Today we’d like to introduce you to Barbara Reed.
Hi Barbara, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
So, I started dancing at the age of four and singing and acting when I was eight. My favorite day of dance was picture day because we got to pose, and I guess that’s where I started to find my love for modeling as well. The performing arts is just my life and I’ve been obsessed with it since I was little. So much to where I went to Detroit School of Arts as a dance major and AMDA American Musical Dramatic Academy to continue my training there. I am officially done with school. I finished a year and a half early June 2023. And I am signed to a talent management now, LAU Lil Angels Unlimited, where I am taking my career on professionally. I still want an agency specifically for dance, but getting representation is a full-time job in itself, so we’re still working on an agent, lol. Now, behind the scenes, I am still training, taking vocal and acting classes and private lessons. And literally throwing myself into every dance class possible. Because with the strikes and stuff, there’s not much auditioning going on, but hey, it’s better to stay ready than get ready, right? So, yea that’s a little about me and where I am now.
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?
Of course not, and the road is still bumpy for one. I’m a 2020 high school graduate, so even starting college was a mess. I did school on Zoom for the first couple of months. Then, the New York campus was open, and said LA students can come here until the LA campus opens up. So, I got a chance to finally be back in person but also experience the other school. Then, my campus, the AMDAs LA location, was finally back in person, and I got to finish and graduate and finally start living the dream, but then the strike happened. I know another setback: no one was taking new talent, nothing was happening, so I had to take a whole new approach to everything and just look on the bright side. While I am still facing some challenges, it could be worse, but yea overall, my setbacks made me stronger and experience things I didn’t know I would.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
So, in dance specifically, I’m a very well-rounded dancers. I adapted to literally every style, and even if I haven’t trained in it, I catch on very quickly. But a style that I do that most doesn’t is tap. Every time I say tap is one of my favorite styles, people are flabbergasted. But isn’t tap one of the first styles everyone learn? Yes, but apparently, from what I learned, people stop and then wish they didn’t. I’m proud that I stuck with a style that feels like it’s becoming a little extinct but making a comeback. I feel like this set me apart from the rest because I don’t follow in anyone’s footsteps but my own. Now, yes, I may have a crazy and bubbly personality that stands out on its own. But I never knew tap would make me such an individual as I got older.
Risk-taking is a topic that people have widely differing views on – we’d love to hear your thoughts.
Omg in my friends’ groups, I’m literally the risk taker whether it’s a prank or embarrassing yourself. So, when it comes to my career, I’m 100% going for whatever I want. The most recent risk I took because it’s so many I’ve done I’m drawing a blank is I would have to say networking. It’s hard talking to people sometimes because I have so much energy that I feel like it smacks people across the face. But whenever I’m in class or at an event, I find myself becoming more social with literally everyone and not just my friends, and with that also come job opportunities and projects, etc. Now I know it may sound simple, but networking is a skill and if you don’t do it, you may be setback in this industry because it’s all about who you know and being in the right room at the right time.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: Barbarareed2002
- Youtube: Hangin With B
- Other: TikTok: Barbarareed2002
Image Credits
Lindsay Rosenberg Photography
