Rising Stars: Meet Sherman Dewayne Wood of Los Angeles

Today we’d like to introduce you to Sherman Dewayne Wood

Hi Sherman DeWayne, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
Whew well I began my journey in the arts singing & in martial arts (Kung Fu). I sang in the children’s choir and my mother danced in the dance ministry. The choir and dance rehearsals would be at the same time and I would watch the rest of my mom’s rehearsal when we’d finish.After a while my aunt would notice me following them as they danced and recommended I take class at Divine Dance Institute. (Washington,DC)
I didn’t really want to officially take class, I just liked to danced. My mom & I would always dance around in the house just having fun & I thought that’s all I was doing watching their rehearsals. Of course, haha, I ultimately got into the classes, they were small and intimate at first, I took west African and tap dance classes. Then was encouraged to step further into more technical fields and began taking modern (Horton) and ballet. I LOVED the technical forms, I felt like I was able to relate it to my martial arts training.
Then we moved to Guam,where I was able to train at Body Arts Dance Studio. The training there whipped me together & prepared me for the next step in my journey:between my ballet mistress, who TRULY played no games, and our jazz/competition coach. I also began playing the trumpet & sang in the school choir. I was in Guam for middle school.
Came back to America and went to private school and played trumpet in the school band but start being recognized for dancing at different events and shows in the city at the time. I heard there was an arts school in the city through my god mother ( studio owner of Divine Dance Institute) she got me into a class and callback and boom sophomore year began at The Duke Ellington School of the Arts (Washington, DC). I studied in the dance department under Charles Augins, graduating in 2011. Then attended the Ohio State University freshman year & graduated from The Boston Conservatory with a BFA in contemporary performance. I was blessed to be able to work professional jobs at a young age through my mentors.
I then moved to NYC as an independent artist, then joined Ronald K Brown/EVIDENCE, dance company. After that I moved to Seattle and danced with Spectrum Dance Theater for sometime under direction of Donald Byrd. I then moved to ATL & began to start training and doing more work in the commercial Field for a few years & then received an opportunity to tour with Disneys Broadway Lion King National Rafiki Tour. When I finished tour I moved to LA working independently as a dancer/choreographer/model/actor & personal assistant 🙂

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Ironically enough “smooth road” has been a big point of conversation with my friends and family. I have enjoyed the journey I can say & simply no it hasn’t been a smooth road at all. It has definitely been a journey which comes with test/trials, frustrations, moments of doubt etc. That’s apart of the beauty within the journey as well, these struggles & obstacles help build you, they strengthen you for the next step.
Choosing to be an artist and have that as your full time occupation comes with financial obstacles ant times, although they don’t feel great, you gain more wisdom on finances and find more ways to create work for yourself. I say the struggles are checkpoints that boost you to the next level if you stay steadfast.

Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I am now dancing different project independently & building my choreography portfolio. I work in different programs/studios/schools here in LA. I am known for training foundational styles (ballet, modern, jazz) as far as teaching & I am also well know for fusing all styles of dance together within training and choreography.
I love to push the boundaries of movement: blending traditional techniques with an Afro contemporary punch is truly my vibe. I love detail & I love to lose form as well.

Although I am a “contemporary artist” I just like to go with “artist” now haha. I love contemporary art & I am a huge advocate for teaching each style in its technical form along with its history before teaching one how to break it and build contemporary work. That’s EVERY style from ballet, jazz, modern to hip hop, house, west African forms for me, but any and all styles I believe should learn and study the foundation and history first, that knowledge is what feeds the true contemporary form with yourself as the artist. I think that’s what I’m most proud of as an artist, the journey/story, the feeling I’m able to express through sharing my craft.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/waynesflight?igsh=YTQwZjQ0NmI0OA%3D%3D&utm_source=qr

Image Credits
Peter Kaskons Photography
Christopher Marrs
Onecandidvisual
YungCEOPhoto x Neely Townes
Lydia Cuffy
Marius Harrell