On Edge Movement Dancers are from Oaks, PA and directed by Kara Testa. This is their 5th year as a studio and 2nd year dancing in the 6ABC Thanksgiving Day Parade. Their dancers perform locally and travel to compete all over the tri-state area. They have won regional titles and scholarships, appeared in magazine ads and commercials, performed in off Broadway shows, and more!

DaVonda Simmons is the founder and President of No Drama Entertainment, Inc., a company which has provided stellar musical and performance talent for commercial and non-commercial clients since 1998. Ms. Simmons created the company after receiving her Bachelor of Music degree from Florida International University in Miami, Fla. She has grown the company to become known as an excellent resource of professional entertainment for any occasion. Additionally, DaVonda is an accomplished vocalist and actress, and has performed internationally for over 25 years in a multitude of venues. Of which, she has performed as a principal performer with Walt Disney Entertainment for over 20 years. She has become a regular performer in Disney’s Festival of the Lion King Show, the Philadelphia Thanksgiving Parade, and the Cherry Blossom Parade in Washington, D. C. She is married to Foster Anthony and they have two lovely children.

Billy Flanigan is a graduate from the Boston Conservatory of Music where he received a BFA in Musical Theater. After graduation, Billy was hired by Walt Disney World where he continues to perform today. Billy has been seen in such shows as Tarzan Rocks, Broadway at the Top, The Hoop Dee Doo Revue and currently performs in Finding Nemo the Musical. Perhaps his claim to fame at Disney was when he played Barbie’s beau, Ken in the Magical World of Barbie.
    Billy has become a regular at Philadelphia’s 6ABC/Dunkin’ Donut’s Thanksgiving Day Parade where he sings and entertainsthe crowds throughout the parade.
    The big and small screens are no strangers to Billy as he has appeared in the feature film Dream Trap and television shows such as Superboy, Keenen and Kel and HBO’s From The Earth To The Moon. Billy has even been seen showing his pearly whites in an Aquafresh commercial.
     Billy has four children, 2 daughter-in-laws, and 2 grandchildren.

CHAZ SHEPHERD is an American actor and singer-songwriter. Shepard is known for his regular role as John Hamilton on 7th Heaven and his recurring role as Trey Wiggs on The Game. In addition, he starred as Curtis Taylor, Jr. in a 2009-10 national tour of the musical Dreamgirls.

Julia Rae is a 22-year-old singer, actress and model. She is thrilled to be making her 6th appreance as a featured performer in the 6ABC Thanksgiving Day Parade. Julia’s original song "Be That Girl" is featured in the motion picture The Greening of Whitney Brown, starring Aidan Quinn, Brooke Shields and Kris Kristofferson. Julia has performed in the Miss America parade in Atlantic City, appeared on Radio Disney, sung the National Anthem at Philadelphia Phillies Spring training games, and was a solo performer in Las Vegas at Planet Hollywood. Julia has modeled in bridal shows, runway events and print advertisements. In 2008, Julia was crowned Miss Pennsylvania’s Outstanding Teen and named First Runner-Up to Miss America's Outstanding Teen 2009, a sister program of the Miss America organization devoted to promoting scholastic achievement, creative accomplishment and community service. Julia is currently studying Communications and Media at Fordham University. Julia is hoping to compete for Miss Pennsylvania 2015 on her journey to Miss America. Though accustomed to wearing pink and sparkly gowns and crowns Julia is also a tomboy at heart growing up with two older brothers, in a Philadelphia sports fan household so she has aspirations of combining her presentation and communication skills with her love of sports in a career as a sports broadcaster. Connect with Julia at juliarae.com

Emma Suwirman got her start at 7 years old at her Elementary School Talent Show. She sang “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” and received a standing ovation and henceforth, got the bug for performing. She has been a featured soloist in school choirs as well as in her church choir, and school musicals. In 2011, she received an award for “Outstanding Vocal Performance” in at a choir competition in Washington, D.C.

She performed in the 2012 Thanksgiving Day Parade Broadcast as a featured soloist with the Youth Choir. She recently studied vocal performance at the Westminster Choir College in Princeton, NJ.

Emma also enjoys drawing and sketching and volunteering. Her plans for the future are to pursue a career in both performing and visual arts.

The Dancers from The Philadelphia High School for Creative and Performing Arts, under the astounding and sound leadership of LaDeva M. Davis has been a part of the Thanksgiving Day Parade since 1988. They have performed amazing production numbers ranging from "Hello Dolly" to "The Wiz" to "High School Musical". They are truly a community with passion, drive and the commitment to the art of dance and the Philadelphia Thanksgiving Parade tradition.

The church of Christian Compassion Youth Choir began during the summer of 2014 with singing, acting and creating innovative ways to minister to the congregation.

In their own unique way the Compassion Youth choir displays zestful and spirit filled singing.

Philadelphia native Treena Ferebee founded The Sounds of Soar or S.O.S. in 2010 after a constant request by many different recording artist, producers, churches and venues to find talented musicians, singers and actors to perform or accompany Artist their shows and events in emergency situations. Since then people took a liking to the sound and begin to book S.O.S. For events and ceremonies. Soar's motto is to be "Dedicated to uplifting audiences throughout the world with music as their common language." With this goal in mind they have been able to expand in their creativity through many different genres of music and performance. So far the "Sounds of Soar" or S. O. S. and Treena Ferebee has been honored to have made appearances and performances with recording Artist Vivian green, opening for Mary Mary Donnie McClurkin and Fred Hammond at boardwalk hall in Atlantic City, performances at Warm daddy's Jazz Cafe in Philadelphia, Independence Day Parade in Philadelphia 2012-2014, The Thanksgiving day parade 2011 and 2012, The Cherry Blossom Parade 2012 - 2013 and now they are proud to be back and joining the highly anticipated 95th anniversary of the Thanksgiving day parade in Philadelphia!

