Get inspired by : Bradley Boleman - Dancer fighting for his dreams
You met a lot of interesting people in Los Angeles . I think I met more people with the same drive to make there dreams comes true , here in Los Angeles . 1 Person that I have met is a guy named Bradley Boleman . He is working hard to become an artist / dancer . You can really see that he his putting in his soul to everything he do . I decided to do a little interview about Bradley . Because I know he can inspire a lot of people and give them motivation in ups and downs . So lets start the whole interview with : who is Bradley Boleman
My name is Bradley Boleman. I'm 20 and I was born in the state of Wyoming. I grew up in duluth Minnesota from age 5-18 and than I moved out to LA California when I turned 19 right after highschool. Dance is my passion. It all started with my mom putting me in gymnastics when I was three, she knew I was a performer, as I would always perform for everyone whether it be dancing lip syncing or acting. I did other sports as well such as hockey, baseball, and soccer. I lived in Rawlins Wyoming until I was 5 years old.
We moved to Cloquet Minnesota and my mother put me in dance when I was 7 at a local studio at Beckys Dance studio. I fell in love with dance immediately! I still continued with other sports and finally at age 9 I decided to compete with dance and i transfered to Dance Escape Dance studios ran by my favorite dance teacher Jen Anderson Clarke who pushed me to where i am today.
I quit for two years when I was 10-11 because I was picked on and called gay for being a male dancer. At the time I let people influence me on what I did so I played hockey and other sports which I liked but didn't love like dance.
At age 12 I got back into dance because I was very sad without it. I did competition dancing with dance escape since I was 9 minus those two years until I was 18. At age 14 i started chereographing my own solos and dances with the help of jen clarke. eventually dance escape turned into dreamdance Academy being a new owner.
I really didn't take dance too seriously until my junior year of highschool where i was presented with the oppurtunity to do college while in highschool. I dance for two years (age 16-18 junior and senior year) at the university of minnesota duluth dance department being taught by the amazing Lila white who teaches for Minnesota ballet located in duluth. She really opened my eyes to ballet and the dance world all together making me look at the history of dance. She pushed my technical level up a notch from my competition dancing.
I also took part in the university's dance clubs barebones and attitude being a chereographer for multiple pieces in the shows for two years. I also chereographed and performed in multiple local shows around duluth including plays, operas, parades, events, and dance shows! I also did high school cheerleading for 2 years and all star cheerleading for 2 years which really helped my dancing.
At the age of 19 after years of competition and convention dancing I moved to LA to pursue a career in dance. The first year out here I just took a few classes during the fall and early winter. I almost quit dancing as I felt like I was getting no where. Finally my friend saved me and got me a free gig to perform in. I got to be in carnival twice performing with Raspberry Jams! Once in January of 2013 (which the piece was about honoring gene Kelly) and the second time was in march.(which was about a bad audition) I also danced in LAVC (la vally community college) modern dance production i was in two pieces.
it really opened my mind too modern dancing. i auditioned for the Edge performing arts center scholarship program in summer 2013 and got it. and now i am dancing here and its been an amazing journery! the teachers are amazing! i love them all to death! they all offer great insight and advice about dance! they really are amazing!
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The most challenging part about being a dancer for a career is for me taking other people's cherography and making it your own without changing the moves and learning how to stand out in audition by making choices while you dance that are amazing. I think the only thing you really give up at the beginning of your dance career is money. You have to start from the bottom and work your way up. So not being paid right away can be frustrating but you have to stay motivated!
But life isn't always about money so really you give up nothing! If dancing is your dream like it is mine well than you get to live your dream everyday!
I have so many dreams! i want to do everything dance wise! broadway, tv, movies, company work, music videos, tours, commercial, acting, and even ballet! my ultimate dream is to be a chereographer. I would love to chereograph in movies and t.v. Shows and I would also love to become a dance teacher as well. Being a creative director is also in my dreams right now as well as starting my own company and owning my own studio.
My goals with dance right now are - tone my abs - get better flexibility - learn to have great control of every part of my body - and to be able to make clear precise decisions while dancing
I will practice and do everything in my nature to achieve these goals by trying hard in class. Working on corrections given by teacher, going to the gym, and stretching nightly.
What do you think about a dancer's health? Should a dancer have someone helping them with their diet and training outside the dancestudio ?
I think a dancers health is very important. You need to know your body. Being healthy gives your body the nutrients and minerals your body needs do the moves of every dance style if you aren't healthy your dancing will suffer from it no question about this. I think getting help on your diet is a bad idea. Getting help on a life style change though is the way to go. I don't believe in diets as they are a period of time where you change how you eat. I believe a life style change is needed to have a healthy diet!
Are you healthy ? How do you stay in shape to be able to work as a dancer ?
I am healthy! I continue to strive to change my lifestyle to eat healthier , take dance classes as much as possible, and do as much physical activity as possible! I stay in shape by making healthy choices!
If you have a TOUGH day, how do you think to motivate yourself to keep working toward your goals ?
When I have a tough day I realize that it's just a bad day not a bad life. You are not going to be killing class or auditions, or shows all the time. All you can do is do your best and that's all you can really ask for and just remember to stay motivated by not just doing things that are related to dance do other activities like running on the beach, hiking, swimming, and friends always help get thru a tough day!
Is there anything you would change about you that could improve you as a dancer.
I would change nothing! I am the way I am! I can improve anything I want to if I put my mind to it! Just believe in yourself and things will workout for the best!
What's your best advice to anyone who wants to pursue a dance career.
Believe in yourself even if no one else's does. And always laugh! life's too short not to have fun!
