Meet David Underwood III | Dancer

We had the good fortune of connecting with David Underwood III and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi David, what led you to pursuing a creative path professionally?
My entire life I have loved creating art in every medium. Whether that meant choreographing a dance with my sister to perform for my family; improvising an annoying dissonant melody on my grandma’s piano; or teaching myself a hobby like origami or embroidery. I never stopped creating but I rarely presented what I would create. It wasn’t until I was halfway through high school that I started to gain the courage to let other people see what I was passionate about. It was then that I realized that as much as I loved to create things, people loved to see them – whether it is good or bad. Art needs an audience. My fear of creating something bad kept me from my artistic passion; when I accepted the reality that I will have visible errors but also successes and either will affect people, I knew that there was nothing else I could do with my life.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
Every artist’s journey is different which makes them uniquely creative individuals. My journey wasn’t easy; I grew up in a rather large family so having the resources to experiment creatively wasn’t always available. Luckily my big family was full of love; we shared everything (sometimes reluctantly) but it exposed us to more because of that. I was lucky enough to get a scholarship for college and became the first of my siblings to get a bachelor’s degree, it was the love from my family and inspiration from them that I used to make it through school. I learned that as long as I have my family’s support there is nothing else that matters.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
If I had a friend visiting the area I would take they would absolutely have to see some of the famous tourist spots before I gave them the inside scoop of the city. Hollywood Boulevard’s walk of fame and Chinese Theater; Downtown LA’s Grand Central Market and Chinatown; and, of course, Santa Monica’s pier or Malibu beach. After all of that, I would take them to Alemeda Market for a fun shopping experience; the Bronson Caves for a nice quiet picnic; or just down the street to Franklin Village for a quaint brunch.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Of course, my parents are my biggest supporters and number one fans. Without their encouragement and faith in me, I would not be where I am today. I also was blessed with an amazing dance instructor that believed in me more than I did. Thank you Beth Braun for pushing me beyond what I thought my limits were and inspiring me to do great things.

Website: davidunderwood3.me

Instagram: @david.u3

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfWjdKVsQ38xz9kZCpfZGiw

Image Credits
Michael Higgins Jessica Alba