Check Out Kylie Shea’s Story

Today we’d like to introduce you to Kylie Shea.

Hi Kylie, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
Dance is my first language.

I’m a Los Angeles native and knew from a very young age that I had to dance professionally. It was a non-negotiable. I told my parents during my sophomore year of high school that I would not be applying to any colleges, taking the SATs, or doing anything other than focusing on preparing to enter the professional world as soon as I graduated. Since then my path has been full of the most unlikely, wild twists and turns one could imagine… I believe my open mind paired with extremely stubborn and disciplined determination continues to carry me forward to this day.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
There has been nothing smooth nor easy about this road, ever. Every single day is a fight, a choice, a renegotiation, and an opportunity to grow and evolve.. at least that’s how I see it and choose to approach it. This path is not for the faint of heart, and when you are looking at the scope of a professional dancer’s career, it’s not really about talent. It is about resilience, stamina, and the ability to carry on through the challenges, the setbacks, and the moments that feel impossible, because that’s usually where the magic lives. Between career threatening injuries to managing 3-4 part time jobs at a time to simply support the dream of working as a professional dancer, the path has always been filled with any and every obstacle that would make most people turn around and run in the opposite direction..

But we don’t dance because we want to, we dance because we have to, and being able to speak the language of the soul without saying a word is one of the greatest gifts of the human experience.

Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I am an artist of multiple mediums with a deep passion for creating on both sides of the camera. I wear many different hats, depending on the day, and am actively pursuing many paths simultaneously in my life’s work. I’d say at this point in my career, the two roles I’m probably most known for are dancing in the rain with Rob McElhenney and Channing Tatum. In 2018, I had the privilege of working with Rob in the Season 13 finale of It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia in an episode called “Mac Finds His Pride”. Then in 2023, I made my film debut dancing with Channing in the infamous water duet in “Magic Mike’s Last Dance”. These roles changed the trajectory of my life and art, and I am infinitely grateful to both of my amazing partners and the brilliant creative teams who trusted me with such important moments for dance in television and film.

Early on in my career I danced in Seattle under the artistic direction of Donald Byrd, where I eventually became a principal artist with Spectrum Dance Theatre. My time in concert dance really shaped me into who I am today as a woman and an artist, and gave me the foundation of strength and resilience from the inside out that I’ve carried with me ever since. In more recent years, I had the incredible honor of traveling the world dancing for the one and only Lana Del Rey. From Coachella to Wembley Stadium, this was truly another life-changing opportunity. I am endlessly grateful for my time with her and cherish every moment we’ve shared both on and off of the stage.

Alongside my life as a performing artist, I’ve been cultivating my career behind the camera as a photographer and filmmaker. I am an ambassador for Leica Camera USA and recently had my gallery debut in the three-artist exhibition “Ballet” at the Leica Gallery in New York City. An ongoing Leica camera self-portrait series, which began back in 2020, connected me with Leica and in 2024 I created a short film called “Foot to Foot”, in collaboration with Leica Camera USA for the release of the Q3 43. This was a tribute to my late ballet teacher and mentor as was another project called “The Light We Carry”, in collaboration with Harlowe and BlackMagic Design. Everything I do is for her and I hope to honor and continue her legacy through every aspect of my life and art.

I also wrote and self-published a children’s book called “Save Your Tears For The Stage”, which tells our story and how the phrase, (which is also the tattoo on my right foot) came to be. I wrote this story in 2018 and crowd sourced the illustrations through social media. This collaborative work, which is of course is also dedicated to her, features illustrations from 74 artists around the world representing 25 countries. I have to say this is one of the things I am most proud of because it brings together so many different artists, and every time the story is read, her legacy continues on. Limited hardcover copies are available through my personal website, and I’ve signed and hand packaged every single copy as each physical book is a piece of my heart.

Are there any apps, books, podcasts, blogs or other resources you think our readers should check out?
This is an ongoing list that grows and fluctuates by the day or week depending on what I am navigating in life and art.

That being said, two book that profoundly impacted my life, and ones I often revisit and travel with, are Women Who Run with the Wolves by Clarissa Pinkola Estés, and The Body Keeps the Score by Bessel van der Kolk. I recommend these to everyone I meet whenever this question arises and will sometimes even travel with an extra copy to gift to people along the way.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.kylieshea.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kyliesheaxo
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kyliesheaxo
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/kyliesheaxo
• Other: https://www.patreon.com/kyliesheaxo

Image Credits
All of these images are part of my Leica Camera self-portrait series. @kyliesheafoto