We’re looking forward to introducing you to Jaziah Simmons. Check out our conversation below.
Jaziah, really appreciate you sharing your stories and insights with us. The world would have so much more understanding and empathy if we all were a bit more open about our stories and how they have helped shaped our journey and worldview. Let’s jump in with a fun one: What is something outside of work that is bringing you joy lately?
This is so funny, but I just gotten back into playing video games lately and I used to play a lot in high school whenever I was bored. Whenever i’m not doing auditions, working, taking classes, etc. I like to play video games when I have downtime. I love to play fighting, decision based, huge storyline games. My favorites I play right now are WWE2k24, Hogwarts Legacy, & Batman TellTales Story.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
Well my name is Jaziah Simmons and I’m a professional dancer and stylist based in Los Angeles, CA. I was born and raised in Compton, CA and also raised a bit in San Jose, CA where my dance journey started. I started off my training doing competitions before transitioning into the LA dance scene where I expanded my training. My main style focus is Commercial, Hip Hop, & Jazz Funk and I love doing Live Performances and TV/Film work. After I graduated from college, I wanted to get more into costuming and fashion. So, I started my own styling business called “Styling Vault” where I style artists for their headshot and projects. I like to style artists based on their everyday wear and personality, with a bit of an urban edge to it. I’ve been having lots of fun styling dancers and showing my artistic abilities in other things than just dance.
Great, so let’s dive into your journey a bit more. Who saw you clearly before you could see yourself?
I would say my best friend Shannon, she’s literally a sister to me. We met about 10 years ago on a dance team and we clicked instantly. I grew up as a troublemaker, also saw the worst in myself that nothing would get better for me, and no matter what I do I was bound to fail. Shannon was always and still to this day see’s the best in me and letting me know that I can accomplish these goals I have in my life without even fully telling me. She’s also in my corner when I have my bad moments. The one thing I learned from her that taught me about myself is that I’m “Persistent” in everything I do. I didn’t fully see this in myself until I starting training more in other styles once I was traveling back and forth from San Jose and LA in my early years of training to be in the industry. No matter the style or what the industry views certain dancers doing in these styles or projects, I try and break those barriers even though I always question in the back in my head “Should I even go for it?”. I like to challenge myself no matter how hard it is and hope for the best and if it doesn’t work out it wasn’t for me at that moment. It’s helped me alot in my daily life and I’m grateful to have someone in my corner rooting for me as I am to her.
Is there something you miss that no one else knows about?
Wow, honestly it’s kinda crazy that I’m even saying this but I really miss competing on a team. My last year being on a competing dance team was 2019/2020 and my last competition was Vibe Jrs. I was on the team for about 5 years so when I left, I was mainly leaving for college and I was moving back to LA. I was happy I decided to leave because within that last year on the team I felt like I lost myself and I wasn’t happy being on it. I was moving into a different chapter in my life at the time. I would say about a year or 2 ago I started to kinda miss it and was tempted to join a team at the time because I started seeing the team I was on competing again and I started looking back at the fun times when I was on it. It was a time period in my life where I changed myself for the better and meet people who not just became my friends but people I call family now. It also started my dream on becoming a professional dancer. I don’t regret my decision leaving at the time I did but there’s times I wish I was there a bit longer or a way for me to join a team out here in LA and compete for about a year with an amazing group of people.
Sure, so let’s go deeper into your values and how you think. What would your closest friends say really matters to you?
Loyalty, that’s something I don’t mess around with. There’s a lot of things that matter to me but this year alone, Loyalty has been a big one. I have trust issues just from how I grew up and was raised. It takes lots of trust, commitment, communication, and vulnerability to have a good relationship with another person when you want someone to be your friend, partner, co-worker, etc. Someone who is loyal to you and you’re loyal back is amazing because you know you can trust that person when you need them or tell them stuff, their committed in the relationship fully, they know how to communicate in a healthy matter, and you able to open up fully to this person without being judged or disrespected. And you know what all of these traits are also good for? When you book a dance job and you and the choreographer/creative director have loyalty towards each other in a professional matter to get the job done. Loyalty is really something important when it comes to my values and overall being a human being to others and myself.
Okay, we’ve made it essentially to the end. One last question before you go. Are you doing what you were born to do—or what you were told to do?
I would say neither. I was never told to be or do anything by my family like the usual be a doctor, lawyer, or teacher. I also don’t believe what I’m doing now is set in life to do. The reason for that, I believe I was born to do anything if I put my mind and the action towards it. There’s a bunch of stuff I wanted to do growing up but never really went for it like being a homicide detective, fashion designer, a violinist, game developer etc. the list goes on. Some of these things I was close to actually doing but I didn’t continue to focus on it cause I caught interest in something else. So yeah right now I’m a dancer and stylist and stick to doing it for my life but I do believe I can add other things into my life. I want to act someday in the future, I want to open my own dance studio when I retire dancing, and I want to be able to teach internationally within the next few years. You can be born to do anything but you chose if it’s just that one interest or multiple careers.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jaziahsimmons_/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCFQ6EuwiRj8t_aesNYQf_lA
Image Credits
Maxwell Stewart @maxwell_stewa
Jack Robertson @jr_acting
Alissa Rose @alissarosephoto
so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
