Kristen Holleyman: Co-Founder
Peace and Hello! - Thanks for taking the time to get to know a little more about me :) I am a hybrid movement heArtist and DJ dedicated to the freedom and sanctuary of the body/mind/Spirit. Radical care in a journey with self love, empathy, joy and healing is my movement - in reclaiming my humble power and light as a wombyn; I illuminate and share space with others to shine theirs. Collaboratively with my husband, DJ Chris Cockroft, I am founder of Embodied Arts (co)LAB: an artist residency, movement/music sanctuary and training ground nestled in the Roosevelt Forest within the Rocky Mountains of Lyons, Colorado. We (co)LAB with the frequencies of sound, nature, and water through values of Hip Hop (Higher Inner Power - Helping Other People), and relish in wonder and infinite possibility.
Our mission is to harmonize our vibration (sound & movement) with nature ∞, balance practices of restoration and rigor, and deepen our roots with inner listening & love. From this place, our branches can extend to collective groove and play…..believing in and honoring ancestral wisdoms that reveal themselves through these practices. The (co)LAB welcomes cross-disciplinary collaboration to create, exchange, express, undo, explore and BE.
Places I've shared my choreographic work at include: Cuerpos en Tránsito Festival Tijuana, Brockus Space Los Angeles, Highways Performance Space Santa Monica, Quinzena de Dança Almada Festival Portugal, American College Dance Festival Utah, and Zion Dance Project's Winter and Summer Series performances/films in Dallas, TX. For 6 years I performed in Los Angeles with companies such as: The Iris Company, Intersect Dance Theatre, Heidi Duckler Dance Theatre, Datugan Dance Theatre, Jam Today Dance Theatre, and with various artists including Mya, Daft Punk, Psy, Todrick Hall’s “OZ” featuring Tori Kelly, and as assistant choreographer with Toogie Barcelo for Lawrence Rothman’s “Wolves Still Cry” music video directed by Floria Sigismondi. Locally, I’ve danced with Chadash Contemporary Dance Movement, premiered my MFA concert, A ONDA, at the University of Colorado 2019, and I debuted my solo work “Kronos v Kairos” in Freeform Dance Festival 2022 at the Dairy Center in Boulder, CO. I currently enjoy park sessions with our crew: Might as Well, and recently performed our debut piece at Parson’s Theatre, Northglenn.
Music vibes through my bones - I have roots in piano, guitar, and flute that have blossomed into DJing. I have so much gratitude for my Love, Chris, for training me on the cut. I am a multi-genre DJ who spins for private parties, fundraisers, mitzvahs, weddings, dance jams, The University of Colorado Hip Hop events and Dance Concerts, University of Northern Colorado’s “Women in Pop Party”, Bounce Empire, Diva Cypher Battle, and recently assisted with AV for Mike Johnston’s Election Party and the Denver Nuggets Championship watch party at Denver’s historic Union Station. I’m excited to continue learning and allowing this groove in my heart to grow and hope to create soundscapes for people to find their own breakthroughs!
I teach dance with a human-first approach to all bodies desiring to move, including professional dancers, Spanish-English bilingual communities, children and adults, and children with disabilities. Through my 18 years of teaching, I have enjoyed the exchange with students as a Graduate teacher at the University of Colorado, at Piz Arts NYC, Zion Dance Project Summer and Winter Series Dallas, TX, and at studios/schools/community-culture programs in Colorado, Los Angeles, SLC, Portland, Mexico, Ecuador, Austria, Germany, The U.K., Belgium, and Portugal. I experienced my M.F.A. in Dance as well as my B.A. in Spanish/Secondary Education at CU Boulder, and am a GYROKINESIS® & GYROTONIC® Trainer; I find joy in learning people’s learning styles to exchange embodied ways of knowing/sharing.
My movement is informed by exploration with water and earth, Experimental Contemporary, Gaga, Floorwork, Contact Improvisation, Single Point Trapeze, Ballet, House, Breaking, Tutting, Waving, and Popping-with mad respect for Hip Hop culture. I navigate and process life with movement, and continue to relate, create, and learn through researching anatomy and physiology of starfish, Great Spirit, ecowomxnism, indigenous widsoms, my cat- Peetree, procrastination, laughter, Cyphering, South Park, and music/multimedia performance in non-traditional spaces. I value childlike wonder, the unknown, and non-virtual being in support of ephemeral, kinesthetic and human to human embodied experiences - for they are sacred, vital, and irreplaceable. Thank you to my teachers for passing down your movement gifts, and to family, ancestors, earth, and Creator for schooling me. Much love. <3
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D.J. CHRIS: Co-Founder
I have been a DJ since the ripe old age of 13. My first spot in a nightclub was in Downtown Dallas at age 15. By selling custom mixtapes and DJ’ing local parties from birthdays and school dances to weddings, I found a way to support my love of music! Beginning at age 18, I worked for the largest Mobile DJ Company in Houston.
In 1997, I moved to Colorado, and worked as the Lead Sales Manager and Head DJ for a mobile company located in Denver. After 6 1/2 years in the Mobile Scene, I decided to go back to my roots in the Club Scene. I got a residency three nights a week in Denver and Boulder for 2 ½ years. When I created Tip Top Music Entertainment Mobile DJ service in 2004, I sought to incorporate the best of what I had experienced up to that point. I wanted diversity, creativity, and something unusually dynamic & personable. So, one show at a time, I looked to set standards way above anything previously done in the industry. One thing that I felt was always missing was working with youth and participating in community building. During this first year at Tip Top, I decided to create Turntables for Teens; a Youth Mentoring Program involving the arts of DJ-ing, Breakdancing, Mural Creation, and Creative Writing.
Having done Sound Design for Times Square New Year’s Eve, Lance Armstrong’s comeback race in Las Vegas, and Audio Tech at Red Rocks Amphitheater, I am most inspired to be exploring sound frequency healing with my wife - Kristen Holleyman, at our artist residency program, Embodied Arts (co)LAB.