L.A. Contemporary Dance
L.A. Contemporary Dance is a performance company dedicated to showcasing the artistry of L.A. in live and digital experiences. We curate creative environments that harness the power of the collective, promote a sense of belonging, and champion exploration and learning without judgment. In our programming, we share a restlessness of soul and desire for connection with our collaborators and community.
We’re deeply committed to supporting the thriving dance community of Los Angeles. Of the 45 choreographers we’ve commissioned, over 35 hail from Los Angeles, and we’ve hired 120 dancers who have built their careers and lives in the City of Angels. Beyond amplifying local talent, we strive to be a launch pad for emerging concert dance choreographers, often giving them their first-ever professional commission with a dance company. This includes artists like Micaela Taylor (2016), Princess Grace Award-winner Roderick George (2020, 2022), and Emmy-nominated Jillian Meyers (2025). Our commitment is rooted in thoughtful support—providing each choreographer with the guidance and resources to develop their unique artistic voices and take their creative journeys to new heights.
While we were on a planned pause for the first half of 2023, we took this space to thank the following artists and collaborators who have been a part of our 20 year history.
Our Story
LACDC maintains the same pioneering spirit today that drove its founding in 2005 by a pair of young, female entrepreneurs in an arts management class at the University of Southern California. We create opportunities where they previously did not exist with produced and commissioned work. We do this to answer our own call to foster the unique talent of this city, to develop innovative repertory inspired by Los Angeles, and to celebrate the diverse group of artists, students and fans that we consider our community. We value dance as a critical part of L.A.’s cultural identity to be shared around the world. By working with dedicated collaborators and staff, we demonstrate leadership in our community through the production of professional performances and training programs, and share the gifts of our city on the road as ambassadors of L.A.
- Artistic Director (2021-Present): Jamila Glass
- Artistic Director (2016-2020): Genevieve Carson
- Artistic Director (2005-2015): Kate Hutter Mason
- Co-Founders (2005): Michelle Jolly & Kate Hutter Mason
Highlights
LACDC has presented work at venues throughout L.A. including Glorya Kaufman Performing Arts Center, Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, The Broad Stage, Ford Amphitheatre, L.A. Theatre Center, Odyssey Theatre, Alex Theatre, Los Angeles County Museum of Art, The Broad Contemporary Art Museum, and Natural History Museum. Other notable performances include Lincoln Center (NYC), Kennedy Center (DC), Newman Center for the Performing Arts (Denver), ODC Theater (San Francisco), Laguna Beach Art Museum, and Palm Springs Art Museum.
LACDC has been in partnership with the Cultural Office of the Embassy of Spain from 2021-2024, commissioning Spanish choreographers to create new work and exchange practices. The company has also been featured in a TEDx talk and toured internationally with sold out performances in Argentina and New Zealand. In 2018, LACDC was proud to be the first American headlining company to perform for the Tempo Dance Festival in Auckland.
Additionally, LACDC often expands its reach to collaborate with key artists and brands in the entertainment industry. The company joined indie rock band Foster the People on their 2013 summer tour, which included performing for over 50,000 at the Firefly Festival in Dover, Delaware. The company has also collaborated with major brands for the commercial campaigns of Samsung, American Apparel, and Hikvision USA, music videos for Vitamin String Quartet & K-Pop star Sulli, and was featured in the Netflix television series Dear White People.
Collaborators 2005 - Present
Amber Acosta, Patrick Adams, AEREA, Elías Aguirre, Carolina Alacreu, Alex Aller, Tasha Ames, Rob Amjärv, Erica Ammerman, Mecca Vazie Andrews, Bennett Barbakow, Mason Barker, Rachel Bearer, Christian Beasley, BenBenBen, Terri Best, Amy Bobeda, Suzanne Boller, Alexa Border, Kris Bowers, Shauna Bown, Sue Brandt, Katelan Braymer, David Bridel, Shari Brookler, Joy Isabella Brown, T. Stirlin Burk, Byrell the Great, Jade Cagalawan, Jillian Cainghug, Roya Carerras, Martin Carrillo, Genevieve Carson, Asa-Chang, Junray and Emerson Kitamura, Claire Chrzan, Lawrencia Colding, Dawn Coleman, Kate Coleman, Sam Cooper, Josiah Cracraft, Leia Crawford, Daniel Crisp, Michael Crotty, Brad Culver, Kay Cunningham, Christian Denice, Evan DeVitto, Carla Diego, Gregory