PASSION FRUIT DANCE COMPANY
Passion Fruit is a Street, Club dance and educational company founded in 2016 by Tatiana Deardouin. The company is composed of Lauriane Ogay, Nubian Néné, Lobel and Tatiana Desardouin (artistic director and choreographer). Through its performances, workshops, lectures, educational programs (designed to provide tools to heal, to release, to build confidence or to educate on the racial issue, providing anti-racist tools) called “Passion Fruit Seeds”, and a multisensory experience within a cultural party called “Les 5 Sens”, the company’s mission is: To promote the authenticity of street, clubbing dance styles and cultures; To highlight its black heritage and contribution to society; To explore the human experience, address social issues such as racism and to inspire young artists to share their voices.
They had the opportunity to work as educators using “Passion Fruit Seeds – Focus on the Youth” program at the Yerbabruja Arts Center,at the American Dance Festival, in several elementary schools and public schools in NYC and Upstate New York. in Switzerland for the City of Geneva with the “Passion Fruit Seeds: Hip-Hop culture, its foundations and its uprooting” program and at the Connecticut college, The 5 colleges (Smith College, Hampshire college, Amherst college and Mount Holyoke college) and Springfield College with the “Passion fruit Seeds: Focus On Black Excellence program. The Lehigh Valley Charter high school for the Arts received the NEA Grants for Arts Projects FY2022 to do the Passion Fruit Seeds – Focus On Black Excellence program in March 2023.
They performed the piece “Dance Within Your Dance” in places such as at The American Dance Festival, The Apollo Theater, Summerstage, Harlem Stage, Jacob’s pillow, the New Victory Theater, BAAD!, LOHH, Joe’s Pub, 92Y, Musikfest, MASS MoCA and abroad (in Canada at the M.A.I (Montreal) and in Switzerland at the “Outside” festival (Neuchatel)). They performed the piece “Trapped” at the Bridge Street Theater, the Lincoln Center, the Guggenheim and BRIC Celebrate Brooklyn. The company is currently working on a new work called “Dimensions”.
The company also have a students repertory pieces such as: CONNECTIONS performed at the 5 colleges; DE/BOX performed at Hunter college, Springfield college & Lehigh Charter High Arts school; PATH TO P(E)ACE performed at ADF for the Footprint program, Queensborough community college and ACDA.
The company features in The New Yorker magazine (April 2021) and Dance Magazine’s 2020 “25 to Watch”.
Tatiana features in Harper’s Bazaar magazine (2021) and is one of the winners of the Vilcek Foundation Prize for Creative Promise in Dance (2021-2022). She received the Juried Bessie Award in 2022.
Tatiana Desardouin – Director, Dancer & Choreographer
From Switzerland and of Haitian origin, Tatiana is a professional dancer, dance instructor, dance consultant, choreographer, organizer, curator, Lecturer with a Master degree as adult educator and a Bachelor in Psychology (University of Geneva). Tatiana won several competitions and is regularly invited to give workshops and judge competitions in several countries such as: Japan, Peru, Italy, Sweden, Slovakia, France, Canada, Austria, Switzerland and USA.
Very passionate and very involved in the growth of the swiss hip-hop scene, she has been teaching and mentoring since 2005, had her own dance school “Le Centre Hip-Hop”, is part of a non-profit promoting the street, club dance and culture called “JAIA” since 2012. She was one of the four founders of the first Hip-Hop dance company in Geneva called “Continuum“.
She developed her own teaching method called “Technique Within Your Groove” method. She taught at Peridance, Broadway Dance Center and was a former teacher at EXPG NYC (2016-2020). As a guest artist (dance instructor and lecturer) and adjunct professor she taught in universities such as Harvard University, Dartmouth University, the American University, the Connecticut College, Hunter College, the five colleges. Tatiana is adjunct professor at Springfield College and is a member of the 92NY‘s faculty since 2022.
She is the director and choreographer of Passion Fruit Dance Company, a street dance theater and educational company, which she founded in 2016. The company made its debut through Kenny Clutch Festival (Philadelphia) and Pepatián organization (New York). Through its performances, workshops, lectures, educational programs called “Passion Fruit Seeds”, and cultural event called “Les 5 Sens”, the company’s mission is: To promote the authenticity of street, clubbing dance styles and cultures; To highlight its black heritage and contribution to society; To explore the human experience, address social issues such as racism; and to inspire young artists to share their voices. She performed with her company in places such as at The Apollo Theater, Summerstage, Jacob’s Pillow, the New Victory Theater, BAAD!Theater, Pregones theater, Ladies of Hip-Hop festival, Joe’s Pub, 92NY, the Guggenheim, Bridge Street Theater, the Lincoln Center, Mass Moca, BRIC Celebrate Brooklyn and abroad (Canada and Switzerland).
