A true character to hard work, persistence, and amazing talent is Marie Bonnevay aka Marie Poppins. Marie is undeniably an inspiration and exactly what Mateo Magazine represents. She believes in what she does and she never gives up hope. Here is a bit of her story that she shared with us.

Mateo Magazine: What is/are your passion(s)?
Marie Poppins: Dance is my passion. I started young with Jazz, but I found my identity as a dancer when I discovered Hip Hop when I was 18. I fell in love with its freedom, its culture its principles. I started learning different styles: Locking, Breaking, house, choreography. But my favorite style became Popping. I focused mainly on this art form and I was really determined to get better and better.

Dance agents. Chances are, you haven’t heard that much about them even though the profession has been around for over 20 years. Just like the biggest names in Hollywood do, dancers have representatives too. They’re commonly referred to as ‘dance agents’ and they help dancers get jobs, auditions and negotiate agreements, of various kinds, on their client’s behalf. A manager for dancers, however, is rare and for dance educators and choreographers, even more so. That’s where former top ‘dance agent’ Jim Keith comes in. His plan is to transform the commercial dance industry by providing his select group of choreographers and dance educators with the personalized attention, guidance and industry insight he believes are crucial to thrive in an ever-evolving entertainment industry.

Life as a dancer consists of many days of uncertainty and years of intensive training. And it’s also ruled by that simple phone call that has the anxious dancer waiting to hear about landing ‘that’ job. Two inspiring and accomplished dancers in Toronto, La Toya Robinson and Tuch, share with us what life is really like as a dancer and what it takes to be successful in the dance industry.

Tuch, a professional dancer and choreographer in Toronto, has worked alongside Missy Elliot, Jully Black, Eve, and Jay-Z among others, and as a cast member of the motion picture Honey, starring Jessica Alba. He for one can attest to the uncertainty and fluctuations a dancer faces

Bobby Amamizu is not only a student at UC Irvine, but also a talented dancer since the age of five. You can currently catch him dancing in the new Cirque du Soleil show, Viva ELVIS, in Las Vegas, Nevada. From his beginnings as a dancer, Bobby has been under the direction of Monie Adamson of Focus Dance Center and began ballet training with Molly Lynch of Ballet Pacifica just a few years later. His television credits include Fiona Apple’s music video, Paper Bag; an Emmy Award-winning number for the Jerry Lewis Telethon, choreographed by Jason Samuel Smith; the United Television Broadcast; the Walt Disney music video, Your Library; America’s Most Talented Kids; and also Fame, a major motion picture, for which he performed as a feature dancer. This young, yet very experienced and humble dancer dances in a variety of styles, including commercial hip-hop under the direction of Definition of Creativity, based in San Diego, California.

If you ever wanted to embark on a journey through the diverse world of freestyle and hip-hop dance, snatching a ticket to The Groovaloos Show would be your best bet. What started off as a ritual gathering of street dancers in 1999 has turned into an off-Broadway tour across the nation. From their jaw-dropping dance moves, to the vibrant musical score, to the powerful spoken-word poetry, the Groovaloos are proof that dreams can come true and that dance can save lives.

After checking out the show in New York City, I caught up with Bradley Rapier, the original founder of the Groovaloos, and got the inside scoop on their journey thus far.

Mateo Magazine: Amazing show!! Word is that you are originally from Canada. Where were you born?
Bradley Rapier: Yes, I lived in Edmonton, Alberta until age six and was raised in Calgary, Alberta.

MM: So when did you move to Los Angeles?

Greatness as a dancer can mean countless hours of blood, sweat, love, and tears. With the latest trend on reality T.V. broadcasting the competitive world of dance, audiences get to witness a portion of the physical and mental struggles a dancer may face. Thanks to shows such as America's Best Dance Crew (ABDC), the recognition of dance has grown to another level.

I had the pleasure to speak with Mike Currasco “Murda”, a member of Supercr3w, an integration of three break dance crews. We talked about how a natural challenge with the unison of different crews is to remain strong as a whole and sticking together. Wanting the same things at the same time, and working hard on their art is a special connection they all had, which contributes to their success. On top of the mental connection that kept them together, there were responsibilities that had to be balanced, while striving to achieve great heights in the dance world.

"MATEO is an expression of our passion for life and determination to achieve our dreams.”  We have come to find that Luther Brown represents what we believe in. 

As one of the main judges and choreographers of “So You Think You Can Dance Canada,” Luther has always been an intricate part to the show.  His role is to educate dancers, whether it is by choreography, or life lessons.  He wants them to succeed in their own craft, and make them understand, that nothing is achieved over night. 

“You have to pay your dues,” Luther states, “doesn’t matter how many things I’ve done...I still have to respect the guys that have been there for a while.  It doesn’t matter what your resume says, you need to have respect.”

Growing up in the Jane and Finch area, Luther has always had a great love for his community.