Dolbashian, Jonathan Dorf, Julianne Eggold, Emerson Eads, DJ Elseware, Darby Epperson, Mike Esperanza, Michael Evans, Jackie Farias, Megan Feely, Alexis de Forest, Sara Fox, Jessica Freedman, Brian Gale, Casey Cowan Gale, Roderick George, Nate Genung, Duke Gervais, Jamila Glass, Mario Glez, Peter Gonzales, Rick Gradone, Noah Jaxson Griffin, Elizabeth Guiliams, Lee Gumbs, Pete Gum and Reliable Colin, Mimi Haddon, Xavier Hamel, Will Harris, Christopher Given Harrison, Ryan Heffington, Bert Henert, Aaron Henne, Erin Hennessy, Tess Hewlett, Scott Hislop, Charlie Hodges, Katharine Hoye, Hsuan-Kuang Hsieh, Robert Huerta, Dave Hunsaker, Jolieba Jackson, Melissa "MJ" Jackson, Allison Jones, Nehara Kalev, Laura Karlin, Toby Karlin, Iker Karrera, Ashley Kayombo, Ahrong Kim, Nathan Kim, Harrison Kirk, Alice Klock, Phil Kong, Nick Konow, Amanda Kramer, Joe Lambie, Megan Laughlin, Myles Lavallee, Rosalynde LeBlanc, Rebecca Lemme, Matteo Levaggi, Geoffrey Lind, Julie Lockhart, Lindsey Lollie, Louis Lopez, Arianne MacBean, Ben McClain, Garrett McLean, Carlo Maghirang, Mike Mahlum, Nathan Makolandra, Christopher Malcolm, Dane Martens, Eric Mason, Kate Hutter Mason, Nichol Mason, Nina McNeely, Kelle Meschede, Jillian Meyers, Derek Michael, Malachi Middleton, Daniel Miramontes, Kátia Moraes, Jasmine Mosebar, Ruth Muelas, New Villager, Jen Nguyen, Sara Nishida, Yuki Nishida, Shawn Thomas Odyssey, Ayesha Orange, Christina Otarola, Taso Papadakis, Adam Parson, Ryan Patterson, Andrew Pearson, Paul Peglar, Lorenzo Perez, Leah Piehl, Jeremy Pivnick, Kate Poppen, Cody Brunelle-Potter, Erin Powell, Laura Rocha, JM. Rodriguez, Idoia Rodriguez, Kurt Ross, Nicole Rossi, Holly Rothschild, Mateo Rudich, Sarah Sachs, Jordan Saenz, Aaron Saldana, William Sammons, Nick Santiago of We Are Matik, Sami Martin Sarmiento, Auburn Scallon, Rachel Scandling, Leslie Scott, David Schwep, Holly Sedillos, Tony Shayne, Benjamin Shearn, Brooke Shepherd, Hector Sibrian, Sara Silkin, Ashley Singh, Anna Sitko, Keith Skretch, slowdanger, Jennifer Smith, Jim Smith, Andrea Sobke, SONOS (ARORA), Andrew Southam, Erik Speth, Rebecca Baillie Stumme, Robbie Sweeny, Micaela Taylor, Laurel Tentindo, Spenser Theberge, David Toledo, Mark Tomasic, Maxwell Transue, Anna Tse, Chris Tse, Angel Tyson, Sahy Uhns, Catalina Jackson-Urueña, Roman Valdez, Idalia Valero, Arad Vejdani, José María Herrera Venditti, Hugo Vereker, Kelsey Vidic, Nathan Wang, Donald Webber Jr, Kat Westerman, Zack Whitford, WHYTEBERG, Melaina Williams, Kevin Williamson, Robbie Williamson, Austin Wintory, Natasha Poon Woo, John Wrutland, Reena Ye, Filip Zachary, Stephanie Zaletel, Seth Zibalese, Ric Zimmerman.
Artists 2023 - Present
Edgar Aguirre, Sam Amey, Colleen Loverde, Lily Massie, Kelle Meschede, Iyana Monet, Jonacy Montero, Melody Morrow, Leeann Ross, Dawson Walker
Company members 2005 - 2022
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Founding Company Members in 2005: Lauren Dragicevich, Kristen Dusold, Jamila Glass, Devin Fulton Gomez, Christopher Hazelton, Allison Jones, Kate Hutter Mason, Katie Russell, Jean Michelle Sayeg, and Kevin Williamson
Paolo Alcedo, Arletta Anderson, Kate Andrews, Zsolt Banki, Christian Beasley, Lou Becker, Shari Brookler, Genevieve Carson, Hyosun Choi, Kate Coleman, Michael Crotty, Marie Doherty, Lenin Fernandez, Jacinto Delgado Guizar, Nicole Hagen, Nick Heitzeberg, Colleen Hendricks, Tess Hewlett, Natalie Hurter, Marisa Jimenez, Rogelio Lopez, Justin Liu, Marcello De Sa Martins, Nichol Mason, Yumi Matsuzaki, Ashlee Merritt, Gakenia Muigai, Omar Olivas, Andrew Pearson, Michelle Pritchard, Carlos Rodriguez, JM. Rodriguez, Ryan Ruiz, Melissa Schade, De'Mar Singleton, Andrea Sobke, Sydney Sorenson, Erik Speth, Athena Sterig, Tiffany Sweat, Kim Thompson, Angel Tyson, and Diana Vaden
Guest artists 2005 - 2022
Alexie Agdeppa, Edgar Aguirre, Mecca Vazie Andrews, Joe Badalamenti, Janell Burgess, Samantha Boscarino, Charlene Bittinger, Dominic Chaiduang, Donna Cicchesi, Jessica Coffman, Zoe Chait, Diana Delcambre, Danny Dolan, Jake Dupree, Olivia Euritt, Christina Marie Domino, Tia Durand, Bahareh Ebrahimzadeh, Raymond Ejiofor, Brynn Fehir, Meredith Flores, Nicole Flores, Jelani Glass Gervais, Lindsey Goodwin, Devin Fulton Gomez, Nicole Hagen, Amanda Hamm, Kay Hampton, Colleen Hendricks, Caitlin Hickey, Charlie Hodges, Laura Karlin, Lauren Kaufman, Maor Levy, Jodie Mashburn, Diana Mathews, Stephanie McMahon, Sam McReynolds, Malachi Middleton, Rebecca Newton, Denise Nissen, Derrick Paris, Marlon Pelayo, Montay Romero, Princess "Mecca" Romero, Chelsea Roquero, Sarri Sanchez, Carissa Songhorian, Zadrian Smith, Erik Speth, Sandy Strangis, Cristine Tatomer, Mike Williams, Rosanna Tavarez, Hunter Wayne, Ashley Mikal Williams, Dave x, Chelsea Zeffiro