Melanie Mah’s career is basically the commercial-dance dream. After training as a ballet dancer near her hometown of Richmond Hill, Ontario, Mah earned a spot on Season 2 of “So You Think You Can Dance Canada” and made it to the Top 6. She moved to L.A. in 2011, and in the last five […]
(From top: Craig Sjodin, courtesy ABC; (4) Adam Taylor, courtesy ABC; Craig Sjodin, courtesy ABC; Adam Taylor, courtesy ABC)
When you’re a serious dancer, you spend a lot of your time in classes and rehearsals. But you don’t have to stay laser-focused on dance all day to make it as a pro. In fact, having interests outside the dance world can help you grow as an artist! To get you inspired, Dance Spirit spoke […]
Karen Chuang was a freshman at University of California, Los Angeles, when she was given the opportunity to dance in a K-pop music video being filmed in L.A. “I took all my books with me and studied during any downtime I could find,” says Chuang. She went on to book jobs with Brian Friedman and […]
(Clockwise from left: Peshkova/Thinkstock; Fotofermer/Thinkstock; Comstock/Thinkstock) It’s the City That Never Sleeps, the Concrete Jungle—and a total dance mecca. While there’s no place quite like it, NYC is also overwhelming and expensive, two qualities that can make visiting or moving here pretty intimidating. Check out tips from four pro dancers—Kristine Covillo, Tamisha Guy, Daniel Harder […]
(Photo by Nathan Sayers) Dear Katie, This is my first year wearing pointe shoes, and I’m finding it difficult to jump—or even walk—without making loud noises. What do I need to do to dance without sound effects? —Jennah Dear Jennah, I completely understand what you’re dealing with! At NYCB, we would get a “talking to” […]
How much difference can a new hairdo make? Just ask The Beat Freaks member Alex Welch, aka BGirl Shorty. “When I did ‘America’s Best Dance Crew’ with The Beat Freaks, I had normal-looking brunette hair,” she says. “But one day, the other girls took me to a salon and said, ‘You have all this personality […]
Like most dancers, Alexandra Badgett spent the majority of her high school nights and weekends in the studio. And though she knew how to craft a resumé for dance auditions, putting one together for college applications was another story. “It was hard to express the commitment and dedication it takes to be a dancer, especially […]