Meet Camille Imperial

We recently connected with Camille Imperial and have shared our conversation below.

Camille, appreciate you making time for us and sharing your wisdom with the community. So many of us go through similar pain points throughout our journeys and so hearing about how others overcame obstacles can be helpful. One of those struggles is keeping creativity alive despite all the stresses, challenges and problems we might be dealing with. How do you keep your creativity alive?

I really try to nurture my creativity and treat it with care so it stays alive and doesn’t burn out. If I have an idea that comes up in my head, I allow it to come out how it needs to. Some of my work needs careful, meticulous planning while other projects require spontaneity and come out very naturally.

A few months ago, I felt like I just needed to get choreography out of my head. Once I did, I thought of how cool it would look if I turned it into a concept video with multiple dancers. I’m lucky enough to have such talented friends that go with my crazy ideas and I was able to get my idea out of my head exactly how I wanted. Pre-production, rehearsals, filming, editing all in two weeks. That’s one way I feel like I’ve really kept my creativity alive, I don’t let the idea just sit in my head. I let it come out how it needs to and trust the process.

I also allow my creativity to have different avenues. Creating my own work and tending to my projects is one way I express my creativity. But if I only allowed creativity to come out through that, I would burn out. I find so much joy in keeping my creativity alive whenever I perform, whether it’s dancing, singing, or acting. You can always find nuances and little things when framework is given to you to make it your own and that’s another creative outlet. I’ll also explore movement in my own living room, try my own recipes in the kitchen, or find new ways to communicate effectively with my students and that’s another way I fuel my creativity! That way, everyday is different and I don’t feel like a robot who is only made to do one thing.

Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?

I am a Filipino-American choreographer and dancer based in Los Angeles, specializing in contemporary fusion. I hold a BFA in Dance Theatre from AMDA, and my work blends striking visuals with narrative depth to explore personal and collective experiences.

My directorial debut, The Process of Self, screened at multiple U.S. film festivals and across international film festivals as well. I choreographed and performed in an all-woman, immersive production of Julius Caesar, reimagining the classic through integrated dance. I was awarded the Homegrown Residency by the Dance Resource Center and was a company artist with LA Choreographers and Dancers. I received a DCA Performing Arts Division Commission to present original choreography at the Empowerment: Edith + Etta festival, and served as an adjudicator for the Mobile Dance Film Festival. Most recently, I performed as Cha Cha in Grease at the El Portal Theater. I am currently on faculty at The Dance School LA, where I teach ballet, jazz, pointe, and conditioning and am committed to fostering a supportive, inspiring environment for dancers of all ages.

If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?

I think my authenticity, willingness to fail and learn, and work ethic have been the most impactful in my journey. I feel like I am still early in my path, but anything that has moved my career and life forward has definitely been because of at least one of those qualities shining through.

Authenticity comes with trusting yourself and allowing yourself to be vulnerable in whatever space you’re in. Something that has helped me be my true authentic self is inner work but also leaning on my support system to ground myself whenever I feel out of touch with who I am. Surrounding yourself with people that lift you up and never make you question yourself will make anyone else’s opinion completely irrelevant.

Also, allowing yourself the space to be human and fail. If you come into a space already having expectations for things to go exactly how you think in your head, you’re setting yourself up for disappointment. Failure is not a bad thing, mistakes are not the end of the world, every misstep leads you to a better version of yourself.

Lastly, what helps me with my work ethic is building a system that works for me. There are so many things out there that are like “You need to do this if you want to succeed in life”, which can be helpful. But instead of seeing those as the rule, just use what works for you and whatever doesn’t, throw it away. I will say though, time blocking, planning properly, and a good spreadsheet (if needed) has really helped me with my work ethic.

What has been your biggest area of growth or improvement in the past 12 months?

In the past 12 months, my biggest area of growth has been listening to my needs and honoring them. I grew up as a people pleaser so I always felt like everyone else’s needs came before my own. I feel like I’ve really come into my own as a person when it comes to that. Saying no can still be scary for me, but now I can actually say it without feeling guilty or apologetic about it. I used to stay in spaces that hurt me or made me feel small, in fear of what other people would say, but now I am more in touch with what is aligned with me and can remove myself from any situation that doesn’t serve me.

I am grateful to say I have found myself in a variety of different spaces this year and that has truly allowed me to understand myself and what I need to fill my own cup. There is no need to be in environments that drain my energy, whether as a dancer, creative, or as a person. As a choreographer and teacher, I have to take charge of the room and people need to trust me for a rehearsal or class to be truly effective. In order to create environments that are nurturing and empowering for my dancers and students, I have to understand what makes a room nurturing and empowering. If I did not take the time to honor my own feelings, I would not have the capacity to understand what my dancers or students need to bring out their best potential.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://camilleimperial.com
• Instagram: ckimperial

Image Credits

Image 1: Peter Tomka
Image 2, 3, 4: Sam Perna
Image 5: Vince Trupsin