Tatiana was selected as one of Dance Magazine’s 2020 “25 to Watch”, featured in the New Yorker magazine for the “Goings on about town” in 2021, Harper’s Bazaar in 2021, was awarded by the Vilcek Foundation Prizes for Creative Promise in Dance 2022 and is the 2022 juried Bessie award winner.
She had the chance to perform at the Madison Square garden and the Wells Fargo Center for the rock band Arcade Fire, In “Electrogynous” by Sabela Grimes at Columbia University. In “Where Love lies follow”, a play written by Nichi Douglas , as a dance consultant for the premiere at The Shed, then as a dancer at the Martin E. Segal Theater for the “Prelude” festival (NYC), at the Public Theater for the “Under the Radar” festival (NYC), at the New York Library with “The Black Dancing Bodies” (LOHH) project. She also did a lecture-demonstration at “Studio 5” and did a seminar for the “Street Dance Ambassadors Program” at New York City Center.
Tatiana was one of the core dancer of Rennie Harris Puremovement (2016 – 2021), Nefer Global Movement collective (2018 – 2023), LayeRhythm Experiment Company (2019 – 2022).
tatiana.desardouin@gmail.com
IG: @tatianadesardouin / @pfdancecompany
FB: Passion Fruit Dance Company
Lauriane Ogay – Dancer & photographer
Lauriane is a dancer and photographer from Switzerland, residing in NYC since 2012.
Through her career and as a core member of Passion Fruit dance company, Lauriane has performed at the Guggenheim Museum, UAlbany Performing Art Center, MassMoca, Fiaf (French Institute Alliance Française), Lincoln Center, 92Y, American Dance Festival (ADF), Bessies Awards, Crossing the Line Festival, Bridge Street Theater, Dance Place DC, Harlem Stage, New Victory Theater, BAAD!, SummerStage, San Francisco Palace of Fine Arts, The Foundry, Boston, Spring Up dance festival, MusikFest, Joe’s Pub, Tribeca Performing Art Center, Ladies of Hip-Hop festival and LatinMondayTaj. She is often called to be the assistant choreographer and external eye for PFDC’s student repertory works. 2024 marks her debut as a co-writer for the Piece “Dimensions” performed by PFDC.
She has danced in commercials for Credo Beauty, Golden Goose and Metro Boutique. She is also a member of the legendary “Dance Fusion Family”, with whom she performed at Versastyle Festival, Los Angeles, 2019, and at Drom, New York, 2016.
Lauriane has been an active dancer in the street dance competition/battle realm since she started hip-hop at 14 years old. At 18 she began to travel to countries such as France, Portugal, Spain, Austria, Belgium, Italy, Canada, Japan to participate in street/club dance events, parties and workshops. NYC being the birthplace of hip-hop culture, she later traveled there, which eventually planted the seed for her career switch from a business admin to a professional dancer.
She has been a guest competitor for Roundz of Flame, D.I.C.E Battle, Times Square Arts x Behind The Groove and was a judge of “Street Beats Fringe Festival” Rochester, 2021, “I Like It x Artel 1520” Brooklyn, 2020, “I Like It” New York’ 2019. She won the WMC (Winter Music conference), Miami, 2012, Roundz of Flame, NYC, 2018, and was finalist/semi finalist of D.I.C.E battle,NYC 2024,, Ladies of Hip-Hop, NYC, 2015, and Kings of New York, NYC, 2019, New York City Jack, NYC, 2017.
