Meet Durante Lambert | Dance Choreographer and Educator

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

Hi Durante, what habits do you feel helped you succeed?
The habit I feel that has helped me succeed the most is, taking risks. Taking risks can be so rewarding and if it ends in a fail, that’s just room for growth and an opportunity to learn.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I’m a Choreographer, Artistic Director and Dance Teacher. I believe what sets me apart from others, is my wide range of experience. A native of Portland, Oregon, I first got the urge to become a professional dancer and choreographer at the age of 12 when I became a principle dancer for the Northwest Afrikan American Ballet (NWAAB) under the Artistic Direction of Bruce Smith. For 7 years I traveled throughout the US and Europe performing and sharing their art. NWAAB gave me the opportunity to perform a month long tour in Edinburgh, Scotland at the Fringe Festival.

In 2000-2001, I was also part of the famed Jefferson Dancers in Portland, OR under the Artistic Direction of Steve Gonzales; where I traveled across the country performing and training in Ballet, Jazz, African and Modern with some of the top choreographers in the world. I continue to give back by choreographing African and Hip Hop pieces for the Jefferson Dancers.

While in Portland, OR, I danced for WNBA Portland Fire Jam Squad, Portland Trail Blazers Hip Hop Squad, and Rip City Crew. Held weekly Dance classes for the last 15 years at many local studios. I’ve had the opportunity to choreograph for Pro Teams, collegiate Teams and High School Teams all over the USA.

While living in Los Angeles for 8 years, I trained with many well known choreographers. Along with my continual training, I also gained opportunities such as being selected to debut my Choreographic work at the famous Carnival, Choreographer’s Ball, Holding a weekly dance class at IDA Hollywood, Choreographing and Artistically working with artists for various Video shoots, auditioning, etc. These experiences allowed me to set roots in Los Angeles, CA.

While feeling grateful to have my roots in Los Angeles, CA, I currently reside in Portland, OR where my first love is LYFE Dance Company. As the Artistic Director for LYFE, I continue creating and choreographing energetic and exciting pieces that are performed for a wide range of audiences. We’ve performed for a variety of audiences over the past 20 years.

I continue dancing, choreographing and providing inspired dancers a chance to perform and express through movement through my dance classes, various performances opportunities, LYFE Dance Company, and most recently my newest endeavor; my Dance Mentorship Program.

This has not been easy to maintain and I’ve faced many challenges throughout my many years of experience. The power of community and support from my family, peers and mentors is how I’ve been able to over come the challenges and adversity I’ve endured. I’m humbled for this, as my Journey has not been easy, but my passion is what keeps me motivated.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
If one of my best friends came to visit me in the Los Angeles area, we would spend the entire car ride from the Airport laughing and catching up; because that’s a given. We would meet our good friends Gerran Reese and Megan Hunt on the roof top in the pool for music, drinks and good vibes. As the night would roll closer, we would head to my favorite LA restaurant, LaLa’s. After dinner, we would head to West Hollywood to dance the night away. West Hollywood offers a welcoming and diverse crowd that’s so much fun! In the Morning, we would head to Runyon Canyon to hike off the hang over before heading to Six Flags for all the thrills! After Six Flags, we would stop at Venice Beach and rides bikes to catch the sunset. We would grab dinner at Bubba Gumps and then head a show of some sort. Music, Dance, Drag, etc. I mean there’s so much more this wonderful city offers, this is just some of my favs.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I would like to recognize several people who have aided in my success and where I am in life. My strong support system consists of my family, All my Dance mentors over the past 26 years, as well as my community in the Pacific Northwest. It is because of these special people, that have driven me to succeed by their support, push and challenging me to strive for the best I can be. All the continued support has fueled me over the years to continue my passion, while providing opportunities for other Artists and Dancers.

Website: www.LYFEDanceCo.com

Instagram: @DuranteLambertChoreography

Image Credits
Photography: IG @MellyMelPDXPhotography