Today we’d like to introduce you to Justin Pham.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Justin. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
I grew up in San Diego, CA where I trained in competitive dance since I was seven years old. Since I was young, I had always had a passion for creating movement! I began choreographing small things for my high school dance team, and that eventually progressed towards creating on more professional and seasoned dancers after being accepted into the USC Glorya Kaufman School of Dance, where I graduated with my BFA in Dance and Minor in Cinematic Arts. My choreographic voice stems from the study of flow versus interruption, with an emphasis on groove and movement ideas inspired by Black vernacular dance practices. I have utilized these ideas in the conception of multiple independent dance films, some of which having led to award nominations, including at the Capezio ACE Awards and the McCallum Choreography Festival. My ultimate goal is to be able to combine aspects of the commercial and concert dance industry to create thought-provoking work, specifically in the mediums of film and television. I believe that dance for the camera is the future of dance and that this worldwide pandemic has only strengthened that argument.
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?
Something I have always taken notice in is the lack of Asian representation in American entertainment; both in front of and behind the camera. It is a lack of diversity that I think is too often ignored and brushed aside! It is important to note how the lack of Asian representation intersects with gender. Asian women in American culture are often fetishized sexually and portrayed as timid or frail. Asian men in American culture have been portrayed as lacking masculinity or sexual desire due to their body types tending to be slimmer. These cultural ideas reflect strongly onto the dance industry. As an Asian-American, I faced struggles being “marketable” for dance jobs, specifically those that require “sex appeal” or “masculinity”, which in itself is a problematic societal construct. Jobs such as tours for music artists and music videos often require a very specific look that will draw in American audiences; and unfortunately, the Asian male body is oftentimes not represented in that. While dance jobs may be limited, it is this limitation that has led me towards my strong passion for choreography and working behind the camera.
We’d love to hear more about your work and what you are currently focused on. What else should we know?
I am a freelance choreographer. What this basically entails is I am commissioned by various dance studios or companies to create work on or teach their dancers. Through my freelance choreography, I have been able to create on dancers across the nation, and present my work in many different outlets such as on the stage, on the screen, and even in art galleries! At the moment, most of my clients are pre-professional dancers and studios who are looking for a choreographer to set work to either compete, showcase, or audition with. In March of 2020, teaching and choreography jobs had to be put on hold due to the worldwide COVID-19 crisis… it was then that I decided to expand into entrepreneurship and co-found Artists Come Together with my business partner and close friend Rebecca Troyak. Artists Come Together, or ACT is a boutique production company with a mission to bring artists together from all facets of life to promote network opportunities, build relationships, and celebrate art.
We hope to provide mentorship to the younger generation of artists as well as uplift those on a professional track. So far, we have held a virtual solo dance competition offering live and immediate feedback to all dancers registered. We are also currently taking registrations for a college workshop event that is geared towards pre-professional and high school dancers looking to gain insight on what college dance programs are like. We hope to eventually create an unforgettable evening combining elements of nightlife with local art scenes to form an incredible gala. However, in the current state, we are at in the midst of the global COVID-19 pandemic, we will utilize our personal expertise in dance and find creative ways to celebrate art virtually.
Has luck played a meaningful role in your life and business?
I am a personal believer that luck has had nothing to do with my career. The lows in my life, I take complete responsibility for, and the highs are because of the hard work I have put in. I choose to believe that my destiny is in the hands of no one other than myself, and I use that to motivate me to be the best choreographer, business-person, and human I can be!
Contact Info:
- Website: www.artistscometogether.com
- Email: [email protected] / [email protected]
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/justinpham/
https://www.instagram.com/artists.come.together/ - Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/justin.pham.182
- Other: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC_105n5-2lJBfclWA5WDw_Q
Image Credit:
Photos by Alex Cole and Efren Zapata
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