T.O.P Master Artists 2024
Leon Glory Damasco Jr.
Mr. Leandro is a dancer, choreographer, educator, and filmmaker from Sacramento, CA. He started his professional dance career with Nicholas Leichter at the Joyce Theater in New York City and trained with Bay Area companies such as Joe Goode Performance, Axis Dance, Bandaloop, and Pauvfe Dance. He has appeared in Merce Cunningham's , staged by Jean Freebury, and trained with Richard Seigel of William Forsythe's Ballet Frankfurt during the American Dance Festivals. Mr. Leandro later joined the Los Angeles-based company DIAVOLO in 2012. He became the company's first resident choreographer, highlighting his choreography in the trilogy L'espace Du Temps, which first premiered at the Movimentos Festival in Wulfsburg, Germany.
As an avid traveler, Mr. Leandro's choreographic and teaching residencies include CSU Sacramento, Marin Academy, Scottsdale Community College, Utah Valley University, CSU Los Angeles, CALArts, University of Central Oklahoma, UC Irvine, and Santa Clara University. After completing and touring DIAVOLO's latest repertoire, L.O.S.T., and appearing on America's Got Talent, Mr. Leandro studied and earned his MFA in Dance from the University of California, Irvine, where he has assisted and performed world-renowned choreographer Lar Lubovitch's Northstar. In addition, Mr. Leandro developed his movement research and philosophy of Ebb and Floorwork, a movement methodology aimed at harmonizing the body with the floor by entering a flow state through mental and physical challenges.
At Santa Clara University, Leandro teaches Contemporary Dance, Performance Collaboration, Movement for Athletes, Hip Hop and Dance Cinematography. He is an international soloist, Director of Photography, and choreographer for dance films, with his works appearing internationally in the Nabla Festivals in Italy, Knowbox Dance Festivals in Mexico, Canada, South Korea, and Lebanon with the Lebanese Independent Film Festivals
Kristin Hakala
Ms. Kristin received her formative training in Michigan with Cornelia Sampson, along with studies at Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet and San Francisco Ballet School. She began her professional career at the age of sixteen with the Nashville Ballet, where she held many leading roles. Most recently, Ms. Kristin was a principal dancer with Ballet West, where she performed the title roles in numerous ballets as well as a full range of contemporary, classical, and neoclassical works. She has performed internationally in China and Europe, including appearances in the 2004 Edinburgh International Festival. She appeared as “Sugar Plum Fairy” in a nationally televised broadcast on PBS and performed in the Winter Olympics with Ballet West in 2002. Kristin is also a certified yoga teacher, a practice she finds particularly complementary to the demands of ballet training. She has taught for institutions such as Ballet West and Ballet West Academy, University of California-Irvine, and Michigan Ballet Theatre, in addition to teaching international master classes. Most recently, she taught at the world renowned Beijing Dance Academy, where she has been invited to return as a Guest Professor in 2016. From 2005-2007, she served as an adjunct professor at Wright State University and was a faculty member of Pontecorvo Ballet School. From 2008-2011, she served on the faculty of the Indianapolis School of Ballet and the Central Indiana Academy of Dance. Currently, Ms. Kristin is a faculty member at the Maple Conservatory of Dance in Irvine, California.
Tong Wang
Following a successful career as a principal artist, Tong Wang has continued to devote his talents to the field of dance as a choreographer, dance professor, and master teacher. In recent years, Tong's creative works have continued to become notable internationally. While his choreographic works have received high praise from the nationally ranked dance departments of University of Utah, Butler University, and University of California-Irvine, his work has also been performed by professional companies such as Ballet West, China Military Dance Ensemble, and Ballet Arkansas. His work "Chase" has been performed in the United States and China numerous times and was broadcast by China Central Television Station. "Qiu Yie" received the Outstanding Choreography Award at YAGP. As a master teacher, Tong has taught internationally and nationally at National Ballet of China, Hong Kong Ballet, Ballet West, Beijing Dance Academy, Colorado Ballet, and National Choreography Initiative.
After graduating with honors from the prestigious Beijing Dance Academy Ballet department in 1986, Tong Wang performed as a principal artist with companies such as Shanghai Ballet, Tulsa Ballet Theatre, Dayton Ballet, Colorado Ballet, and, most recently, Ballet West. While dancing professionally, Tong completed his B.F.A. and M.F.A. degrees in Ballet Teaching and Choreography with the University of Utah Ballet Department and also worked as a guest faculty member from 2000-2005. From 2005-2007, Tong served as Assistant Professor of Dance at Wright State University. He held the position of Dance professor at Butler University from 2007-2011. In fall 2011, Tong joined the distinguished Dance Department of University of California, Irvine. Currently serving as an associate professor, Tong is one of the creators and artistic directors for East Meets West International Dance and Music Festival from 2016 to present.
Doug Baum
Doug Baum's dance journey began in Maryland, leading to a 2016 graduation from the Baltimore School for the Arts and further training through the Ailey/Fordham BFA Program, with an apprenticeship at Ailey II. His early career featured participation in prestigious programs and festivals before embarking on international tours with notable dance companies like Rasta Thomas Bad Boys of Dance and Les Ballets Jazz de Montreal. Baum, now with three seasons at Zhukov Dance Theater and guest appearances in several dance companies, is a current member of the L.A. Dance Project.
