WHO WE
ARE

Liberate Artists is a dance and performing arts organization. This is our Liberate Program for pre-professional dancers & choreographers.

ABOUT LIBERATE COMMERICAL ARTISTS COLLECTIVE

Liberate Commercial Artists Collective is for dancers one year out high school to 30, who are attending college, university, or taking time to evaluate their next steps and want to explore the commercial dance industry.

The commercial dance industry. Everyone's talking about it, few outside of Los Angeles have access to it. Now you do, when you join us at Liberate Commercial Artists Collective.

THE LOCATION

LOYOLA MARYMOUNT UNIVERSITY

1 Loyola Marymount University Dr, Los Angeles, CA 90045

ABOUT LIBERATE COMMERCIAL ARTISTS COLLECTIVE

Liberate Commercial Artists Collective is held at the beautiful Loyola Marymount University. Located near Los Angeles airport and all of Los Angeles' beaches. This location is prime Westside beauty!

INDUSTRY OPPORTUNITIES & TRAINING

As soon as you come to Los Angeles the work begins. You'll train with top industry professionals for 14 days in LA. You'll network, get professional commercial photographs and headshots, perform in an industry showcase and so much more!
Seminars Include: social media marketing, branding, entertainment unions, careers in dance, audition makeup, and the business of dance. In physical training workshops include audition freestyle, hip hop foundations, street styles, acting for dancers, yoga, contemporary, jazz, and theatre on film. All dancers will audition and be cast into numbers to perform in our performance: Calligraphy. Our commercial dance performance bazaar where dancers learn choreography and perform in mediums relevant to commercial dance.

WANT TO JOIN?

REGISTER

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LIBERATE ARTISTS’ Faculty

View Our 2024 Faculty Below (2025 Faculty Will Be Announced Spring 2025)
*all teaching artists are subject to change

Tyce Diorio

He/Him

Teaching Artist

Teaching Artist

Tyce Diorio

He/Him

Tyce Diorio’s greatest passion in life is telling stories through dance. His enthusiasm and love of the art form have led him to choreograph award-winning works for television, film, and stage. As one of the most recognizable choreographers on Fox Television’s hit show, “So You Think You Can Dance,” where he was also a guest judge for six seasons, Diorio has become known as one of the most versatile in the industry. As the innovator behind Taylor Swift’s Red, 1989, Reputation & Lover albums, live performances, and world tours, Tyce has become one of the most sought-after choreographers in Hollywood, counting the “Shake it Off”,  “Look What You Made Me Do” & “ME!” music videos as some of his most popular works.

Diorio’s knowledge of dance history and ability to take the audience on a journey has become part of his signature style, earning him the respect of his peers and a highly coveted Emmy® Award. He continues to evolve in the mediums of television, concert stage, commercials and film, staying on top of the changing market and making his mark as a trend setter. His ability to navigate between different genres such as Lorde’s “Greenlight” and The Weeknd’s “Can’t Feel My Face” videos to television shows like Grey’s Anatomy and Drop Dead Diva, to films like the sequel to the “High Strung” dance film, speak to his creativity. He has rounded out his career by choreographing national commercials for Nike, I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter, Gillette, and many more, and TV Shows that include Drop Dead Diva, Carrie Underwood’s Christmas Special, Bones, Grey’s Anatomy, American Idol, and Dancing with the Stars with the incomparable Annie Lennox and Jewel.

Tyce has a unique talent to cultivate affinity with the actors he works with, and has had great success in coaching and choreographing for celebrities such as Cameron Diaz, Megan Mullally, Katie Holmes, Christina Applegate, Tom Cruise, Queen Latifah, Tobey Maguire, and Laverne Cox. His experience as a professional dancer, working with some of music’s most iconic artists including Janet Jackson, Jennifer Lopez, Ricky Martin, Mya, *NSYNC, Paula Abdul, Kelly Osbourne, and Toni Braxton has given him a deep knowledge base to build from.

