Today we’d like to introduce you to Candace Brown.
Candace, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
I was born with a passion for dance. I definitely think its something that I just inherited, something in my bloodline. My parents told me that from a young age, I was always dancing. Especially whenever Janet Jackson came on tv. Around the age of 5 or 6, my mom put me in a dance class.
I don’t remember much about it, except that the teacher wanted us to do an “across the floor” sequence, which had to be done one at a time. I was too nervous to dance alone, didn’t want people to watch me. I cried, and my mom never made me go back. Over the next decade or so, I continued to dance in the safe space of my own home. I would learn dances from music videos or concerts…and do them over and over. My favorite to perform in its entirety was Janet Jacksons Velvet Rope Tour from 1996. My dad recorded it on a VHS tape for me. I LOVED it. I never had the intention of doing anything with dance outside of these private moments at home, I just loved pretending that I performing. Whether it was pretending to me on a stage dancing with Janet or on a music video set dancing next to the likes of Aaliyah, Britney Spears, and Missy Elliot. When I was a sophomore in high school, I registered for a Dance P.E. class. It was a class that sounded fun because a good amount of my friends were going to take it, and the thought of being able to dance around and listen to music for a physical education class in place of running outside sounded amazing. This was the time that my passion grew stronger, and my nerves about dancing in front of people subsided. I even got to the point in class where the teacher let me and a couple of my friends teach combinations for the class to learn! Of course, I chose to teach Janet moves, as well as moves I learned from one of my favorite movies at that time, “Save the Last Dance”. (That movie is so corny to me now, haha, but brings back great memories).
The next year, I started taking class outside of my school. And funny enough, I went back to the same dance school my mom took me to for my first class years prior. This time I was way less nervous. I danced on the studio hip hop team there for the next 2-3 years. After my first year of college at Cal State University Fulleron, I left the hip hop team because the commute was a little far to make each week for rehearsals. But my college years opened a whole new door for me with dance. I met a friend that first year who was a dance major, and she told me about Millennium Dance Complex which was a professional dance studio in Los Angeles. I was also exposed to a community of collegiate urban dance teams….who held master classes each week. I became even more passionate about dance in my college years. Still not thinking it would be my career, but I just had so much fun. I joined two new teams during that time….I would be a dance classes and rehearsals until 2am and up for class at 830am.
But I didn’t care because I loved it so much. I was exposed to new inspirations in dance. I took a jazz class as an elective at my school, just because I wanted to dance as often as I could. My jazz teacher put on a workshop one year where Kelly Kono (who was Janet Jacksons dancer on my favorite tour), along with Marty Kudelka who was Justin Timberlakes choreographer. I remember I heard about the class at the last minute but I was determined to take it so I went and just danced barefoot because I was wearing sandals that day. I was definitely a fan of Justin, but Janet was my ultimate inspiration. So the moment of being in the same room with Kelly brought me to tears! I graduated with a BA in Psychology in 2008. My plan was just to take a year off of school and go back for my masters. I wanted to take the break just so I could dance as much as I wanted, without having school obligations. During that year off, so much changed. I was able to travel Internationally for the first time with a dance team I was on to teach and perform. I auditioned and was casted in the infamous Monsters of Hip Hop show, that features 15 select dancers to work with industry choreographers.
I started teaching at Debbie Reynolds Dance Studio, and Millennium Dance Complex that year as well. I never ended up going back to school. I have been a dancer, teacher, and choreographer for about 15 years now. I have danced for artists like Beyonce, Janelle Monae, and even my #1 inspiration, Janet Jackson at the billboard Music Awards. I’ve traveled teaching dance….been to over 20 countries around the world. I currently live in New York City, teaching at Broadway Dance Center. I would not trade my journey with dance for anything. What started as a secret passion blossomed into a career….and an outlet I cannot live without. I feel so blessed to actually do what I love for a living. I’ve had so many dreams fulfilled, and I thank God for continuing to fill me with new passions in this art form. My newest goal is to create my own dance company and travel putting on commercial dance shows in theaters around the world. Last year I self-produced my first show “The Soul Spot” in NYC. Looking forward to more opportunities to create, live out my dreams, and wake up each day to do work that never feels like work!
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
Dance is definitely changing and becoming more inclusive. But when I started thinking about really doing professional work, I was very self-conscious about my weight. I had never been skinny, and I always held myself back from potential opportunities because I didn’t think Id have the chance. I look around now and it’s amazing how many artists and clothing lines really make a point to include ladies of all shapes and sizes! Another big struggle, as many artists face, is trying not to compare myself. Looking around at other’s journey and success can often make me feel like I haven’t done enough or need to be doing what they are doing. It is a daily practice to focus on my own journey and realizing how blessed and fortunate I have been to experience all the things I have.
We’d love to hear more about your work and what you are currently focused on. What else should we know?
My style of dance and creating is a fusion of Jazz and Hip Hop which were the two genres I trained in. Over the years, I’ve been inspired my so many different types of dance…and also just inspired by the idea that you can move any way you want! So ultimately, I just try and create work that feels good, but also inspires me to step out of my comfort zone. I think what separates me from others is the simple fact that I have my own story, my own journey, and that is reflected in my work.
What were you like growing up?
I was a very shy kid, mostly around people I didn’t know. When I was put into my first dance class, I cried and never went back. The thought of having eyes on me while I danced was so uncomfortable and it was hard to shake that fear! I was so passionate about dancing, but it seemed that the furthest I wanted to go with it was at home, where no one else could see me. Outside of dancing, and when I was comfortable I was pretty talkative… loved to laugh, and often enjoyed spending time alone.
Contact Info:
- Website: CandaceReneeBrown.com
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: candancebrown
Image Credit:
James Alonzo White, SDA Camp (Poland), Mike Ezperanza
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