Meet JoJo Carmichael | Dancer

We had the good fortune of connecting with JoJo Carmichael and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi JoJo, what led you to pursuing a creative path professionally?
I decided that I wanted to pursue dance professionally probably when I was 14 or 15 years old. I had other interests and still do, but I just knew that nothing would bring me the satisfaction or fulfill me the way that dance does. There’s also so many avenues within dance that I am itching to explore. I am learning that when your passion is also your job it can create a different sense of navigation, but I wouldn’t have it any other way. I’ve always said that I want to make a living doing what I love and I’m so grateful that, that is my reality.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I grew up training in multiple dance styles. During this time, I developed a desire to want to be as versatile as possible because the older I got the more I understood how important versatility is. Now I think it is actually one of the things I currently enjoy most about dance which is really taking the time to train in different styles. One of the main reasons I decided to go to Pace was because I was able to get a taste of how versatile the program was from the audition which included a ballet, jazz, tap, and hip hop portion. Being versatile has enabled opportunities for me that I’ve really enjoyed being a part of. One in particular that I am excited about is the MJ: The Musical National Tour which I am currently on right now. This is my first tour and I am really excited to see what this year holds. I’m also really excited to just learn and grow throughout this tour as well. There are definitely many lessons to be learned but a couple that have helped me up to this point is granting myself more grace as well as not putting so much pressure on myself. I think a lot of dancers would agree with me in saying that they may be a bit of a perfectionist. And while there are some pros there can also be a downfall to that as well. I have been trying to change that narrative for myself and grace has been the key for me. Ultimately I hope to inspire others as an artist and human being.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I definitely owe a shoutout to my family for there constant love and support, I wouldn’t be here without them. Another goes out to my dance teachers at my hometown studio for introducing me to this art form and encouraging me to pursue dance professionally. And a final shoutout to my alma mater Pace University. The training I received from the commercial dance program equipped and prepared me for the professional industry. The program is so versatile and gives you the time and space to grow in a lot of areas. I learned so much and was also introduced to different aspects of the industry that I wasn’t aware of before which was really enlightening.

Instagram: jojo_carmichael99

Facebook: JoJo Carmichael

Image Credits
Justin Patterson – photography Em Katz – makeup