Broadway was Tyce’s first love, and as a teenager and avid enthusiast, it is likely that he has seen every show ever produced, sometimes seeing his favorites up to ten times. He himself has graced the Broadway stage in the Tony award winning shows Chicago and Fosse, and he continues to bring his proficiency and deep affection to every live show he gives life to. Diorio was honored to choreograph the Hudson’s Theatre’s “Sweet Smell Of Success,” a tribute to Marvin Hamlisch, starring Lindsey Mendez and Jeremy Jordan. Most recently, The Addams family & Bridgerton, the musical production to rave reviews at the cape regional theatre as well as “Music City, “ a modern country musical all directed by Mary Kate Burke, at the Cape Fear regional Theatre in which he won a Broadway world award for best choreography. He looks forward to expanding the boundaries of theatre and art.

The best things about Tyce Diorio are not his unparalleled work ethic or his unquestionable passion for dance, but are rather his keen sense of humor and ability not to take himself too seriously. His work speaks for itself.

MaryAnn Chavez

She/Her

Teaching Artist

Teaching Artist

MaryAnn Chavez

She/Her

MaryAnn Chavez was born and raised in Huntington Beach, CA. She has been trained in styles such as Jazz, Lyrical, Ballet, Hip Hop, Contemporary, and Salsa. When she was sixteen she was accepted into the prestigious Alvin Ailey Professional Summer Program and spent the summer studying in New York City. She also attended a performing arts High School in Huntington Beach, Academy of the Performing Arts. Once she graduated high school she hit the ground running straight into the dance industry booking her very first job with Forever 21 at the age of nineteen.

She then continued to work with brands such as Apple Music, Disney Channel and Under Armour before her health took a turn and steered her career down a different path she was already on. MaryAnn overcame the roadblocks her health created for her by diving into teaching and choreography.

MaryAnn Chavez is on faculty for Soul de Soul Dance Convention & The Bridge Training Program. She has weekly teaching slots at Movement Lifestyle,  GENESIS Studios and OFFSTAGE in California. She often subs at Millennium Dance Complex and TMILLY in Los Angeles.

MaryAnn is Co-Founder and Co-Director of Lume Dance Training and Collective alongside her partner Monika Felice Smith. They launched their business in the midst of the 2020 Pandemic for they saw there was a need for a light in the dance community and wanted to create a safe place for their dancers to move and grow.

MaryAnn's style is innovative and blends her contemporary and hip hop background into one. She loves to create movements that tell stories and are relatable to her audience. Her mission in the spaces she is in is to curate a sense of community, collaboration and creativity.

Throughout her journey she has mentored many dancers, teachers and choreographers and given them encouraging words and valuable information to boost their careers to the next level. She continues to offer herself as a mentor to others in her online mentoring packages and throughout the Lume Dance community.

Credits:

Forever 21, Apple Music, Disney Channel, Under Armour, ELDERBROOK, FINNEAS, Splash Water, Ingrid Andress, Naomi Wild, One Republic, Microsoft, Bella Porch

Halima Dodo

She/Her

Teaching Artist

Teaching Artist

Halima Dodo

She/Her

Halima captivates on screen and on stage! Her sky-high energy is featured in music videos for DJ Khaled, Justin Bieber, and Jojo, live shows with Danity Kane’s Dawn Richard, and multiple indie and feature films — including Black Is King and The Prom. She is based in Los Angeles but credits her hometown, Miramar, Florida, for her signature style: a fusion of hip hop, technique, and Afro-Caribbean roots. Today, she’s on a mission to help artists express their most authentic selves.

Lauren Froderman

She/Her

Co-Program Director / Teaching Artist

Co-Program Director / Teaching Artist

Lauren Froderman

She/Her

Lauren Froderman’s lifetime of dance training led her to win the seventh season of FOX’s So You Think You Can Dance. She has also danced for the Radio City Rockettes, Big Time Rush, Blake McGrath, and others. Appearing in television performances, music videos, and live shows, she continues to reach for the stars and learn as much as possible. She considers her greatest accomplishment since winning So You Think You Can Dance becoming the first dance athlete for Gatorade and the female dance athlete for the G Series Fit line. Lauren continues her pursuit of other dreams in various dance and performance capacities.

