Tag: letter to my teenage self

Janelle Ginestra Writes a Letter to Her Teenage Self

Janelle Ginestra’s mind lives way outside of the box. You’ve probably seen her in some of your favorite dance class videos, touring the world dancing next to P!nk and J.Lo, or on the stages of the world’s most watched award shows. And if not, there’s still a good chance you’ve seen her somewhere on the […]

Robert Green Writes a Letter to His Teenage Self

You may know him from the Top 10 on “So You Think You Can Dance” Season 14. You might have caught him touring the world with Taylor Swift. Or you might remember his viral video from 2015, where he revealed to his mom that he was cast in Swift’s 1989 World Tour. Choreographer, dancer, and […]

Jookin' Master Lil Buck Writes a Letter to His Teenage Self

There’s a chance you’ve never heard of jookin’, a Memphis-grown form of street dance. But if you have, chances are it’s because of Charles Riley, or Lil Buck. Buck began pursuing jookin’ seriously at age 13, when he realized his dream of becoming a backup dancer. Little did he know that one day, he would […]

Choreographer and Dancer Alice Sheppard Writes a Letter to Her Teenage Self

Up until 2004, Alice Sheppard was a medieval-studies professor. But after seeing disabled dancer Homer Avila perform, Sheppard took her first dance class—and loved movement so much that she resigned her professorship to pursue a career in dance. She made her professional debut with Infinity Dance Theater, and has since danced with AXIS Dance Company, […]

Gender-Fluid Ballerina Chase Johnsey Writes a Letter to His Teenage Self

In June 2018, Chase Johnsey made history. He became the first male dancer in modern ballet history to perform as a part of the female ensemble at an international ballet company, dancing in the corps in English National Ballet’s Sleeping Beauty. Johnsey, who identifies as gender fluid but uses male pronouns, had previously been a […]

Ballroom Star Hayley Erbert Writes a Letter to Her Teenage Self

Hayley Erbert’s star quality has dazzled television and stage audiences alike. Erbert competed on Season 10 of “So You Think You Can Dance,” landing a spot in the Top 6 before she even turned 20. After dancing alongside Julianne and Derek Hough on two of their tours, she entered the “Dancing with the Stars” universe, […]

Jamar Roberts Writes a Letter to His Teenage Self

Jamar Roberts is an Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater icon. He’s danced with the company for more than 15 years, and at 6′ 4″, he cuts a powerful and immediately recognizable figure onstage. As a choreographer, he is prolific, passionate, and political—his most recent, instantly iconic piece for Ailey, Ode, is a meditation on the […]

Contemporary Queen Chantel Aguirre Writes a Letter to Her Teenage Self

Contemporary dancer Chantel Aguirre’s powerful presence and regal, fluid movement can enchant audiences in seconds—and have helped make her a commercial-world icon. The Santa Cruz, CA, native started dancing at age 2 at her mother’s studio, Ballet Repertoire Theatre. When she was a freshman in high school, she enrolled at the San Francisco Ballet School […]