I remember my days of buying Capezio dance shoes (way, way back in the day) and I totally would have loved this new collaboration. Betsey Johnson has teamed up with Capezio for a line of fun dance wear and the face of the campaign is Maddie Ziegler, Dance Moms super star and mini Sia. This 12-year-old is seriously killing it...you go girl.
Amongst all the craziness of work and school last month, I was also preparing for a dance competition, the Ontario Universities Competition For Hip-Hop. My days were full of training as a new barista at Starbucks, working on a TV documentary and visual merchandising at Club Monaco, while my evenings were spent with my Urban Hip Hop Union dance team on campus at Ryerson. We practiced like crazy and it really helped us bond as a crew, becoming more like a family.
I've been dancing at Ryerson since my first year. It's kind of sad that this will be my last. I've honestly had such an amazing experience meeting and dancing with these incredibly talented and caring people. I've learned a ton.
Anyways, enough of the sappiness. Back to OUCH. Leading up to the big day, we had intense practices and worked hard to get everything ready - from cleaning choreo to deciding on costumes. We came up with some pretty sick costumes if I do say so myself. Black T-shirts with a strip of plaid fabric on the bottom, light jeans, black shoes and a black hat. Simple but effective. I spent a lot of time on those T-shirts haha, my nights looked like this:
I've been dancing since grade five and I'm so glad I made the decision to continue even after I moved out to Toronto. During my first year here, I auditioned to be a part of the Urban Hip Hop Union (UHHU) dance team—such a great experience. Since making it onto the team, I've met amazing people and competed with them at the annual Ontario Universities Competition for Hip-Hop (aka O.U.C.H). Now in my last year at Ryerson, this also marks my last year dancing with this incredible team, who has really become like a second family.
Anyways, in addition to competing at O.U.C.H, we also hold events and workshops on campus to bring people together for the love of hip-hip. I got to teach the first dance workshop of the year and I had a blast. Here's the choreography that I taught:
This year's O.U.C.H takes place on November 23rd at the Toronto Centre for the Arts.
Here's a sneak preview of what we've been working on - meet some of my team:
If
you love to see passion come to life on stage and a cast of incredibly talented
dancers, a national tour that hit the road this weekend is the perfect show for you. Shaping Sound Dance Company is traveling across North America with a
production that brings the “wow” factor. Founded by Travis Wall, Nick
Lazzarini, Teddy Forance and Kyle Robinson, following their stint as a reality
TV show (All The Right Moves), Shaping Sound has become something so much more.
The
theatre show kicked off in LA on May 18th and already I’ve come across tons
of great reviews online.I’m hoping I’ll
get a chance to see them live when they hit NYC. Here are the rest of the tour
dates:
Amongst
the cast members, there is even a bit of Canadian pride. 21-year-old Joey
Arrigo found his way from Toronto to Los Angeles and I got to chat with him
about his experience in the cast, what it’s like living in LA and what he’s
most looking forward to. (You may recognize him from So You Think You Can Dance
Canada.)
Christina
Dun: How are rehearsals going?
Joey
Arrigo: Rehearsals are absolutely amazing. This is my first project working
with this company and from the work that I’ve done before, it differs so much
because working with these guys is such an experience. Working with such
talented artists fuels you every day. Everyday is a good experience and I’m
always happy to be in the room. So rehearsals have been going amazing.
CD:
How did you get involved with the company?
JA:
I met all four boys working on conventions and going to conventions. I assisted
for JUMP Convention, where Teddy and Nick are teachers and just from assisting
their classes and working with them a lot, they asked me from there if I was
interested in being part of the company.
CD:
What are you most excited for?
JA:
First off, I’ve never been on a full tour of the United States before, even
working with conventions I go to these cities to work the conventions but I
don’t leave the hotel for the entire weekend so it’s like I haven’t even been
to the city. So it’s nice that I‘m going to get to go on a tour of the United
States and see all these cities and be able to actually see parts of the city
and perform in them and get to experience them. And also, since these four guys
have such a high-profile name in the country and are confident, it’s going to
be great to share the stage with them and I’m really excited to have my name
associated with the company.
