Today we’d like to introduce you to Alexandra Watkins.
Hi Alexandra, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I am a 31 (soon to be 32) years old professional dancer.
I’m originally from Canberra, Australia and have been pursuing the dream of the big stage since I was just 11… At least, that’s the age I recall.
I grew up counting down school days to the weekend so I could finally watch all my favorite music videos. I was absolutely obsessed with them. My parents finally decided to take me to dance class, and I never stopped. I lived at the studio. I loved performing, teaching, creating, and competing. Dance was my biggest joy.
As I headed into my teenage years, I was competing regularly at a national level, which then grew to an international level. This is when my eyes were opened to just how amazing this dance thing was. When I was 18, I remember seeing an ad on YouTube for a dance camp in Germany that was going to have all my favorite teachers in one place. I didn’t know how I was going to afford it, but I remember instantly yelling out to my mum, “Muuuuuum, I’m going to Germany!”. At this point, I think my mum thought it was a joke, but she quickly learned she had quite a determined daughter on her hands. Despite no one wanting to join me, I had an opportunity in sight and was not about to let it slip by.
I worked at two studios teaching multiple classes, a cafeteria during the weekdays, bars on the weekend, and even picked up extra dinner or brunch shifts over the weekend if I could. After months of non-stop work, I eventually saved enough money to go to Germany for the camp… It was a real turning point for me. I saw with my own eyes how people had built entire careers as dancers and was inspired to build one for myself. I still didn’t know how, but it ignited a new fire in me,
Years passed, and I felt as though I had somewhat veered away from dance. I moved away from my hometown, I picked up studying at a fashion business school in Sydney and has worked my way up to being a Visual merchandiser at Topshop. It was here I was met with another crucial ultimatum in life. I was offered a position to join the (at the time) best hip-hop crew in the world. I had traveled to partake in classes and left with an offer to train with them. I loved the life I had built in Sydney, but something in me knew I would never reach my dreams if I didn’t take this opportunity. So within the week, I quit my job and moved to New Zealand.
This is where things really got interesting. And I’ll try to keep this as brief as possible; After about a year and a half of training in New Zealand a select group of girls from our crew were submitted for an international audition. This was the kind of audition that could change my entire life. Once the submission was sent, we were informed that an even smaller amount were able to actually attend the audition in LA.
Now as you can imagine, a spur-of-the-moment trip to LA is not something your average hip-hop dancer from NZ can financially handle. But God came through and got me in the room. I remember being in the studio, and round after round, I kept hearing my name to stay. It didn’t seem right. I mean, this was my very first audition in LA, and I was in the room with some of my dance idols. It was absurd, but I kept going. After that day, we didn’t hear anything for weeks, so I moved on with my life and was honestly contemplating moving back to Australia.
Fast forward almost seven weeks, and I was told they wanted to see me back in LA for a callback audition. Again, my budget was not giving “let’s go to LA on whim”. But where there’s a will there’s a way. So I went! I couldn’t tell you how long the audition was, but it was sunny when I went in and dark when I came out.
It was that day I booked my first-ever world tour for Janet Jackson, and my life changed forever. For the past eight years, I’ve lived in LA, thrusted into the professional world of dance. I went on to work for the likes of Gwen Stefani, Cardi B, Pharrell Williams, Rihanna, Diddy, Katy Perry, and Blackpink to name a few. It’s been an emotional and physical rollercoaster, way beyond any dream I had had as a child.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
It definitely has not been smooth. Being in LA has come with alot of sacrifice. My family is on the other side of the world. I constantly miss birthdays, weddings, and holidays. Obtaining work visas were a constant struggle for me, as well as balancing finances with such an inconsistent work schedule. Not to mention the pressures of the industry.
What I will say is I believe the trials are what made the breakthroughs even greater. I’m learning to enjoy every moment for what it is instead of wishing my way out of them. There’s lessons in every season.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I work mostly in commercial dance, meaning you’re most likely to see me on stage or on your tv screen. It’s my happy place; I love the stage and a live audience.
I think I’m most proud of myself for never running away from situations that looked impossible. In moments it looked as though the work wasn’t coming, or the visa wasn’t getting approved, or even simple things like not being liked… I persevered (even if many tears were shed along the way). I think people underestimate how hard it is to leave everything you know for something that is so uncertain. It’s one of the hardest yet most rewarding things in life.
I think this in itself is what has set me apart from others. I know many talented people that never allowed themselves to shoot for their goals in fear of never reaching them. I just got into a habit of saying yes before I let fear set in.
Can you tell us more about what you were like growing up?
I would say I was pretty outgoing. I always had a camera strapped to my hand and loved being with my friends. Dance was my love, my escape from whatever may have been getting me down. I loved dancing, musicals, and performing. There was no stopping me.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: @_alexandrawatkins
Image Credits
Kailea Gray (Personal Photo)
