Meet Mark Daftari | Dancer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Mark Daftari and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Mark, we’d love to hear about how you approach risk and risk-taking
I take risks every single day. Being a professional dancer is a risk in itself. But without risks you never know how far you can actually go to achieve goals and success. But some risks include possibly switching agencies, or maybe creating choreography that you aren’t fully confident with, or even taking a class that might make you look crazy, but the more uncomfortable you are the faster you’ll improve.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
What sets me apart from other artists would be my movement quality. I like to move with my sternum and when I teach I also give my students that quality and correction. I would say the reason I am where I am today is from the fact that I started a bit later in life, at the age of 17. I was always the underdog in my class with the least amount of training. But I worked my butt off trying to get to the level I wanted to be at. Then once I got accepted into USC.. the rest was history. My training there was exceptional. One big lesson that I’ve learned along the way is that confidence takes you very far. Even if you don’t think you have it, the more confident you are the more you can sell it, and when I say sell it, I mean your brand, because being an artist is a brand in itself. I want the world to know that sometimes you are the only one to believe in yourself. So if you have the right mindset and drive, anything is possible.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Most exciting spots in Los Angeles for me would be Zuma Beach in Malibu, and of course, Disneyland. So if I have any friends visiting, I would take them there immediately or to some cute brunch spots in West Hollywood including urth café. One of my favorite things ever during the summer is to drive PCH blasting Lana Del Rey with the windows down.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
My family deserves all the recognition. They have been the most supportive with my career choices. Dance isn’t the easiest career choice financially, so the fact that I have their full support means the world to me. They come to every show, watch every Instagram video, and ask me how I’m doing everytime I see them.

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/markdaftari?igsh=OGQ5ZDc2ODk2ZA%3D%3D&utm_source=qr

Youtube: https://youtube.com/@markdaftarii?si=Sx1jF9jubWj5asAO

Other: Agency: Bloc Talent Agency in Los Angeles for bookings. blocassistant@blocagency.com

Image Credits
Lee Gumbs Vince Trupsin