Dance Spotlight: TiannaSierra

Ladies and Gentlemen I introduce to you TiannaSierra

MediaPrince: Tianna tell us a little bit about yourself

TiannaS: "I’m 23 years old born in DC. By day I work a 9 – 5 for a non-profit organization to help prevent homelessness in the District and by night and on weekends I am building a brand for my myself as a dancer and choreographer. I’ve been a vegetarian for 1 year and a half. And I love to uplift people and spread love and positivity."

MP: How long have you been dancing?

TS: "I’ve been dancing since I was 5 years old."

MP: Where did you learn to dance?

TS: "I didn’t necessarily learn how to dance from anyone in particular I kind of always had this gift since I was a little girl, however, I have been in various dance groups and teams so I’ve picked up a lot from everywhere (cheerleading teams, local dance groups, urban modeling, poms, etc.)."

MP: What about dance excites you?

TS: "Everything about dance excites me. When I dance it’s an outlet for me to express myself and be whoever I want to be in that moment. Music plays a HUGE role in my love for dancing but I would have to say the most exciting thing is the movement and the ability to make your body become one with the music."

MP: What about dance inspires you?

TS: "The thing about dance that inspires me is the joy one can bring to others by merely entertaining them. I am a genuine person who loves to make others happy so when people get excited about seeing me dance and support me it makes me extremely happy because dancing is something I love to do and to know I’m bringing happiness to someone’s life is amazing."

MP: What inspires you to dance?

TS: "Music inspires me to dance. I’m a fan of all types of music. Whenever I hear a good song I immediately start making up dances in my head. Most importantly my need for happiness inspires me to dance. Like I mentioned before, dancing is my outlet and honestly the best way I’m able to express myself and let things go. It keeps me sane. If I go too long without dancing I feel a serious void in my soul! Dancing genuinely makes me happy."

MP: What dancers do you look up to?

TS: "There are a lot of dancers I look up to and just admire. Michael Jackson, Dominique Battiste, Janelle Ginestra, Brian Puspos, Ian Eastwood, Ciara, Chris Brown, Misty Copeland, Cyrus Glitch, Keone Madrid, Robert Hoffman, Yanis Marshall, every Jabbawockee … I can go on and on. There are so many dancers I just lovvveee to watch and most of the people I mentioned I feel are just bomb entertainers, they make dancing so much more than what some people think. It’s not all about the technique it’s about performing and having fun with it."

MP: What is your view of dance today?

TS: "I think dance is more prevalent today especially with the help of social media and television. I think people are more appreciative of dancers and see them just as important as other artists and entertainers. I don’t think we get as much credit as we should, however, I do believe we’re getting there and dancers/choreographers today have been creating their own paths to success that will help us all."

MP: Tell us about your youtube channel

TS: "When I first started my YouTube channel I didn’t have any real direction and goals on what I wanted to do with it exactly I just wanted to display my talent and have fun with it but after a while I noticed how I had a lot of people watching me so I decided to do more concept videos and put out a better quality (no more recording on my iPhone lol). In a few of my videos I try to relay positive messages and inspire people to just do what they love. Most of my videos I’m dancing alone but I’m starting to involve other dancers now. Some videos are dance covers I’ve learned by watching other YouTube videos from well-known choreographers and music videos such as Beyonce’s Ego and others are original choreography by myself. Majority of my videos are dedicated to hip-hop because that’s where my heart lies, but I dab in contemporary and sexy jazz a little bit as well. It’s going to be 2 years on September 15 since I started my YouTube channel and I’m excited for what I have to come. One thing I will say is that you can be certain I’m not going anywhere because I’ve found a love for creating videos and telling a story now and not only displaying my love for dancing."

How long does it take to create the complete vision?

"I’m not able to put a specific time frame on it because it varies. For the dance covers it only takes 1 hour or 2 to learn the choreography and after that it’s just a matter of recording it which can be another hour. The videos I choreograph vary. One of my favorite videos is the Schoolboy Q ft Kendrick Lamar Collard Greens which took me like 2 days (2 hours a day) to finish. I came up with the concept throughout those two days and it took about 4 hours to record everything (the dancing and the acting). Now this may come as a surprise but I rarely go in the studio to make up choreography. I usually make it up in my room which is not that big and/or sitting at my desk at work making it up in my head. The entire Beyonce – Drunk In Love & Rocket Valentine’s Day video was made up in my head and I literally only rehearsed that twice then I recorded it but it took me a few weeks to complete the vision. So it definitely varies video to video."

What advice do you give the young girl who wants to dance?

"My advice to the young girl who wants to dance would be to BE YOURSELF, don’t be afraid to try new styles of dance, and remember to have fun! I stress being yourself because as dancers sometimes it’s hard to find your own swag/style instead of copying others or trying to dance like somebody else. I also stress the importance of trying new styles because not all girls are meant to dance ballet or in heels. It’s okay for girls to dance hip-hop or even breaking and it also helps with your overall movement ability and creativity. So it’s important that they know that they don’t have to do those genres that are dominated by females. Lastly have fun because it’s good for your soul. Personally I think dancing is just as important as laughing and eating healthy is to someone’s overall well-being so have fun with it."