During his teenage years, Mark met a man named Luther Brown (choreographer/judge of So You Think You Can Dance Canada), who was soon to be his mentor, partner and close friend for many years to come. Luther invited Mark to be a part of Canada's first ever Hip-Hop/R&B Dance Agency – Do Dat Entertainment. While dancing for Do Dat, Mark performed with countless Canadian artists, such as Jully Black, Shawn Desman, Maestro Fresh Wes, Victoria Duffield and Nelly Furtado to name a few. He has also performed at some of the industries top stellar events, such as the Juno Awards, The MMVA’s, Canadian Idol, Canada's Got Talent and So You Think You Can Dance Canada.
Mark decided to make his next major move: to become a dancer in U.S. He had the opportunity to work with the some of America's biggest choreographers such as Fatima Robinson, Laurie-Ann Gibson, Sho-Tyme and Hi Hat. During his U.S. journey, he danced for artists like Cam’ron, Mariah Carey, Nivea, Missy Elliott, Mary J Blige, Olivia, Kelis and Mario to name a few.
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Genevieve Carson is the artistic director of L.A. Contemporary Dance Company (LACDC). Genevieve’s work as a director, choreographer, and performer has spanned across North America, the Philippines, Argentina, Sweden, and New Zealand. Genevieve’s work is often focused on the human condition. Genevieve has been a guest artist and instructor at Chapman University, Cal Arts, Cal State Long Beach, University of Auckland, and University of the Philippines. She is on faculty at the American Musical and Dramatic Academy (AMDA), where she teaches an array of classes and directs concerts. Genevieve graduated cum laude with a BFA in Dance Performance from Chapman University.www.thedancepodcast.com
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Ben Johnson is currently the Director of Performing Arts for the Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs. In this position he is tasked with relaunching the Performing Arts Division of the City of Los Angeles, which includes overseeing six city-owned theaters, relaunching a festival platform for the city, developing cultural exchange programs with venues and artists in LA, and advocating on behalf of LA artists on a national and international level. Previously, he was the Program Manager at the Center for the Art of Performance at UCLA (CAP-UCLA) in Los Angeles, considered one of the top contemporary performing arts institutions in the country, and where he produced significant contemporary performing arts events throughout Los Angeles. Also previously he was the Director of Programs at United States Artists (LA) which awarded 50, 50K awards to artists in all disciplines. www.thedancepodcast.com
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Lam was born in Marin County, California. Born from immigrant parents from Vietnam, Lam found his passion for life in dance at age 4. Training at Marin Ballet, Lam formed vital relationships that would mold his career and was coached by renowned Svetlana Afanasieva, Cynthia Lucas, and Mikko Nissinen. In 200, Lam began his tenure with Canada's National Ballet School under the directorship of Mavis Staines. Coached by famous Sergiu Stefanschi, Lam developed a foundation that would launch his career in 2003 with the invitation from Mikko Nissinen to join Boston Ballet. www.thedancepodcast.com
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Jen and Kyla - two performing artists from Toronto and New York join Lauren for some big Podcasting chats! On their podcast, Tits and Teeth, they have a blast interviewing their peers in show biz, unveiling their secrets about balancing this crazy unconventional life, and debating issues in the arts. They play games and ask insightful questions, all while sipping on their guests favourite drink! www.thedancepodcast.com
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