CD:
What’s it like working with everyone?
JA:
The group dynamic is absolutely amazing. I feel that everywhere I’ve worked,
there’s always been somebody I butt heads with and I feel that there’s always
somebody I have to really work through to get along in the process of creation
in the show or whatever. But here, I just feel like everybody’s here for the
same reason and I feel like everybody’s here because they want to dance. They
want to do dance and it means something to them. And they want to create a good
show so everybody’s on the same page and there’s nobody I feel is holding back
or anything like that. I feel like we’re a good group and we’re working well
together, so I’m really excited about that.
CD:
How would you describe the show? What makes it unique?
JA:
It’s very story-driven. We all play characters in the show and it’s cool to
experience that side of a show when you can really explore the movement and
improve yourself as a dancer while trying to play a character. So I think that
really sets apart the show from other dance shows; it’s more than just dance,
it’s a full production. So I’m really excited about that.
CD:
What character do you play?
JA:
The character the boys have given me is that they’ve titled me “The Antagonist.”
So that’s someone who is the troublemaker in the show, the one who causes
problems. So I like that, just to add some shading to the show.
CD:
What’s the biggest challenge you’ve come across so far?
JA:
I guess the biggest challenge is that all the dancers in the show are actually
based here in LA, and I am not. I’ve lived in Toronto my whole life and I went
on a world tour with a company previous to this, so I didn’t have an address
and I was living out of a suitcase. And once again, right now I’m just staying
with one of the other company members, in their apartment. So basically, I feel
like I’m not at home, not at my home base working at this. Also being in LA, I
don’t have a car and it’s hard to access things. But I mean, I’m saying that’s
the hardest thing, and it’s not even that hard because I’m here and I’m doing
what I love. I’m here because this job is fulfilling and I wouldn’t say there’s
anything hard about this because I’m enjoying it so much.
CD:
How does the Toronto dance scene compare to the LA dance scene?
JA:
I would kind of say that it doesn’t. The Toronto dance scene is, well I mean, I
grew up there and I absolutely love Toronto, it’s such a great city. I love the
people there and everything and every time I go home I miss them so much and I
just miss the energy of Canadians. But the dance industry there, there’s just
not as much work there for a dancer. So everybody who is really serious about
making a dance career that have come from Toronto does whatever they can to get
their work visa to move to Los Angeles so they can have a successful career.
CD:
What pushes you to continue dancing?
JA:
Definitely I would say the aspect of getting better as a dancer and improving
as a dancer and not being the same dancer you were the day before. I know a lot
of dancers that get comfortable and then they realize they don’t like dancing
anymore because it gets boring to them and it becomes all the same. I feel like
the dancers who really try to push themselves really look at themselves and try
to be better than they were the day before, those are the dancers who stay
motivated and keep striving for passion.
CD:
What advice do you have for other aspiring dancers?
JA:
There’s really two things that fuel me as I was growing up, even now as a
professional and someone who keeps working in the dance industry. Definitely
number one is training and class and technique and knowing about your body and
knowing what your body can and can’t do. And trying to figure out ways to
improve and strengthen and make your body stronger so that you can dance the
way that you want to. So I would say training is number one. Number two is just
remembering why you love dance because the dance industry all over the world,
small and big, is full of so many things that can twist your brain and make you
question. It is an artsy industry so there are lots of things that twist your
brain. I would say that the number one thing is remembering why you love dance
and remembering that dancing is for you and not for anybody else. Keeping your
sanity is definitely important.
This past month has been super hectic, with final projects for school plus a bunch of other stuff I'm involved with. One of my newest ventures has been joining the AEON Attire team!
