MEET THE LADIES OF PROJECT MOSHEN
Madison graduated Magna Cum Laude with her BFA in Dance Performance from Kent State University. Hailing from Perrysburg, Ohio, Madison has studied in various styles of dance ranginging from modern and contemporary to jazz and hip- hop.
Madison was a three- year member of the Kent Dance Ensemble, a pre-professional dance company within the dance division. During her time with Ensemble she worked with many guest artists, most notably Garth Fagan of Garth Fagan Dance, Stephanie Martinez of Chicago and Christopher Evans of Hofesh Shecter Company/ Gecko Theatre. Madison’s own choreography has been presented in various venues such as concerts at Kent State, Ted Talk series, the American College Dance Association Annual Conference and at international conferences.
Madison is a founding member of East Meets West, an educational and artistic collaboration between students of Kent State University and Suan Sunndha Rajabhat University in Bangkok, Thailand where she traveled in 2016 and 2017. She also had the privilege of studying in Florence, Italy at the Openflr choreographic intensive during the summer of 2017.
Outside of the company, Madison is on staff at IDA teaching various styles of dance to all ages. She is also an Instructor for Pure Barre Media, where she blends her love for fitness and dance daily! Madison is excited to be a part of the business side of Project Moshen.
Heather DeSanto grew up in Aston, Pennsylvania and found her love for dance at age 6. She trained at Concord Dance Center and immersed herself in various dance styles. Heather continued her dance education at Rowan University in Glassboro, NJ, and graduated Summa Cum Laude this past May with her B.A. in Dance and a Minor in Marketing. She also was the recipient of the 2022 Bryna G. Goldhaft Dance Award. While at Rowan, she worked with many teachers and choreographers, including Dawn Marie Bazemore, Joe González, Melanie Stewart, Paule Turner, and Dr. Leslie
Elkins. Also at Rowan, Heather served on the Dance Extensions E-Board as a Treasurer for a year and then moved up to Vice President for two years. Most recently, Heather devised her first solo piece Wholeheartedly and got the chance to perform it at KYL/D’s 49th InHale Performance series. Besides dancing, Heather was also the 2021-22 marketing intern for Project Moshen. Heather is thrilled to be dancing with Project Moshen this season!
Photography: TDadsonimages
Anna Mele graduated in the spring of 2023 from Dean College with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Dance and minor in Business. Originally from Pittsburgh, she is trained in ballet, pointe, modern, tap, jazz, lyrical, contemporary and hip hop. She has trained under Jill Silverman, Kristina Berger, Todd Shanks, Russell Clark, and guest artists such as Jay T. Jenkins. During her time at Dean College she has found a love for performance and choreography as she has choreographed multiple pieces on students within the Joan Phelps Palladino School of Dance and the Mercersburg Academy Dance Program. She was also a member of the Dean College Contemporary Dance Team and President of the Pom Team where she continued her training in hip hop and jazz.
This fall Anna has moved to Philadelphia to begin the MFA Dance program at Temple University in addition to performing with Project Moshen Dance Company. She looks forward to performing with the company and continuing her passion performing alongside the members of the company. She is excited for the upcoming year with Project Moshen Dance Company!
Photography: TDadsonimages
Gigi started dancing at the age of three. She has been trained in Jazz, Ballet, Pointe, Tap, Lyrical, Modern, Contemporary & Hip Hop at the Bucks County School of the Performing Arts (BCPA) in Doylestown, Pa. She started dancing competitively at a very young age, earning numerous awards and scholarships in regional and national events along the way. Gigi has been recognized on stage as a “fierce, powerhouse performer.”
Under the guidance and mentorship of Andrea Lesnick, Gigi has worked diligently pursuant to her career goals in dance. She completed an internship with BCPA that resulted in her joining their faculty as a teacher. Gigi is now currently teaching at Dance Arts Conservatory (DAC).
Gigi is thrilled to be dancing with Project Moshen for her second year, and to continue her professional journey with such a talented group of women!
Photography: TDadsonimages
Danielle Peel, native of Ambler, Pennsylvania, began her dance training at the Institute of Dance Artistry (IDA) where she studied ballet, modern, contemporary, and jazz. Danielle was a member of IDA’s Senior Repertoire Company and participated in various charity performances.
She completed her Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Dance at Montclair State University in May 2023. Throughout her time at MSU, Danielle had the pleasure of training under notable New York City choreographers and teachers including Larry Keigwin, Bradley Shelver, Karen Gayle, Annmaria Mazzini and many more. Additionally, Danielle had the opportunity to perform works choreographed by Stefanie Batten Bland, Jessica Dimauro Marks, Janice Rosario, Jawole Willa Jo Zollar, Kathleen Kelley, and Christan von Howard. She was also a member of the Montclair State Dance Team where she was able to train in hip hop and jazz. In addition, Danielle trains at Koresh Dance Company, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, and Broadway Dance Center.
Danielle enjoys sharing her passion and love for dance through teaching! She has taught at a variety of studios in Montclair, NJ and the greater Philadelphia area!
Danielle made her Project Moshen debut as a guest artist during the 2022-23 season and is thrilled to kick off her second year with the company!