Kai Lin

He/Him

Teaching Artist

Teaching Artist

Kai Lin

He/Him

Born and raised in New York City, Kai is a dancer/choreographer of many different dance genres and currently resides in Los Angeles. He started his training at MOBA dance academy and also joined his community as a street dancer/performer. He continued to study Ballet, Modern and Choreography at the prestigious Laguardia High School in NYC as a dancer major, also known as the F.A.M.E school as well as competing in street dance competitions. After graduating, he started his career while continuing to train at Peridance, Broadway Dance Center, EXPG, and many different street dance competitions and jams. This allowed him to be more proficient in Contemporary, Hip-Hop, House, Waacking, Improvisation and Choreography. After touring with Odyssey Dance Theatre, dancing for Prince Royce and Daddy Yankee, Kai signed with Clear Talent Group and moved to Los Angeles to continue his career. Since relocating some of his credits include becoming a finalist in the top 6 on SYTYCD Ukraine, America's Got Talent, Nicki Minaj, Pharrell Williams/ N.E.R.D, Prince Royce, Wisin, TOKYOtheCompany, among others. He teaches Contemporary, Hip hop and Improvisation at Millennium Dance Complex and Movement Lifestyle as well as teaching/mentoring students around the country for companies like Broadway Dance Center, Peridance Capezio Center, TOKYOtheAcademy, the Tallahassee Ballet, BrickHouse NYC, and Project D Dance Company.  While continuing his career, Kai plans to use all of his opportunities to create many new works, train and educate the next generation of dancers for years to come and sharing dance with the world!

Aisha Olemba

She/Her

Teaching Artist

Teaching Artist

Aisha Olemba

She/Her

Aisha Olemba (she/her) is originally from the D(M)V and now lives in the heart of LA. She has trained in all forms of dance since she was 10, but especially enjoys and trains in modern, hip-hop, and heels! You can currently find Aisha on the international tour for recording artist SZA. When not on the road, Aisha teaches at various studios and locations across the country including Eighty Eight Studios in Los Angeles, as a guest artist at Loyola Marymount University, and various events for Liberate Artists. Additionally, represented by Clear Talent Group, you can find Aisha in commercials such as Bert’s Bees and MasterCard. When she’s not dancing she is a creative director for many things from photoshoots to music videos. She believes expression of the self comes in many forms and wants to help elevate the best self in everyone.

Nicole "Fox" Davis

She/Her

Teaching Artist

Teaching Artist

Nicole "Fox" Davis

She/Her

Fox is a commercial hip hop and musical theatre performer. Fox has been performing and competing on stage for over 19 years, with experience and training in various genres of dance, including but not limited to: jazz, tap, lyrical, ballet, pointe, hip-hop, salsa, and modern to name a few. 


Fox  is a graduate from Penn State University, majoring in Dance Stage Management and Performance. Since graduating, she has performed, stage managed, and directed multiple productions.  Fox assists, directs, and choreographs local tristate musician’s music videos and live performances, as well as choreographers dance videos and content.  Fox enjoys teaching at multiple studios and hosting workshops.  Though Fox is usually seen teaching hip hop and lyrical, you can find her in AM Ballet and heels classes at night all in the heart of NYC. Fox’s life motto is, “Never let the dreams you had as child be forgotten, you have more time than you think”.

