Today we’d like to introduce you to Andye Jamieson.
Andye, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
I am originally from Chicago and moved to LA in 2008 to pursue my career as a dancer and dance Instructor. I have always been a woman who is big on not only female empowerment but also on female support and female treatment – especially within the dance industry. Throughout my journey in LA, I have been able to choreograph for some of the biggest artists and also travel internationally to 39 countries teaching dance. Due to this, I have been around a LOT of different females, and have been able to observe a lot of ways that females are treated. I have also been able to see the way women treat each other, and I was saddened by a lot of what I was consistently seeing. The most prevalent issue I saw, over and over again, was the lack of representation of female choreographers and female teachers within events. To see an event with an all-female lineup was scarce and the saddest aspect was that organizers were simply afraid to do it. I also witnessed how VASTLY different women and men are while taking a dance class. In general, women are more insecure and tend to not open up as much as men do while in class. There is a constant internal struggle of comparativeness and worthiness. The idea to form QUEENDomination in 2013 was birthed from wanting to find a way to eradicate the aforementioned issues. It was a way to achieve two things: 1) create a platform where an event could THRIVE while being powered by an all-female faculty, and 2) create a space where women of all backgrounds could come together to DANCE, feed off of each other’s energy, and know that they are not alone in how they feel. A space where women would know, without a doubt that they were special and that they were ENOUGH.
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?
Creating and running this company has been an uphill battle. The biggest struggle has been gaining support. An all-female event somehow still seems to be a foreign idea to people. The event itself is always beautiful and the energy within the event is inexplicable. We have held events in Los Angeles, Chicago, New York, and most recently launched an online version called QD: ONLINE. Each event has been unique and special in its own way. I am very proud of all of the women who pushed themselves to not only sign-up, but also pushed through their vulnerabilities and insecurities – the event itself is definitely more than just “dance classes”. A hard truth that I am fighting to change is the thought that: an all-female event is not seen as exciting or as important as an all-male event would be seen. There is some silent stigma that has been attached to this for years and while I can’t put my finger on the psychology behind the “why”, I am determined peoples’ mindsets.
We’d love to hear more about your business.
QUEENDomination (QD) is a Dance Intensive Workshop powered by an ALL FEMALE faculty and is specifically for FEMALE students only. It is geared towards helping women uncover their inner “QUEEN” by using dance training, self-awareness exercises, and connection with some of the dance industry’s most prominent females. There are two portions to QD: 1) “The Workshop” and 2) “The Intensive” – led by me QD uniquely creates a space for women to totally and completely discover themselves, for themselves, through their passion for dance. It is most known for its unique ability to bring women together of all different backgrounds, and allow them to communicate, relate, and DANCE together. The teacher lineups the event has been able to produce since inception has been incredible and I am forever grateful to these Queens for sharing their time, knowledge, and gifts. Past event faculty has included: Shawnette Heard, Rhapsody James, Laura Edwards, Candace Brown, Sienna Lyons, Sorah Yang, Laure Courtellemont, Amari Marshall, Kaelynn Harris, Kiira Harper, and Marlee Hightower. The diversity and knowledge these women have is unparalleled, and there is no other event that offers what these women offer. I am extremely proud of that fact.
What were you like growing up?
My family always describes me with one word when referring to my younger self: “bossy”. I have always known what I want and how I want to go about getting it. It is very hard for me to take no for an answer and I always want to find a solution to EVERYTHING. I have always loved music, singing, and dance from a very young age and have always pursued something within the realm of creativity. I guess when you combine my bossiness with my love of the arts, you get a very determined and creative entrepreneur.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.thequeendomination.com
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: @thequeendomination and also my personal @missandyej
- Other: www.missandyej.com
Image Credit:
Romy Young
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