Our Mission
CMDC fosters the healing and empowerment of underserved girls and women (trans, cis, and gender non-conforming inclusive) in Los Angeles through dance & movement.
Vision
We believe in a world where all girls & women - cis, trans, and non-binary individuals -
can cultivate confidence, resiliency, wellness, & community to achieve their goals & dreams,
for the betterment of their lives and that of the planet.
can cultivate confidence, resiliency, wellness, & community to achieve their goals & dreams,
for the betterment of their lives and that of the planet.
Staff
Elena Sophia Kozak
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Director
Sophia co-created Critical Mass Dance Company (CMDC) in 2010 with other activist women to cultivate greater self-care, community, and connection through dance. Through CMDC, Sophia developed a healing movement practice called Dance from the Heart. She's been teaching Dance from the Heart since 2010 and wrote a book called Dance from the Heart: Manifest through Movement in 7 Steps. She received a B.A. from UCLA and Master's degrees in Spiritual Psychology and Nonprofit Management. When she is not at CMDC, Sophia is dancing or at the beach! She also works at Career Transition For Dancers, a program of The Actors Fund, helping professional dancers live their purpose and thrive. |
Patille Violeta
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Girl Empowerment Teaching Artist
Patille Violeta joined CMDC and began teaching Dance from the Heart in 2016. She is a Healing Arts Practitioner, Youth Educator, and Girls Self-Love Coach who has been teaching yoga and serving the youth in Los Angeles for the past eight years. Patille’s passion and mission is to support girls with transformative and practical tools that promote wellbeing, emotional resilience, inner peace, and positive self-esteem through the healing arts of Yoga, Communication, Art, and Dance. She serves as CMDC's Dance from the Heart for girls' coordinator, as well as facilitator of CMDC's classes for women in Los Angeles. |
Azucena Ortiz
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Women Empowerment Teaching Artist
Azucena worked for Echo Parenting and Education as a trainer and Program Manager for 13 years, teaching parents about nonviolent parenting and trauma informed practices. She is now works as a consultant, providing parenting classes and trauma-informed education at various schools and nonprofits. Azucena joined CMDC as a dance student in 2016, became a board member in 2017, and now facilitates CMDC’s Women’s Empowerment workshops. |
Wisdom Circle - Board of Directors
Wisdom Circle Members support the growth of CMDC with their love, time, energy and expertise.
We thank them from the bottom of our hearts for their service!
We thank them from the bottom of our hearts for their service!
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Vashti Blacker, Board Member
Betina Steiger, Board Chair Tara Contreras-Peters, Board Secretary Maria Franco-Rahman, Board Member Julie Fernandez, Board member Ann Hayman, Fundraising Chair Janet Lo, Board Member Aracely Lozano, Board Treasurer Thelma Orellana, Board member |