#FierceFemales - All-Star Academy

 

       All-Star Academy Dance Staff

(Left to right: Kourtni Mason, Ahsaki Thomas
Nicole Norman-Ivory, LaTasha Gray, Andria Warren, and Adicia Dorsey
Not pictured Margaux Payne)

 As I rounded the first corner of the Intramural Center at Grambling State University, I was greeted with the bouncy vibes of the mini all-star dancers. Their instructors, Andria Warren and Adicia Dorsey wore patient smiles as they tiptoed through a beautifully choreographed routine set to the sound track from Moana. 

Just a few feet away I was welcomed by the sound of laughter and music and the sight of the junior dancers being led through a cheerful spirit routine by LaTasha Gray and Ahsaki Thomas. 

Across the gym Nicole Norman- Ivory and Kourtni Mason watched on as the older dancers stepped through a sassy but jazzy dance as JLO sang her heart out through the speakers.

A few moments before I entered the building, I have to admit I was a bit sleepy and a little sluggish but after seeing these happy dancers and the staff from All-Star Dance Academy my mood changed.

All-Star Dance Academy was founded about five years ago after staff members LaTasha Gray and Nicole Norman- Ivory saw that there wasn't a proper representation of African American dance camps at affordable prices in the local community. Since its creation, the "traveling camp" has moved around several cities in North Louisiana as well as Texas. And it gets bigger and bigger every year!

The staff members bring on average over 30 years of dance experience which includes techniques and skills they have acquired while dancing professionally with the NBA and NFL.

The staff includes lifelong friends that started dancing together at Grambling High School, in Grambling, LA. This group of friends has been in dance competitions together and has mutually shared a love for dance since grade days. All- Star Academy's dance camp every summer is a mini reunion for the staff to reunite and give back to their native community.

Thanks to the vision and continuous sacrifice of the All-Star Dance Academy staff, several young ladies are transforming into some of the world's most skilled dancers.  I believe the biggest reward was seeing the enthusiastic faces of the campers as they watched their instructors lead them through eight count after eight count. They are seeing someone that looks like them and is from where they are from.  The campers are not only learning several dance styles from hip hop to jazz, to lyrical, but they are making life long friends and getting into some pretty good shape in the process. This moment, this time, this experience was the definition of #BlackGirlMagic. 

How do you balance work, family, and having a social life all while conducting your All-Star Dance Academy in cities around the U.S.?

"Support from family and friends, staying organized and plan like a year in advanced for everything!" - Nicole Norman-Ivory

"Time management skills, booking in advance to get confirmed camps. Communicating with all staff members to make sure that they are aligned with their schedules." - LaTasha Gray 

"It's a team effort. With everything going on you have to have the support system. Scheduling in advance and getting mentally prepared also helps!" - Ahsaki Thomas

 

(Ahsaki Thomas and her daughter pose for a quick picture and a dance!)

Do you have to stick to a certain diet as a dancer? 

"It's more of lifestyle...get healthy...live healthy... incorporate fruits as a healthy snack choice and veggies into every meal if you can."  - Kourtni Mason

"I know when we're young eating healthy is the last thing on our minds.  But as we get older our bodies change . Dancers should learn their bodies and know what is the best options for them." -Nicole Norman -Ivory

What advice do you give to young ladies who want to become dancers?

"Make sure you find a dance class because to dance professionally you have to have very good dance training (fundamentals... ballet, jazz, modern) so when you're in a professional setting you will be able to adapt to whatever style is thrown at you... the more classes you take the better you become." - Kourtni Mason

 

"You need to take practices and performances very seriously at a young age. Put a lot of time in and work with different choreographers so you can be exposed to different forms of dance when it comes time for auditions. While dancing at Grambling State University, Mrs. Maroney-Grigsby flew in different dancers so that we wouldn't get use to just her form of dance or her style." - LaTasha Gray 

"Don't be afraid to step outside your box! Be confident in yourself and stay focused on you and your goals. Learn as many dance styles and techniques as you can, this will help you further your dance career. Lastly, stay positive and continue to train." -Nicole Norman-Ivory

How do you feel about the current state of the dance community?

"I feel that presently some studios and organizations are not taking the fundamentals of dance seriously. When you are a dancer, it is important to work on skills like ballet and technique almost daily to compete with the rest of the dance world if professional dancing is in your future." - LaTasha Gray

All-Star Academy strives to prepare young girls to compete in every area of dance. We don't just prepare our girls to be HBCU dancers. We take pride in knowing that the All-Star organization strives to give proper dance instruction so every dancer will be able to compete with all ethnicities in every form of dance no matter the audition or competition. We were all fortunate to have Mrs. Maroney-Grigsby as a world-renowned teacher that prepared us beyond college and provided us with lifelong skills that have taken us beyond dance into entrepreneurship.  - All-Star Academy Staff

Upcoming dance camps or workshops

July 14-16 2017 - Shreveport, LA 

July 24-28 2017 - Houston, TX