Manny Espinoza

He/Him

Make Up Artist

Make Up Artist

Manny Espinoza

He/Him

Geri Brown

She/Her

Founder / Creator

Founder / Creator

Geri Brown

She/Her

Geri Brown is a storyteller, an educator, and social entrepreneur whose work is threaded in breaking the barriers to access and building safe, equitable, and inclusive communities. Her work utilizes art (dance, theatre, and music) as the catalyst for change. She runs three organizations called the Trifecta of Change. Geri is the Founder and Creative Director of Liberate Artists Inc., a dance education movement and benefit corporation, which utilizes dance education to build confidence and promote social growth in young people. Not a dance competition or dance convention, Liberate Artists Inc. has created its own pathway forward that focuses on helping students be their best self in a non-competitive environment. In her work with Liberate Artists Inc., Geri has traveled all over the world making dance the catalyst for change. From Australia to England to New York to Texas, Liberate Artists builds each dancer up through their catch phrase “You Are Enough.” They inspire kids and promote socio-emotional growth through mindfulness, colorful history, inclusionary practices, and award over $500,000 in scholarships per year. Including the Patricia A. Woodward Inspiration Award, which has been awarded since 2016, where Liberate Artists pays for dancers tuition for an entire year at their home studios. In an effort to ensure dance education is safe, equitable, and inclusive Geri serves as the Founder/Organizer for Dance Education Equity Association (DEEA). DEEA is an organization dedicated to serving the dance community through their BE COURAGEOUS courses, community support, and systemic based consulting work. Dance Education Equity Association educates to implement their expectations of safety, equity, and inclusivity into dance communities everywhere. By working together, in compassionate accountability, DEEA is working to make dance for all. Always, Enough Foundation is the final pillar in her trifecta of change.In an effort to continue to support families and provide additional socio-emotional support, Geri is the President and Executive Director of Always, Enough Foundation [501c3]. Always, Enough Foundation breaks barriers to access to ensure performing arts education is for all. In their effort to remove financial barriers to access, Always, Enough Foundation pays for tuition, travel, accommodations and meals, for dancers and their families to attend dance competitions, dance conventions, and other performing arts opportunities that meet their standards of safety, equity, and inclusivity. Geri is also a member of the newly initiated Intersectionality Task Force for the International Association for Dance Medicine & Science (IADMS). IADMS's mission is to enhance the health, well-being, training, and performance in dance by cultivating medical, scientific, and educational excellence. As an artist and storyteller, Geri graduated cum laude, with her Bachelors of Fine Arts in Musical Theatre from Pace University. As a student and post graduation, Geri was hired as the Assistant Recruitment Coordinator under the tutelage of her mentor Patricia A. Woodward, and then became the Interim Recruitment Coordinator for the entire Pace University Performing Arts Department. There, she assisted and managed thousands of auditions and applications for the Acting Program, Musical Theatre Program, and then the novel Commercial Dance Program, and was also responsible for ensuring all of the performing arts students, had the requirements needed to graduate. Geri is a trained actor, singer, dancer and writer, who uses the word storyteller to best describe her work. As a member of Actor’s Equity Association, Geri has performed Off-Broadway, in pre-Broadway productions, and in NYC theatres. Geri also originated her role in Tales from the Tunnel starring alongside Tony Award and Drama Desk Award winner Wilson J. Heredia, who originated the role of Angel, in the Broadway musical Rent. Due to her exceptional character work, Geri has been highlighted for her work by The New York Times which quoted “Geri Brown is ferocious as the station clerk who has seen it all,” and by TheaterMania “Geri Brown radiates presence, attitude, and a sense of humor.” Additionally, Geri has been researching and writing a spoken word musical about civil rights and LGBTQIA2+ rights activist, Marsha P. Johnson, for the last eight years with her collaborator and friend Brett Macias. As a storyteller, Geri continues to create spoken word, poetry, and essays. From storyteller to educator to social entrepreneur, the pulse of all of Geri's work is her mission is to inspire all to truly know that "You Are Enough," exactly as you are, in the skin and body you are in.”

Audry Hamilton Ginsburg

She/Her

Director of Operations / Teaching Artist

Director of Operations / Teaching Artist

Audry Hamilton Ginsburg

She/Her

Audry is a New York based dance arts manager, choreographer, teaching artist, and yoga instructor. She began her career as a performer traveling the country by bus in Sesame Street Live, by horse in Dolly Parton’s Stampede, internationally by ship for Norwegian Cruise Lines, and under the big top for Circus Hermanos Vazquez and Cirque Montage. From there she focused her energies on teaching ballroom in New York City classrooms, choreographing for Concordia Conservatory, and spending summers at Stagedoor Manor theatre camp. From high schools to regional theatres she has choreographed several musicals including Cinderella, Grease, HAiR, Aida, and Working. Along the way Audry has taken several opportunities to step into management positions with roles including dance captain, company manager, experience manager, and now Director of Operations for Liberate Artists. Today you can find Audry working, traveling, and teaching for Liberate Artists, sharing the love of Sesame Street traveling with Sesame Workshop, spreading the word on the benefits of yoga to anyone who will listen, and choreographing musicals in her spare time.

