BRKFST Dance Company

2026 Choreography FELLOWs

Photo credit: Adam Adolphus

LISA “MONALISA” BERMAN and JOSEPH “MN JOE” TRẦN are St. Paul-based choreographers and Co-Founders / Co-Artistic Directors of BRKFST Dance Company. BRKFST combines breaking and non-codified dance vernacular to produce works that are emotionally resonant and physically rigorous. As collaborators, they have premiered original works at local venues including the Walker Art Center, Southern Theater, and Orchestra Hall with the Minnesota Orchestra; nationally and internationally with the Hartford Symphony Orchestra, Des Moines Symphony, Bates College (ME), John Michael Kohler Arts Center (WI), Dance2Connect Festival (Ireland) and Vancouver International Dance Festival (Canada). Together, they have set repertoire at the University of MN - Twin Cities, Carleton College, St. Olaf College, Winona State University, Bates College, and Dance2Connect Festival.

Berman is a respected breaker with a choreographic approach grounded in collaboration, storytelling and experimentation. She is the recipient of the 2016 McKnight Dancer Fellowship, 2008 Jerome Travel Grant and multiple Minnesota grants. She has performed as a solo artist in productions touring to Art Basel - Miami, Corcoran Gallery in Washington DC, Salon 94 in New York, NY, Amsterdam Museum in the Netherlands and D2C Festival in Ireland. Trần is a world-renowned breaker and former member of Knuckleheads Cali—a breaking crew respected for their avant-garde style of movement. He is the recipient of the 2023-2025 Jerome Hill Artist Fellowship and 2019 McKnight Dancer Fellowship. He is known for his signature moves which have earned him multiple first-place victories in breaking competitions across the U.S., Europe, and South America.