Everybody’s dance journey comes with a uniqueness that units them other than their friends. For some, it was handed down from a mother or father or sibling, whereas for others, there have been inspirations from well-known names within the dance group. Regardless of the place the trail has come from, all roads result in enriching and constructing additional as the eagerness for artistry grows. Whereas it was not all the time as attainable, school has turn out to be a segue from dance schooling in grade college into increased schooling. Hip hop dancer Travis Lim talks to Dance Informa about his early years in dance, and what led to him wanting extra.
“My dance journey began once I was about six or seven watching movies on my house pc of Michael Jackson in my basement,” Lim remembers. “I puzzled who was educating him and thought to myself that that’s one thing I’d like to do.”
It was his fascination with the choreography of a pop icon and eager to be concerned within the artform that sparked Lim to attend a hip hop studio in his hometown of Vancouver, Canada. Due to how a lot there was to be taught inside hip hop, the necessity to be taught different types didn’t enchantment to Lim. Even so, the necessity to proceed coaching led Lim to pursue a better schooling in dance whereas attending UCLA. The beginning of this new chapter in dance proved to be a difficult but fulfilling expertise academically and professionally.
“College is such an unimaginable alternative that everybody ought to have the possibility to expertise,” says Lim. “As a world pupil, it was considerably troublesome as a result of I couldn’t work. Nevertheless, I had the chance to compete on Canada’s Acquired Expertise proper when Covid was calming down. I discovered our routines by Zoom all whereas writing essays on the facet between takes. There was plenty of finding out on planes and stressed nights, however fortunately my crew bought the golden buzzer and made it to finals.”
Together with competing on TV, educating and adjudicating with competitions and conventions and ensuring that assignments bought performed, Lim facilities making this stuff occur regardless of the issue round what additional fueled his drive to stability the tutorial elements with the skilled elements of his dance profession. In fact, within the educational realm, there may be an introduction to practices and strategies which are overseas to what we could also be accustomed to. UCLA served as an introduction to what extra might be introduced out of every artist.
Lim says, “One of many greatest adjustments whereas attending UCLA was my change in mindset from dancer to artist. I went from finding out primarily hip hop to finding out West African, live performance dance and lots of different types. I needed to ask myself, ‘What does my artwork do?’ from a worldwide perspective. By way of researching movies whereas diving into the cultural and social impression, I used to be elevated past aesthetics. My eyes have been opened to what dance might do.
Conserving in thoughts the newfound views that may include pursuing a better schooling in dance, there isn’t a denying that there may also be uncertainties that comply with as with every new endeavor. What lessons will you be required to take? Are there enough sources out there to complement the place there may be much less expertise? Is there versatility inside the curriculum that may be all inclusive to college students who’re concerned? With these questions in thoughts, Lim gives some recommendation from his private expertise for individuals who could also be not sure of tackling dance on the collegiate stage.
“From the second I began my journey with hip hop, I confronted prejudice for that fashion of dance,” Lim says. “The place programs and lessons at different universities have been taught with a extra Eurocentric or particular method, UCLA differed by providing a well-rounded method to bop. Each class current has been petitioned to be there. You should be ready for the lengthy highway forward, and you may’t count on change if you happen to don’t present up. I needed to push for every thing I wished to attain. Put your fashion on the map and combat.”
Within the spirit of placing dance types on the map and combating to maintain them alive, there are various feats that may be celebrated due to the efforts of those that paved the best way. From celebrating the 51st anniversary of hip hop to with the ability to see breaking being offered in the newest Olympics, these are the milestones that proceed to push Lim to push for the artform that pulled him into the dance realm. The multi-faceted expertise with UCLA and incomes his diploma in dance to being signed with MSA Company in L.A. are steps on the ladder of consciousness that Lim desires to share throughout the board together with his artistry. The stability between the tutorial world and the skilled world is one thing that Lim strives to take care of.
Lim says, “I’m at the moment discovering stability inside myself. I spend my days educating dance at Ok-12 colleges in addition to dance studios. It’s the fixed push and pull whereas furthering continuation of this tradition within the professional world. My greatest objective is advocating for hip hop pedagogy concerning increased schooling whereas together with the historical past I’ve valued and discovered from UCLA. For others with unconventional dance types, sure, there may be room for you.”
You possibly can comply with Travis Lim on Instagram: @travis_lim_ent.
By Monique Jackson of Dance Informa.