Deion Muse

He/Him

Social Media Manager

Social Media Manager

Deion Muse

He/Him

Deion Muse is a dancer, teacher, and choreographer born and raised in South Boston, VA. Currently teaching and training at the award winning Essence of Movement Dance Studio, Deion has a true passion and gift for dance. As a well-rounded dancer and choreographer, Deion has had the opportunity to work in a diverse array of genres from musical theatre to hip hop. Select credits include: XeQtion Dance Team, VCU Ram Cheerleader, CompleX Modeling Troupe, Black Ice Dance Crew, CompleX Modeling Troupe, Black Ice Dance Crew, Essence of Movement performance choreography, Shrek the Musical, Oklahoma!, and Gypsy. In 2018 Deion made history with Liberate Artists INC as the first dancer to be chosen and successfully completed Focus 2018 (as an Apprentice in Los Angeles, California) and Phoenix Fire 2018 (as a Primo in Brooklyn, NY). In training with Liberate Artists INC. Deion has had the opportunity to assist and study with some of the most successful dance educators in the industry including: Lauren Froderman (winner of So You Think You Can Dance), Samo Soto (Netflix’s “The Get Down”), and Emmy Award winning choreographer Mia Michaels.

Serena Alvarez

She/They

Videographer/Photographer

Videographer/Photographer

Serena Alvarez

She/They

Selena Alvarez is a creativity enthusiast, passionate about visual arts, music, social media marketing and all things involving dance. She is a bilingual Puerto Rican-American who is a proud member of the LGBTQ+ community. She graduated from Montclair State University with a BA in Business Marketing with a minor in Entrepreneurship. Towards the end of her college experience, she was granted the winner of the 2017 Annual $10,000 Pitch Competition at Montclair State University from her minor in Entrepreneurship. Shortly after graduation, she was able to combine her love of dance, marketing, and entrepreneurship by becoming a professional videographer/cinematographer, video editor, and creative director.

In 2017, she established her brand, “Ninamoonlove” and became a video/marketing freelancer for artists throughout Central and Northern New Jersey. She has offered services in videography and social media marketing to multiple music artists, dancer/choreographers, dance studios, the real estate world and Jersey City Specialist – Diana Vasquez, small businesses such as CHEERFIT, class one dance organizations at Montclair State University, and non-profit organizations such as Vanguard Theatre Company, Carolyn Dorfman Dance, and Liberate Artists. In April 2022, Ms. Alvarez went full time with her video production brand, “Ninamoonlove Productions”, and continues to collaborate and inspire all kinds of artists/creators around the United States.

EQUITY STATEMENT

At Liberate Artists we value being kind, compassionate, and caring while building brave dance experiences that support folks of all races, genders, abilities, disabilities, shapes, and economic backgrounds. At Liberate Artists you don’t have to be a professional dancer but you do have to be a good human in society.

HOW WE COMMIT TO INCLUSION

1. ACCESS CHECK-INS

2. USE OF PRONOUNS AND DANCER’S CHOSEN NAMES

3. BUILDING REST INTO OUR SCHEDULE

4. DEEA SAFETY TIPLINE

Every Liberate Artists experience includes an Access Check-In which, "allows people to share any access needs they might have if they feel comfortable." (Disability Intersectionality Summit)

We check in with our registrants to meet their needs and provide reasonable accommodations because all bodies are dancing bodies if they want and choose to be.

At every Liberate Artists experience, we create name tags with dancers’ pronouns and preferred names because every dancer should know that their identities are worth respect and acknowledgment.

Recovery is an important component of building strong and healthy dancers. We include rest during our longer experiences to allow dancers to recover from movement and partner with organizations such as Doctors For Dancers to further reduce the risk of injury.

We also partner with our sibling organization, Dance Education Equity Association, to ensure that our experiences are always growing to be safer, more equitable, and more inclusive. Our teaching artists go through training to reduce the risk of harm and we utilize the DEEA Safety Tipline as a resource for safety. It’s an anonymous (if you’d like) tipline where folks can submit any instances of harm they may have endured at a Liberate Artists experience. This tipline was created to reduce the risk of harm from bullying, racism, discrimination, othering, and abuse of any kind. We’ve implemented policies, inspired by transformative justice practices, to work with students who have been harmed and/or causing harm.