GEE FAM TEACHERS
David Bortnick
David has been doing stage and media productions for two decades. Based out of Santa Cruz Ca, he is an audio production engineer, motion graphics artists, professional videographer, choreographer and teacher. He has traveled all of over the country and overseas performing and filming for numerous productions. He started dancing with Gary at the age of 8 and quickly became part of numerous groups with him including Boom Squad, Culture Shock SF, City Slam, All the Right Moves and Future Shock. He was featured in the 2004 American Choreography Awards, and participated in the 2005 International Performing Arts Festival in Shanghai, China. In 2006 he created his first complete show "BreakBeat" which traveled the continental US. Since then he cofounded the dance groups Beat Techniques, Omega Crew, Kinetik Crew and helped produce the media masterpiece "InnerActions" which was featured in the Georgetown National Institutes in Washington DC. In 2012 he co-founded Pacific Arts Complex in Santa Cruz which now has two locations in Santa Cruz and Watsonville.
Hannah Vincent
(Los Angeles, CA) is a bgirl, hip hop dancer, mover, and choreographer. She had previously trained in her hometown in Colorado with crews such as BreakEFX and The Janes. From there she had the pleasure of performing for and being apart of America's Best Dance Crew Season 5, the NBA Nuggets ft. MC Hammer, Boys II Men and Stevie B, and has worked on music videos for Daya, Everytime I Die and Brendon Urie. She is currently based out of Los Angeles and represented by Go 2 Talent Agency. Her choreography fundamentally derives from hip hop, but has a unique twist to it by combining breaking and contemporary into the movement the song allows her to create. Anything involving dance and music brings a smile to her heart and she hopes to share that feeling amongst all movers.
Jamie Fraser
(San Jose, CA)Jamie Fraser has directed, performed, choreographed and taught hip-hop in his dance career which began in 99’. Gary Kendell was huge part of his life as a mentor, teacher and big brother. Jamie performed with the traveling stage show “ Monster Shop Bumpin “ reaching all over the US and Shanghi and Jinan China. His teaching career began in 2000 and is currently the director for the One 4 Gee dance crew from Dance Connection Palo Alto. His message is “We are all Gee Fam! Where Rhythm is Life and Life is Rhythm”
Joe Gray
Joe has been teaching, choreographing, and performing for over a decade. He has taught and performed all over the US, China, and South Korea. His inspiration and mentor, the late Gary Kendall, was a founding member of the now infamous dance crew: Jabbawockeez. Joe is the co-founder of the Gee Fam Dance Convention which is an annual dance event that honors the legacy of Gary Kendall and his teachings.
Currently, he directs RoCo’s youth hip hop dance company in Marin: Fresh FX. They perform at corporate events, community events, and other local venues. He also teaches several kids and adult classes in Santa Rosa. Joe has been a special guest teacher at Stanford University, University of San Francisco, SSU, SRJC and more.
Luz Plaatjes
(Los Angeles, CA) Originally from Denver Colorado and with over a decade of experience as a performer, instructor and director, Luz brings a unique and inspiring approach to teaching dance. Her style of teaching stems from using emotional connection, passion, and character performance. Over the past 15 years Luz has come to specialize in hip-hop, latin styles, groove and house and trains in popping, breaking, locking, and funk. Luz has danced for Motion Underground, the Denver Nuggets Mob Squad and many competing companies across Colorado. Performed for Coolio, Tone Loc, LauriAnn Gibson, Stretch Buddha, and Jessie Santos. She belongs to the all Female competitive Dance Crew and family The Janes. Luz strives to inspire young woman to break the boundaries of gender and compete with everything left on the floor.
Ray Maestas
(Denver, CO) Began his performing career at the age of 3 years old, performing at car shows and special events. Since then Ray has gone on to become one of Colorado’s top performers as well as a professional dance instructor and choreographer. Versed in a multitude of dance genres, Ray has traveled the world with dance performing in Qatar, Japan, China, Canada and North America. Ray’s credits include: Winner of 30 Seconds of FAME (Hollywood, CA), Monster Shop Bump’n (National Tour), Break Shop (National Tour), Oprah Winfrey, Donald Trump, Kelly Rowland, Ludicrous and a variety of music videos and commercials. His original bboy style is a powerful fusion of many styles with a smooth precise hip hop twist.
Ryan Curren
(Reno ,NV) originally from Santa Cruz, California, Ryan began performing at the age of 8 in local theater companies which eventually led him to the dance studio at the age of 11. Ryan began studying with Gary Kendell when he was 13 years old as a member of the hip hop dance crew "Boom Squad". Ryan is a former five year cast member of two of Gary Kendall’s international touring shows, "Monster Shop Bump’n" and "Break Shop". In 2007 he teamed up with GEE FAM, David Bortnick and Joe Gray, to create the national touring show the “InnerACTIONS Project” for which he was Artistic Director/Choreographer. Ryan’s Credits include “Westside Story”, Disney’s “That’s So Raven”, Billy Blanks celebrity basketball halftime show, Redbull SF promo event, soloist in “A MidSummer Nightmare”, San Francisco International Hip Hop Festival, SummerFest Dance Convention. Ryan is currently the director of two Truckee, CA based crews, “Quality Control” and “Floor Mechanics” and co-owner of Truckee Dance Factory. Ryan is committed to sharing the gift of dance and working with those passionate to learn and create in the hip-hop medium.
Ben Carter
(Los Angeles, CA) began his formal dance training under Gary Kendall in Santa Cruz, CA where he performed and competed with multiple dance troupes in The Bay Area. He later choreographed competition hip-hop at the collegiate level, before moving to LA to pursue dance professionally. Benjamin has been partnered with Bloc Talent for five years, working in multiple facets of the dance industry under such renowned choreographers like Fatima Robinson, Richie Jackson, Mandy Moore, Dana Wilson and Eden Shabtai on some of the biggest stages in the world. Artist credits include Gwen Stefani, Skrillex, Rihanna, Meghan Trainor, and Cody Simpson. Commercial and television credits include Nike, Target, American Eagle, Adidas, Budweiser, Grammy's, AMAs, Today Show, and Shake it up to name a few.