AEON Attire, for those of you who are unfamiliar, has created the world's first fashionable pant tapering system. Getting rid of any cutting, sewing and altering your pant legs to make them slimmer, AEON tapers are a simple accessory that adds a little unique touch to any outfit.
The founders of AEON (Weiming Yuan, Weidong Yuan and Patrick Lum) created this company completely from funding earned as bboys performing on the streets. Breakdancing has helped them get where they are today and it's great to see such young entrepreneurs turning a simple idea into a business that has grown a lot since then. They've been seen on MuchMusic's New.Music.Live. and also have been featured at World of Dance and this year's Ontario Universities Competition for Hip Hop. AEON Attire can now be found in various retailers around Toronto, including Proper Reserve, Model Citizen and Timeless Apparel.
Learn more about the AEON story:
I went to the Vitaly Design event last month as an official member of the AEON team and since then have been working with them on ideas for the blog. We even made a video introducing me as the voice of AEON Attire! Check it out:
One of the reasons why I have been super busy over the past two months has been because of dance practices with my Urban Hip Hop Union (UHHU) dance team, preparing for the Ontario University Competition of Hip-Hop (OUCH). The big competition took place on Nov. 17 at the John Bassett Theatre inside the Metro Toronto Convention Centre - This was the first time it was held downtown, so we were incredibly lucky to be on our home turf!
All semester, we'd been practicing like crazy and we went into the competition full of energy and excitement. The event was hosted by Lenny Len and judged by Jon 'Drops' Reid (Supernaturalz Crew), Kojo 'Tuch' Mayne (Do Dat Entertainment) and Jungle (Do Dat Entertainment). Ryerson was among a total of 15 schools competing.
Aren't we cute?
Photo courtesy of Rodney Pineda
Photo courtesy of Thea Lape
Although we didn't place in the top 3, it was honestly such an amazing experience. We gave it our best shot and I couldn't have asked for a better day - we are so proud of our performance.
Here's a video of it I found on YouTube:
Here were the official results:
Tied for 3rd place:
Wilfred Laurier University (A.L.I.A.S Dance Crew) & McMaster University
2nd place (I honestly thought they should've got 1st):
Here's this week's round-up of my fave Canadian dance videos!
WOD Toronto 1st place winners: The Family (Quebec City)
WOD Vancouver 1st place winners: The Faculty (Vancouver)
Scott Forsyth - Vancouver
TwoFourSeven | Praise TEAM
Navid Charkhi - Vancouver
O'mighty
And just for the heck of it, check out one that I'm in - try to spot me! Ryerson University reppin at OUCH 2010:
ALSO, just a heads up, this year's OUCH (Ontario Universities Competition for Hip Hop) is Saturday, Nov. 17 at the John Bassett Theatre in Toronto - yes, it's on our turf this year! So come out and show your support :)
My last dance video post featured all Canadian choreo and I'm going to stick to that again for this week's list since I love how talented our country is :)
Choreo by Mikey Le
RAW Dance Crew
Toronto
Choreo by Mickee Reyes ft. his adorable sisters
Praiseteam
Vancouver
Choreo by Carmen De Los Santos & Roberta Bierman
Diamonds In The Rough
Vancouver
TWEET ME some of your favourite Canadian dance videos and they could make next week's list!
- Christina
Follow my adventures on Twitter: @christinaaa28
As a result of attending World of Dance Toronto this past weekend, I was totally inspired by the amount of talent we have in the Canadian dance world. So, for this week's list of my favourite dance videos, I chose all Canadian choreographers!
Jerome Esplana - Vancouver
Alexander Chung - Edmonton
Leah Totten (& BOSS) - Toronto
So many awesome dancers in this country - keep it up guys!
As you may already know, I have a series of posts called Dancer in the Spotlight, featuring profiles on various dancers from throughout the industry. I love showcasing talented dancers who are pursuing their passions and giving you insight into how they got to where they are today. Previous dancers featured include Brandon Dumlao, Gregory Villarico and Carlena Britch.
