“Welcoming Others,” was the title, and all those who attended agreed – it worked! Culver City’s newest Artist Laureate, Victoria Marks, is a choreographer who creates movement-centered performances with and for groups of people, describing her work as a form of group portraiture. She just concluded a month-long series, every Sunday afternoon through February, at Alexander West Park.
The people who came on Feb. 21, 2026 got to feel welcomed into the space, and spent a few hours together making connections by moving. The series was offered by the city through the Parks and Recreation Department. One of the PRCS Commissioners, Shona Gupta, was there to enjoy the experience. “It was almost surprising how good it felt,” she noted, “It was all so simple.”
Defining choreography broadly as any set of conscious, intentional actions or movements, Marks’ work aims to make visible life’s vitality through movement. She sees herself as a bridge builder, focusing on facilitating connection and creating safe and joyful spaces for people to come together.
The theme of “Welcoming” was expanded by moving in circles, using gestures to communicate rather than words, and encouraging creation in small groups. The expansive feeling of interactive trust and connection was almost tangible, and several of the participants agreed with Gupta’s observations; it felt good, it was surprisingly simple.
Marks stated that she was happy that people enjoyed the feeling of connection, and was hoping to be able to announce the next set of movement sessions soon.
Culver City’s Artist Laureate Program, nurtured into it’s current status by an endowment from the first Artist Laureate, Poet Janet Cameron Hoult, and has been supported throughout by the Culver Arts Foundation as well.
Judith Martin-Straw
L to R – Tom Zehnder, Maya Kell-Abrams, Victoria Marks, Shona Gupta
