Hothouse Residency provides LA dancers space to explore creative works

Los Angeles was not a dance-friendly town 21 years ago when Victoria Marks began teaching at UCLA. She said the entertainment industry’s enormous wealth hindered aspiring dance artists from affording rehearsal space in a city known for its involvement in movies. “The expectation is that people have money to pay for rehearsal studios, but for […]

UCLA student strengthens SoulCycle brand through virtual platforms

Marie Samuel pedaled to the energetic music of the SoulCycle workout, climbing hills and completing sprints on a stationary bike all within the dimly lit room of the studio. Outside of the workout room, fourth-year political science student Samuel works with SoulCycle using a virtual platform instead of the fitness equipment of the class. Samuel […]

FYF Fest 2016 lights up LA with electrifying performances

Now in its twelfth year, FYF Fest has become a staple in the Los Angeles music festival circuit. Weekend headliners Tame Impala, Kendrick Lamar, Grace Jones and LCD Soundsystem delivered mesmerizing shows that shook Exposition Park to its foundations. The two-day festival hosted varied musicians. Artists DIIV, Tame Impala, Mac DeMarco and Blood Orange swept […]

TFT professor explores cultural differences in film ‘August in Berlin’

A small coffeehouse in Berlin housed the fortuitous meeting of two strangers, a German man and a Canadian woman. Although the two were reluctant about each other at first, spending 48 hours together allowed them to overcome barriers crafted by their own assumptions about their cultures and romantic statuses. This is the central premise for […]

Composer’s style integrates classical theory and modern soundscapes

The fusion of synthesizer sounds and violin harmonies in space opera “Star Wars” inspired Joe Trapanese to score for films like the ones he loved as a kid. Film composer Trapanese studied classical music composition at the Manhattan School of Music in New York City and earned his master’s degree in composition for visual media […]

Alumna stirs things up as brand strategist in food industry

Natasha Phan grew up surrounded by decadent spices, meats, herbs, savory sauces and layer upon layer of flavor in her parents’ Asian-Latina market in Echo Park. They opened their store in the early ’80s, before Echo Park and Silver Lake had evolved to what they are today, and Phan considers food an integral part of […]