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Meet Leighanna Kennett

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Today we’d like to introduce you to Leighanna Kennett.

Leighanna, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
Growing up, dancing has always been a part of me. From my first dance classes at the age of 2 and 1/2 to now. I grew up studying dance in Upstate, NY, at The United Academy of the Performing Arts and The Mohawk Valley Ballet. I wanted to grow further with my knowledge in dance and training, so I traveled to Philadelphia PA to attend The University of The Arts, with a “Promising Artist” Scholarship. I discovered I wanted to move to Los Angeles, to pursue my career in the Entertainment Industry after auditioning for another opportunity at UArts and being selected to perform at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week with the amazing Momix Dance Company, under the direction of Brian Sanders.

Coming out to Los Angeles really opened my eyes and made me see this is where an artist like myself felt at home. Surrounded by other creatives and inspiring individuals, it was where I needed to be. My first professional experience and I soaked it all in. But it wasn’t where I stopped, continuing the next three years I trained and performed in the amazing Professional Dance Company, Eleone Dance Theatre and being selected to dance on shows like So You Think You Can Dance and Live To Dance, were eye-opening experiences to the extreme for me. This was a time I really transformed, from “baby” me as I refer to my less experienced self haha, to a Professional, a more “Seasoned” artist who now understood what it was going to take. It was a time I really evolved to be ready for my journey in this Professional Artist world. Even after all this training, experiences, performing, I never considered myself a Professional Dancer/Choreographer until I received my BFA with Honors at UArts. It was a huge accomplishment for myself.

I then finally made the move after college to pursue my career in the dance industry in Los Angeles. I signed with The Movement Talent Agency and have been continuing to grow. Since moving to Los Angeles, I have had the opportunities as a Professional Dancer/Choreographer and Artist to perform on shows and for artists like The Ellen Degeneres Show, Disney Channel, NBC’s This Is Us, Freeform’s The Twins, So You Think You Can Dance Vegas Finalist, The Mindy Project, Revenge Body with Khloe Kardashian, Adidas Ambassador, Onzie Fitness Brand Commercial, A Boogie With The Hoodie, DJ Mustard, Sarah Silverman, Caught A Ghost, Brooke Fraser, Amber Rose, Kosha Dillz & Flynt Flossy, Dear White People, Arsenic Magazine, LA Philharmonic, Yahoo! and many more. On the Choreography and teaching side, I joined the faculty for Wind Up Dance Tour Convention and I am the Artistic Director of Impavid Dance Company that I created a few years ago and since has caught the eye of many choreographer’s showcases and tv shows.

My goal for life is to inspire more artists to go after their dreams and to create more, no matter what. No one can do what you do. So you might as well be the best version of yourself and create. The world could always use more art and the support of other artists. Being an Artist is such a fulfilling purpose. I am thankful to have.

Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
My journey a smooth road? Oh no. Not one bit. BUT, that is how we grow, I am a firm believer. I wouldn’t be the person I am today if it weren’t for the ups and downs. I’ve had plenty of both. I mean I live a life where I moved across the country, not knowing anyone, no connections, no guidance, nothing. Pretty challenging in itself. But, There has been one challenge that will forever stick out in my mind…Before I made the leap of faith to further my career in Los Angeles… It’s one I never imagined years down the road I would laugh and be thankful for haha. Three Words… Live. To. Dance.

Let’s just say this was a TV show in 2011, I was glad to see got canceled. I don’t talk about it much, but now looking back, it definitely was a challenge that made me transform. Not many dancers can say their debut on National Television was a huge talk of an entire TV show. Little Leighanna soon found out the actual reality of “Reality” TV shows wasn’t what it appeared to be. This was my first actual TV experience and it’s memorable one haha.

I like to call this story, “The challenge of getting a thick skin and continuing to do what you love despite any obstacle”…I auditioned for Paula Abdul’s “Live To Dance”. A new dance competition show that was going to “Inspire” dancers, but ended up doing the opposite. I made it past all rounds before the actual “audition round” in front of Paula and other judges. The executive producers loved my dance and selected me for the show. Coming back I had a 2 pm call time that got pushed back all the way into late evening. Tired, I continued to stretch and be ready for any time they would be putting me on for my slot. Then one of the directors came into the holding trailer and told me there wasn’t enough time to for my performance. Weary, I tried to keep my composure and was put on a shuttle back to the original holding spot. My mom and dance teachers headed back only to be told to run back as another director told them they needed to see me and my dance. Rushing back with no time to warm back up and stretch, I took to the stage. I performed my full piece and made it to the short list of acts to compete against each other.

