NEW upon request!

eXit SPACE DANCE LAB | August 15-17, 2025

After years of requests, we're finally making it happen! eXit SPACE is thrilled to announce the inaugural eS DANCE LAB (ESDL) summer intensive for intermediate through professional-level adult dancers. Artists who enroll in ESDL will expand their training under nationally-recognized dance educators Mike Esperanza (New York City / Los Angeles), Sam Picart (St. Louis), and Marlo Martin (Seattle); investigate their artistic range in stylistically diverse classes; and make connections with fellow performers and choreographers in the Greater Seattle Area. This three-day weekend intensive consists of technique classes and lecture demonstrations, company repertoire and a practical skills lab. Dancers will receive supportive personal guidance and exacting constructive feedback with the opportunity to participate in supportive and brave dialogues.

From coast to coast, Mike, Sam, and Marlo have spent years traveling, teaching, creating, and cultivating communities in dance spaces – they are each recognized as individuals for the heart they bring into classrooms and stages across the country (see bios below). Dancers interested in ESDL can expect to be guided by these three faculty as individuals and trained to move as their most authentic selves.

eXit SPACE DANCE LAB Schedule | August 15-17

Classes held at eXit SPACE | NOD Theater (Capitol Hill)

Friday 

• 5:45-7:15pm – Contemporary Technique and Choreo with Mike
• 7:30-9:15pm – Hip Hop/Jazz Funk Class & Choreo with Sam

Saturday 

• 12:30-2:00pm – Modern-Contemporary Technique with Marlo
• 2:15-3:45pm – Improv, Character Development and Performance Practices with Marlo & Mike
• 4-5:45pm – Contemporary Technique and Choreo with Mike

Sunday

• 12-1:45pm – Weight Sharing and Partnering with Mike & Marlo
• 2-3:45pm – Company Rep (badmarmarDANCE | Marlo Martin & bareDANCE | Mike Esperanza)
• 4-5:45pm – Hip Hop/Jazz Funk Class & Choreo with Sam

About the artists

Mike Esperanza (New York, NY & Los Angeles, CA) is a multifaceted creative force, celebrated for his transformative contributions to the world of dance and choreography. With an innate ability to merge contemporary aesthetics with authentic storytelling, Mike has captivated audiences worldwide. His journey began in Los Angeles and currently in New York City, where he honed his craft, drawing inspiration from urban culture and the human experience.

As dance maker and choreographer, Mike has presented on prestigious stages including the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, Sergerstrom Center for the Arts, McCalllum Theatre, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, Salvatore Capezio Theater at Peridance, The Royal Conservatory in Cordoba, Spain, and the Australian Circus Festival. The Los Angeles Contemporary Dance Company, Dark Circles Contemporary Dance, and other universities around the United States have commissioned Mike’s work. Mike’s talent garnered the 2005 “Dance: Creation for Performance” grant presented by Dance/USA and the Irvine Foundation (out of which he established BARE Dance Company), the 2010 “Innerstate” tour presented by ODC Theater, the 2010 paid engagement award at the Palm Desert Choreography Under the Stars Festival, the 2014 Reverb Dance Festival commission award, and the 2014 CUNY Dance Initiative. 

Mike is currently continuing his visual and creative exploration through film. Two of Mike’s recent works have been screened nationally and internationally. The National Center for Choreography in Akron, Ohio and the San Francisco Dance Film Festival named Mike a choreographer for the 2018 “Co-Laboratory” Project. The Project pairs a choreographer with a film director to created a dance film in ten days using the City of Akron as a backdrop. The film “But first…” premiered at the San Francisco Dance Film Festival in October 2024.

“With its bold, athletic movement and theatricality – the latter clearly the coming together of Esperanza’s many talents – the [BARE Dance Company] epitomizes the dance of the new millennium: shape-shifting, vernacular-blending with a prescient focus on the brave new world in which we live.”