Since its formation in 1981, the Philadelphia Gay Men's Chorus has steadily increased its standing within the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) community and among Philadelphia arts organizations. The regular subscription season includes concert productions in December, March and May. In addition, the Chorus performs at cabarets, fundraisers, and other community events throughout the year. Our small auditioned ensemble, Brotherly Love, presents a concert in February as part of the subscription series. Additionally, they perform at other concerts and community outreach events throughout the year, representing the Chorus at events where participation by the full body is impractical. Our repertoire includes a broad range of styles, including art music from the 17th century to the present, spirituals, sacred music, holiday tunes, love ballads, comic pieces, pop and rock songs, Broadway and Hollywood, opera choruses, folk songs from around the world, the latest LGBT empowerment music and other newly commissioned LGBT works.

• Kim Mulford-Farmer is the owner and artistic director of the Mulford Dance Studio in Mt. Ephraim, NJ and co-founder of Tiny Tutus Dance Center in Moorestown NJ. This year will be her 21st year choreographing for the Philadelphia Thanksgiving Day Parade.

Kim is most proud of her students whom many have gone on to dance professionally with Philadelphia dance teams including Sixers Dance Team, Eagles Cheerleaders and Kixx Soul Dance Team, also Sesame Place, Walnut Street Theater, cruise ships, music videos and Russian Ballet Theater of Delaware

Kim is an award-winning choreographer on the local and national level. She has choreographed for the Mrs. NJ + Mrs. Pa Pageants, Mummer’s Hegeman String band, Philadelphia 4th of July parades, Cherry Blossom Parade in Washington DC, West Chester Holiday Parade and appearances at the NJ Governor’s Mansion, Wachovia Center, Al Alberts Television Show, and March of Dimes Telethon.

The Mulford Dance Studio is in its 62nd year of business. Kim says of her mother Nancy Mulford, founder of the Mulford Dance Studio, “although she is retired my mother has been my teacher, mentor, and friend. The studio is what it is today because of her passion for the art and love of teaching. Continuing the legacy of the studio upon my mother’s retirement is a source of pride for me and I look forward to it continuing for a long time.”

There are 100 boys and girls ages 5-18 participating in the parade.  

PowerTaps is an award winning clogging program located in Woodstock, Georgia.  Established in 2003, PowerTaps’ national championship clogging program teaches current, contemporary styles along with traditional dance forms.

PowerTaps is comprised of over 100 dancers that range in age from three to seventy. Their nine competition teams have participated in competitive events throughout the country.  The Junior, Young Adult, and Adult competition teams have won multi-year National Grand Championships in precision and hoedown categories. PowerTaps members also love to entertain, and their performance groups support their community by clogging at local festivals, school and church functions, corporate and political events. 
           
PowerTaps Cloggers were guest performers at Disney World in 2013 and at Silver Dollar City in Branson, Missouri, in 2014.  They recently received an invitation to dance in London’s New Year’s Day Parade and Festival which will take place on January 1, 2017.   Team members have also demonstrated their unique dance style on television, in a music video, and in the Clint Eastwood movie, Trouble with the Curve. 
           
In addition to managing directors, Marci and Ryan Rickard, the PowerTaps program boasts a talented group of instructors with over 140 years of clogging experience.  Assistant directors are Jana Rickard, Tori O’Bryant, and Beth Petrunich. 

The Greater Ocean City Theatre Company is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization committed to bringing quality professional theatre to the Jersey shore. Through the direction of the OCTC Board of Directors and the vision of Artistic Director, Michael Hartman; OCTC has grown into a leading arts organization.

OCTC operates as a Summer Stock/Regional Non-Equity Company; producing three to six professional Broadway style musicals a year and a 5 show Children’s Theatre Series.

OCTC's commitment to dance, music and theatre education for youth is constantly growing. In 2014 over 350 students participated in one of our educational programs.

With credits across the Delaware Valley, OCTC has performed in Cape May, NJ, West Chester, PA, Philadelphia, PA, NJ, Gloucester Township, NJ and Pottstown, PA. OCTC has also had the honor of appearing in several special events including the Show Us Your Shoes Miss America Parade, Washington DC July 4th Parade, Philadelphia July 4th Parade, Stockton College’s Summer Theatre Playhouse and at Dante Hall in Atlantic City.

OCTC is thrilled to return to the Philadelphia Thanksgiving Day Parade with the cast of TIS THE SEASON: Ocean City’s 2014 Holiday Spectacular. Shows will be at the Ocean City Music Pier December 12-14.

Learn more at www.oceancitytheatrecompany.com

Malik Muhammad, 22, was born and raised in Upper Darby, Pennsylvania. He is currently a Graduate Student at West Chester University of Pennsylvania studying Counselor Education. He graduated from West Chester with a Degree in Psychology and a minor in theater arts this past May. He has been doing musical theater throughout his entire life and always brings 110% to any performance. This is his third time participating in the Thanksgiving Day Parade, as he has joined us in the past as a member of the Upper Darby Shooting Stars, but he is extremely excited to be featured in this year's finale as a soloist.