Dan studied acting at NYU under the auspices of the Stella Adler Conservatory. He participated in the Royal Shakespeare Company's summer program and played Othello, Henry V and Sir Andrew Aguecheek. His favorite role was Tuzenbach in Chekhov's Three Sisters.
After college, Dan began writing theater and film reviews for Show Business Weekly. Within a month, he was editing the reviews section, and finally was made Arts Editor, a position he held for three years. Dan also freelanced for Time Out New York and got to interview Jeanne Moreau and Edward Albee, among others. In essence, he searches for the sublime and tries to dig deep down into each subject he chooses.