Today we’d like to introduce you to Isabel Cooper.
Hi Isabel, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
Hi! My name is Isabel Cooper! I am a senior dance major at Hussian College Los Angeles. As a sophomore, we have to take a course labeled “Lab 390”. It acts as the deciding factor of which shows get picked up for the festival that we hold at the end of the school year. My friend Hannah Gravelle and I, were both on the team that wanted to explore a burlesque show based on the evolution of women throughout history and our show was chosen! Things started to pick up the next school year and us two producers hired choreographers, cast 28 dancers, and rehearsed for 3 months before opening night in April at the Hussian College WeAreFest! In the summer of 2022, Hannah and I pitched the show for the Next Stage Grant opportunity at Hussian College, where a previous festival show is given another chance to be executed on a grander scale and use this opportunity to kickstart something that will hopefully last longer than the typical school year. We ended up getting the grant and asked two of our fellow peers and best friends Mckinsey Shea, and Kelly Welsh, to help co-create and produce the next rendition of the show. This was the beginnings of the next stage show and now company, Les Femmes Productions. We acquired our LLC just a few weeks ago and the opening of our show is this weekend, November 10th! We are so excited to present this show and company to the world and you can learn more about our company @lesfemmes.productions on Instagram!
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
The past couple of months have been a whirlwind. This run of the show has been so completely different from the last. This time around we cast quite a few more dancers and without the help of the whole festival behind us, we have had to figure out all of the technical aspects of the show, along with creating a whole company at the same time. While working on this show, scheduling rehearsals, and working with the dancers, we have overseen script writing, MC writing, acting, and MC rehearsals, amidst getting licensed as an LLC and creating a social media platform. We also hired a lighting designer, Hayden Kirschbaum who has been incredible, shoutout Hayden:), worked with our friends as our camera ops and crew and spent many an hour trying on costumes with our fabulous costumer, Blair James. The four of us have truly put our blood, sweat, and tears into this show and company and we cannot wait to share our whole vision!
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
Hussian College Los Angeles is an art school with Acting, Dancing, Musical theater, and film majors. During the past four years as a dance major, I have learned an incredible amount about the entertainment industry and what I want to do as a creative within it. Dance is my whole heart and soul, and, In the future, I am going to combine this love with other aspects of the industry that I have learned about during my time at HCLA. With a focus on film and fashion, I am excited to explore combining all of these interests after I graduate!
Networking and finding a mentor can have such a positive impact on one’s life and career. Any advice?
Mentors within the entertainment industry are so important. I have had multiple dance mentors within the past 4 years I have lived in LA. Each and every one of them has taught me a new perspective on how to approach this craft and art as a human being. I have taken so much from all of my mentors. From this information and guidance, I now formulate my opinion and own sense of this industry. I think it is adamant to continue to have conversations with those who have been in the industry longer than me because everyone has different lessons that they have learned.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://lesfemmes.productions
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/lesfemmes.productions?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=
Image Credits
Jared Trevino
John Landry
Joey Simpson
Bobby Dacones
