Jess Gersony has loved tap dancing since she was 3 years old and is now beyond thrilled to be a member of Cats Paying Dues! At age twelve she met her mentor Darrell Williams (protégé of LaVaughn Robinson) and his daughter D’Andria in Philadelphia. She studied with them nearly everyday for 6 years because of the shared love for the art and the mutual compassion that supported the process. Jess attended the Philadelphia High School for Creative and Performing Arts as a dance major and became captain of the dance company. Jess was a founding member, solo performer and choreographer for two Philadelphia based companies, Xhale and Footwerx. She was a member of the NYC based Tap City Youth Ensemble and performed the choreography of Michelle Dorrance and Brenda Bufalino. Additionally, she has taught tap at Swarthmore College and Oberlin College. Jess currently attends Columbia University and studies Anthropology and Environmental Biology. She would like to thank her family and friends for helping her pursue her art and for making it all worth it!