Today we’d like to introduce you to Bernard Sears.
Hi Bernard, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I got my real start with Tommy The Clown back in 2002. Before that, my mom had her own group based in Inglewood, and that is where I first learned how to perform. After some time with her group, I eventually made my way toward Tommy The Clown. I started doing Battlezone and really built my name there.
I took a break from dancing for a while, then came back around the time of the RIZE era when krump started getting big. At that time, I was dancing with a group called OFA which stood for One For All. I was figuring out my style again because clowning was not the main focus anymore. Everybody was krumping, so I had to find my lane in the new wave.
Around 2009, I went back to dancing with Tommy The Clown. Before that, I was backup dancing for different artists while learning how to market and promote. When I returned, we were doing school tours all over Southern California for anti bullying. That was a special time because me and my brother LJ helped make clowning popular again and took it to new levels.
During the school tours, Tommy had me and Rocco The Clown teaching at Debbie Allen. Our other brother Boomer The Clown was part of that time too. So we were on tour, teaching at Debbie Allen, and helping build the next generation.
During that era, Tommy The Clown created a popular drop for me that said idancebz music ic ic ic ic. The moment people hear that sound, they know it is time to battle and turn it up. Kids know it. Grown folks know it. The world knows that drop when it hits.
I created the Official T Squad TV YouTube channel because I knew digital was going to be a major way to create income. I had already been marketing for one of my best friends Jasmine Villegas who was a musician. I brought the skills I used for her into the clowning world and she supported me in that.
From teaching at Debbie Allen to going viral during school tours, and from me and LJ redefining what was created before us, clowning came back strong. Our classes were going viral. Our battles were going viral. I made mixes and mashups on SoundCloud that went crazy. Those tracks pulled in millions of streams over the past ten years.
Today we have five YouTube channels. One has over two million and the others range from nine hundred thousand to five hundred thousand across social platforms. We have broken all types of numbers and records tied to this movement.
Now I am older and I focus on training and mentoring the new generation of dancers. I want to see them shine and take clowning further than we did. Outside of that, I go to church, I go home, and I enjoy my peace.
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?
It has not been a smooth road. You have your ups and downs. You deal with living issues, financial issues, and people who simply do not like you. Some want to see you fail, and you also have competition that wants the same thing. One of the hardest parts about becoming popular and being a public figure is that everything you do is in front of the world. Things you do privately can easily become public because so many eyes are on you.
A lot of people gain relevance by bringing your personal life to social media. Because of that, you need a strong backbone to handle the negative energy that comes with the positive. You have to learn how not to respond at all, because when you are in the light, people expect you to be this positive figure. Some people look for anything negative so they can try to tarnish your character, hoping you will walk away or give up so they can take the light you have created.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I am a dancer, creator, teacher, mentor, and entertainer who comes from the culture of clown dancing and the legacy connected to Tommy The Clown. I specialize in performance, freestyle, choreography, and bringing big energy to battles. I also mix music and create mashups that dancers around the world use in classes and performances. My style is full of personality, rhythm, and crowd control. Along with that, I do the marketing and promotion for Tommy The Clown which has helped grow the brand and movement to a global level.
I am known for my energy, my musicality, and the way I help bring people together through dance. I helped push the modern wave of clowning by adding fresh creativity, making it hype again, and helping it reach new audiences. I also became known for a popular drop that says idancebz music ic ic ic ic. When people hear it, they know it is time to turn up and battle.
What I am most proud of is helping bring clown dancing into the digital space and making it grow again. I helped build platforms that allowed dancers to be seen globally. Because of that, battles, mixes, and classes have reached millions of people and helped change lives. I am also proud of mentoring the younger generation and helping them grow into their own, giving them tools and opportunities to shine.
What sets me apart is my ability to blend dance with business, creativity, and community building. A lot of dancers can perform, but I focused on learning how to market the culture, promote talent, and build an audience. I saw early that digital platforms would be the key to spreading this movement, so I moved in that direction and helped open new doors.
I also worked on the “Not Like Us” video with Kendrick Lamar, which broke records as the highest and most watched diss record of all time and won Grammys and awards from all different types of award shows connected to the video. Plus, I’ve had the chance to work with amazing artists like MC Lyte, Omarion, NLE Choppa, and even Snoop Dogg.
At the core, I love to dance, inspire, teach, support the next generation, and create moments that people remember. That is what drives me and what I bring to the culture.
Any big plans?
My plans for the future are to keep growing the culture of clown dancing and continue building opportunities for the next generation. I want to create more programs, classes, and events that give young dancers a real place to learn, perform, and shine. I am working toward building a creative space where dancers can train, film content, and build their careers.
I am also planning to expand the business side of what we do. That includes more digital projects, more partnerships, and more ways for dancers to earn from their talent. I want to continue growing our online platforms so we can reach even more homes and schools around the world.
A big part of my future is focusing on storytelling. I want to help tell the history of clowning and show how far it has come. I want to highlight the dancers who helped build this movement and the ones who are taking it further.
I am looking forward to traveling more, teaching in more cities, and building bridges with different dance cultures. I want to connect clowning to the global dance community in a real way.
Overall, I plan to keep growing, keep learning, and keep pouring into the community that raised me. My goal is to leave a legacy that opens doors for the dancers coming next.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/idancebz/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheOfficialiDancebz/
- Twitter: https://x.com/idancebz/
- Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/IDANCEBZ
Image Credits
@las_peloch
