Sonia Pennington

Sonia James Pennington, Esquire is a seasoned choreographer, dance educator, and arts & entertainment entrepreneur with 25 years of experience owning, operating and managing various arts organizations.

In 1995, Sonia began her career as a dance educator while earning her bachelor’s degree in Political Science and African American Studies at Rutgers University followed by her Juris Doctorate from Temple University’s Beasley School of Law in May of 2000.

In 2003, Sonia co-founded National Dance Showcase, a talent competition that produces dance competitions while encouraging the growth of young talent and providing performance opportunities.

Sonia is also the co-owner of Artists in Motion Performing Arts Center in Kendall Park, New Jersey, where she has shared her love and passion for teaching dance and choreographing since 2008.

Additionally, Sonia is the Founder and Executive/Artistic Director of Introspective Movement Project, a contemporary jazz dance company in its ninth season, whose sole purpose is defying limitations and restrictions placed on movement, while inspiring soulful self-exploration.

THAT WHICH CONNECTS, Camden’s Festival of Dance, is Sonia’s newest endeavor. For the last six years, she has created an opportunity for established and emerging choreographers to come together to present works that bolster the strong arts community in and surrounding the City of Camden. Its mission is to present a signature event that strengthens Camden’s cultural community while celebrating Camden’s significant dance legacy.

Sonia is also involved in the managing and operating of Nyla’s Flowers, a full service floral boutique, and Camden Arts Yard, an outdoor beer garden, with her husband and business partner for life, Damon Pennington.

She has been recognized by the Channel 6ABC Community Advisory Board, the City Council for the City of Philadelphia, the Pennsylvania House of Representatives, and the National Hook-Up of Black Women, Inc. (NHBW) for her outstanding mentorship and for empowering today’s youth through the Arts.

As a choreographer, Sonia’s original pieces have performance highlights that include: The Koresh Come Together Dance Festival, Kun-Yang Lin In-Hale Performance Series, The Brooklyn Dance Festival, Emerging Choreographers Performance Series, WaWa Welcome America!, Prince Music Theater, The Performance Garage, African American Museum in Philadelphia, Koresh Artist Showcases, Fringe Arts, The 6abc Thanksgiving parade, The American Heart Association annual Go Red for Women Campaign, The Mayor of Philadelphia's Christmas Tree Lighting, the State of New Jersey Amistad Commission’s Teacher Summit, and other performances for charitable groups such as Jack & Jill of America.

Finally, nothing can compete with Sonia’s most important achievement and favorite “job”, which is being the mom of two amazing young men, Gavin and Gabriel.

A note from Sonia:

“RELEASE! BREATHE! LIVE! BE IN THE MOMENT!! I pray my classes are best described as all of those things. Warm ups are about breathing through exercises and combining strength and flexibility in all series… it’s a flow-style warm up to get dancers’ bodies moving, but also to get some burn and sweat going. Combos are a time to get connected with the music and your emotions, while exploring the freedom of organic shapes, storytelling, and musicality. I am naturally a “mover and feeler”, and thus, that is my focus, so my combos reflect and encourage dancers to let go and just move… technique is there but it is layered and buried within the movement. I hope my classes are warm and inviting, as well as encourage dancers to think about moving differently from what they are used to. Classes may be a “push”, but not impossible… just a opportunity to grow and maybe even move differently! So leave self-doubt at the door and think of my class as a safe space for dancers to move and be free to just be present in the moment. I love feeling dancers’ energy, so please bring all that energy to class and I promise to match it with a joke and a smile.”

You can follow Sonia on her Instagram pages: @sonia_pennington1 and @thatwhichconnectscamden