The Lua Project has been called a ‘cultural pollinator’, and was formed by David Berzonsky and Estela Knott after they returned to Virginia to raise children after almost a decade of travelling, performing, and recording, throughout the Western hemisphere, in places as far afield as Lima, Peru, Veracruz, Mexico, Recife, Brazil, and Berkeley, Ca.
Fonseca Holman is the founder of Positive Force Line Steppaz, established in 2014 and rebranded in 2025. Fonseca’s choreography is popular online — her routine to “Too Long” by King George has gained over 7 million views on YouTube. She also produces step-by-step instructional content for dances like “Backbone Slip” and “Pep in Your Step,” and is certified in Zumba, Step, and group fitness.
Semilla Cultural is a non-profit organization based in Fredericksburg that cultivates Puerto Rican arts and culture in the wider DMV area. It was founded by Isha M Renta López in 2014 and is led by a team of volunteers committed to preserving and disseminating the Puerto Rican cultural legacy. Semilla Cultural teaches and performs the Afro-Puerto Rican musical genres of bomba and plena, which are grounded in percussion, dance and singing.
The Thapasya School of Dance, founded in 2014 by artistic director Sudha Krishnamurthy, is dedicated to Bharatanatyam, one of India’s foremost classical dance forms. Bharatanatyam is celebrated for its sculptural geometry, expressive storytelling, and intricate rhythmic footwork.