This week, I'm starting a new series of posts featuring some of my favourite dance videos. I bet you all have, at one point, spent 3-5mins of your day (for us dancers, this is probably closer to a couple hours at least...) watching an incredible piece of choreography put together in an amazing video posted on YouTube. It's addicting really, since there is SO much talent in the world that can be accessed with a click of a mouse.
So I'll be putting together a weekly roundup for you all to enjoy :)
Here are 3 of my favourite dance videos for this week:
I LOVE this choreography so much...definitely on replay. On a side note - Ian Eastwood & Chachi Gonzales are the cutest dancer couple on the planet (okay, a close second to Mariel Martin & Keone Madrid).
These girls are beasts. So sick.
And of course I had to throw in a bit of Vancity!
Tweet me with some of your favourites and they could be featured in next week's roundup! :)
In celebration of Canadian talent, this month's Dancer in the Spotlight is featuring a BC-raised dancer who is making her face -- and moves -- known in the entertainment industry. You may recognize her from season 4 of So You Think You Can Dance Canada, but since then, 21-year-old Carlena Britch made the move out to LA to pursue her passion and has already landed gigs in music videos alongside artists such as Michael Buble and Victoria Duffield and in movies such as Disney's Camp Rock 2: The Final Jam and Nickelodeon's Rags. Most recently, she performed back here on Canadian soil at the MuchMusic Video Awards as a backup dancer for the one and only Justin Bieber.
Here's a clip from STYTCD Canada:
She started out under the main training of Kim Sato and her Vancouver-based company SOULdiers, where she learned about all the forms of hip hop dance and the four elements: DJing, emceeing, graffiti art, and breaking. Taking off from there, she has been affiliated with Vancouver's dance crews Diamonds In The Rough and StoneFoxx, as well as RAW Dance Crew in Toronto (I featured RAW dance crew member Gregory Villarico in a previous Dancer in the Spotlight - check it out here).
Carlena took the time to answer some questions about her dance life, so here's a great Q&A:
How long have you been dancing for?
Carlena Britch: I've been dancing since I was nine years old. So, almost 13 years!
Being from Vancouver, how has that influenced you as a dancer?
CB: Vancouver is a passionate city that contains many outlets for training and growth within dance and hip hop culture, both underground in the industry. It truly shaped the individual I am, and gave me the confidence to take what I do and use it successfully in other parts of the world. It gave me the direction I needed to utilize my talents and knowledge to the best of my ability.
You must also get to travel a lot -- could you tell me about some of your favourite places dance has taken you?
CB: Europe was incredible! I fell in love with each city I travelled to (Oslo, Norway; Vienna, Austria; Switzerland; Slovenia & Hannover; Germany) and was so inspired by the dancers and their unconditional love for what they do. It was a very humbling experience.
What has been the biggest challenge you've had to overcome to get to where you are today?
CB: The biggest challenge is one I deal with everyday -- believing in myself enough to make my biggest dreams, realities. Regardless of what you come from, you create your own life. It is a choice. Every morning I wake up and try to be better than I was yesterday, and remind myself that I deserve everything I work so hard for.
Who do you look up to in the dance world?
CB: I'm inspired by so many people in the dance world - we all have such unique strengths and I try to take bits and pieces from everyone I get to meet or work with. However, some of my favourite inspirations are Toni Basil from The Lockers, Shotyme from New York, and Toronto's very own Moon Runners. I do look up to some of the biggest names in the industry, but even some of the most humble class-takers inspire me to push harder at perfecting my craft and experiencing new and uncomfortable styles.
You've gotten to perform alongside Canadian superstar Justin Bieber on both The Voice and this year's MMVA's - how was that experience?
CB: It was incredible! Justin's someone I've wanted to dance for since the start, and the whole experience has been very surreal. I learnt a lot from the opportunity and feel like I've grown a lot as a dancer and performer. He's an extremely talented guy - and I love that he's Canadian!