Standing listening to amazing feedback from the judges, a goose egg sized bruise started forming on my head. This is what changed everything. No one knew where I had hit my head, not even myself. What was shown on the episode, later on, was a different story though. One that had been clipped, edited to make it look like I fell, didn’t finish my dance, was in pain and the entire audience and judges ‘knew” when it happened. The staged “drama” was fun to go through too. Having people tell you, “Can you act like your in pain for the staged medic? We need to play up your bruise for drama for the show”… It was super eye-opening and I realized it was no longer about my love for dance. My hard work to get here, or the fact that I performed a great dance that received a standing ovation. They made sure my dance wasn’t shown fully and put in slow motion with added sound effects. The episode aired and I remember wanting to hide under a rock. Like someone punched you in the gut and the feeling never left. For a second they had me wanting to quit dance. Yes. Quit.

At the time, I had no idea that things like this happen in the TV world. I remember the feeling like it was yesterday. I worked so hard and performed so well, just to have an edited performance based on a bruise on my head to go with dialogue they wanted to portray. To do that to an aspiring young dancer is completely heartless and I questioned a lot. I never had Paula come to talk to me after or ever reach out. I had one person though that kept my spirits up, the judge who gave me inspiring feedback, Mr. Travis Payne. He checked on me after and gave me a pep talk. He told me to keep my chin up and that this happens all the time; to keep up the amazing dancing and keep going. How nice it was to have someone who was a legendary dance figure actually be a caring human being. He was genuine and real. I walked away with bright spirits and I don’t even think he knew how much that meant to me. How inspired I left after talking with him.

So with this new found spotlight, I took on the dance industry to prove I had what it takes and not to let this one show kill my dream and my passion for being an artist. It might have been the hardest moment for me, but I could never let anyone take away what I had worked so hard at. I learned a valuable lesson and grew thick skin. Not everyone has a good heart and sometimes people will do anything for ratings. I wouldn’t let that scare me away, though. I am thankful, So thankful because it prepared me for the industry I was about to step into and it is amazing to be able to reflect on how far I have come from this moment.

What else should we know about your work and career so far? What are you most proud of?
I am a professional performer, dancer, choreographer, model, teacher, dance company artistic director and soon to be videographer because I have a deep love for storytelling. It’s a lot of hats but the videographer hat is in the making, as I have been wanting to do this for years now. Taking some of my own advice, I am doing what I love, even if it scares me a little.

Right now, though, I am extremely proud of how far my dance company “Impavid.” has come and will be going. The creation of Impavid. Is based on the idea of being Fearless, which is what Impavid defines as. Since starting this company back in 2016, It has been recognized in various showcases and tv shows have reached out as the choreography has caught their eye. It’s crazy to think an idea in my head could keep growing into something bigger and bigger. What sets this dance company apart from others is its authenticity. No movement I give will ever be for no reason. The choreography is “Powerhouse Contemporary” as I like to call it. It is athletic and beautiful at the same time. It isn’t afraid to be ugly, beautiful, daring, vulnerable, etc. and that is what makes it unique. It commands your attention because the movement is coming from a very real place and the dancers I have had the opportunity to set my work on, display the fearlessness so perfectly.

Do you look back particularly fondly on any memories from childhood?
My favorite childhood memory, I think it would have to be when my dad took me to a ZZ Top concert and I was probably five or six years old. It became our favorite band. I would even put stuffed animals in chairs as my “audience” when I made up dances to their songs in the backyard. I was in dance class already, so taking me to this rock concert was going to result in some pretty cool moves from little kid me. Sure enough, the concert starts, I didn’t want to put in the earplugs. And since my dad had an aisle seat, I got up and went into the aisle and never sat down. Just a happy little kid dancing her heart out, putting on a show at a ZZ Top concert haha.

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Image Credit:
Danny Flores, Wind Up Dance Tour

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