LISA ‘MONALISA’ BERMAN has been breaking for over 20 years. Her choreographic approach is grounded in collaboration, storytelling and experimentation. She is the recipient of the McKnight Dancer Fellowship, Jerome Travel and Study Grant, multiple Minnesota State Arts Board and Metropolitan Regional Arts Council Grants, and the Minneapolis Arts and Cultural Affairs Bridge Fund for Dancers Grant. Expanding her artistic practice to interdisciplinary exploration, Berman co-produced and choreographed a short dance film, Dreamers, which was chosen as official selection in 11 international film festivals, receiving the Grand Jury Award (In/Motion Festival) and Best Experimental Film (Tirana Int. Film Festival).

Berman has performed as a solo artist in productions that toured to Art Basel - New World Symphony (Miami, FL), Corcoran Gallery (Washington DC), Performa via Salon 94 (New York, NY) Amsterdam Museum (Amsterdam, Netherlands) and D2C Hip Hop Festival (Dublin, Ireland). Along with Co-Founder, Joseph Tran, she has set repertoire and original choreographic works on dancers in Minnesota at The UMN - Twin Cities, Carleton College, St. Olaf College, Hamline University and Winona State University, nationally at Bates Dance Festival in Maine, and internationally at D2C in Dublin, Ireland.

JOSEPH ‘MN JOE’ TRẦN is a world-renowned breaker and former member of Knuckleheads Cali (KHCA)—a breaking crew respected for their uniquely intricate and non-traditional methods of movement. He is the recipient of the 2025 MSAB Creative Individuals Grant, 2025 Base Residency in Seattle, WA, 2023-2025 Jerome Hill Artist Fellowship for Dance and 2019 McKnight Dancer Fellowship. Trần is known for his signature moves which have earned him multiple first-place victories in breaking competitions across the U.S., Europe, and South America.

As a choreographer, he has created original works which have premiered at various venues such as Walker Art Center, Southern Theater, and Orchestra Hall with the Minnesota Orchestra. Trần has toured and performed with BRKFST internationally to Ireland for Dance2Connect Festival and nationally to Hartford, CT with the Hartford Symphony Orchestra. Trần 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.”

Renée Copeland

RENÉE COPELAND is a founding member for BRKFST Dance Company, choreographing and performing with the ensemble from 2014-2023, and currently serves as the Sound Composer for BRKFST productions. Copeland is also the co-founder of the dance/performance art duo, Hiponymous and danced as a member of Ananya Dance Theatre from 2010-2020. She is the recipient of the 2020 Artist Initiative Grant for Music, 2018 McKnight fellowship for Dance, and 2021 American Composer’s Forum Create awardee.

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 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 Dance2Connect 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.

Marie Thayer

MARIE THAYER has been dancing, performing, and creating since 2008. Thayer began her training at DD’s Dance Studio and Dance Excel 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. She has since joined BRKFST Dance Company in 2022 and continues to create work with the collective. Thayer has performed at several theaters throughout the Twin Cities including The Ordway, O’Shaughnessy Auditorium, The Southern Theater, The Barbara Barker Center for Dance, Minnesota Orchestra, The Cowles Center, and the Walker Art Center. Nationally she has performed at Belding Theater with the Hartford Symphony in Hartford, CT and John Michael Kohler Arts Center in Sheboygan, WI and internationally in Vancouver, B.C. and Dublin, Ireland.

azaria evans-parham

AZARIA EVANS–PARHAM serves as the Marketing and Communications Director for BRKFST. She began her breaking career in 2014 and has been performing with BRKFST since 2022. 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 the Red Bull BC One Bgirl Cypher USA 2025 in Denver, CO and 2022 in Seattle, WA. She has performed locally at The Ordway, Hopkins Center for the Arts, Fine Line, Orchestra Hall, The Cowles Center and Walker Art Center. Nationally she has performed at Belding Theater with the Hartford Symphony in Hartford, CT, Civic Theatre in Des Moines, IA, John Michael Kohler Arts Center in Sheboygan, WI, Bates College in Lewiston, ME and internationally in Vancouver, B.C.

Cecil ‘Virgo: The Final Warning’ Neal

CECIL “VIRGO: THE FINAL WARNING” NEAL is a Twin Cities–based multifaceted dancer, choreographer, teacher, and mentor specializing in the dynamic street dance style of Krump. Active in battles across the country, his most recent achievement includes winning the 2024 House of Dance 10th Anniversary All-Styles Battle at The Fillmore in Minneapolis, MN, and serving as a judge for the 2025 House of Dance Twin Cities 11 year anniversary battle. A recent milestone for his career as an artist is receiving the 2025 McKnight Fellowship Award for Dance.

Neal has performed at local venues including Stepping Stone Theater, Intermedia Arts, Walker Art Center, The Ordway, and Red Eye Theater in Minneapolis. In 2024, he made his debut with BRKFST Dance Company at the John Michael Kohler Arts Center in Sheboygan, WI, subsequently touring in their production of STORMCLUTTER to Bates College in Maine and the Vancouver International Dance Festival in British Columbia. Neal currently serves as a Krump instructor at Hot House studios, Young Dance, and House of Dance Twin Cities team faculty.

emma marlar

EMMA MARLAR serves as resident Dramaturge for BRKFST. She graduated from the UMN Twin Cities with a BFA in Dance in 2016. Since then she balances a career in the performance, creation/curation, and technical aspects of dance, focusing on work that allows her to support others, create collaboratively, and pursue endless explorations in movement. Marlar served as the Production Manager for Ananya Dance Theatre and has toured both nationally and internationally with the company from 2014-2022. She has performed locally and on tour with Body Watani, Slo Dance Company, Jagged Moves, and Shapiro & Smith. She has also danced in works by Maurya Kerr, Justin Jones, and Nora Chipaumire. Her choreography has been set at Carleton College, presented by Tomorrow River Homestead, and premiered at Rhythmically Speaking. Emma also co-founded dance trio Kelvin Wailey, who has created and performed over 20 original works during the years of 2015-present. She has produced an interdisciplinary showcase called PATTERNS and recently opened a community arts space, RESOURCE, in collaboration with Alexander Kollman and neighbors.