Artistic & Administrative Staff
Staycee R. Pearl, Co-Artistic Director
Choreographer and artistic director Staycee Pearl produces genre-bending experiences that draw together contemporary dance, immersive soundscapes, and visual artistry. The 2021 winner of The Pittsburgh Foundation’s Carol R. Brown Creative Achievement Award for Established Artist, Staycee continues to generate unexpected works that explore themes of personal expression, race, freedom, and gender.
As the co-founder and co-artistic director of PearlArts with her husband Herman “Soy Sos” Pearl, Staycee maintains an iterative artistic process that pulls from a wide variety of sources. Staycee has honed a uniquely soulful artistic voice that builds on her diverse experiences, from her early dance training with the Dance Theatre of Harlem and Alvin Ailey American Dance Center to her leadership of Xpressions Contemporary Dance Company and 20+ years as an influential choreographer in Pittsburgh.
Staycee is especially passionate about creating space for Black femme artists to experiment. Inspired by her own experiences and challenges as a performer and choreographer, Staycee leads workshops and residencies to sustain a vibrant community for artists in her orbit.
Herman “Soy Sos” Pearl, Co-Artistic Director
Sound designer/engineer Herman “Soy Sos” Pearl is the co-founder and co-artistic director of PearlArts. With over 40 years of experience in music and sound, Herman is an inventive and detailed producer known for his genre-bending collaborations.
Herman views sound as a physical force, as tangible as a dancer’s gesture on stage. His 20-year partnership with Staycee Pearl forms the core of PearlArts, which harnesses the power of contemporary dance and immersive soundscapes to produce unexpected works. Through his carefully crafted soundscapes, Herman develops the sonic environment within which Staycee’s choreography takes form.
Beyond his work producing soundscapes for PearlArts performances, Herman is an active recording producer and mentor. He teaches emerging sound engineers through the Tuff Sound Apprenticeship Program at PearlArts. He has also collaborated widely, recording and producing work for a plethora of recording artists across genres and techniques. He has worked with numerous choreographers and visual artists, and his repertoire has featured in independent films and documentaries, video games, and advertising.
Kate Shea Duncan, General Manager
Kate Shea Duncan is a queer, disabled arts administrator, educator and artist working out of Pittsburgh, PA. Originally from Columbus, OH, she received her BFA in Theatre Production and Non-Profit Management from Point Park University in 2021 and has been working to make the arts in Pittsburgh more accessible ever since. Currently, Kate works as a part of the steering committee for Pittsburgh Fatties Social Club, a group that organizes events and coordinates mutual aid for the fat communities of Western PA. Kate currently focuses their artist practices on a mix of media styles, including collage and ceramics.
Dance Artists
Chandler Bingham (She/Her)
Chandler Bingham, a Point Park University graduate with a B.A. in Dance and a minor in History, has performed choreography by Daniel Karasik, Kiki Lucas, and others. A multidisciplinary artist and global instructor with Juntos Collective, she joined PearlArts in 2019 after an apprenticeship in 2018.
Nia Goodman (She/Her)
Nia Goodman, a Charlotte native now in Pittsburgh, graduated from Point Park University in 2022 with a degree in dance and accounting. Founder of Valentines Productions, LLC, she has performed works by Al Blackstone, Camille A. Brown, Rennie Harris, and Jason McDole, and choreographs for Queen City Fest.
Joy Holder (She/They)
Joy Holder, a dancer and creator based on the East Coast, holds a BFA from Columbia College Chicago. They have performed at venues like Carnegie Hall and The Kennedy Center. Excited to join PearlArts, Joy is eager to explore movement and share their passion for dance and collaboration.
LaTrea Derome Rembert (He/Him)
LaTrea Derome Rembert, a Cincinnati native, is a multi-disciplinary artist based in Pittsburgh. With a B.A. in Theater Arts from Point Park University, he has performed locally with CLO Cabaret, Pittsburgh Musical Theater, and more. A 7-season dancer with SPdp, LaTrea has also choreographed and premiered solo work with PearlArts Studios.
Anya Susan (He/They/She)
Anya Susan, a Pittsburgh-born, Miami-raised artist now in NYC, graduated from New World School of the Arts and NYU Tisch Dance. They've performed works by Sidra Bell, Bill T. Jones, and Robert Battle, and recently worked with GALLIM Dance Company and David Dorfman Dance. They are excited to reconnect with their hometown.
Cameron J. Waters (He/Him)
Cameron Waters, from New Castle, PA, graduated from Slippery Rock University in 2021 with a BFA in Dance and BSBA in Business Management. A company dancer with SPdp since 2022, he’s also a choreographer, upcoming author, fashion designer, and leader of his church’s dance ministry. He also appeared in Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom.
Board of Directors
Kathleen McGuire Gaines, Chair
Natalee Smith, Secretary
Staycee Pearl, Executive Director
Joseph Hall
Patrick Jordan
Jil Stifel
Directors Emeriti
Veronica Corpus, Chair
LaToya Sawyer-Ndizeye
Felicia Snead
DS Kinsel, Vice Chair