Meet Monroe Cline

Today we’d like to introduce you to Monroe Cline.

So, before we jump into specific questions, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
I am a professional dancer and actress living in Los Angeles. According to my kindergarten teacher (shout out Mrs. Markham), I’ve always had a “strong sense of self-motivation” and “desire to succeed and inspire others.” These qualities largely originate from my competitive upbringing: I grew up as the middle child of five girls and one boy. In Texas. With a retired actress/Miami Dolphins cheerleader mother and surgeon father. Naturally, I had a deep desire to prove myself and be “noticed” amongst a crowd. So when my three older sisters started dance class, I followed suit and quickly became obsessed with it. Not only did dance provide me with a foundation of discipline, but it also allowed me to form my own voice among my large family. After dipping my toes into gymnastics, I soon began dancing competitively. Like a lot of dancers, I was (and still am) a perfectionist. In order to get the best training, I even paid for my own dance expenses throughout high school by doing small commercial and modeling gigs, as well as teaching the kids at my home studio.

I’ve always been a busy body, and my school life was no different. With a GPA that averaged at 4.7, I would cry myself to sleep if I ever got less than an A on something as small as a homework assignment. I divided my time between being both class president and captain of my dance company because I simply wasn’t capable of sitting on the sidelines. I knew I wanted to be great, and I had to manage my time wisely to do so. As one of the top three students in my class, all of my teachers and peers expected me to go straight to an Ivy League upon graduation. It gave everyone quite a shock when I made the scary (but ultimately necessary) decision to move to LA right out of high school upon acceptance into the Edge Performing Arts Center Scholarship Program. I followed my gut and I am forever grateful for that leap of faith. Otherwise, I would be stuck following a path that others expected for me, which I knew would leave me feeling unfulfilled. I had big goals for myself and I wasn’t going to take “no” for an answer.

My year on scholarship at the Edge was a huge period of growth for me. Not only was I living alone in a big city for the first time, but I was also dancing every single day under some of the best choreographers in the industry. I learned how to maintain a strong work ethic under pressure, as well as how to stay true to my own artistry amongst a sea of like-minded dancers. I also built many beautiful friendships and learned from our directors that how you “brand” yourself is just as important as how well you can dance. Shortly after my graduation, I signed with my dream dance agency. Things moved pretty quickly after that, but I was ready for it.

I dove into acting headfirst after landing the lead in a Lifetime movie and gained a stellar team of representation as a result. It’s only been a year since graduating scholarship, yet I’ve had the privilege of working on a number of films, music videos, and commercials that are beyond my wildest dreams. A lot of it still feels so surreal, and I feel like I’ve discovered so much about myself in the process. My favorite part of what I do is getting to meet vibrant, interesting new people that all have stories of their own. I learn from them.

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?
Although I’ve been fortunate enough to fall into my niche at a pretty rapid pace (still not quite 21), I would say that there have definitely been struggles thus far. One of the main things that I find difficult is not spreading myself too thin. When starting out in the entertainment industry, it’s easy to want to say “yes” to everything. However, it’s important to make sure that you are giving every ounce of your energy to what you pursue. If you can’t commit fully to a project and offer the best version of yourself, it’s okay to say no. Dividing my time between dance and acting is totally a balancing act, but it can be done. I find that it’s easiest when I do at least one thing every day to hone in on my craft. Sometimes you have to sacrifice sleep, that last episode on Netflix, or stay in and study lines, but if your passion makes you feel the most alive then it’s definitely worth it. Above all, I say enjoy the process and don’t compare yourself to others along the way. It’s easy to fall into that rabbit hole (especially with social media), but I’ve come to recognize that everyone has a unique path to their personal success and it probably looks very different from your own.

We’d love to hear more about your work and what you are currently focused on. What else should we know?
I specialize in storytelling. What excites me about both acting and dance is their ability to open the door for human connection. Whether that is doing a character justice in a film (real or make-believe), or simply connecting with an audience, I love filling that void. The two art forms are similar in that way. When others feel, I feel. That makes me happy. I would say I do best with contemporary choreography because I am a “leg” girl with a high level of flexibility and I can really convey my emotions in that style. However, I enjoy performing all types of dance because it’s simply a way to communicate music through my body- how brilliant is that?

It’s difficult to choose my proudest moment because there have been many exciting opportunities that I am incredibly grateful for (music videos have been my strong suit recently). But, a major milestone this past year was working with one of my favorite choreographers, Ryan Heffington. I can remember watching his dance videos back home in Austin because they were one of my main inspirations when I began to consider dance as a profession. As you can imagine, actually getting to collaborate with him and experience his energy firsthand was a total dream come true.

Has luck played a meaningful role in your life and business?
I believe that luck is a definite factor in the entertainment industry, however it isn’t a make-or-break. I’ve experienced inklings of it, but I feel that timing is even more important. You could go years without an ounce of “luck,” however if you continue to work hard and keep your eye on what matters then time will work in your favor, and people should begin to recognize your strengths and persistence. I’ve been fortunate enough to be surrounded by a very supportive network of family and friends, but other than that I have had to create my own opportunities. There are always areas where I can work harder and improve each day. I’m constantly acting as a “sponge” and soaking up lessons from every experience on set, in class, or at auditions. Learn from your mistakes! In the end, the type of energy you put out will be the energy you receive- so make it count.

Contact Info:

• Email: [email protected]
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/monroecline
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Monroe-Cline-253698151873978/
• Twitter: twitter.com/monroeclinee
• Other: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm7753033/?ref_=fn_al_nm_1

Image Credit:
Tyler Shields. Kristi Griffith. Marcel Indik. Red Llama Media. Lifetime Movies.

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