New York native choreographer, Gina Graham, honed her craft at a very early age. Graham has been producing her own dances and using the tool of improvisation to capture the nuisances of her experience through movement. In her early stages, Graham graduated from The Cultural Arts Center in Syosset, Long Island, a high school for visual and performing artists with a concentration in dance, and a minor in fashion merchandising & design; thereafter she attended the Martha Graham School of Contemporary Dance where she studied technique from dancers such as Christine Dakin, and Terese Capucilli, as well as composition from Pearl Lang. In 1999, she graduated from Purchase College Conservatory of Dance where she was the only student in her class to receive her BFA in Dance Composition. Graham studied composition with teachers such as Neil Greenberg, Tarin Chaplin and Kazuko Hirabayashi. In 2000, she became the co-founder of Esse Aficionado. Graham has contributed a vast amount of choreographic works to the company’s repertoire and over the years has worked with many talented dancers, musicians and designers throughout the process. She continues to study dance technique at the Merce Cunningham Studio, Susan Klein School, and Trisha Brown School in New York City.

Veronica De La Rosa was born in Los Angeles, California. Throughout her versatile dance career, De La Rosa has performed in various dance companies, musicals, and sideshows.  Veronica was a soloist with the Los Angeles based Pacifico Dance Company, where she took pride in dancing Mexican folk dances in honor of her heritage. She performed with the LA Opera in the musical A Place to Call Home and performed Bye, Bye, Birdie at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival.  De La Rosa attended the Los Angeles County High School for the Arts and was a member of Kitetails, a company led by her mentor, post-modern pioneer, Rudy Perez. In 1999, she graduated from Purchase College Conservatory of Dance with a BFA in Dance and a Certificate in Arts Management. Upon graduating, Veronica moved to New York City, studied at Merce Cunningham Studio as a scholarship student and co-founded Esse Aficionado. De La Rosa spearheads every aspect of Esse Aficionado productions and is Treasurer of the Board of Directors. Veronica believes that dance can inspire change in the lives of those who experience it. With her choreography and site-specific pieces, she strives to provoke thought and bring a touch of humor to the program. Her ultimate goal with Esse Aficionado is to provide audiences with the highest quality of professional dance programs that are intelligent, innovative and genuine. Veronica also teaches company class to Esse Aficionado members.