Wow! Can you share some of your experiences from joining Kendrick Lamar’s world tour and performing with Rihanna at the Super Bowl?
“I must start by saying that going on tour, doing the Super Bowl and Coachella were goals that were on top of my list of things I wanted to achieve in my career in the States. So, being able to talk about them right now makes me emotional. Going on tour with Kendrick Lamar felt like a gift. It was his first time bringing a group of dancers with him on tour, and the fact that the whole cast was only Black dancers also felt really special. Getting to perform every night for six months with a rapper I actually used to listen to in my day to day was unreal.
“Super Bowl was definitely THE biggest event I have ever been a part of, and on top of that, it was Rihanna’s stage comeback. How to not be excited to be part of a moment as big as this? Even with all that excitement, I was anxious about the rehearsals. We had long hours of rehearsals, almost every day for weeks, and my mind and body were less prepared than I had expected. Imagine being so sore that walking is painful but you still have four full days of rehearsals before your day off. This job was the first time I felt that drained physically and psychologically, because I was pushing my body constantly to new limits. It’s really eye-opening how you can push your body past your limits, even when you think you’re already at your max.”
Speaking of the toll dancing takes on the body, how do you prepare for major performances, both physically and mentally?
“Before a performance, I always like to do some jumping jacks, push-ups and jumps to activate my body and make sure it’s warmed up. I also like to give my cast mates a hug; it makes me relax and gives me time to have a little moment with everyone one last time. I always finish by reminding myself to have fun, that I’m proud of myself for pursuing this dream, and to show the world why I was made to do this.”