What are some of the other projects you've been working on?
CB: Before the MMVA's, I was working on a new music video with the R&B singer Ne-Yo, and was blessed to perform alongside Jason Derulo at the American Idol finale. I'm currently training and focusing on some goals I'd like to tackle this summer!
How was that transition from living in Canada to the States?
CB: I made the move mid-March of this year; it was exciting, scary, and very overwhelming! But, this has been something I've wanted for as long as I can remember. My first visit to LA was in March of 2008, and i remember telling myself, "I want to live here by the time I am 21." So, in March of 2012, at 21, I made it my reality.
What was the best advice you've ever been given?
CB: To believe in myself, and not worry about the "how." By focusing on what we want most, the "how" will take care of itself, and everything else will fall into place as it's supposed it. I believe out minds are out most powerful instrument, and we can take on anything we desire as long as we truly believe so.
So what's up next for you?
CB: My current dream is to go on tour with an artist, so right now I'm training, perfecting my craft, and staying focused. I am also enjoying the transition between dance and acting; since Rags came out last month I've been quite curious about developing my acting skills. It's been challenging but extremely exciting!
And as a dancer myself, I love hearing success stories like hers. An inspiration to many aspiring dancers out there, Carlena is continuing to make her dreams a reality and is showing that hard work does pay off.
Be sure to 'like' Carlena's Facebook page and follow her on Twitter @CarlenaBritch
For this month's Dancer In The Spotlight, I wanted to feature my friend from Vancity, the talented Tony Giroux. Originally from France, Tony came to Canada in 2005. He's only been dancing for five years, but has been able to gain some amazing experience in the dance world. In Vancouver, he is currently a part of Project Soul, run by Kim Sato, as well as a smaller crew called Kinesix.
But the most exciting news I heard from him just a couple weeks ago was that he was going to be dancing on stage with Rihanna at the 2012 BRIT Awards...How crazy is that?!
The show was on February 21st, in London, and I caught up with him via Facebook chat while he was there! Read a bit about his experience:
How did you land a gig with Rihanna?
TG: I luckily landed this performance through an audition that took place in London, UK. It was actually an audition through an agency, therefore private, but a friend of mine told me about it and decided to crash it anyways.
How were rehearsals?
TG: Rehearsals were intense! We had two full days (eight hours) and two half days (four hours). One tech before the show and a run-through on the day of. The process of it was definitely tiring, but an amazing experience.
Could you describe your experience there? (Both in London as general and at the Brit Awards)
TG: My experience here has been amazing. London is a big city and I love it! It definitely is a really expensive city and it is a bit hard to move to a city where you don’t know your way around or anybody. But I did the move with one of my best friends (Richie Lubaton) and that made everything much easier and better. As for my experience on the Rihanna job, it has been a true blessing as well. Most importantly, the people I met on the job had amazing energy and personalities.
What was the atmosphere like at the Brit Awards? It looked amazing!
TG: The atmosphere was so hype! All the dancers I was blessed to work with were all amazing and enthusiastic. When the performance was almost coming up, everybody got together and hyped each other, singing and dancing, it was quite a sight to see. Overall, it was an amazing experience that I am so grateful to have been a part of.
How does the dance scene over there compare to the Canadian dance scene?
TG: The dance scene in London, from what I have seen, is quite different than the Vancouver scene. There are two sides to the London dance scene: the work and the underground. I could go on forever talking about the two, but briefly, since there is work in this city for dancers, focus can become about figuring out how to book a job rather than training as a dancer. On the one hand, the underground scene focuses on the craft and is driven by so much love for the dance in itself. I believe both scenes are amazing as I try to be part of both.
Vancouver on the other hand is community driven, and people dance for the love of it. Vancity has so many showcases where dancers perform and share for the love of it, as funding unfortunately is much more scarce. It truly is an inspiring city for its talent.
