Meet Kayla Dame

We were lucky to catch up with Kayla Dame recently and have shared our conversation below.

Kayla, thank you so much for joining us today. Let’s jump right into something we’re really interested in hearing about from you – being the only one in the room. So many of us find ourselves as the only woman in the room, the only immigrant or the only artist in the room, etc. Can you talk to us about how you have learned to be effective and successful in situations where you are the only one in the room like you?

I taught and learn the discipline of both self-confidence and self-esteem. I had to learn and believe in myself that I belonged in the room. Throughout my adolescent years, I attended the METCO program (The Metropolitan Council for Educational Opportunity, Inc.) for a greater educational opportunity in a suburban environment. While attending my school, I was one of the few who looked like me. And I wanted to change that, I wanted to be the face that future students wanted to be inspired by and take advantage of the opportunities.

I learned to wait for nobody. If I waited for my friends to join me, I would have missed out on the opportunities that were gifted to me. I had a mission to be greater than what my counter students already perceived me as or any of us attending the school. As a growing dancer, I found and took as many dance opportunities offered. I wanted to do dance companies, musicals, performances, and additional opportunities.

My purpose was to be known as a dancer in my school, and I am grateful I was able to achieve that. I placed myself in rooms where some either were afraid or dared not touch and I was able to be recognized for my talent. By the time I was an upperclassman, everybody knew anything dance Kayla was on it. I was even being recognized by my faculty from my school as well. During that time of recognition, it has given me a lot of confidence and confirmation that I was more than enough, capable, and deserving of everything given to me.

By having this experience early, I was able to carry that with me through college and post-college graduate years. The world is going to be filled with people who either look like me and not look like me. and one of my goals in life is to be a role model and inspiration for everybody alone in their own space, that they can achieve their dreams and leave a mark.

Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?

I am a dancer, choreographer, and instructor in Massachusetts. What is special about it is that I have opportunities where I can travel outside of my state for dance opportunities for performing, teaching, and learning. So far in my career I have been blessed to teach in Rhode Island and North Carolina, performed and taken classes throughout the New England area, and in California.

An exciting aspect of being a dance artist is meeting new people with every class I teach or take. It is a new friend every class where you get to create unique memories. The atmosphere in the dance room, is genuine and different each time. Everybody hypes each other motivates one another, and it is a safe place.

I currently work at Tony Williams Dance Center teaching creative dance and hip hop as well as a rehearsal assistant for the production of City Ballet Boston Urban Nutcracker. I work for the Colleges of the Fenway Performing Arts Department as a hip-hop instructor, and I am open for private lessons either based in Boston or Cambridge Massachusetts, or online through Zoom.

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

I learned qualities in dance education and training are crucial and can greatly impact my journey. I have learned that only some dance teachers and choreographers are going to be right for me as well as any teams or companies I want to participate in. Just because they offer styles and opportunities I am interested in, does not mean that I will flourish the way I need and want to, to see success. I did not grow up doing a ton of tricks, however I grew up training and other various styles. Me having multiple genres and dance has elevated me for more opportunities to be recognized. Not a lot of other dancers have trained in technical styles equivalent to mine, and I use that to my advantage.

The advice I would give is to not be afraid to try. Going out of your comfort zone and experiencing different genres and teachers will expand your dance knowledge. You will never know what is right for you until you are in that space. Understanding your style and what makes you unique is crucial for your dance journey. Staying consistent in your discipline and training will support the results you want to see and what will make or break your career.

Okay, so before we go we always love to ask if you are looking for folks to partner or collaborate with?

I am actively working and becoming a commercial dancer in the entertainment industry where I would like to work with artists of all genres. I also want to dance in television and film and become a professional choreographer.
For future collaborations my email is [email protected].

Contact Info:

Image Credits

The headshot and images 1, 3, 5 were taken by Brandon Pursley.
Images 2, 6, 7, 8 were taken by Portteia Davidson

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