Inc, to support and empower those underserved in our communities. 

As a choreographer, Janice has been commissioned by numerous prestigious institutions throughout the United States including Dance Kaleidoscope, Newport Contemporary Ballet, Broadway Dance Center’s ProSem, Vassar College, Hofstra University, Barnard College/Columbia University, Montclair State University, The University of Alabama, Case Western University, Steps on Broadway Conservatory, Ailey/Fordham University, The Ailey School’s Professional Division, Manhattanville College, Bucknell University, Howard University, Dean College, Brockport University, Baltimore School of the Arts, Grand Canyon University, Irvine Valley College, Sacred Heart University, Drexel University, Hunter College, The Martha Graham School, New York Dance Project, Steps on Broadway’s Conservatory, Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School for the Performing Arts, the Dance Institute of Washington, the Snug Harbor Cultural Center and Botanical Garden, Davidson High School, Passaic County Technical Institute, The Thacher School, the Joy of Motion Dance Center, Frank Sinatra High School for the Performing Arts, Fort Hamilton High School, Norte Maar’s Counterpointe Series, Periapsis Music and Dance, La MaMa Moves! Dance Festival and the Battery Dance Festival.

In addition to her choreographic endeavors, Janice has taught at The Ailey School, Peridance Center, The Martha Graham School, The University of Alabama, Montclair State University, Barnard College/Columbia University, Cornish University, Bucknell University, Manhattanville College, the University of Oklahoma, the University of Florida, Ballet Hispanico, Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School for the Performing Arts, Broadway Dance Center, Steps on Broadway, Gibney Dance Center, New York Dance Project, Frank Sinatra High School for the Performing Arts, Fort Hamilton High School, Sacred Heart University, Grand Canyon University, Hunter College, Harvard University, High Tech High School, the American Youth Dance Theater, Irvine Valley College, the Contemporary Dance Festival in Tobago and the Joy of Motion Dance Center.