As a dancer, we can only dream of being hand-chosen for a scholarship by legendary choreographer Shaun Evaristo at a Movement Lifestyle convention in Chicago. But for this talented Toronto dancer, the dream became a reality.
“Straight-up, I cried when they announced my name. I was so happy. Overjoyed.”
21-year-old Gregory Villarico is a dancer and choreographer here in Toronto, where he teaches weekly classes at RightFoot Dance Studio and performs at a variety of showcases throughout the city, and even across the country. He currently represents three crews: C2Genesys (which he co-founded), RAW Dance Crew, and most recently, he was recruited by Pyro to join the Twisted Ankles 3rd Generation.
Earlier this month, he attended the Chicago stop of the Movement Lifestyle Tour and came back home to Toronto with an amazing experience, incredible inspiration, and a realization of how much dance truly means to him.
He also came back with a scholarship for one month of free classes at the Movement Lifestyle studio in LA as well as another stop of the mL Tour for free.
“I can’t say that I went down there with no expectations - I had an expectation of myself to work really hard and to just go in there with an empty mind. Just to be a student, 100% student. Forget the fact that I’ve done this or I’ve done that. I wanted to forget all of that and go back to where I started and how I felt and how I viewed dance back then.”
Check out this awesome video from the Chicago stop! (The piece that Shaun taught is my FAVOURITE btw)
Don’t know what Movement Lifestyle is?
“mL is a lifestyle brand which provides various components including choreography management, merchandise, a premiere studio facility, film/production, and now expanding to a national tour. Along with our mL artists and affiliates, we focus on creating ways to expose their art using all of our resources. The Tour is our opportunity to bring the Movement Lifestyle experience to individuals like you.” (http://www.themovementlifestyle.com/tour.php)
Well now you do!
I actually met Greg last summer in Vancouver, when him and RAW Dance Crew performed at the J.Reyez concert. You can go back to that blog post HERE. So it was great to catch up with him and chat about his dance life in Toronto.
So who are his dance inspirations?
“I can look at this in two different ways. My mom would be one because I know that this is the only way I can see myself providing for her. So if I feel myself slacking, I have to remind myself that you have to take care of your family when you’re older, so don’t slack off on this. So that’s an inspiration in that sense. And I guess in a dance world sense, the people who might inspire me to work harder are definitely the crews I’m a part of. They’re all such hard workers, they’re all talented, they’re all creative and they’re all original. Toronto is inspiring. Not just dancers inspire me, just any artists in Toronto that put in good, quality work, that help bring the city’s overall presence up - that uplifts me and makes me want to do the same thing.”
It’s clear that dance has opened many doors for him and that it’s allowed him to learn, grow, and meet amazing people. So I asked him: What does dance mean to you?
“After that weekend in Chicago, I found out that dance means everything to me. I was so tired after that first day and I pushed myself. Then that second day I really found out how much it meant to me once I pushed through mental exhaustion and physical pain. I thought I was done, but I dug deep and it made me realize that I really do love this. I love it more than all the negative stuff, all the pain and the laziness I was feeling. I pushed it all aside and realized that I want to make this my life. This is how it’s going to be from now on, just dancing. It sounds so simple, but it is my life now.”
I'm excited for what's in store for him in 2012! You can follow him on Twitter at @GregoryJohnV - And you can take his classes at RightFoot Dance Studio on Tuesdays 6-7:30pm!
Thanks Greg for the interview and CONGRATS again on the scholarship! :)
It's been a while since I've last posted anything, but you know, with high school coming to an end there's lots to do. But I did recently have a chance to ask some questions to Greg Baja, a member of the crew called Heavy Impact from America's Best Dance Crew. He gave insight into his experience from the show, inspiration, and his future! Be sure to check out their bio and clips from the show: http://www.mtv.com/shows/dance_crew/season_5/crew.jhtml?personalityId=13384
1. So when did you start dancing?
A: I started dancing "choreography" when i was 17, but bboying and freestyling since about 15
2. What is your favourite style of dance?
A: I love doing hip hop, but I LOVE watching contemp/lyrical
3. Growing up, did you always have the support of family and friends to pursue your passion for dance?
A: Yes they were supportive. I think they appreciated the fact that I was being productive artistically as opposed to being rebellious and being wild.
