Davalois Fearon Dance (DFD) was founded in 2016 by Davalois Fearon, with the mission to push artistic and social boundaries by creating multidisciplinary works that confront complex issues, prompt contemplation, and cultivate the next generation of artists. Fearon brings her diverse movement vocabulary, hailed by critics for its “tenacious virtuosity,” to collaborations with diverse creators including poet Patricia Smith, multi-reedist Mike McGinnis, fashion photographer Nigel HoSang, interdisciplinary artist Andre Zachery, and visual artist Deborah Castillo. Her critically acclaimed choreography has been presented nationally and internationally, and at prestigious venues such as the Joyce Theater and the Metropolitan Museum of Art. DFD has received recurring support from the Bronx Council on the Arts, and foundational support from the MuKha Arts & Science Foundation and the Mayer Foundation. The company was selected to participate in the DanceMotion USA Professional Development Follow-on Program in 2017 and received arts administration and professional development support from Pentacle from 2017 to 2019.
TESS MONTOYA (General Manger & Dancer) was raised in Santa Fe, New Mexico, where she began her training at the National Dance Institute of New Mexico. She graduated from Point Park University with a Bachelor of Arts in dance. Since moving to New York, Montoya has worked with Megan Kendzior, Daniel Gwirtzman, Daniel Roberts, and Alexandria Giroux. She has taken part in multiple workshops and performances through the Merce Cunningham Trust Fellowship Program. Tess joined Stephen Petronio Company in 2015 and is currently Dancer and Education Coordinator with the Company. She joined the administrative team at Davalois Fearon Dance in 2018 and is the Company’s General Manager. 
JULIETA RODRIGUEZ-CRUZ (Dancer & Production Assistant)  is a emerging choreographer from the Bronx. She participated in the 2020 Dance your Bronx UP! choreography program with BAAD! under the mentorship of Alethea Pace. Julieta is also a recent graduate of Hunter College(‘22) where she received her BA in dance. As a student she performed in works by Kyle Abraham and Christian Von Howard. During her time at Hunter, she also gained a deep interest in lightning design and lit for several of her peers' works. After graduation, Julieta worked as the assistant lighting designer and stage manager for the Davalois Fearon Dance company. 
Dava has been my teacher since I was 14 years old and it’s always exciting to work with her. I’m grateful for her mentorship and for all the opportunities she and her company has given me to grow in my craft. I’m thrilled to be her production assistant for this Danspance program. 
​JALISA WALLERSON (Dancer & Production Assistant)  is a 22-year-old technically trained NYC based dancer and choreographer. Born in Brooklyn, New York, she started her training with Victory Music and Dance Company INC at the age of eleven years old. She then went on to attend
Brooklyn High School of the Arts. During her summers Jalisa Wallerson attended Earl
Mosley’s Institute of the Arts where she got the chance to work with Clifton Brown,
Alexander Diaz, Antonio Brown, Ruddy Frias, and Earl Mosley. She made her debut in a
commercial for the Nike x NYC Parks collection launch back in 2019. Jalisa is currently
at Hunter College pursuing her bachelor's degree in dance with a psychology minor so
that she can continue to perform and teach professionally.
As DAVA’s understudy, I am honored to work with such an educated and talented role
model. I feel truly blessed to work closely with Dava, representation is important and
being a young black woman in the dance community, I find it refreshing to stand
alongside her.