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DENNA THOMSEN is Denna Thomsen is a maverick choreographer, dancer and actress who has made a significant impact in the entertainment industry.
Denna grew up in Omaha Nebraska, later receiving a Bachelor of Arts from Colorado State University. She moved to California in 2007 joining Hysterica Dance Company, founded by Kitty McNamee. Denna made her first big break as Lead Actress opposite Shia Labeouf in Sigur Rós’ “Fjögur Píanó”, directed by Alma Ha’rel She went on to work with for Madonna, David Bowie, Justin Timberlake, Snoop Dogg, Florence + The Machine, SIA, The Weekend, Doja Cat, Harry Styles, Kanye West, Florence Pugh, Margot Robbie, Ewen McGregor, Anjelica Huston, Zoe Saldana, Jared Leto, Kristin Wiig, Zendaya, Kate Hudson, and more.
She soon became an in demand choreographer for television and film working on projects including Booksmart, Blonde, Don’t Worry Darling, Winning Time, Rebel Moon, Angelyne, Honey Boy, Perry Mason, Euphoria, and Pose. Television and film has given Denna the opportunity to collaborate with Directors including David Fincher, Adam McKay, Olivia Wilde, Edgar Wright, Kim Gehrig, Jon Chu, Raine Miller, Sam Levinson, Ryan Murphy, Floria Sigismondi, Megaforce, Hannah Lux Davisand Spike Jonze. Denna’s passion for storytelling is evident in her work and can be seen in campaigns for Gucci, Moschino, Apple, Sirius XM, Mercedes, Secret, Nike, Sonos, Diesel, AirBNB and Reebok where she won a World Choreography Award for “Best Choreography in a Commercial” directed by Tom Noakes.
Denna’s strong sense of narrative storytelling is derived from her training at acclaimed acting schools such as The Lee Strasberg Institute, The Beverly Hills Playhouse, Aquila Morong, and John Hindman. Her ability to tell compelling stories through movement, coupled with her willingness to take creative risks, not only inspires dancers to explore new artistic possibilities, but sets her apart as a true visionary in the dance world.
ZAK RYAN SCHLEGEL is a choreographer, performer with Shen Wei, founder + curator of cross-genre salon CONGRESS, and educator at The Joffrey Ballet School. His work has been presented from The Juilliard School in NYC to Walt Disney Concert Hall in LA. He is the official recipient of the New Century Dance Project 2022 Choreography Award Grand Prize Honor, his film “In Beauty It Is Unfinished” is an official selection of The Athens International Film Festival, Ann Arbor Film Festival, and recently won the Knight Foundation award at the Miami Film Festival. The New York Times calls him “a star” & Wall Street Journal “eye-catching & effortless”. His extensive research of Eastern and Western movement traditions adjacent to the philosophical tenets of observation, spirituality and mathematics largely inform his presence of being, technical vocabulary, and arresting language. Pre-modernism and ancient query are his primary motivations of understanding—where mortal repetition and shifting layers define performance as a series of cascading epiphanies.
Zak can be seen in Ryan Heffington’s Emmy award-winning choreographic work for HBO series Euphoria directed by Sam Levinson starring Zendaya, the feature film Babylon, directed by Damien Chazelle starring Brad Pitt and Margot Robbie, The Weeknd’s highly anticipated upcoming HBO series The Idol starring Lily-Rose Depp and is the featured artist in Lexus’ L5 campaign. He has worked with directors Damien Chazelle, Sam Levinson, Jon Watts, Edgar Wright, Jonas Åkerlund, Melina Matsoukas, Floria Sigismondi, Amy Seimetz, Sebastian Strasser, Nina McNeely, Dugan O’Neal, Kitty McNamee, Greko Sklavounos, Eliot Lee Hazel, WIFE, Lita Albuquerque and GMUNK.
On stage, Zak has performed and toured globally as company member and soloist in Shen Wei Dance Arts, Italy’s Spellbound Contemporary Ballet led by Mauro Astolfi, Yin Yue Dance Company and Backhausdance on iconic stages from BAM, Art Basel Miami and Hong Kong to The Guggenheim, Asia Society in NY and Hong Kong, Arcosanti’s FORM Festival, and LA’s Walt Disney Concert Hall in collaboration with the LA Philharmonic. He has created an evening length, experiential sound bath “Liminal” with Jonsi and Alex Somers of Sigur Ros, and has danced the works of Jean-Guilliame Weiss, Ryan Heffington with associate Ryan Spencer, Mandy Moore with associates Jillian Meyers & Megan Lawson, Michael Rooney, Nina McNeely, Jennifer Backhaus, Denna Thomsen, JA, Lisa Eaton and Josie Walsh. He received formative training from Rafael Bonachela at Sydney Dance Company, Danielle Agami, Lucas Crandall, has participated in Gaga research with Ohad Naharin in Tel Aviv, Israel and holds a BFA from Chapman University.
Commercial collaborations include: The Weeknd, Sigur Ros, Britney Spears, Ry X, Lawrence Rothman, Years & Years, Peaches, MIKA, Ecko, Audrey Nula, Nova Wav, Fitz and the Tantrums, Japanese Breakfast, Lawrence Rothman, The Pierces, Sam Sparro, Vogue Italia, FLAUNT and OUT magazine, Lexus, Toyota, Ford, Squarespace, Amazon Prime, Sleep Number, Tedx, The Getty, Milk and FIDM in multiple genres and platforms from film/television, music videos, live stage performances, commercial campaigns and print editorials.
BENJAMIN KAUFMAN’s background in creative business started in fine art, public art and design. He opened a lowbrow art gallery called Hold Up Art and consulted for other LA based galleries until 2012, when he pivoted to artist management, working full time with an art collective called CYRCLE, developing fine art shows, art works and the corresponding content for galleries and museums across the globe. CYRCLE collaborated with artists such as JR and Vhils, and designed products and pieces for clients such as MGM Grand, Reebok, Cannon and DC Shoes.
In 2015, Ben helped to refine a concept for a multidisciplinary management and production company with producer Coleen Haynes (HSI, Black Dog Films), called MAAVVEN, where the company focused on creating synergies among multifaceted visual artists. At MAAVVEN he oversaw management of a roster of over 20 artists including Floria Sigismondi, Philippa Price, Fatima Robinson and Nina McNeely. Clients included the likes of Katy Perry, David LaChappell, Sigur Ros, Noname and St. Vincent, and brands such as Balmain and Redbull. At MAAVVEN, Ben produced videos for Universal Music and Warner Music, developed and launched a dance event series called Congress, with Denna Thomsen and Zak Ryan Schlegel, and has worked on creative direction, consulting and production for 88 Rising (Niki, Joji).
In 2020 Ben left MAAVVEN to focus on consulting, including work on Hypha, a subscription based climate solutions non profit. At Margot Station he's been focused on company operations, finding unique approaches to building community, creating and refining marketing outreach and design strategies, as well as collaborating on projects such as Bryan Carberry’s indie doc *smiles and kisses you*, Yacht Rock: A Dockumentary directed by Garret Price, and a yet to be named feature about the Rocky Horror Picture Show. Often challenging industry standards, Ben works to develop efficient, creative strategies for bringing stories to life.
Ben lives in east LA and is interested in the intersection of high and low brow, believes in the utility of a purse and is considering adopting a standard poodle.
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