Happy Hour Highlights: ELLENA TAKOS

TAKOS has been dancing with ELSCO Dance since 2011. Takos began her amazing relationship with choreographer Ellenore Scott when she started taking her weekly contemporary jazz classes at Broadway Dance Center in New York City. Ellenore realized her amazing technique and dynamics immediately in class and began working with her personally to help her grow as an artist and dancer. Ellenore selected Takos to perform a solo entitled, "Beijing" at The Latin Choreographers Festival in 2011. Ellenore also used Takos in her piece "Woke Up in Beijing" at the New York Jazz Choreography Project at Ailey Citigroup Theater in 2011. Takos has trained a numerous dance schools in the New York City area but has mostly recently been known for working with recording artist Mac Miller as one of his featured dancers.


Takos said about working with ELSCO Dance company, 

"I am absolutely thrilled to be a part of ELSCO Dance! Being in the company of such talented and beautiful dancers and being mentored by the brilliance that is Ellenore Scott has been such an inspiring journey. The movement is thought provoking and creative and like nothing that has been done before. It' s challenging and fresh and to be honest, quite addictive! I look forward to every rehearsal knowing that not only will we be creating something spectacular but we are going to have a great time doing it. Ultimately, ELSCO is beyond a dance company; it's a family that grows with every piece Ellenore sets and every memory we create. I am honored to be part of this family."

Takos is a vital part of ELSCO Dance Company and we are so happy to have her. Above is her solo, "Beijing" that was premiered at The Latin Choreographers Project 2011. Hopefully you can see her perform soon!

For more information on Ellena Takos, please visit her MSA Page: http://www.msaagency.com/ellenatakos/ 

Photography by Rachel Neville

Food for Thought: Starting Process

ELSCO Dance Company has officially started! Beginning a company by yourself is definitely a tough task to take, but when you know it's the right time then you just got to take it and run with it! My company has one task, uniting the worlds of concert dance and commercial dance. As a classically trained dancer and having a commercial dance career I feel like I'm being pulled in two different directions. You have a pick a side. But why? Can't you have both? ELSCO was made to give dancers and audiences both things, the technique of an amazing concert piece but the storytelling of commercial work. My mother, Michelle Burkhart, has truly been a blessing in guiding me the right way to create this company. She has been an Executive Director for multiple organizations and companies so I'm so happy she will be working with my as my E.D. for future projects. 

It has always been a dream of mine since I was a little girl to create my own work. From teaching hip hop starting at the age of 11 at my school in Capitola, CA to choreographing my own solos for small shows around Santa Cruz and San Jose. Coming to NYC and doing small things here and there kept my interest in choreography. I'm inspired by books, stories, music and life. I just have a drive to make work that people can relate to. Pieces where the audience will watch it and say, "That's me up there. That is how I feel/act/think." I want to inspire the dance artists that work with me to come out of themselves and becoming better performers. I will write a separate post about how I had a literal turning point in my career recently when I was setting a evening length piece in Norway. But that is where I said, 

"This is what I want to do. I want to choreograph."

ELSCO has been amazing so far. Multiple rehearsals, photo shoots, filming days. The hard part isn't the creation, it's the backstage process: sending emails, contacting funders, editing videos and music, applying to festivals and fiscal sponsors. Everything in the moment is difficult, but in the end it is always worth it. I will be using ELSCO Dance Lounge as a place to showcase my dancers, my work, but Food for Thought will be my one-on-one time with my readers. Letting them know how my process of starting a dance company from scratch is going and being real with them. I know it's not going to be easy, but it's going to be worth it.  

Photography by Mike Petrie Jr., www.mikepetriejr.smugmug.com