Over the weekend, from March 6-9, Timpview Dance Company traveled to Los Angeles for a four-day trip filled with masterclasses and sightseeing. Led by Tera Taylor, the team had the opportunity to train with renowned choreographers while also taking in some of LA’s most well-known attractions.

The trip began early on Thursday, March 6, with a 3:45 a.m. departure from Timpview to the Salt Lake City airport. After the team landed in Los Angeles, they headed straight to The Grove and Farmers Market for lunch. Later that afternoon, they took their first masterclass at Playground LA with Shane Bruce, focusing on hip-hop.

Friday’s schedule included two back-to-back 90-minute contemporary and hip-hop masterclasses at Millennium LA, taught by Sam Nelson and Hero Thomas. Following the classes, the dancers spent the afternoon visiting Santa Monica Pier, the Hollywood Walk of Fame, and Griffith Observatory before heading to Hard Rock Café for dinner.

Saturday continued the training with a morning jazz funk masterclass at TMilly Studios with Cassidy Noblett, followed by an afternoon contemporary class at Movement Lifestyle with Hayden Frederick. That night, the team boarded a dinner cruise and was able to end the trip on a great note.

Before heading home on Sunday, the team visited Universal CityWalk and had lunch at Buca Di Beppo before catching their flight back to Salt Lake City.

This trip was filled to the brim with different experiences and sightseeing, and while those aspects were definitely a highlight of the trip, the biggest impact left on the dancers was from the masterclasses they were able to take to improve their technique. Because the movie industry is heavily located in LA, the dance industry has also followed. The studios that they were able to dance at were world-renowned, with choreographers who have worked with celebrities all across the board.

While speaking with some of the teachers, some shared they had been on tour with Lady Gaga, Katy Perry, and Beyoncé. Their connections to those high up in the industry were inspiring for the dance company members to hear and look up to. Los Angeles is known as a dance hub, and so to be able to visit and take classes was a one-of-a-kind experience that the team will never forget.