Today we’d like to introduce you to Téa Devereaux.
Téa, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
Born and raised in Dallas, Texas, I began dancing at the age of three and haven’t stopped since. I started my training at a studio that was involved in the competitive dance circuit; in addition to my studio training, in high school I was also training at Booker T Washington for the Performing and Visual Arts. That is where I discovered that I wanted dance to be my career, and training at an arts school ultimately led to my decision to continue my studies at the collegiate level. I chose to continue my studies at the University of Southern California at the Glorya Kaufman School of Dance, and in 2021, I graduated from USC with my BFA in dance. After graduating, I signed with Bloc Talent Agency and have had the pleasure of working with amazing artists such as Brandy, Chance the Rapper, Tinashe, and more. I have also had the opportunity to perform in incredible live performances, such as the BET Awards and I am currently performing in La Cage! at the Hollywood Roosevelt.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
As fun as dance is, sometimes the physicality of the art can take a toll on the body. Going into my freshman year of high school, the years of training and traveling had taken a toll on my body. I unfortunately suffered a spinal fracture to my L4 and L5 vertebrae that had me in a back brace for three months. The toll that the injury took was not only physical but also mental. Going into the spring semester at an arts high school with a fractured spine injury was not ideal. The most challenging part was that I couldn’t not go to school so I was constantly surrounded by able bodies who were doing what they loved while my body was slowly recovering from the strain I had put on it from doing what I loved. As a dancer, a huge aspect of the industry is momentum, and you never want to slow down your momentum, but also the body has a way of forcing you to slow down, to rest, and to take care of yourself. I had to learn at a young age the importance of rest and the importance of listening to what your body is telling you it needs. That is a lesson that has carried on throughout my career and in a weird way, I am blessed that I learned that lesson earlier in my relationship with dance versus later when taking a break may not have been an option.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I am a professional dancer and performer who was very fortunate to train at schools that valued all styles of dance so that when we go into the professional world we have a ton of tools that we can utilize. I have been able to use those tools for many different projects such as dancing on pointe for Tinashe or throwing on heels and dancing the tango in La Cage!
I am honestly most proud of my drive and dedication to continue to push myself. Working on La Cage has helped to push me out of my comfort zone considering it was the first job that I ever booked for singing. Not only that, but being offered the role of dance captain was also something that I didn’t have much experience in, but I was very determined to be the best dance captain I could be for the cast. I think what sets me apart is that I am very much a team player. So much of dance is about community, and sometimes the industry can feel very isolating. I never want to lean into that isolation because it isn’t what dance is about at its core. I am incredibly lucky and privileged to do what I love for a living, and I never want to take that for granted. Don’t get me wrong, this profession has its challenges but at the end of the day, I remind myself that it is just dance and the fact that I have an able body is a blessing.
We all have a different way of looking at and defining success. How do you define success?
Ooh! My definition of success is always changing. Currently, I define success simply as achieving a goal. Whether that goal is to just get out of bed and go take a dance class or the goal is to book a show, either way, it’s a success in my eyes! I also think success is so personal to each individual’s journey. I know I am getting into a funky mental space when I start comparing my accolades with someone else. I had to learn that “comparison is the thief of joy” lesson early in my career when I had my injury, so now I focus on minding my journey and remembering that the only person I can compare or compete with is myself.
Contact Info:
Image Credits
Personal photo and Jumping photo: Lee Gumbs @leegumbs.photography Headshot: Lindsay Rosenberg Photography @lnzyrosephoto
