The Twinz

When Maya and Nandy McClean were little girls, their mother encouraged them to pursue their dreams. Now, in their 20s, they’re dancing and singing alongside Prince!

The McClean sisters, known as The Twinz, got the itch for the limelight while growing up in Sydney, Australia. They started ballet, jazz, modern, tap, hip hop and Latin dance at 14, and went on to find success Down Under dancing, singing and acting in commercials; movies like Son of the Mask and Moulin Rouge!; on TV for “Australian Idol”; and onstage in The Lion King. In almost all of their gigs, the sisters have worked side-by-side.

Two years ago, Nandy and Maya moved to L.A. and joined Lula Washington Dance Theatre, but they weren’t members for long. Their fourth American audition was for a Prince music video, choreographed by Fatima Robinson, and they’ve been dancing for him ever since. “We love working with him,” Maya says. “He teaches us a lot about music and image. And we joke around with him a lot. He’s a teacher and a little boy all in one.”

Besides the band, The Twinz are the only other performers in Prince’s show. They danced and sang alongside him at the BET Awards and Super Bowl halftime show, are in his music videos, and accompany him to red carpet events and fashion shows.

They even choreograph his shows. “People might consider our style jazz,” says Nandy, “but we have a lot of influences, from modern with a splash of ’80s to hip hop and rock and roll.” Prince often has input on the steps. “He likes to edit the choreography because he’s involved in every aspect of the show, from wardrobe to lighting,” says Maya. “It’s different when you’re creating movement for an artist. They’ve got their vision, too, so we collaborate on the whole thing.”

As busy as they are, The Twinz are still working on their music and dabbling in some acting projects. “In L.A., there’s so much opportunity,” Maya says. “But you have to stay down-to-earth.” Thankfully, she’s got her twin to help her stay grounded. “With a twin, there’s always someone to work with,” says Nandy. “It’s a lot of fun. We do things exactly the same way. A lot of times, we choreograph the same steps, even if we don’t notice it.”

 

Fast Facts

Born in:
Sydney, Australia

Inspirations:
Michael Jackson, Mariah Carey, Whitney Houston

Dating:
Very single at the moment. “We’re married to our work!” exclaims Nandy.

On their iPods:
India.Arie, Will.i.am, Sergio Mendes, Justin Timberlake, Alicia Keys, Stevie Wonder, Nelly Furtado, Sade

Favorite choreographer:
Hi-Hat

If you could sit down with one celebrity face-to-face:
  “I’d say Michael Jackson first, but we’ve already met him! We’ve actually run into a lot of our idols here in L.A. It’s crazy,” says Maya. “Otherwise we’d have to say Jim Carrey. He makes us laugh.”

Photo: Kevin Mazur