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DANA WILSON
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Dana Wilson
Choreographer, Dancer and overall business woman
We were recently lucky enough to chat with Dana Wilson, choreographer, dancer and overall business woman (whether or not she'd call it that, her ability to turn her dance career into a full mecca of experiences, makes her a business woman to us) to ask a few questions about living, dancing and pursuing your dreams in Los Angeles. For a little street cred, Dana has toured internationally with Justin Timberlake on his "Future, Sex, Love Sounds" tour, performed with Kylie Minogue, Florence & The Machine, was the assistant choreographer for "The Wiz," and holds a spot on the faculty of New York City Dance Alliance-- that's just skimming the surface, see more about Dana here: http://la.blocagency.com/talent/dance/dana-wilson -Without further adieu, Dana answers some pressing questions and gives us some golden nuggets of advice:
SDA: Tell us about your FIRST year in L.A.??
I moved to LA with a steady 9-5... or rather 6am-3pm job (Urban Outfitters) and a handful of my best friends... LUCKY ME! I spent my first year working 42 hours a week for Urban, (to pay the bills) and spent all my time, outside of that, either in class, or with the besties doing any variety of low budget activities IE eating animal crackers with peanut butter watching TV, or playing volleyball at Tujunga park.
SDA: What can someone moving to Los Angeles expect---your SAGE WISDOM.
Expect that it WILL NOT be what you expect.
SDA: What's a common mistake you see by dancers/performers when assisting/running auditions?
The biggest mistake I see is when dancers try to be what they THINK the job wants.... instead, I'd like to see a dancer be themselves and make me believe that they are what we want.
SDA: Describe the audition process, L.A. style---what can people expect; clothes, process, scene, etc.
Expect to be Camera/ Club ready at 11am. ha-ha. Expect no parking (which usually leads to a number of parking tickets). Expect a long sign in line. Pray for a type cast (although it can be brutal, its very kind of choreographers/ casting directors to NOT waste your time if they know they are going for a specific look... that isn't you...). After that... expect to freestyle, learn choreography, and go for blood... because the dancer to work ratio is... scary.
SDA: What's the hardest part about what you do?
The hardest part about what I do is drawing the line between "my business" and "my passion" since age three. This, by the way, is also the most glorious part about what I do. I realize that I am extremely fortunate to make money doing what I love to do.
SDA: Where do you pull your inspiration from when you choreograph?
I'd be hard pressed to look at an object, hear a sound, speak to a person without deriving a certain amount of inspiration from it. My choreography specifically is usually character/ story driven based on the crazy things I see-whether that's in it in real life or in my head.
SDA: What's one thing you didn't know about working in the industry, that you wish people would have told you?
That "talent" is not the key ingredient to success.
SDA: How do you stay in shape when you're on the road?
For strength and conditioning I turn to yoga and Pilates. They are great because they don't require too much room. For Cardio I'll take anything that doesn't put too much impact on the knees. Most hotels have some kind of fitness facility or pool... but if all else fails... there's always the stairs at the venue!!
SDA: What are you currently working on?
I'm currently co-choreographing, assisting and dancing for Joe Jonas, teaching internationally, and developing a Web-Series (stay tuned!)
SDA: How do you make your career SUSTAINABLE?
By doing things that excite me.
SDA: What's your PERSONAL MANTRA and how does it help you in the career you've chosen?
"Be BOLD and DO IT.... or it will never happen." I have a fear of creating something that isn't perfect that keeps me stuck in the "pre-production" stages. Sometimes it keeps me from creating at all. This mantra helps me to remember that I am a CREATOR, not an editor.
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