4. How did you get started with Heavy Impact?
A: I danced with Isaac since about 2004 on Team Boogiezone BREED in Seattle. When he got the call to put a group together for ABDC, I was one of his choices.
5. Could you tell us the story of how you guys came up with the name of your crew?
A: It was actually Isaac, Leon, and CJ who came up with the name. It actually started as Heavy Hitterz, but due to copywright issues we couldn't use it. So the alternate to that was HEAVY IMPACT. Also I think the name really stood for who we were as dancers and what message we wanted to come across
6. How long have you guys been together as a group?
A: We've been a group since October 2009
7. So, before auditioning for America’s Best Dance Crew, did you have any expectations about what the show was going to be like? If so, was it different than you thought it would be?
A: I had no idea what to expect from the show besides the fact that we were gonna dance A LOT and that it was TV, so not everything was what it seemed on the screen.
8. Each week, you were given different challenges, so in your opinion, what was the hardest challenge?
A: I would personally have to say the Lady Gaga challenge was the hardest for us. There were a lot of stipulations to that challenge and we didn't get to work with our set very much throughout the week.
9. What was your favourite part about being on the show?
A: Meeting all the crews and being able to do what I love and share it with the nation/world! There were so many wonderful people on this season, we literally became one big family!
10. What was the most helpful piece of advice that you have gotten from the judges?
A: To stay true to ourselves
11. Do you have a favourite routine that you performed on the show?
A: Our regionals was probably our favorite. It was our first impression to everyone, so we tried to make sure it was as close to perfect as possible! Plus we were super pumped to perform on that stage for the first time!
12. So what were the benefits after being on ABDC?
A: The biggest benefit was inspiring others. We got a lot of emails and messages saying that we really touched them and helped them to get back into dancing when they gave up. Thats the best part. Being able to give back
13. Being a dancer myself, what advice do you have for teens out there who want to make it in the dance world?
A: Don't ever be discouraged. Keep working hard and keep your eye on the prize. The thing that will get you the furthest is a good head on your shoulders.
14. Who is your biggest inspiration and why?
A: I get inspired by everyone who dances around me. My students, my teachers, my crew members, etc. We're all so talented amongst the dance community, it's hard to choose just one! But also anyone who has a passion (whatever that may be) and is pursuing it to the fullest.
15. Where would you like to see yourself in 5-10 years?
A: I want to be teaching all over the world doing what I love. As long as I'm able to do what I love for a living, I'll be completely content :)
16. So what’s next for Heavy Impact?
A: We're just trying to go everywhere and talk to everyone and teach everywhere and be friends with everyone!!! We love and support anyone who supported us, and we want to be able to give back to the world in whatever way we can. We're just normal people pursuing a dream just like anyone else!
Thanks, Greg!
Hopefully, I'll be able to come out to one of your classes one of these days :)
Here is the first dancer in my new "Dancer in the spotlight" feature. His name is Brandon Dumlao and I was fortunate enough to take one of his classes when I went down to San Fran back in 2008. He danced with Funkanometry SF and is currently dancing with NeverLand, a group branching off from the successful LostKids, created by Kyle Hanagami and Ellen Kim. Brandon was also recently seen on So You Think You Can Dance Season 6, as a replacement for another contestant in the top 20. Although he was eliminated off the first episode, Brandon proves to be an amazing dancer who doesn't take things for granted. I was fortunate enough to get an interview with this down to earth dancer whose hard work shows through his passion and determination.
1. When and where did you start dancing?
I started dancing when I was 8 years old in jazz in Concord, CA. I was pressured to quit by my father six months later and got into sports. I then picked up dancing (hip hop) in San Francisco, CA again at 17 under the direction of Funkanometry SF because I realized that it's something I really wanted to pursue and see where it takes me.