Shiggy (Shigeto Nakano)
Was born in Osaka, raised in Los Angeles. He began dancing in high school, and has steadily improved his ability, performing in workshops and showcases throughout the U.S. and abroad.
He Performs and choreographs music videos, TV shows, Steezy, etc. He is the only Japanese member of the globally renowned team S-Rank and joined avex ROYALBRATS during the D.LEAGUE 21-22 season. He also participated in Round 4 and 5, as well as the Championship, during the D.LEAGUE 22-23 season.
Lisa Donmall-Reeves
Lisa, originally from the UK, has lived in London, New York, and Los Angeles, with training from notable institutions like The London Studio Centre, The Conservatoire de Paris, and Martha Graham in NYC. Her extensive performing career includes roles in major West End and NYC productions, international tours, and regional theatre, alongside numerous choreography and direction credits. Currently, she teaches at prestigious ballet schools and runs her own production company, LDR Creative, aiming to inspire on a grand scale.
Maté Szentes
Maté Szentes is originally from Budapest, Hungary and began his training at
the age of six. He studied at the Hungarian Dance Academy while attending
summer programs at North Carolina Dance Theater in Charlotte, NC on full
scholarships. Upon graduation he joined the Hungarian National Ballet
where he danced for 3 years performing corps de ballet and soloist roles in
the company’s many classical and contemporary productions. In 2012 he
moved to California and joined the Sacramento Ballet as a company artist
and continued expanding his repertoire. Mr. Szentes relocated to the east
coast in 2015 to join the Richmond Ballet where he danced principal and
soloist roles in the company’s very versatile repertoire. Besides dancing
classical ballet’s most famous roles he had the opportunity to dance many of
George Balanchine’s works and worked with world renowned
choreographers such as Ma Cong, Val Caniparoli, Mariana Oliveira, Melissa
Barak, Katarzyna Skarpetowska, Annabelle Lopez-Ochoa, Nicolas Blanc
among many others. Since 2021 he’s a freelance artist while maintaining a
guest principal dancer status with American Contemporary Ballet.
He started choreographing in 2016 and so far his works have been
performed by the Los Angeles Ballet, Richmond Ballet, Barak Ballet, Ballet
Project OC and other independent and project based companies. Mr. Szentes
was a finalist at the Palm Desert Choreography Festival in 2022 and 2023
and his works were also invited to be performed at the North Coast Dance
Festival in Michigan and at Balletfest in Long Beach, CA.
Monie Adamson
Monie Adamson’s diverse choreographic abilities have earned her three Emmy Nominations, five American Choreography Award Nominations, and the winner of the American Choreography Award for "Outstanding Achievement in Television Variety Series" (MAD tv) in 2003. She is a recipient of the Choreography Media Honor for her choreographic work in the television industry and is currently a member of the Television Academy, represented by both CTG and TRIO Talent Agencies.
For almost a decade, she was the Resident-Choreographer for Warner Bros. Television on shows such as Family Matters and Step-By-Step. For nine years, Monie held the title as Resident-Choreographer for FOX’s MAD tv, and choreographed for Taco Bell, Blue Collar Television, and the music video If I Didn’t Have You starring Hannah Montana’s Mitchel Musso & Emily Osment.
In 2015, Monie performed as a dancer in the movie La La Land, the television show Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, and was “on-screen talent” for I Can Make You Dance. She has performed in music videos, at Disneyland, and was a principal dancer with the highly acclaimed dance company Rhapsody in Taps for eight years. Monie has studied with tap masters such as Gregory Hines, Arthur Duncan, Pat Rico, Sandman Simms, and Eddie Brown. Other training includes teachers such as Joe Tremaine, Doug Cauldwell, El Gabriel, Jere Curry, and Linda Sohl-Ellis.
She holds a B.F.A. in Dance and Performance from the University of California, Irvine, and has her Orange County lifetime teaching credential. She has been on the faculties of the University of California Irvine, United States International University, Cypress College, Chapman College, and held a professorship at California State University, Chico. She was an adjunct faculty member at Orange Coast College for 20 years, and while Director of Orange Coast College’s Danc’N E.T.C. (Educational Touring Company), she was named “Adjunct Faculty Member of the Year” and received a “2000 Dance in Action Award” for her work with Danc’N E.T.C.
Monie is known for her vivacious teaching style and creative choreography. As a choreographer, as well as Director/Founder of FOCUS Dance Center for the Performing Arts (Irvine, CA), her contagious energy and fresh approach are well known. Monie has great enthusiasm and immense passion for dance, and a huge desire to instill this in her students and dancers.
Mike Esperanza
Born in Manila, Philippines and raised in Southern California, Mike Esperanza (he/him) has established himself as a sought after teacher and choreographer throughout the nation. With a BFA in graphic design from California State University, Fullerton, Mike's approach to visual construction has influenced a unique movement orchestration on stage. His works have been commissioned by prestigious college and university dance programs including Chapman University, Loyola Marymount University, UNLV, Cal State Long Beach, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, and Utah Valley University to name a few. Six choreographic works have made regional gala appearances at the American College Dance Festival with 3 going on to perform at the American College Dance Festival National Gala held at the Kennedy Center in Washington D.C.