Lauriane’s other passion lies behind the lens. From real estate, corporate events to nightlife and studio photography, she is also the in-house photographer for LayeRhythm. She has worked for Sono Motors, Worksport (Bell ceremony at Nasdaq), The Art of Alignment Academy, CityEvention, Runway7, NY Fashion Week, ElektraModel, Maui x Lolita, Pepatián, Negusworld, BAAD Theater. She had her photographs published on various websites and newspapers and made her first book cover “Baring unbearable sensualities” by Rosemarie A. Roberts in 2021. Her photography work “Dimensions” has been exhibited at “OneGroove” for PhysfestNYC, 2024, Crossing the Line Festival – Fiaf, 2023, Dance Initiative Carbondale, 2022, 92Y Street, 2022. As an opening of “Dance within your Dance”, (Passion Fruit dance theater piece), she created a digital exhibition on the “Groove” which was projected in multiple places such a Mass MoCA Museum, 92Y Street, Williams Hobart College and more.
Lauriane.ogay@gmail.com
IG: @loryane_lo
IG: @Lauriane_ogay_photography
FB: Loryane Ogay /
Saadiq Bolden “The Last Musician” – Music production
Saadiq Bolden also known as Saadiq The Last Musician, was born and raised in Detroit, Michigan, started playing guitar at the age of 6, and gradually picked up playing drums, piano, and bass guitar. Influenced by his musically inclined family, and raised on the sounds of James Brown, Sly Stone, Stevie Wonder, Parliament/Funkadelic, and Prince, Saadiq played in a jazz band at Mumford High School and later in his band The Most from the west side of 7 mile in Detroit. Saadiq is a protégé of Motown producer Barrett Strong. In 1992, Saadiq began dancing, freestyling Hip Hop at the infamous club Saint Andrews where he met and befriended, now close friend Baatin of Slum Village. In 1993, he met his soon to be musical partner Waajeed, where in 2002 they formed the well known group The Platinum Pied Pipers (PPP). In 2003, the collaboration with Dwele, raised their recognition and led to the production and releasing of two albums “Triple P (2005) and Abundance (2009) on Ubiquity Records. They collaborated with artists such as Tiombe Lockhart and musical pioneer and visionary J Dilla. They received praise from the likes of Gilles Peterson and Questlove to name a few. Triple P was “Pick of the Week” by LA Weekly. Saadiq, now a solo artist, has produced for other acts over the years including Talib Kweli. Saadiq The Last Musician’s sound is a blend of soul, funk, hip hop, electro, and whatever inspires him in the moment. Multi-instrumentalist, beat maker, song writer, and dancer, Saadiq is a well versed creative who seeks to collaborate with different artists mixing his sounds to what moves people. His most recent collaboration was with Tatiana Desardouin and her dance company “Passion Fruit”, where he produced the soundtrack for her piece called “Trapped”, which premiered at thepppl Guggenheim (2021) and performed at the Lincoln Center (2021). Saadiq got featured for his work with Passion Fruit Dance Company in the New Yorker magazine, the Times Union and Broadway World news.
IG: @saadiq612
Huiyi Chen – Motion caption, VJing, Mapping
Huiyi is a multidisciplinary artist, educator and creative technologist working in photos, moving images, performance, and interactive installations. Her work unearths the nuanced interplay between individuals and the power structures surrounding them. Taking a feminist approach and drawing influence from ethnographic research, community engagement, and personal diaspora experience, she explores the fluid space between intimate personal narratives and the power structures they reside in, celebrating the resilience and poetry that emerges at their collision and negotiation.
Influenced by her background in psychology, she is interested in how viewers interact with the artwork and the psychological mechanisms behind their behaviors. In her work, technology is often both a subject of critical examination and a means to create alternative modes for the audience to connect with the work.
Her works have been exhibited at IDFA, CDh:DOX, CulturalHub, Magfest, VR Day Europe, Special Special Gallery, and more. She holds a B.A. degree in psychology from the University of Southern California and an M.P.S. degree in Interactive Telecommunication Program at New York University, where she also served as a postdoc fellow. She currently teaches at the Mason Gross School of Art at Rutgers University.
IG: @cho.cho.choo
DreamBiscuit – Animator
She is a video artist, animator, and motion graphics designer from Indianapolis, Indiana. She attended Indiana University in Bloomington to study fine arts and telecommunications. She has created videos for a variety of musical artists, including Mary J Blige, DJ Khaled, Ellie Golding, and Lil Uzi Vert. She currently freelances for several music labels, including 300 Entertainment, Epic Records, and Cinematic Music Group. She hopes to create video messages that stir emotion and provoke thought in a colorful world.
IG: @dreambiscuit
MORE ABOUT THE COMPANY: https://linktr.ee/PassionFruitDanceCo