Zack Everhart grew up dancing at his family's studio, Great Gig Dance Co., in Kennesaw, Georgia. There he received training in tap, ballet, jazz, modern, contemporary and hip-hop. At eighteen years old, he was accepted into the dance program at Point Park University on scholarship. Simultaneously, Zack began working as a Pro-Assistant with Velocity Dance Convention, and was eventually pulled away from school to pursue his dance career full time when he auditioned for So You Think You Can Dance Season 11. He placed in the Top 4 and performed in several Emmy nominated routines that season. Zack completed his first international tour with his season of So You Think You Can Dance and returned as an All-Star in Season 12.

In 2015, Zack moved to Los Angeles. Since then he has worked for Lorde, Justin Bieber, Kelly Clarkson, Neyo, JLO, Chaka Kahn and James Morrison. He has danced in musicals such as Hairspray! LIVE on NBC and West Side Story at Carnegie Hall. In 2017, he toured across the country with Julianne and Derek Hough on the MOVE Live Tour.

Zack returned to TV when he competed with his partner Ashley Gonzales on World of Dance Season 2 as a duet, and advanced all the way the the division finals. They both returned to WOD Season 3 in the Upper Team Division with Tessandra Chavez's award winning dance company Unity LA. Zack was featured as the dance captain of the team and helped lead them to win 2nd place. Zack’s work on World of Dance helped Tessandra and Unity LA win an Emmy Award for choreography in 2019. He is currently Creative Director of Oasis Dance Center in Temecula, CA; and on faculty at Velocity Dance Convention.

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Returning for the second year, Delaney is joined this year by Tristen Gressett as the first musical duo we’ve had at Focus.Originally a Massachusetts native, Delaney now lives in Los Angeles where she is pursuing her music career. After going viral from a secret recording of her singing, Delaney was invited onto American Idol to audition in 2022. She went on to Hollywood Week and the rest you could say, is history. Delaney regularly performs at festivals in the greater LA area and her first single, Why I Fall, is out now, with new music on the way!

Tristen Gressett joins Delaney this summer as our Focus 2024 musical duo. Living in California now, Tristen is currently from Alabama where his sounds of folk, blues, rock, and soul were born. In 2022 he was Top 11 on American Idol and has since continued to come out with new music regularly including an album dropping this summer. He regularly performs in the greater Los Angeles area and is a part of the Alabama Music Hall of Fame.

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 along side 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 movement that tells stories and is 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.

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Phil Wright is executive producer and choreographer of "Disney Fam Jam,” the NEW family dance competition show on The Disney Channel based off of his viral sensation “The Parent Jam™.” Wright founded "The Parent Jam™" in 2017 when he was inspired to bring kids and their families together through dance. Streamed online, his high energy dance classes are designed to encourage positivity, love and understanding within families around the world. He has worked with some of the biggest names in music including Lil Nas X, Will Smith, MC Hammer, TLC and G-Eazy and Cardi B.

Riley Roberts, originally from San Diego, CA, uses a fusion of her training to create narrative visuals through movement. She graduated from Chapman University with a BFA in Dance Performance and Integrated Educational Studies. She has worked with Artist such as Panic at The Disco, One Republic, Olivia Rodrigo. Riley has choreographed for the short film “Straight Up” by Netflix. She has also movement coached for Facebook’s OCULUS campaign and artist Caleb Hearn. Blending her passions for film and dance, Riley has built her own dance and film Company called The Ardor Effect.

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 has been dancing since the age of 3 and since then has trained in jazz, lyrical, contemporary, ballet, tap, and hip hop. She has always been a well-rounded dancer and because of this went on to win the seventh season of the Fox television show, So You Think You Can Dance. She has also danced for people such as the Radio City Rockette's, 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 and do as much as possible. Probably her greatest accomplishment since the end of the So You Think You Can Dance show and tour has been becoming the first dance athlete for Gatorade and being the female dance athlete for the G Series Fit line. Lauren has worked hard her whole life and will keep working hard to accomplish her dreams.

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”.

Choreographer, Teacher, and Dancer, Monica Polk is the creator and artistic director of Piernas Locas Project.

Aisha Olemba (she/her) is from the D(M)V! Now living in the heart of LAShe has trained in all forms of dance since she was 10, but especially enjoys and trains in modern, hip-hop, and heels! She was the co-founder and captain of Vibe Dance Team at Towson University since it was created in 2018. Beyoncé even shared her teams “Before I Let Go” Challenge on her Instagram! Aisha has currently been choreographing for local artists within the Washington metropolitan area along with being featured in their videos. She also teaches classes to various studios and organizations within her area as well. When she’s not dancing she is creative directing many things from photoshoots to music video. She believes expression of the self comes in many forms and wants to help elevate the best self in everyone.

Catherine H. Fisher, a Los Angeles-based artist, skilled in acting, dancing, choreography, photography, and videography. Her work is centered on authentic and compassionate storytelling through captivating visuals. Catherine has taught contemporary, jazz, and lyrical dance for the last eight years, and has showcased her talents in music videos, studios, dance companies, and choreography showcases. Recently, she has presented her work in the Lume Ignite Showcase and Loose Cannons Showcase. Currently, she is focused on advancing her dance and choreography skills under the guidance of MaryAnn Chavez and Monika Felice Smith at Lume Dance.

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 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 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.

Laisa M. Santos is a Brazilian cinematographer based in Los Angeles, California. She started her career as a stills photographer in 2015 and had her first solo photo exhibition in her hometown, Belo Horizonte, in 2017. She recently graduated from UCLA Extension and has been working in short films, features, commercials and TV productions as a Cinematographer, Camera Operator and Assistant Camera. The Studio Assistant, Cacto, Young Romantics are some of the projects she's been a part of, as well as Bad Mom, her latest work. Laisa connects with projects that are interested in discussing themes beyond the movie screen. Making an impact and telling real stories is something she really cares about. She is also a member of DAFB - Brazilian Collective of Women and Transgender People in Cinematography.

Julie "JJ" Joseph (she/they) is a graduate of Brandeis University with a BA in psychology and Hispanic Studies (se habla español). After graduating, she went on to train as a dancer in Boston, LA and NYC, while becoming an educator for local studios. They have danced across the country in various spaces led by thoughtful industry professionals. She recently has stepped back into the educational space, teaching weekly at Athletic Garage in LA and as a member of the guest faculty list at Broadway Dance Center in NYC. Currently, you can find JJ living bi-coastally while dancing, educating, directing, filming, and choreographing movement.