Comp Kid Turned Teacher and Choreographer Gabe De Guzman Comes Full Circle

Comp Kid Turned Teacher and Choreographer Gabe De Guzman Comes Full Circle

Gabe De Guzman grew up taking convention classes across the country and starring in one viral class video after another, gaining tens of millions of views and hundreds of thousands of fans in the process. Now 24 years old, De Guzman is back on the convention circuit—at the front of the ballroom, leading the next generation of dancers through classes. De Guzman’s high-energy choreograph­y, characterized by unexpected yet seamless transitions, has appeared everywhere from Season­ 17 of “So You Think You Can Dance” to Skechers­ commercials. And while his professional bucket list includes choreographing for an international tour, De Guzman […]

Madi Hicks on Movement, Mentorship, and Making Space for Others

As a twirly 3-year-old, Madi Hicks says, she didn’t choose dance, but dance chose her.  “Everyone in the studio called me the ‘Ding’ girl,” Hicks remembers. “We were doing this dance where you play a keyboard and then hit a ‘ding.’ I was front and center and screamed ‘Ding!’ to the whole auditorium. To this day, they still call me that.”         Growing up in Dallas, Hicks attended Booker T. Washington High School for the Performing and Visual Arts before earning her BFA in dance from Juilliard. After performing with L.A. Dance Project, her passion for choreography led her to California […]

TRIBE 99’s DANCE COMBINE Is Pushing College Dance Team Recruitment Forward

TRIBE 99’s DANCE COMBINE Is Pushing College Dance Team Recruitment Forward

Over the past decade, collegiate dance has exploded in popularity with competitions like UDA and NDA Nationals breaking into mainstream pop culture and gaining attention on social media. College dance teams are becoming increasingly competitive, with steep technical requirements and a prerequisite of standout showmanship. Yet despite this growth, dance teams often lack resources when it comes to recruitment. Many college coaches pay for recruitment expenses, like travel and lodging, out of pocket. Carsen Rowe, founder and CEO of TRIBE 99, sought a solution by connecting aspiring collegiate dancers and coaches through a single national recruiting event. Now approaching its […]

3 Instructors Share Why They Teach Dance Despite Having Nondance Careers

Whether or not they choose to pursue dance as a full-time job, many dancers deeply identify with the art form and choose to stay connected with it for a lifetime. Some find joy in taking class, others in attending shows, and others in passing on their knowledge through teaching. Dance Teacher spoke with three women who stay moving through part-time roles as dance educators, despite having primary careers outside of dance. Cristina Gallotto, Chief of Staff at Politico; Dance Fitness Instructor at Equinox  Why do you choose to keep dance as a part of your life through teaching, despite your […]