As we recover from an unforgettable week at Red Bull Dance Your Style World Finals, we can’t help but reflect on the incredible energy, creativity, and love that filled every moment.
The BackBeat Pro team is deeply grateful for the partnerships, collaborations, teamwork, patience, and trust shared throughout the week. It was an honor to serve and connect with so many talented artists from around the world.
Until next time… ❤️💙
@redbulldance@teamepiphany@jivelivela@throwingstar_collective@thelegits@eventureline
Meet the Pro: Ione Ogawa
Ione Ogawa was raised in Southern California, where she began training in ballet and ice skating which quickly developed into a lifelong passion for dance. She went on to attend Chapman University, earning a BFA in Dance alongside a degree in Business Marketing. After graduating, Ione worked in an administrative role at Elements Dance Space while actively pursuing a professional dance career in Los Angeles.
Now based in New York City, Ione continues to deepen her work as a contemporary dancer, with aspirations of joining a dance company abroad. Alongside her artistic pursuits, she remains involved in the hospitality industry—both within and beyond the dance community—bringing a strong work ethic and a spirit of connection to everything she does.
Meet the Pro: Mark Matsuno
Mark has been behind the scenes of some of the world’s top dancers and crews—most notably over a decade with the Jabbawockeez. With a background in accounting and a knack for merchandise, he’s grown into management, operations, and entrepreneurship; building systems and ideas that keep the culture moving. Through BackBeat, he’s not just supporting dance—he’s helping to nurture the stage dance thrives on.
Meet the Pro: Mike Fallorina
Born and raised in the Bay Area, Mike began his dance career with Gen 2 and The Company, a foundation that set the stage for his move to Southern California to pursue dance professionally.
​He quickly established himself as a versatile performer, dancing for major artists on stage and television, and shared his passion as an instructor across the globe(Jam Republic Agency Alumni).
​His journey reached a global audience while performing with his Kinjaz brothers on NBC’s World of Dance. He co-founded the influential Kinjaz PodKast, produced live events and managed special projects/operations for Movement Lifestyle.
​Now, as part of the BackBeat team, Mike channels his lifelong passion into championing the next generation of elite talent at premier events like Red Bull Dance Your Style and Red Bull BC One.
Meet the Pro: Roxine Amon
Rox began dancing at 7, from living room sessions copying pop icons to competing through high school and college. Her passion for the culture led her to producing and supporting major community competitions like Maxt Out and Arena. Outside of dance, Rox has built a career in digital marketing, focusing on design and engagement for clients across industries including fashion, education, and nonprofits. Earlier this year, Rox stepped into her mom era, bringing a fresh perspective in everything she does. She also continues her work with BackBeat as the behind-the-scenes magician—turning chaos into clarity and proving no puzzle is too big for her spreadsheets.
Meet the Pro: Michelle “Mursh” Kelly
Mursh began her dance journey at the age of 3 with a tap, jazz, and ballet background. She then discovered Hip Hop at the age of 9 and trained under Greg Chapkis and Chapkis Dance Family for 10 years. She is the first U.S. female to win a world’s gold medal in the adult division at Hip Hop International with crew S-Rank and has accumulated a total of 7 gold medals. Now with 15+ years of experience working with teams, she enjoys directing and choreographing the next generation of dancers. She has also worked behind the scenes with BackBeat Productions for Red Bull dance events such as Dance Your Style and BC One. With her Bachelor’s in Business Management and as a Management Assistant for Legacy Entertainment Group, she aspires to continue managing talent and work with the most top tier dancers.
Meet the Pro: Karissa Cooney
Karissa has had a passion for dance for the past 20+ years. Starting at age 8 she began training primarily in jazz and lyrical which expanded to contemporary, hip hop and ballet as well via her competitive years through studios and high school. She graduated from CSUN with a B.S. in Kinesiology Dance, has taught at various studios, and coached her previous high school dance team. She also danced for the NBA’s LA Clippers for 10 years with her final 4 years as a captain of the team. Some other highlights were dancing at Universal Studios as well as for Cirque Du Soleil. She still actively dances for an entertainment company in LA getting to keep her passion alive. She values the dancer and their needs and loves to help cultivate the best hospitality in all the ways she knows dancers deserve.
Meet the Pro: Kath Ahn
Kath is part brand wrangler, part creative matchmaker, and full-time storyteller. She’s spent her career moving between artists, brands, and big ideas — making sure each one shines in its own spotlight. A lifelong artist herself, Kath’s mission is simple: to turn connections into collaborations and projects into stories worth remembering.
Meet the Pro: Tu DeVera
With over 30+ years of experience in dance, Tu DeVera has been working with all aspects of dance in the community and industry. She started dancing at the age of 12 and has trained in many disciplines from hip hop to ballet to jazz. With 20 years of teaching and studio management experience, she has traveled across the US to perform and produce events. She is the co-owner of Elements Dance Space in Pasadena, CA, a member of the Kinjaz, and has helped produce dance events like The Making, Arena, Vibe, and Maxt Out. A mom of two teenage boys, her motherly nature to care for others continues to remain a core purpose.
Meet the Pro: LeeJ Razalan
LeeJ is the most interesting “Dance Dad” in the world. A former professional dancer turned renowned manager (Beat Freaks, Jabbawockeez, Kinjaz, Logan Edra, etc) he is the visionary, connector, and entrepreneur of the BackBeat team. He’s been on a decades long mission developing dancers into brands and working at the intersection with brands who want to advance their momentum with dance. His mission, simply put: “To Champion the Dancer.”
Backbeat is built by dancers, for dancers. We’ve dedicated ourselves to serving the artists, communities, and culture that make dance thrive.
More than management, Backbeat delivers advocacy, production, partnerships, and commerce solutions that honor the present moment while shaping the future of the art form.
Guided by our core framework—Listen, Identify, Deliver—we listen to the pulse of the community, identify opportunities that create value for dancers and partners, and deliver world-class productions, business initiatives, and experiences that elevate dance worldwide.
