Our Story
The X-Perience Dance Company is a pre-professional Modern/ Jazz based dance company with roots also in Ballet and African. Our purpose is to evoke, encourage and inspire all those whom we encounter. We believe the art of dance shouldn’t just be witnessed. It should be felt. It should be shared. It should be X-perienced.
FOUNDER/ ARTISTIC DIRECTOR
At the age of 4, Fayette was enrolled by her mother in the Dance Program at Settlement Music School. After a year, she transitioned to South Philadelphia Dance Center, which later evolved into Progressive Center for Dance (PCD), and is now known as Ms. Carol’s Center for Dance, where she continued her dance education into adulthood. Fayette received instruction from esteemed mentors including the late Carol C. Davis, Rodney “Itola” Byrd, Shawn-Lamere, Milton Myers, Deborah Chase, Patricia Thomas, Patrica Scott Hobbs, Deborah Manning, Hope Boykin, Christopher Huggins, Desmond Richardson, Bernard Gaddis, and numerous other internationally acclaimed instructors. While attending PCD, she also pursued studies at Philadelphia Dance Arts (Philadanco), Freedom Theater, Pennsylvania Governor’s School for the Arts (recipient of the 1995 Award Scholarship), and Temple University.
FAYETTE N. COPPOCK-BROWN
At 13 years old, Fayette assumed the role of Student Teacher at PCD, and by 17, she was entrusted with her inaugural Jazz class. Subsequently, she ventured into teaching Modern, Ballet, Hip-Hop, and Tap at various studios, including Young Performers Theater Camp, Point Breeze Performing Arts, and J-Rock Performing Arts Camp. Fayette joined the Training Company of Company Grace (now Grace Dance Theater) in 1994, progressing to the 1st Company in 1996. In 2001, despite her reservations, Fayette was called by God to lead the dance ministry at Greater Exodus Baptist Church, which has since flourished to encompass over 50 members spanning ages 4 to adults. During the summer of 2007, she conceived the X-Press Yourself Creative and Performing Arts Program for children aged 6 to 16, housed within the People for People building.
In 2011, Fayette reconnected with a long-time friend, and together they initiated The Feltonville Dream Center’s Arts and Education After-School Program. Over subsequent years, FDC expanded to encompass additional creative and performing arts initiatives. After four years of serving as the Artistic Director of The Feltonville Dream Center and augmenting its enrollment to over 100 students, Fayette overhauled the curriculum of X-Press Yourself: Creative and Performing Arts and inaugurated the X-Press Yourself Creative and Performing Arts Center. Here, she introduced numerous extracurricular programs, camps, and established The X-Perience Dance Company.
In 2022, Fayette faced a challenging decision to dissolve XPY and channel all her efforts into advancing and nurturing The X-Perience Dance Company.
Fayette holds a degree in Psychology from Temple University and concurrently uses her gifts throughout the Philadelphia area at various dance studios.
Directors
Jasmine took her first dance class at Progressive Center for Dance (now Carol’s Cubbage School of Dance) at the age of 5. Unfortunately, she only stayed for one year, but her love for dance never subsided. She later returned to PCD at the age of 11 where she stayed and trained in ballet, tap, hip hop, and her two favorite styles modern and jazz until graduating from high school. While attending Philadelphia High School for Girls she was captain of the dance team and co-captain of the step squad. She was also a part of Penn State University’s dance team. She has been a teacher at XPY since its grand opening and one year when it was formerly The Feltonville Dream Center. In 2021 she was promoted to the Competition Scheduling Manager, which subsequently lead to her current position as the Assistant Director
Ms. V is the Cofounder of LoVeArTs Foundation Inc, a scholarship organization which is dedicated to the performing arts community in Philadelphia. Since the age of 8, L&L Dance productions is where she built her foundation in dance. During that time, she has trained in the disciplines of Ballet, Pointe, Tap, Jazz, Modern and Liturgical dance. Through her years of Dance training she has studied under choreographers such as Lynn Donald, the late Lorie Robinson, Abby Mitchell, Jaye Allison, Tracey Hall, the late Marion Cuyjet, Itola and many more. Through her time at L & L she was also exposed to a number of workshops and dance training including, The Ailey School and Broadway Dance Center. She also participated in Philadanco’s summer intensive training program for a number of years, where she studied under Karen Pendergrass, Kim Bears-Baily and countless others. She is a graduate of FLC, where she studied dance under the late Faye Snow. Ms. V is also an Eastern University Alumni, where she was a student dancer and choreographer for the Eastern University Dance Repertory Company. There she studied methods of teaching dance under the direction of Dr. Joselli Deans (former dancer DTH). After college, Ms. V became a Resident Instructor/Choreographer for L&L Dance Productions where she taught ballet, tap, jazz and Modern. She also served as Co-Artistic Director the L&L Sterling company for 3 years. She has taught throughout the city of Philadelphia and Delaware county, including William Penn School District, Mastery Charter Schools and YPTC.
