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APEX COMPANY
TO BRIDGE THE GAP BETWEEN CONCERT AND COMMERCIAL DANCE BY UNITING EXCLUSIVE MOVEMENT ARTISTS UNDER THE VISIONARY DIRECTION OF MARYANN CHAVEZ AND MONIKA FELICE SMITH. WE STRIVE TO BLEND THE SOPHISTICATION AND ARTISTRY OF CONCERT DANCE WITH THE ENERGY AND APPEAL OF COMMERCIAL MOVEMENT, CREATING A UNIQUE PLATFORM WHERE INNOVATIVE CHOREOGRAPHY AND DIVERSE DANCE STYLES CONVERGE. OUR COMMITMENT IS TO PUSH THE BOUNDARIES OF DANCE PERFORMANCE, OFFERING GROUNDBREAKING WORKS THAT CAPTIVATE AUDIENCES, INSPIRE FELLOW ARTISTS, AND REDEFINE THE POSSIBILITIES WITHIN THE DANCE WORLD. THROUGH COLLABORATION AND CREATIVITY, WE AIM TO FOSTER A DYNAMIC ENVIRONMENT WHERE EVERY PERFORMANCE IS A TESTAMENT TO THE POWER AND VERSATILITY OF DANCE.
COMMITMENT: 6 MONTH CONTRACT
DIRECTORS
ASSISTANT DIRECTOR & CORE MEMBER
A PROFESSIONAL DANCER, PERFORMING ARTIST, TEACHER, AND CHOREOGRAPHER RESIDING IN BOTH LOS ANGELES & NEW YORK. SHE HAS HER BACHELOR OF FINE ARTS IN DANCE FROM THE UNIVERSITY AT BUFFALO, WHERE SHE TRAINED IN RESIDENCIES WITH COMPANIES SUCH AS BAIRA MOVEMENT PHILOSOPHY AND ENTITY CONTEMPORARY DANCE COMPANY. TORI IS CURRENTLY LIVING IN LOS ANGELES AND IS REPRESENTED BY BLOC TALENT AGENCY IN BOTH LA AND NYC. SOME OF HER CREDITS INCLUDE OLIVIA RODRIGO, HOZIER, MACY’S THANKSGIVING DAY PARADE X OFFICEMAX, LAUV, SMARTWATER, HALF ALIVE, WOWASHWOW PELÉ TIME SQUARE BILLBOARD, FINNEAS, THE STRANGERS, DE SOI, MALK. TORI’S STYLE BLENDS ELEMENTS OF JAZZ, TECHNIQUE, AND STREET STYLES INTO AN ALTERNATIVE CONTEMPORARY FUSION.
TORI HAS ASSISTED MARYANN AT SOULDESOUL DANCE CONVENTION, CODA, HAMILTON EVANS INTENSIVE, AND IN HER CLASSES AT STUDIOS IN LA SUCH AS MOVEMENT LIFESTYLE, GENESIS, & TMILLY. SHE ALSO HAS ASSISTED MARYANN IN THE FILMING OF HER TMILLY TV TUTORIAL VIDEOS & HAS ASSISTED HER CLASSES FOR LUME’S LIGHT TRAINING PROGRAM.
TORI HAS ASSISTED MONIKA IN CLASS FOR CHOREOGRAPHER’S GUILD, LMU X BLOC LA, CLI CONSERVATORY, AND IN HER MASTERCLASSES AT STUDIOS IN LA SUCH AS MOVEMENT LIFESTYLE & MILLENNIUM DANCE COMPLEX. HER ASSISTANT CHOREOGRAPHER CREDITS WITH MONIKA INCLUDE MEGHAN TRAINOR X FRESH PET, HOZIER, LIQUID DEATH, SKECHERS, DIAMANTE, WOD. TORI HAS ALSO ASSISTED MONIKA ON A HANDFUL OF LUME COLLECTIVE SHOOTS & LUME COLLECTIVE’S 3RD ANNUAL SHOWCASE, “FOUR”.
THE COMPANY
Cedric “Thane” Sanders is a professional dancer, model and actor with over 22 years of experience in competitive and improvisational dance. Before moving to Los Angeles, Thane trained with competitive teams and hip-hop teams from Washington D.C. and Baltimore, MD throughout his youth. Thane graduated from California State University, Long Beach with two degrees in Political Science & Criminology, as well as a minor in Dance. Since moving out to LA in 2018, Thane has performed with numerous artists and choreographers including (but not limited to) Katy Perry, Lil Nas X, Olivia Rodrigo, Panic! At the Disco, Swae Lee, and more!
CEDRIC "THANE" SANDERS
(HE/HIM)
Jess Alba is a PNW grown, Los Angeles based professional commercial dancer currently signed with Bloc Talent Agency. Thriving on the foundation of human connection, Jess roots herself in movement work that is collaborative, complex, and grounded in the experience of existence. She is proficient in all styles of dance, but given her vocabulary in popping, waving, and breaking, accompanied by contemporary and technical training, she looks to bridge the gap between commercial and concert dance within all of her work. Recent credits of hers include The iHeart Radio Music Festival with The Weeknd, The SuperBowl LVI Halftime Show, RuPaul’s DragCon, American Girl Doll, the Times Square Billboard for Pèlè Soccer, and Apple. In addition, Jess’ recent commercial resume includes work for Broadway’s “Shucked”, and with artists Keke Palmer, Hozier, Lauv, KATSEYE, Ashe, Bonny Light Horseman, and more. A shapeshifter in her own right, Jess’ presence both inside & outside of dance spaces is rooted in deep love for others and movement, and just wants to dance forever & ever.
JESS ABLA
(SHE/HER)
Mia Harris is a Los Angeles-based dancer. Graduating summa cum laude from Chapman University, she earned a BFA in Dance Performance and a BA in Philosophy. During her time at Chapman she served as Dance Captain for Monika Felice Smith’s “Serpent”, presented solo work in collaboration with Will Johnston, and performed in many other live and filmed performances.
Mia is a current core company member of Lume Apex as well as Lume Dance Collective, co-directed by Monika Felice Smith and MaryAnn Chavez. She has also worked closely with: Gracie Whyte + Laura Berg (Ground Grooves), Victoria Brown, Riley Roberts, Natalya Z, Brian Golden, and more.
As a dance professional, Mia lives in the fusion of concert and commercial work. Combining her deep knowledge of both dance and philosophy, she takes her own unique approach to movement through an authentic, thoughtful, and comprehensive lens.
MIA HARRIS
(SHE/HER)
Teresa Rose Declines is a mover, explorer, and performer based in Los Angeles. Teresa was raised in Sacramento, CA and began her dance journey at the age of four training in contemporary, hip-hop, jazz, tap, and ballet. Teresa continued her dance education at California State University, Long Beach (CSULB) graduating with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance as a recipient of the Jamiesson-Pechstein College of the Arts Endowed Scholarship. She has had the pleasure of training with Sorah Yang, Selene Haro, MaryAnn Chavez and Monika Felice Smith and performing in works by Nikki Gyfto, MaryAnn Chavez, Micaela Taylor, Kevin Williamson, Azuki Umeda, Andrew Vaca, Rebecca Bryant, Rebecca Lemme, and Julio Medina. Teresa loves exploring and learning from different choreographic processes and continuously works at being adaptable across various dance styles. Teresa’s style blends aspects of her training in contemporary, hip-hop, and jazz, highlighting the connectedness between music and dance. She loves movement that connects to movers on a personal, human level and aspires to make dance accessible to all artists, creating a safe space for exploration and collaboration.
TERESA DECLINES
(SHE/HER)
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