thE cOmpaNy
BRKFST Dance Company, founded in 2014, seeks to create intellectually rigorous, physically demanding works of art through abstraction, breaking and contemporary dance vernacular. Exploring original modes of artistic expression is continuously pursued. BRKFST’s egalitarian and choreographic collaboration is rooted in the Hip Hop adage, "Each One Teach One". Regardless of class, race, experience, age or gender, everyone remains both teacher and student. BRKFST's lineage stems from breaking and hip hop culture: earning respect from battles and embodying inclusivity by passing down their knowledge to the new generation. The lived experiences of this collective who identify as working class, queer and BIPOC, inform their compositions.
BRKFST performs regionally in Minneapolis, Minnesota, premiering work at the Walker Arts Center, Southern Theater, The Cowles Center and Orchestra Hall with The MN Orchestra; nationally in the Belding Theater with the Hartford Symphony Orchestra in Hartford, CT and internationally in Dublin, Ireland for Dance2Connect (D2C) Hip Hop Festival. Their film Dreamers (2019) was deemed an official selection in 11 international film festivals receiving the Grand Jury Award (In/Motion Festival 2021) and Best Experimental Film (Tirana Int. Film Festival 2020). BRKFST has set repertoire and original work with dancers at St. Olaf College in MN 2023, Carleton College in MN 2022, D2C Hip Hop Festival in Ireland 2022, Bates Dance Festival in ME 2022 and the University of MN 2021.
BRKFST Dance Company accolades include: 2024 Creative Residency at The National Center for Choreography – Akron (NCCAkron), 2023 National Performance Network (NPN) Creations and Development Grant, 2022 New England Foundation for the Arts (NEFA) National Dance Project (NDP) Production Grant, 2022 & 2021 Minnesota State Arts Board (MSAB) Creative Support Grant, 2021 NEFA NDP Finalist, 2021 Mid Atlantic Arts USArtists International Grant, 2019 Metropolitan Regional Arts Council (MRAC) Arts Activities Grant.
thE memBers
@bgirlmonalisa
Lisa 'MonaLisa' Berman
LISA 'MONALISA' BERMAN is the Founder / Co-Artistic Director of BRKFST Dance Company. She is the recipient of the 2019 Artist Initiative Grant producing Dreamers, an experimental dance film choreographed and performed by members of BRKFST and chosen as official selection in 11 international film festivals, 2016 McKnight Dancer Fellowship and 2008 Jerome Travel and Study Grant. Berman has set repertoire and original choreographic works on dancers at Bates Dance Festival in ME, Dance2Connect Hip Hop Festival in Dublin, Ireland, The University of Minnesota-Twin Cities, Carleton College, St. Olaf College and Hamline University in MN. As a solo performance artist and with BRKFST Dance Company, Berman has toured nationally and internationally performing in Minnesota, Wisconsin, Connecticut, Florida, Washington DC, New York, the Netherlands and Ireland.
@mnjoe88
Joseph 'MN Joe' Tran
Joseph ‘MN Joe’ Tran (Choreographer/Dancer) is a founding member of BRKFST Dance Company and also a former member of the world-renowned breaking crew Knuckleheads Cali, respected for their uniquely intricate and non-traditional methods of movement. Tran is the recipient of the 2023 Jerome Hill Artist Fellowship for Dance and 2019 McKnight Dancer Fellowship. He is known for his signature moves which have earned him multiple first-place victories in breaking competitions across the US, Europe, and South America. Tran has choreographed multiple original works which have premiered at various venues such as The Cowles Center, Southern Theater, and Orchestra Hall with the Minnesota Orchestra. He has toured internationally to Ireland for Dance 2 Connect Festival and nationally to Hartford, CT with the Hartford Symphony Orchestra. Tran has set repertoire with BRKFST at the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities, Carleton College, and Bates Dance Festival. From 2007-2019, he was a dancer and choreographer for the NBA’s Minnesota Timberwolves “First Avenue Breakers.” Tran currently works as a breaking instructor for Saint Paul Conservatory for Performing Artists and Young Dance.
@rendoublee87
Renée Copeland
RENÉE COPELAND is a founding member, movement collaborator and sound composer for BRKFST Dance Company, co-founder of the dance/performance art duo, Hiponymous and member of Ananya Dance Theatre from 2010-2020. Copeland is the recipient of the 2020 Artist Initiative Grant for Music, 2018 McKnight fellowship for Dance and 2021 American Composer’s Forum Create awardee.
@2seqal7
Travis 'Seqal' Johnson
TRAVIS “SEQAL” JOHNSON began breaking in 2000 and has performed at main stage venues in the Twin Cities including the Walker Art Center, The Southern Theater, Minneapolis Institute of Arts and the The Cowles Center. As a member of BRKFST, he is honored to have been an artist in residence at The University of Minnesota under the UDT program and Dance Ireland in association with Dance 2 Connect Festival. From 2010-2019, Johnson was a dancer and choreographer for the NBA’s Minnesota Timberwolves "First Avenue Breakers.” As a 2nd degree black belt with National Karate Schools, Johnson combines his early training as a martial artist to enrich his breaking aesthetic, which is exemplified in his unique style.
@az.ksz
Azaria Evans-Parham
AZARIA EVANS–PARHAM, Minneapolis native, began her breaking career in 2014. She is the recipient of Cypher Queen Award from Battle of the New Year in Madison, WI and has been invited to compete in battles around the globe including Columbia, Puerto Rico and upcoming Red Bull BC One Bgirl Cypher 2022 in Seattle, WA. She has performed locally at The Ordway, Hopkins Center for the Arts, Fine Line, and The Cowles Center. Evans-Parham currently works as a breaking instructor with the YMCA Beacons afterschool program.
@marie_thayer
Marie Thayer
MARIE THAYER has been dancing, performing, and creating since 2008. Thayer began her training at Dance Excel and DDS Dance Studio where she developed a strong foundation in contemporary and ballet. She later began training in Horton and modern based vernaculars at TU Dance and further diversified her multi-disciplinary dance technique as a graduate of the Saint Paul Conservatory for Performing Artists. Thayer has performed at several theaters throughout the Twin Cities: including The Ordway, O’Shaughnessy Auditorium, The Southern Theater, and The Barbara Barker Center for Dance. She is currently investigating the authenticity and presence of dance at a particular time and place through improvisation.