College of Arts and Sciences - Nova Southeastern University

Guest Choreographers
Dance Works
Erika Del Pozo, B.A., is a recent graduate of the college’s dance program. She began
her dance training in ballet, tap, and jazz and later discovered Middle Eastern dance.
During her first two years of college at Florida International University, Erika studied
ballet under Whitney Shulman and Paul Vitali and modern dance under Heather
Maloney. In 2009, Del Pozo began studying at Vladimir Issaev’s School of Classical
Ballet and performed in Don Quixote. During her time as a dance major at NSU, she
performed in Dance Works, Dance Concert, and Festival of Student Works. She won
the 2010 Black Box Award for Best Student Choreographer. Now studying to earn a
master’s degree in occupational therapy at NSU, Del Pozo feels fortunate to still be
involved in dancing and choreographing at the university.
Rachel Belmont was born in New Jersey and raised in Palm Beach County, Florida.
She is a senior dance major, pursing a minor in theatre, at the college. She has
been dancing for 19 years and is not stopping anytime soon. By the age of 15,
she was dancing for a professional a hip-hop company, Pfuzion Dance Theater,
and is now on the board of directors for the Pablo Malco Foundation, a nonprofit
organization. In addition, she has danced in several music videos, movies, artist tours
and commercials, as well as worked with celebrities including DJ Ian Carey, T-Vice,
Casely, Sal Richards, Mandy Ventrice, and Video Music Award-winning director
Eddie Enciu. After college, Belmont plans to direct music videos and continue on
with her dance journey. “Motivation is the key, and passion is the drive.”
College Faculty Members
Katie Sopoci Drake, M.F.A., adjunct professor at the college, has been dancing
professionally since 2001. She has earned a B.A. in Theater/Dance with a minor in
vocal performance from Luther College, an M.F.A. in Dance from the University of
Wisconsin- Milwaukee, and a Graduate Laban Certification in Movement Analysis
from Columbia College. She is currently a company member of Momentum Dance
Company in Miami, Florida. She has been a company member of Wild Space Dance
Company of Milwaukee, Wisconsin; Your Mother Dances of Milwaukee, Wisconsin;
Rosy Simas Danse of Minneapolis, Minnesota; and Vox Medusa of Minneapolis,
Minnesota. Sopoci Drake is also an avid singer and has performed with The
Minnesota Opera and the Florentine Opera. Her choreography has been performed
by Momentum Dance Company and Wild Space Dance Company, as well as in
multiple venues and schools including The Southern Theater, The Milwaukee Art
Museum, Patrick’s Cabaret, Danceworks Studio Theater, the University of Wisconsin—
Milwaukee, Lawrence University, Carthage College, and Broward College. Sopoci
Drake is currently on faculty at Miami Dade College/Kendall, and Nova Southeastern
University, where she teaches modern, jazz, ballet, and composition.
Chetachi Egwu, Ph.D., assistant professor at the college, was born in Ann Arbor,
Michigan, to Nigerian parents and raised in Buffalo, New York. She completed her
Bachelor of Arts in Communication at the State University of New York at Buffalo
in 1996. While a student there, Egwu undertook many ventures, including dancing
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