Justin L. Viernes (Rehearsal Director) began his dance career at the age of 16 as a scholarship student at 24VII Dance Company and was trained in ballet, jazz, modern and hip hop. After moving to San Diego Justin has danced for Vitality Dance Company, Fusion Dance Company, Long Beach Community College, Chapman College, Sondra Kazama, Khamla Somphanh and with The Southern California Ballet. As a scholarship student at The Academy of Performing Arts he received intense training from well known artists from all over the country in all major dance styles. His dancing has traveled him to Kazakhstan as a United States Cultural Envoy representing American contemporary dance, San Miguel de Allende, Mexico, New Jersey, Wisconsin, Florida and was featured in San Diego Performer Magazine (Formerly Dance San Diego Magazine). Justin has also been a guest teacher at Hammond School of Dance, Chula Vista High School, La Jolla Country Day, The Academy of Performing Arts, Freespace Dance, Downtown Dance (Lakeworth, Florida), Eveoke Dance Theater, J. Company and is a resident teacher at Dance and Company. In addition to The PGK Project, Justin dances for companies d’shire Dance Collective and The Patricia Rincon Dance Collective.
Viviana Alcazar is originally from El Centro, CA and began dancing at an early age of 7. Trained mainly in Hip Hop and Modern; she has danced in the hip hop companies Funkanometry and Mavyn . She graduated from California State University Long Beach with a B.A in Dance. It was there that she studied Modern and Ballet under Keith Johnson, Susan Mc Clain, Lorin Johnson and Sophie Monet. Other performances include Jean Issacs’ Trolley Dances, guest work with Maria Gillespie of Oni Dance, original works by Gabe Masson, Somebodies Dance theater, John Diaz, ARMD and Dancers and Katie Griffin for the 09’ Emerge Showcase. Viviana teaches Creative Movement and Modern at Danceworks studio in San Diego. She is also currently a Teaching Artist for the San Diego Unified School District, and Young Audiences of San Diego.
Megan Jenkins currently resides in Riverside, California. She began her dance training with Stefannie Valencia Kierlin at the Minnesota Conservatory for the Arts and earned her B.F.A in dance performance from the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities. She hails from the Midwest where she lived, worked, and studied in Minneapolis prior to moving to Riverside, working with a variety of local, national, and international choreographers, performing at the American College Dance Festival, and apprenticing with Shapiro and Smith Dance. Dancing has taken her across the country, and she has performed throughout the Midwest, Southern California, and Florida. Ms. Jenkins, through The PGK Project, also traveled to Kazakhstan as a United States Cultural Envoy. She has performed in Jerome Robbins’ West Side Story, Lin Huai-min’s Crossing the Black Water, and Paul Taylor’s Lost Found Lost and workded with renowned choreographers, Doug Elkins, Shouze Ma, Paula Mann, Ming-Shen Ku, Joanie Smith, and the late Danial Shapiro.
Shana McCartney began dancing at the early age of three and continued through college to earn a BFA in Jazz Performance from the University of the Arts in 2007. Since then, Shana has performed in over 20 countries around the globe working for Royal Caribbean Cruise Line. Shana currently dances for Visionary Dance Theater and is the Performing Arts Manager for the Visionary School for the Performing Arts. She is thrilled for the opportunity to dance with The PGK Project and looks forward to a wonderful future in San Diego, California.
Cecil L. Pratt has trained at the Academy of Performing Arts under the guidance of Kevin Patterson, Steven Wistrich, Buffy Swallow, Katey Mc’Lever and Kevin Herman. In addition to The PGK Project Cecil has had the privilege of working with Fusion Dance and d’shire dance collective. He has appeared in the broadway musical Celtic Fusion, the motion picture “Bring It On”, commercials, and other projects in and outside of the United States.
Heather Dale Wentworth began dancing at the age of 19 at Palomar College and then went on to earn her Bachelor of Arts in Dance from the University of California, San Diego. Mrs. Wentworth performed extensively throughout Southern California for Heatwave Productions, under the direction of Tony Caligagan. She has performed for many local companies and choreographers including San Diego Dance Theater (Trolley Dances), Joey Doucette Entertainment (Las Vegas), Mojalet Dance Collective, d’shire Dance Collective, Patricia Rincon Dance Collective, Lara Segura Binder, Erica Beuchner, and Blythe Barton. Heather is also a guest choreographer at The PGK Project.
David Wornovitzky is originally from Mexico City and since moving to San Diego he has had the privilege of working with D’shire dance and Colette Harding Contemporary Dance Company, in addition to The PGK Project. He has worked with independent choreographers such as Yolande Snaith, Kim Epifano, Khamla Sopmphanh, Kathryn Irey and Michael Mizerany. It is important for David to thank his family for the never-ending support, which has made his dream possible.
