Today we’d like to introduce you to Ayden Nguyen.
Ayden, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
I was born in Rowlett, TX, a small suburb of Dallas. At the age of three, I became very interested in dance and would watch endless videos on YouTube, from the Jabbawockeez to Justin Bieber to Michael Jackson. I would watch videos all day and try to mimic the moves – my mom made several attempts to find a dance school that offers hip hop classes for 3-4 year olds, but most of the local studios did not offer hip hop until the age of six. Finally, at the age of six, she enrolled me in a dance studio and I was able to begin taking dance classes.
From that point, I started training 5-10 hours a week in a studio environment, in all styles – hip hop, jazz, contemporary, ballet. We discovered that I was able to learn and retain choreography very quickly for a dancer my age. At the age of 6, I performed live on stage with Justin Bieber, at the Purpose World Tour, before a crowd of thousands at the American Airlines Center in Dallas. Then, I began traveling to/from LA to train, where I started to gain alot of momentum and attention – the first video to go viral was of me at age 6 in Alexander Chung’s class at Millenium Dance Complex in North Hollywood, but it wasn’t the last.
Since then, I’ve been traveling back and forth to LA for dance training, projects and booking jobs. I have performed live with N.E.R.D. at the Nickelodeon Kids Choice Awards, danced with Lil Wayne during an NFL Halftime show aired on ESPN and I’m a professional NFL dancer for the Dallas Cowboys. I was part of The Lab on NBC World of Dance Season 2 winners of the $1M grand prize. I’ve also appeared in several TV shows, commercials and print campaigns – including H&M, Ellen, America’s Got Talent, Chuck E. Cheese, Neiman Marcus, and Kidzbop.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
Even though my dance achievements and successes have been seen around the world, what many people don’t see are the hours of training, intense schedules and the sacrifices that are made behind the scenes. Since I live in Texas, we often have to travel to LA for training and dance opportunities. Often times, I will get off a flight and go straight into a rehearsal or audition. I train in all styles and genres of dance, and typically at an adult level. Between all the traveling and the training and working jobs, I also have to keep up with my schoolwork, because education is still very important. One of the biggest sacrifices of being on this path is having to be away from my family and friends.
We’d love to hear more about your work and what you are currently focused on. What else should we know?
I’m a nine years old dancer/actor/model, but I’m mostly known for dancing. I want to continue my dance training and see where it takes me, but would also like to focus more on acting and modeling this year. I love dancing, but I want to experience new and different challenges and opportunities.
Has luck played a meaningful role in your life and business?
I believe that what is meant for me is meant for me, and if the timing isn’t right, then it’s not my time and it’s not meant to be. I focus on myself and my own growth so that when it is my time, I will be prepared and ready for anything that comes my way.
Contact Info:
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: @ayden_nguyen
- Facebook: facebook.com/aydentnguyen
- Twitter: @ayden_nguyen
Image Credit:
Bobby Dacones, Cindy James
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