Photography: TDadsonimages
Megan Carter was born and raised in the suburbs of Philadelphia in Furlong, Pennsylvania where she began her formal dance training at the age of 3. She trained primarily at Dance Arts Collaborative in all styles of dance under the direction of Reina Faith. She also trained in ballet and contemporary styles at Ballet Arts of Bucks County under the direction of Kathleen Dwyer. She continued her training by moving, first, to Pittsburgh in 2020 to train at Point Park University as a BFA Dance Major with a modern concentration, performing works by Daniel Herman and Pearlann Porter. After a year at Point Park University, in 2021, Megan moved to New York City to train in the Ailey/Fordham BFA Program. During her time at The Ailey School and in the BFA program, Megan has had the privilege to have performed works by Rebecca Margolick, Hollie Wright, Maleek Washington, Adrienne Hurd, Roderick George, Earl Mosley, and Rena Butler. Outside of the BFA program, Megan has had the honor to perform works by Tracie Stanfield and Lauren Pagano as well as perform in the Philadelphia Thanksgiving Day Parade with the Sharpe Family Singers. Megan enhanced her dance studies while in the Ailey/Fordham BFA Program at intensives such as The Ailey School, Parsons Dance Company, SynthesisDANCE, Koresh Dance Company, and Hubbard Street Dance Chicago and workshops such as Exactitude Dance, and The Radio City Rockettes. Megan is a 2024 graduate of the Ailey/Fordham BFA Program as she graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance and in Digital Technology and Emerging Media in May of 2024. Megan is signed with YOU Talent Agency in New York.
Born and raised in Jamison, Pennsylvania, Gabrielle Cataldo began her dance training at Bravo Dance Center in Warminster, PA. At Bravo, Gabrielle trained in ballet, pointe, jazz, tap, lyrical, and contemporary under the direction of Lindsay Keegan, Lauren Kulp, and Wayne St. David. Additionally, she had the opportunity to perform works by Crystal Frazier, Samuel Antonio Reyes, and Molly Misgalla.
Gabrielle Cataldo continued her dance training at Elon University, North Carolina receiving a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance Performance & Choreography and a Bachelor of Arts in Arts Administration in May 2024. During her time at Elon, Gabrielle had the opportunity to perform works by Renay Aumiller, Jiwon Ha, Hyoin Jun, Maurice Watson, Asley Lindsey, and Alexandra Joye Warren. Gabrielle has performed for Casey Avaunt at the 2022 Richmond Dance Festival and Madeline Trigilio at the 2022 Ash & Elm Dance Concert. In the spring of 2023, she studied abroad at the Florence Dance Center under the expertise of Marga Nativo, Benedetta Ghiglia, and Angelo Egarese. While in Italy, she performed at the Teatro La Compagnia for Angelo Egarese.
In addition to her dance training, Gabrielle interned with Parsons Dance Company during Summer 2023 where she focused on education development and company management.
In her free time, you can find Gabrielle in the mountains, skiing, exercising, teaching dance, and spending time with family and friends. She is excited about the upcoming season with Project Moshen!
Kelli founded Project Moshen in 2010, where she set out to create new works with an all female company to send a message on women empowerment to the Philadelphia arts community. Under Moshen’s guidance, Project Moshen has performed at the Association of Performing Arts Professionals (APAP NYC) at Jazz at Lincoln Center, Dumbo Dance Festival (Brooklyn, New York), Philadelphia Fringe Festivals, Come Together Dance Festival at the Suzanne Roberts Theater, (PA), Philadelphia Phillies, Philadelphia Flower Show, Mutter Museum, and more.
Moshen is heavily involved with other non-profits in the area such as the Morris Animal Refuge, where she choreographs for their annual black tie gala the Philly Furball. Project Moshen works with the National Ovarian Cancer Coalition & The Sandy Rollman Ovarian Cancer Foundation to produce an annual benefit event. EXCERPTS, that includes a cocktail reception, raffles, silent auction, and a show by Project Moshen to help fund ovarian cancer research. Moshen is a part of Stepping Stone Scholars after school program where she visits charter schools and provides dance classes for their students. Kelli started Project Moshen's Dance Studio Program, ProMo Dance, where the company hosts weekly adult dance classes for the community, and Camps in Moshen, where company members visit overnight night camps and provide intensives to their campers.
Kelli Moshen is a Philadelphia area native, born and raised, who also attended the University of the Arts in Philadelphia (B.A. Dance ‘09) before venturing to LA & New York to expand her knowledge of the dance industry. Aside from her role as director of Project Moshen, Kelli is a sought after dance instructor in the region, and Hip Hop company director at the Institute of Dance Artistry. She also regularly guest teaches at schools such as the Koresh School of Dance and the Rock School for Dance Education. Moshen's passion for the dance industry has also sent her in the direction of the business aspects of entertainment. She has worked for McDonald Selznick Associates (MSA NY & LA), a prominent dance agency in New York City and Los Angeles, Master of Ceremonies for Events Beyond Expectation working prestigious events in Philadelphia, New Jersey and New York, and worked at Broadway Dance Center (NYC).