Judy Dworin
Executive & Artistic Director
Judy founded JDPP in 1989 and it has been a central focus of her life, developing performances and programming that remind us of our connection to each other, our communities, and the earth. As Executive Director, she oversees the entire organization’s activities; serves as the Artistic Director of the JDPP Ensemble; and supervises the Bridging Boundaries residencies for which she designs the curriculum and programming and is a lead teaching artist. She loves to create and to work collaboratively to realize a bigger vision. She especially enjoys inspiring ideas that help to make the world healthier and more just and that contribute to the growth of each person. Her husband Blu is her true soulmate, and her dogs are lights in her life along with her turtles, fish, the trees and forests, her wonderful extended JDPP family, and her non-biological children who at one time were her students.
Kathy Borteck Gersten
Associate Artistic Director
Kathy is a founding member of JDPP and Associate Artistic Director. As director of the Moving Matters! Program, and teaching artist in Bridging Boundaries, she works collaboratively with other wonderful artists in bringing joy and inspiring creativity in students and adults. Through her work in the JDPP Ensemble and teaching artist in the Moving Matters! and Bridging Boundaries programs she uses dance to express and share her commitment to broadening her horizons and honoring the stories that have impacted her life. Her family has been her greatest support and she now relishes the opportunity to be that for her grandchildren.
Robyn Genzano
Director of Operations, Media & Design Supervisor
Robyn Genzano was introduced to JDPP in 2017 as an intern with a background in Administration of Justice and Musical Theater. In 2019, she joined JDPP full-time and now serves as Director of Operations and Media & Design Supervisor. Robyn oversees the organization’s day-to-day operations, including bookings, residencies, fundraising, marketing, design, and public outreach, and is proud to continue supporting JDPP’s mission and growth.
Suzi Jensen
Programming Coordinator & Payroll Supervisor
Suzi Jensen’s relationship with JDPP began with six words, “If you ever need any help….” In 2008 Suzi became a guest performer with JDPP. As the daughter of a former resident at York C.I. in Niantic, CT she spoke for the often-forgotten children of Connecticut’s prison population. Many years, performances, and residencies later, Suzi continues to work with men, women, and students from all walks of life as a teaching artist in JDPP’s Bridging Boundaries and Moving Matters! Programs. As JDPP’s Programming Coordinator she helps all the staff with the logistics, coordination, and implementation of programming as well as administrative tasks. Suzi enjoys her life with her partner Scott, her daughter Scarlett and her pup Molly, who loves making guest appearances at JDPP's Zoom meetings.
Jennifer Eifrig
Development & Communications Director
Jen came to JDPP in 2018 after a long career in Connecticut’s heritage sector, and she is thrilled to finally be putting both her arts and English degrees to good use as Development and Communications Director. Her job is to describe JDPP’s vision for impactful change through program and performance, in the form of emails, letters, grant proposals, and budgets. She’s equally passionate about fiction, natural history, archaeology, skiing, craft cocktails, ballet, and backyard farming. Her greatest accomplishment is raising incredibly talented and woke kids, with husband Tom of more than 30 years.
Mellissa Craig
ArtsReach Supervisor
Since 2011, Mellissa Craig has been a JDPP Ensemble member and teaching artist. In 2020 she became curator of JDPP’s ‘A Response and a Call’ performance platform for artists of color. Her recent appointment as JDPP's ArtsReach Supervisor bridges her love of dance and her commitment to education and activism. As a Hartford local, she is fully committed to using her art to uplift her community and does so through several arts organizations. She has been privileged to study under amazing Master Teachers and shares her gifts as a teacher and performer in modern dance, African dance, and stilt walking with students of all ages across the state. Mellissa is a mother and grandmother and carries a deep devotion to her family. Her personal goal is to leave the world a brighter and more enlightened place than she found it.
Marcela Oteíza
Visual Designer
Marcela is a Visual Artist and Designer. As the resident designer for JDPP she has created sets, projection design, costume and props for multiple projects since 2011 to today. Her credits with JDPP include theater staged work such as In This House, 2011, Meditations from a Garden Seat, 2012, LightHouse, 2015; Brave in a New World, 2016, and site based work such as U.S. (us) at The Hartford Public library, 2019; ColorFields at The New Britain Museum, 2021; Emergence, 2022 at Harriet Beecher Stowe Center (HBSC)and the Old NewGate Prison 2022 and In the Presence of Trees, multiple locations throughout the Hartford area 2022-23. Marcela is a Chilean/ American artist that believes in the power of performance in building and creating communities, She is also a professor At Wesleyan University where she teaches at the dance and theater departments and is affiliated with the College of Environment, Latin American Studies, and the Design and Engineering program (IDEAS).
Blu
Lighting Designer
Blu lived in NYC for 20 years where he was resident designer at the Cubiculo and La MaMa E.T.C., was a Bessie Award winner, and lighting designer for such renowned dance theater artists as Eiko and Koma, Ping Chong, Donald Byrd, Sally Gross, Nancy Meehan and Paula Josa Jones to name a few. He now lives in Bloomfield with his wife, Judy and their family of dogs, turtles, fish, birds, frogs, toads, and bats.
Ritz Ubides
Sound Engineer and Technical Director
Ritz has worked as part of the JDPP collaborative team in multiple capacities since 2001 as technical director, sound engineer, sound designer and performer. She also has served as Scapegoat Garden’s technical director for many years and was on their board. She worked as Production Supervisor at Trinity College’s Austin Arts Center for many years and presently, in addition to her work with JDPP and Scapegoat Garden, freelances with various Hartford-based performance companies. She has also recently launched her Pet Flight Nanny service, Love at Furst Flight LLC, and is transporting lots of furry beings to awaiting loving homes.
Stay in touch.
Sign up for our e-newsletter.
JDPP, Inc. is a 501c(3) organization.