— Jessica Abrams, Explore Dance

Sam Picart (St. Louis, MO) began his dance training in street styles at the age of 15 and began ballet training at 18 under his aunt Jennifer Picart-Branner, formerly of the Frankfurt Ballet. Sam received a BFA from Cornish College of the Arts in 2013 and in 2016 he was the chosen winner of Ellen's Dance Off competition and was a featured guest on the show. Sam's training also includes the Joffrey Ballet Summer Program in NYC and The Académie du Domaine Forget with Rubberband Dance. He has worked with notable choreographers such as Mandy Moore, Camille A Brown, Victor Quijada and Iyun Ashani Harrison. He continues to perform many solo pieces and has been featured at multiple MLB games, The Harlem Globetrotters halftime show, and has done commercial work for Microsoft and SYTYCD. Currently, Sam hosts and teaches conventions for Showstopper Dance Competition and tours as a teaching and performing artist internationally. 

Marlo Martin (Seattle, WA) is a director, choreographer, educator and producer in Seattle, WA. She holds a BFA in dance from Western Michigan University and recently received the 2022 WMU Department of Fine Arts Distinguished Alumni award for Arts Education. Marlo finds fulfillment and joy in celebrating and practicing all that encompasses and defines dance. Martin founded and currently directs eXit SPACE (est. 2004), a center for dance education and performance opportunities for the beginning student through professional level dancer. Martin has grown eXit SPACE from a single room studio with two teachers into three locations, five studios, a theater, 19 faculty members, housing for local dance companies, a host of artist programming, a pre-professional training program, and over 90 classes per week.

While developing eXit SPACE, Marlo has also continued to work as a choreographer. She has created works for her own company, oaklanDrive (2005-2009) and badmarmarDANCE (2010-2015, 2022-current). Since moving to Seattle in 2002 her work has been presented at numerous concerts and festivals including The Bridge Project Velocity Dance Center, the High Wire Series Seattle U, 12 Minutes Max On the Boards (2005, 2010, 2012), BASH theater, Redd Legg Dance, A Moving Conversation The Fremont Abbey, Evoke Dance Production's Full Tilt, Beyond the Threshold / Spotlight on Seattle (2011, 2013, 2015), the BOOST dance festival, the Fall Kick Off Velocity Dance Center, NEXTfest NW Velocity Dance Center, self-produced full length tenSIDES (2012) and SPLIT BILL (2013) and WITNESS (2024), Cornish Dance Theater, Bellingham Rep Dance, Strictly Seattle (2013/2015), and Western Michigan University Dept. of Dance.

Martin’s Artistic Directorship has evolved over the course of the past 20 years of leadership at eXit SPACE. In 2016 and 2021 Martin continued to develop eXit SPACE by creating two new artist's spaces called theNEST and Studio SEA. In 2021 Martin also founded NOD Theater in an effort to deepen her commitment to serving the Seattle arts & dance community; playing a vital role in its development and longevity. 

In addition to her entrepreneurial ventures, Marlo is proud to be the Artistic Director and Choreographer of badmarmarDANCE. badmarmarDANCE is in creative residence at NOD Theater | eXit SPACE (Seattle, WA). badmarmarDANCE, is a collective of storytellers, performers, dancers, magicians of movement, and knitters of the human experience as we see and feel it. As a producer, Marlo proudly presents BOOST dance festival, takePAUSE, BOOSTmeUP, and PROPEL AIR.

As an educator Marlo spends the majority of her time at eXit SPACE. Currently you can find Marlo teaching weekly technique classes, guiding workshops, and co-directing the pre-professional division, thePROGRAM. She has enjoyed being a guest faculty member at Cornish College for the Arts and Western Michigan University as well as a variety of WA state studios, conservatories, and events.

Marlo is genuinely interested in sharing her vision and ideas through teaching and creating dance, by developing forums for the exploration and presentation of dance works, and by supporting and nurturing fellow dancers, artists, and directors.