2. When did you start teaching?
I started teaching when I made Funkanometry SF in 2007. They allow their dancers to teach their weekly company classes to the public and I was given an opportunity to teach my "A Milli" piece in late 2007.
[I was able to take his "A Milli" class! Check out the video, find me! hint, blue t-shirt haha)
3. How long have you been with Funkanometry?
I was only on Funkanometry SF for the semester of 2007-2008. I am now dancing with NeverLand, a bigger company off The Lost Kids directed by Ellen Kim and Kyle Hanagami.
4. Have you been with any other groups?
I haven't had a long run with being on crews besides Funkanometry SF and now NeverLand.
5. What is your favourite dance style?
My favorite dance style is ballroom. I really want to get into that and getting a taste of it from SYTYCD made me want to get better at that. But overall, I love all styles of dance. It all expresses emotions, passion, and inspiration. That's what I love so much about dance.
6. If you could take a class from any choreographer in the world, who would it be and why?
If I could take class by any choreographer in the world that I haven't taken from yet, it would be Lyle Beniga. His style, execution and choreography is everything I've been trying to explore with myself.
7. So how was the audition process for So You Think You Can Dance?
The audition process for SYTYCD was very fun! I love auditioning. It makes you a better dancer and performer by challenging yourself mentally and physically. I can't go quite into the details of this particular audition, but it does challenge every ounce of your being if that makes sense... haha.
8. After being so close to being chosen for the original top 20, what was your reaction when you were asked to return to the show to replace Billy Bell?
After being cut, and then being called to replace Billy Bell, I cried. I've been auditioning for this show for awhile and I've gotten better each time, but seeing that out of all the cuts they made, I was the next alternate and that felt amazing to hear and to experience.
9. So how was working with your partner Pauline Mata?
Working with Pauline Mata was such a great experience. She's like one of my best friends from the show because we met in Season 5 when we both got cut right before Top 20. To continue our journey together for Season 6 from LA to Vegas to the SYTYCD stage was an experience that we'll never forget. We're hoping to collaborate or work together in the future outside the show.
10. And your routine was the smooth waltz, what was your initial reaction?
The smooth waltz was surprisingly very comfortable for me to get. I was glad I didn't get hip hop because the whole reason I wanted to try out for the show was to show myself and everyone that I can tackle other dance styles. I love challenges and I just took this one head on. It made me fall in love with ballroom because being a hip hop dancer, I hardly do partner work, and that was a great thing to learn to help me grow as a dancer.
11. So what was it like meeting the judges?
Meeting the judges was cool. I never see celebrities as celebrities, so I looked at them as regular people, like an audience. That's kind of a good mindset to have when you audition so as not to psych yourself out in front of the judges. =)
12. What was the hardest part about being on the show?
The hardest part about being on the show not originally being prepared to be in the Top 20 because I replaced someone. So the hardest part was doing all the interviews, learning the dances, getting into show mode all in a day and a half because that's as long as I stayed on the set, but it was the greatest experience I've ever had.
13. What was your favourite part about being on the show?
My favorite part about being on the show was dancing on that stage and spending my experience with the best group of people I've ever met.
14. So is there a possibility that we’ll see more of you in Season 7?
I am allowed to come back and audition for SYTYCD Season 7 and am planning to. Nuff' said haha.
15. What advice do you have for other dancers?
My best advice for dancers is to not let anyone tell or make you feel you can't reach your highest goal in dance. You are your own driver on this journey to getting what you want. Never feel comfortable, always push for your highest potential even if you aren't confident. From every experience, you learn, you grow, and then you achieve. =)
MY FAVOURITE CHOREO, I WANT TO LEARN THIS SO BADLY!!
Thanks for the great interview Brandon, we're rooting for you in Season 7! :)
