Notes

CoMMotion's
Resident Companies

Motion Mania Dance Theatre

Motion Mania… 
The feeling that is invoked when the true joy of music and movement combine!

When Motion Mania Dance Theatre (MMDT) formally incorporated as a non-profit performing arts organization in 1994, it represented the next step in the evolution of one of Maryland's premier jazz dance companies. MMDT was formed in 1987 when the founder and Artistic Director Bonnie Slawson recognized the need for a professional jazz repertory company in the DC area that offered an opportunity for a diverse group of dancers to work together on a wide variety of projects.  The company’s requirement,was and is, that you can blend together tremendously clean technique with amazing energy and theatricality. In other words, entertain your audience and rock the house. 

MMDT boasts a distinct repertoire of 50 dances, including works by Lisa Deyo of Hubbard Street Dance Chicago, Robert Nunez from New York's Broadway Dance Center and Derrick Evans from New York's Steps, Broadway Dance Center and Gus Giordano Dance Chicago. Using high-energy jazz dance as our technical base, MMDT mixes theatrical dance, ballet, contemporary, street dance, tap, theatrics and hip-hop to create a distinct high-energy choreographic style.

The dancers come from a wide range of backgrounds including musical theater, film, and a variety of contemporary, ballet and jazz dance companies throughout the U.S. The company is diverse not only in its background but in its look as well – this was no homogeneous line of Ballanchine babies, this is a company that celebrates the diversity of our world in both its dancers and its dances.

MMDT has performed for Wolf Trap’s children’s programs, Atlanta's Jazz and Tap Festival, The Kennedy Center Open House, and the Northern Virginia Jazz and Tap Festival. One thread that runs through all of the company's works is a sense of passion, power and energy that it has infused throughout it's repertoire of dances. MMDT is not about finding hidden meanings in their movement; it's about the true joy that music and movement brings to everyone's soul. 

MMDT's performance experience is extensive.   Slawson, MMDT's artistic director has choreographed and produced  shows for entities such as AT&T, Gilette,  Ernst and Young, the Leukemia Society and the American Red Cross.  The Company traveled all over the Metro area creating industrials, openings for major malls and introduced to the D.C. Metro area the concept of dancers at social affairs to start the party rolling.  Slawson brought this to fruition for companies such as Washington Talent, USA Hosts, Ray Bialek’s and Top Hat Entertainment.

In 1990, MMDT opened up a training facility, Motion Mania Dance Center and established their Apprentice Program, an essential part of a system to maintain a uniform ensemble of trained dancers. Dancers who have trained with MMDT have gone on to work with many other regional, national and inter-national dance companies. Motion Mania alumnae are working as recording artists, back-up dancers for national tours, models, teachers and choreographers.   Motion Mania graduates have won scholarships to a host of prestigious universities and colleges around the country.  (See our list on Alumnae Bios)  Many of the most sought after dance educators in the Washington, D.C. area credit the MMDT program for positively impacting their careers. 

From its inception MMDT has also been committed to community outreach, with programs designed to educate as well as entertain. Senior citizens at the Jewish Community Center of Greater Washington, and schools throughout the DC area have shared in the creative process through discussions and lecture/demonstrations.   MMDT has been seen throughout the Montgomery County Public School District, in Motion Mania’s own show “ Jazz Dance: American Histories’ Living Window”.  Whether in live performances, dance classes or on television, MMDT has always been committed to bringing accessible, enjoyable dance to our community.

Now we turn the page and from the creators of Motion Mania Dance Theatre a new generation of dance education and performance is found....at CoMMotion Dance Pilates Fitness.

VF Dance

We are focused on creating unique works of amazing artistry that reach and engage audiences of all ages. The Company uses Ballet, Jazz, Modern, Lyrical, Hip Hop , and cultural styles in order to showcase a variety, but each piece is a continuation of the story that is put together using digital media, live music, and literature. Artistic Director Veronika Farkas is very much interested in speaking out through dance, communicating to her audience through movement to tell a story. The Company works on a new project each year with a different professional cast.

Contact US: vfarkas@vfdanceandfitness.com

Resident Hip Hop Dance Crews

Danz-N-Motion’s D-N-M Dance Crews

When you become a member of Danz-N-Motion’s D-N-M Hip Hop dance crew, students will
experience a new and exciting level of dance, performance , and the thrill of competition.
Through hard work and dedication, these dancers will learn; teamwork, camaraderie, and the
ability to take criticism and use it to improve as performers. They will be trained by some of the
best choreographers from the DC Metropolitan area and will be adjudicated by top professionals
in the dance industry, receive feedback on their performances, and will have the opportunity to
travel and perform at regional competition’s, convention events, and paid performances.

Danz-N-Motion’s D-N-M dance crew is about growing and improving as dancers and gaining
respect for others in our art form. Competitions are not about winning a trophy, or being the
best. It is about doing your own personal best and using the feedback received to build and
improve your skills.

Danz-N-Motion is a hip hop urban jam dance center dedicated to making a positive impact on
our dancers and the dance community. By emphasizing our originality, we create a healthy and
challenging learning environment for all dancers of all ages and levels.

Lauren Katsikopoulos, Founder and Artistic Director

A native New Yorker, began dancing at the age of 6 and studied Ballet, Tap, Jazz Lyrical, Modern and
Hip Hop. She danced with the Bronx Dance Theatre Senior Company for 14 years where she traveled
and performed all over the world. Lauren has 25 years of experience as a dance instructor, specializing
in Tap, Ballet, Jazz and Hip Hop. She participates in dance workshops when available in New York
City, Washington, DC, and Baltimore. Lauren has had the opportunity to take classes from many great
dance artists such as Marty Kudelka, David Scott, Jamal Sims, Napoleon & Tabitha Dumo, Poping Pete,
Flomaster and many others. Lauren has experience teaching all levels of dance and has choreographed
for competitive dance teams for 25 years in the Maryland area.

Contact Information: Phone: 240-744-2385, Email: Laurenk@danz-n-motion.com

 

 

[back to top]