Director Beverly Mendez
Dance Matrix Company Members
Dance Matrix has a revolving membership. Some individuals dance with us on a long-term basis, while some dance with us when they are in town or available. For our new season, we are thrilled to be working with these 9 amazing dancers:
Christy Hawkins
Christy started dancing when she was six years old and has made dancing a lifelong passion. She has a B.A. and a M.A. from Brigham Young University (BYU), specializing in ballet and ballroom dance. She performed worldwide as a member of BYU Theatre Ballet and BYU Ballroom Dance Company. She is the mother of four and has lived in Stafford, VA since 2012. Besides dancing, Christy loves to watch movies, read books, and visit and hike in the national parks, all with her active family. She joined Dance Matrix Company (DMC) in 2015 and is a member of the Board of Directors for DMC.
_________________________________________________________________________________________
Katie Fatiga
Katie Fatiga has always loved to dance. She realized that she wanted to dance in a more professional way in college after taking an improvisational dance class with Beverly Mendez. Since then Katie has enjoyed taking classes at FBC, and performing with Dance Matrix. When she is not dancing, Katie keeps busy teaching Middle School, raising her two children and running races. Katie joined Dance Matrix in 2016
_________________________________________________________________________________________
Deborah Bennett
Deborah Bennett started studying the art of ballet at 5 years old. She went to watch her friend take a ballet class and fell in love. Deborah trained in the Cecchetti method of classical ballet in South Africa and England and has been dancing professionally since age 16. She came to America to study under master teachers in New York. She got married and has not left. She has danced professionally in South Africa, New York, New Jersey, and Virginia. She has been teaching ballet at M&S Studio of the Performing Arts in Central Park, Fredericksburg for many years. Yoga is her second love. She says, “Yoga has kept me injury-free and in good shape so that I can still enjoy dancing. Dance is my therapy.”
_________________________________________________________________________________________
Patrick Mayer
He has studied ballet, jazz, musical theatre, modern, hip hop, and lyrical.
Patrick Mayer has been dancing since the age of 3 at Fredericksburg Ballet Centre.
He has had soloist parts in Don Quixote, Giselle, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Peter Pan, Alice in Wonderland, and The Nutcracker.
Patrick premiered his first self-choreographed solo with DMC at the 2020 Performing Arts Festival. He is enjoying his first season as a DMC dancer.
_________________________________________________________________________________________
Becky Brassfield
Becky Brassfield has been dancing since she was 4 years old. She has studied everything from jazz to modern to hip-hop, with her favorites tyles being tap and ballet. She gained experience teaching and choreographing as a member of Fusion Dance Team during her time at Virginia Tech. Becky danced with DMC as a guest Artist in the Summer of 2016, and is now a full company member.
_________________________________________________________________________________________
Kori Terrell Joseph
Kori has been dancing in Fredericksburg since the age of five.
She has danced with Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre, Ballet Met in Columbus, Ohio, Michigan Ballet Seminar, and Richmond Ballet.
She is currently an instructor at Avery Ballet and Creative Movement Dance.
Mrs. Joseph has danced on and off with DMC for 16 seasons, and has created many choreographic works for the company over the years.
_________________________________________________________________________________________
Jackie Jerndal
Jackie Jerndal was born and raised in South Africa. She started dancing when she was 5 years old. She came to the United States in 1988 and was dancing in and around NYC before moving to Virginia and finding Dance Matrix. She is extremely happy to have the opportunity to be dancing again, and says it keeps her young!
_________________________________________________________________________________________
Laura Embertson
Laura has been dancing since she was 6 years old. She was in a Hip Hop Funk dance troupe in Santa Cruz, CA until age 14. She danced throughout high school including in musical theatre. After she completed her BS at University of California, Davis, Laura focused on modern dance and salsa in Los Angeles. There she danced at Piece College, including in their performance of the musical, Caberet. Returning to Davis for her MS she continued dancing contemporary and ballet through the university. When she moved to DC she began performing with the DHH Company in Arlington, VA.
Laura is thrilled to have found adult classes at DMC studio and even more excited to join the Dance Matrix Company this year 2023. Dancing is when Laura feels the happiest and she makes it a point to incorporate dance into her life as her family expands. She believes all people should make room for creativity and hopes she will continue to meet kindred spirits through dance.
_________________________________________________________________________________________