Meet the Team

JUMPSTART/LA was founded to create the kind of program we wished we’d had—one that demystifies the dance industry and gives early-career artists real tools, connections, and space to explore. We believe dancers deserve sustainable careers and support from the very beginning.

Values we embed into JUMPSTART/LA and guide our curriculum:

A sustainable career is one that evolves with you.
Being ok with it not being linear.
You don’t need permission to begin.
Don’t stop learning. Stay curious about yourself and the field.
Community over competition.
Dancers are smart, multifaceted, and hireable across wide range of jobs.
If you are in the dance field, you are an entrepreneur and a freelancer.
Radical transparency around rates, project budgets, working conditions, and best practices.
Don’t only talk about diversity, equity, and inclusion. Do something about it.
Rest is essential.
Learn the history you’re stepping into, continue the story with care.
Process matters. How we work is just as important as what we make.
Building a better ecosystem is everyone’s responsibility.
Perfection is a myth.

Emily Wanserski

Co-Founder/Co-Producer

With over 14 years of experience in LA's creative economy, Emily Wanserski (she/her) partners with artists of all disciplines to build sustainable careers, organizations, and systems. Her client list spans institutions and grassroots initiatives alike including — the Annenberg Foundation, Arts Bridging the Gap, BODYTRAFFIC, City of Cedar Park (TX), City of LA Department of Cultural Affairs, City of West Hollywood, Invertigo Dance Theatre, LA Contemporary Dance Company, LA Follies, Perkins+Will, Royal Shakespeare Company, Sundance Film Festival, and the University of Southern California. A frequent guest lecturer, Emily has taught at AMDA, LMU, Santa Monica College, UCLA, USC, and the University of Michigan, where she earned dual degrees in Political Science and Dance. She currently serves on the Choreographers Guild Advisory Board, and is a co-founder of The Center for Provocative Thought.

Nicole Hagen

Co-Producer

Nicole Hagen (she/her) is a New York–based dancer, choreographer, educator, and arts administrator. She serves as Company Manager, Rehearsal Director, and Dance Artist for Moving Forward, and as Executive Assistant and Grant Writer for Emily Wanserski.

Previously a dancer with L.A. Contemporary Dance Company and MashUp Contemporary Dance Company, Nicole’s performance credits include Paramore, Banks, NBC’s This Is Us, and Netflix’s Dear White People. A 2024 Jacob’s Pillow Choreographic Fellow, her choreography has been presented at LA Dance Project and McCallum Theatre. Nicole holds a BFA in Dance Performance with a minor in Business Administration from Chapman University and currently teaches at Joffrey Ballet School and AMDA College NYC.

Laura Berg

Co-Founder/Faculty

Laura Berg (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.

Gracie Whyte

Co-Founder/Faculty

Gracie Whyte (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).