The Team.

We believe that artists are inherently entrepreneurs, and that our creative voices and business brains need to be nourished equally (and frequently!). With over 45 years of combined work experience in LA’s creative economy, we crafted this program to uplift the newest members of the field with clarity, resources, and inspiration.

Year Two: Summer 2023 Producing Team

Laura Berg, Co-Founder/Co-Producer (she/her) co-founded choreographic platform WHYTEBERG in 2014 and educational platform Ground Grooves with her creative and business partner, Gracie Whyte. Through WHYTEBERG, Laura has performed and choreographed for film, stage, music videos, and site-specific productions, working with prominent artists, producers, and platforms, such as Mac Miller (Grammy and MTV Video Music Award Nominee), Anderson .Paak (Grammy Award Winner), Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros (US Billboard top 10 musician), and TEDxUCLA. Laura holds B.F.A. in Dance from California Institute of the Arts and currently teaches at AMDA College of Performing Arts.

Emily Wanserski, Co-Founder/Co-Producer (she/her) has over 10 years of experience working in LA's creative economy. Selected clients include: The Annenberg Foundation, Arts Bridging the Gap, Barak Ballet, Chicago Bulls, City of Los Angeles, City of West Hollywood, Heidi Duckler Dance, Intel, Invertigo Dance Theatre, LA Contemporary Dance Company, LA Follies, MashUp Contemporary Dance Company, Nike, and the Royal Shakespeare Company. Emily has taught seminars at AMDA, CalState LA, LMU, Santa Monica College, UCLA, and the University of Michigan. She holds a BA in Political Science & BFA in Dance, from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor.

Gracie Whyte, Co-Founder/Co-Producer (she/her) is a Los angeles-based contemporary movement designer whose work comprises choreography, performance, production, education, and entrepreneurship. Gracie received her professional training from London Contemporary Dance School, where she received a Masters degree in Contemporary Dance Performance, with emphasis on floorwork technique. While in London, Gracie toured internationally and performed in many events throughout the UK and Europe. In 2014, Gracie relocated to Los Angeles, where she co-founded WHYTEBERG, a collaborative choreographic duo with Laura Berg. Gracie currently teaches at University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) and California State University Long Beach (CSULB).

Year One: Summer 2022

Madison Hicks, Co-Founder/Co-Producer

Madison Hicks (she/her) is a freelance creator, performer, and educator. Holding a BFA from Juilliard and an MFA from CalArts, she has been commissioned by Ballet Arkansas, Ballet Project OC, Boston Dance Festival, Jacob's Pillow, LA Dance Festival, MashUp Contemporary Dance Company, New York Dance Project, and Palm Desert Choreography Festival. As a dancer, Madison performed with LA Dance Project for the 2018/2019 season and was featured in commercials for Noosa Yoghurt & Lexus. In 2022, she joined Sidra Bell Dance New York. Madison is the Founding Director of Moving Forward Dallas and is currently on faculty at Steps on Broadway and with 24sevendance.

Faculty included:

Barak Ballet: Artistic Director Melissa Barak
BODYTRAFFIC: Company Member Tiare Keeno (Track B only)
CONTRA-TIEMPO: Company Members Jasmine Stanley + Alék Lopéz
Cody Brunelle-Potter: Heidi Duckler Dance, Billie Eilish, Invertigo Dance Theatre
Dana Wilson: In the Heights, Justin Timberlake, The Seaweed Sisters (Track B only)
Emily Wanserski: City of LA, MashUp Contemporary Dance, Annenberg Foundation
Entity Contemporary Dance: Company Members Vickie Roan and Derek Tabada
Go 2 Talent Agency (Track A only)
LA Contemporary Dance Company: Artistic Director Jamila Glass
LA Dance Project: Company Member Nayomi Van Brunt (Track B only)
Madison Hicks: Jacob’s Pillow, Sidra Bell, Moving Forward Dallas, LA Dance Project
Mackenzie Martin: Missy Elliot, Lululemon; Founder of Geometry + Soul De Soul Convention
MSA Agency (Track B only)
Raymond Ejiofor: Pharrell, Sidra Bell, Kyle Abraham
Reshma Gajjar: LA LA Land, Adele, Madonna, Prince
Rosanna Gamson: Artistic Director RGWW; Assistant Dean of CalArts’ Choreography MFA
Ryan Spencer: Sia, Sam Smith, Baby Driver, The OA, Tick Tick Boom (Track A only)
Stephanie Landwehr: Cher, Tina Turner, Spice Girls
WHYTEBERG: Ground Grooves, Mac Miller, Seattle Art Museum
Toogie Barcelo: Dua Lipa, Miguel, Tove Lo, Katy Perry, Sydney Opera House