CRITICAL MASS DANCE COMPANY fosters healing and empowerment of underserved girls and women in Los Angeles through dance and movement.

Gandhi invited us to “be the change we wish to see in the world..” But how can we do that….really? Dance from the Heart is a movement practice that helps us tap into the power of our hearts to create change from the inside out. Learn about two women’s journeys to heal their hearts and embody change through dance.

E. SOPHIA KOZAK is the founding director of Critical Mass Dance Company and creator of Dance from the Heart. Sophia brings 10+ years of professional experience as a community organizer, healing arts practitioner, and dancer. Sophia created Dance from the Heart from her work with energy medicine and sacred/ecstatic dance. She has been teaching Dance from the Heart since 2010 and published a book on the practice in 2017 called Dance from the Heart: Manifest your Dreams through Movement in 7 Steps. She holds a B.A. from UCLA and M.A. degrees in Spiritual Psychology (Counseling) and Nonprofit Management. 

AZUCENA ORTIZ is Women Empowerment Teaching Artist at Critical Mass Dance Company. 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.