Life & Work with Adrian Bennett of Los Angeles

Today we’d like to introduce you to Adrian Bennett

Hi Adrian, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
My story begins in Johannesburg, South Africa, where I spent hours as a young boy watching my aunt teach dance classes at her studio in Edenvale. I grew up in this dance studio, dancing every day. I was fascinated by the dancers, the music, and the movement. I would often pretend to be a dance judge, critiquing videos of performances. Those early memories of being in my aunt’s studio had a profound impact on my life and worldview.

Under the guidance of my aunt, Vanessa Jayne Bennett, at Moving Visions Dance Studio in Edenvale, I gained a deep understanding of dance. What pushed me to attain higher levels in my dance ability was representing South Africa in multiple IDO World Championships in Germany and Poland, placing 2nd in the world.

Seeking more, I moved to New York City to study at Broadway Dance Centre, where I was mentored by some of the world’s leading dance experts, including Lane Napper, Debbie Wilson, Bonnie Erickson, Heather Rigg, and more. This experience ignited a fire within me to pursue my dreams in the USA and to open myself up to larger opportunities.

After studying at BDC, I worked for Princess Cruise Lines in their production shows, “Magic to Do” and “Born to Dance,” created by the Oscar®, Grammy®, and Tony® award-winning composer of Wicked, Godspell, and Pippin, Stephen Schwartz.

My passion for the stage has taken me across the world, with performances on the prestigious stage at the LIDO de Paris in France in the extravagant show “Paris Merveilles,” which was created and directed by Franco Dragone, the creator of Cirque Du Soleil, as well as Celine Dion’s show, A New Day at Caesars Palace, and La Reve at the Wynn Casino Las Vegas. Performing onstage with the Australian company Showtime Australia in the “Hannah Montana & Miley Cyrus Best of Both Girls tribute show,” as well as alongside the world’s number 1 impersonator Kenny Wizz from Las Vegas in the “Michael Jackson HIStory, THIS IS IT tribute show” in both world tours touring Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa.

I then joined the creation and opening cast at Motion Gate of one of the world’s largest theme parks “Dubai Parks and Resorts,” under the direction of Jason Ramsburg.

While studying in NYC, I had the privilege of performing for Lashelle Griffin at the Special Olympics opening ceremony in New Jersey. I can’t even begin to describe the energy and vibe of performing to such a large crowd.

Honestly, my love for dance knows no bounds and extends far beyond the stage, which led me to write my first ebook, “Behind the Dancer,” focused on mental health and the mental aspects of succeeding in the dance industry. This online ebook has tips, techniques, and easy-to-follow ideas on how to elevate your dance training, release negative beliefs that hold us back, and plans to help you keep track of your goals. This book has been hugely impactful while training students across Australia and South Africa in my coaching program.

Alongside my husband, Dale Molloy, we are the founders of the entertainment company Mission Entertainment Co. My keen eye for choreography and creative vision have pulled sold-out audiences across Australia. My passion behind the scenes is as intense as my passion on stage and drove us to create the Mission Master Course, which guides, mentors, and inspires performers for their professional careers. With 4 successful 20-week courses and numerous workshops under our belt, we feel very grateful and proud of the 100’s of students that have come through our doors and have inspired to cultivate epic careers in the dance industry.

My expertise and experience have solidified me as a sought-after Judge in South Africa for the WLDF (World Lyrical Dance Federation) and SABOD (South African Body of Dance) qualifying competitions nationally, as well as being the head judge and owner of Surge Dance Competition.

Dance has taught me resilience, respect, determination, acceptance, appreciation, hard work, and passion. It has become an integral part of my being, and I am proud to call myself a dancer.

Now I’m about to turn the page and start a whole new chapter in the USA. This is possibly the most scary and exciting thing I’ll ever do in my life.

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?
To be honest with you, with most careers in the entertainment industry, it is met with many “no’s” and closed doors. I have faced many challenges, such as having the “wrong” body type; I’ve always been very lean. I’ve been told by many in the industry that I need to gain more muscle, and I’ve been told that it’s too difficult to follow my dreams from the country that I’m from and with the visas that I need. I have been told you can’t make a success financially from being a dancer. However, my passion and love for what I do have always been far greater than these setbacks and limited beliefs from others. I have always pushed past these barriers and continued when many people would have given up. I guess what I am getting at is that your self-belief and self-commitment need to be your top priority in this career. A never-ceasing, “YOU CAN DO THIS” type of attitude. I had to make the decision to listen to the little glimmer of this dream inside my soul and not the limiting beliefs of others.

Many people you come into contact with in your life are scared; many people run their lives from fear—fear of standing out, fear of failure, fear of making a mistake—and if you listen to these beliefs, they can limit the life you envision for yourself. It’s the commitment each and every day to view yourself as the winner in any circumstance of your life that sets you apart from the rest.

Challenges and obstacles are part of life; you can either choose to let them beat you down or become the fuel for your success, and I am proud of myself for believing in myself for so long.

And I truly hope to instil this positive belief system and encouraging self-belief in every student and dancer that crosses my path in this life. We as performers and dancers are very vulnerable and sensitive when it comes to our passion and craft, and we need to cultivate a positive mindset to not let outside forces get us down.

Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
What I am most proud of is the energy that I bring to any project I am a part of. Entertainment is an industry that uplifts and inspires the world; we need it. And no matter if it’s the rehearsal space, on stage, or the creative side of things, I bring my undying passion and love for what I do. It is easy to fall into the trap of complaining about things and the negative, lackful aspects of this industry. I have made it a choice to always bring my best and most positive light into any project I am involved in. This energy affects the entire production, the dancers and singers onstage, the production staff backstage, and even the audience that is watching.

We as performers have the opportunity to touch the lives of those who come across us either onstage or off. I have made many connections with dancers and people from performing onstage and making them feel something or inspiring them, and for me, this is what life is truly about.

Bringing your passion and love to every project you do means you are being your most professional self and giving it your all. I’m proud that I’ve always given it my all, whether in a dance class or a stadium performance; I give my heart and soul. This is something I’m most proud of. One day, when I lay my head to rest from a life well lived, I can be proud that I’ve given my heart and soul in everything that I’ve done in my life.

Can you tell us more about what you were like growing up?
Growing up, I was really shy. I was always very scared and embarrassed to show my truly authentic self. I was the boy who would hide behind his mom’s skirt and not speak to anyone. It took a lot of courage for me to try and show myself. I always knew that I had so much to give and so much to share with this world, but for some reason, there was this fear that I held to show my true self.

Learning how to navigate the world of self-development and mental health, I’ve gained knowledge on how to let go of these limiting beliefs I held about myself for so long.

You see, viewing yourself in a negative and small light not only holds you in a space of not enough, but it also keeps you from shining your light on all those around you. And what I’ve come to learn is we all need to shine our light as brightly and proudly as possible.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.missionentco.com
• Instagram: @theadrianbennett
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/adrian.mark.t
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@adrianbennett21

Image Credits
@sb4phots
Scott Belzner