Our Team
Executive Artistic Director
Brandon Cournay
Brandon Cournay is a YPAD Certified, Brooklyn-based dancer, choreographer, teacher, and entrepreneur who is originally from Walled Lake, MI, and received his BFA from The Juilliard School. He is currently the Executive Artistic Director of Dance Device Lab and a dancer with the Mark Morris Dance Group.
Brandon has performed in the Radio City Christmas Spectacular and with The Metropolitan Opera Ballet, Morphoses, New York Theatre Ballet, The Chase Brock Experience, Schoen Movement Company, Dance Heginbotham, and KEIGWIN + COMPANY (2010-2018).
TV/Film/industrial credits include PBS’ Great Performances, Musical Chairs (HBO), Puma, Sesame Street, and Target.
He has been an Associate Choreographer / Rehearsal Director for Larry Keigwin, Josh Prince, John Heginbotham, Chase Brock, Cherice Barton, Sydney Skybetter and has assisted on numerous creative projects in theatre, tv, film, and dance.
Brandon is a sought-after choreographer and educator, whose work has been commissioned by Works and Process at the Guggenheim and for music videos, stage productions, and universities nationwide. He has a passion for teaching all ages, abilities, and communities. Brandon is a teacher of Dance for PD® which offers free, specialized dance classes to people with Parkinson’s Disease around the world. He was honored to teach throughout Africa with DanceMotion USA, an artistic cultural exchange program developed by the US State Department and produced by Brooklyn Academy of Music.
He has worked with The Juilliard School, The Pennsylvania Ballet, UNCSA, Whim W’Him, Montclair State University, Marymount Manhattan College, Rutgers University, Barnard College, Southeast Missouri State University, and scores of universities, dance studios, and conventions.
Offstage, he has held administrative positions with multiple companies with roles varying from producing, curating, and company management. During his time with KEIGWIN + COMPANY, he became Rehearsal Director and Company Manager in 2015, Associate Artistic Director in 2017, and Managing Director in 2018. Brandon is a Founding Board Member of N-Squared Dance.
Brandon is the Founder and Executive Artistic Director of Dance Device Lab (DDL). DDL produces student-focused, interactive, and engaging workshops at dance studios nationwide. DDL’s mission is to encourage creative thinking and risk-taking by creating a positive and encouraging space for young artists. All DDL events provide tools that are valuable to dancers as both artists and citizens that are transferable to both inside and outside of the studio.
Using his career as inspiration and DDL as a vessel, Brandon bridges the gap between the concert and commercial worlds of dance.
Social Media Manager + Marketing Associate
Maureen Straub Craig
Maureen Straub Craig has had an extensive professional performing career ranging from National and International tours, Disney, Television, and more.
After a ten year performing career, she opened her own performing arts school in the NYC area. She has won multiple choreography awards and her students have been featured on Broadway, Television, Music Videos, Commercials, NYCBallet at Lincoln Center, Kennedy Center, Carnegie Hall, professional dance companies, prestigious college programs, and world-renowned Summer Intensives.
The past few years have brought big life changes for Maureen and her family. They decided to start fresh, living a new chapter at the beach, in Florida. Although Maureen is still choreographing, directing and teaching in Florida, she has also started a new career path in graphic design and marketing.
She and her husband have started a media and marketing company: "Creative Branding Studio". They produce commercials, graphic design work, digital marketing and social media management for small businesses across the country. You can check them out on social media here: @creativebrandingstudiousa
Maureen has such a passion for the dance and performing arts world. She is very excited to be working with Brandon and Dance Device Lab. As a previous studio owner, she sees the positive energy and expertise that DDL brings to students around the country. She is excited to spread the word about DDL and help inspire the next generation of dancers.