We’re looking forward to introducing you to Dominique Atwood-Hamilton . Check out our conversation below.
Dominique, so good to connect and we’re excited to share your story and insights with our audience. There’s a ton to learn from your story, but let’s start with a warm up before we get into the heart of the interview. What are you most proud of building — that nobody sees?
What I’m most proud of building, that people don’t always see, is really my home and the foundation of my family. I’ve been in a season of laying low and building deep as a wife, a mom, and a business owner. People might see the work I put out, but behind the scenes I’m working just as hard to build a loving, God-centered home that breaks old cycles and sets my kids up for success. That part doesn’t always get noticed, but it’s the work I’m most proud of.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
My name is Dominique Atwood Hamilton, and I’m a creative entrepreneur, wife, mother, teacher, choreographer, director, and businesswoman; really a woman of many hats. At the center of it all, I’m anchored in the Most High, who guides my path, and I’m always striving to go deeper in my faith while honoring the call on my life. Dance has been the vehicle God has given me to do a lot of that work.
I’m the founder of Dance Connect Worldwide, which is both a production house and a staffing agency for the arts. On the production side, we create and collaborate on memorable, thought-provoking, and innovative experiences that connect people to each other, to their communities, and often back to themselves. On the staffing side, we provide everything from stagehands and lighting designers to event crews and admin support. What makes us unique is that many of the people we staff are dancers and creatives themselves. This not only gives them supplemental income in between seasons, but it also creates career development opportunities and keeps them connected to the art form.
I started Dance Connect because when I stepped away from the stage, I wanted a way to stay rooted in the dance community. I also saw how many artists felt lost once their performing careers slowed down, and I knew there needed to be a bridge to help them transition while still honoring their artistry.
Right now, I’m also building a new dance program from the ground up in the community where I live. It’s been inspiring to introduce something fresh in a place that doesn’t have as many arts resources. For me, it’s full circle pouring into young dancers the same way others once poured into me. Between Dance Connect and this new program, I’m committed to creating spaces where art, faith, and community can truly meet.
Appreciate your sharing that. Let’s talk about your life, growing up and some of topics and learnings around that. What part of you has served its purpose and must now be released?
What I’m releasing is the need to prove myself, to shrink, or to alter who I am just to make others comfortable. For a long time, I carried this habit of over-explaining or keeping a superficial peace, where things looked calm on the outside but inside I was battling turmoil. Now, I’m in a season where I’m seeking real peace the kind that comes from being more honest and clear in my communication despite how it may make others feel in the moment. This ofcourse takes practice, care and often spiritual guidance.
As a mother of two daughters, I see daily how much they reflect both the beautiful and the challenging areas of my life. They remind me that I have to continue doing the inner work so that what I pass on to them is wholeness, not cycles of fear or avoidance. So what I’m letting go of is that old mindset of self-protection, the default patterns that once helped me survive but no longer serve me. I’m choosing to walk in freedom, in truth, and in purpose, trusting God to handle the rest.
What did suffering teach you that success never could?
Suffering has taught me things that success never could. When I first moved to the countryside, I felt stripped of everything I once leaned on; my independence, my community, my rhythm. It was humbling, even disorienting, to start fresh and not know what parts of me were meant to stay or what needed to be left behind. That season forced me to slow down, relearn myself, and let God reshape me.
Through motherhood, I’ve also learned a whole new level of patience, selflessness, and flexibility. Going from performing on big stages to serving my family day in and day out has been a humbling, yet extremely fulfilling. And the truth is, suffering builds things that success never will like endurance, character, tenacity, perspective, and a deeper faith.
I’ve learned to go to God for everything, to quiet myself enough to actually hear his voice, and to obey more quickly. That’s not something success ever demanded of me. Success feels good in the moment, but suffering shapes and prepares you for what’s ahead. It’s in those hard places where the real gems are formed.
Next, maybe we can discuss some of your foundational philosophies and views? Whom do you admire for their character, not their power?
I admire my dance mom, DeShonna Pepper-Robertson, not just for her influence and success, but for her character. Her energy exudes pure joy, vulnerability, integrity, and peace. She carries a soft femininity yet commands every room with a powerful presence. What I love most is her consistency whether she’s working with little kids or the biggest names in the industry, she shows up the same.
She has this rare gift of transforming spaces with her spirit. Even in tough, high-pressure environments, she motivates with both love and high standards. She’s transparent about her own struggles and rejections, which makes her deeply relatable, and yet she’s never lost her light or her values.
As a woman of God, a wife, a mother, and a mentor, her character has always been an example of class, honesty, dignity, and respect. She’s truly a force, and I beyond grateful for her presence in my life.
Thank you so much for all of your openness so far. Maybe we can close with a future oriented question. When do you feel most at peace?
I feel most at peace when I’m creating. That can look like choreographing a ballet, building a nonprofit strategy, or bringing a campaign to life from the ground up. Creation, in all its forms, makes me feel aligned and in my purpose. Music is also one of my biggest sources of peace.
I also find peace in smaller, everyday moments like cooking when my mind is clear, or lying next to my husband and daughters at night, just taking in their light and beauty. Above all, reading my Bible centers me. That quiet time with God grounds me and brings me a peace nothing else can.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: Danceconnectworldwide
- Facebook: Dance Connect Worldwide
- Youtube: Danceconnecfworldwide
Image Credits
Photo credit: Michelle Reid
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