Meet Javes Charles | Dancer & Actor

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

Hi Javes, how has your background shaped the person you are today?
I am from the Caribbean Island of St.kitts.It is a small country where performing arts is both valued in the culture celebration but not respected as an education or career.I started off in music with guitar .It was the first kind of performance art I had to express myself especially growing up with it from my father’s side .Even with that form of expression I lacked any true showcase of who I truly was a person and a performer. My father being a well known musician and teacher in my small country most of the time I was mostly referred to as Mr.Charles son. It is because of that before I stood as my own person I was afraid of the image I needed to have for my dad but because of the art of performing from music to dance to acting I was truly able to express my individuality and be known for my art and who I am.

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.
As mentioned before I started in music with guitar .I started off expressing and feeling the music for a wide audience at the age of 12.I would then pick up dance and acting in my later teen years.The struggle wasn’t because it was hard for me but mostly with if I felt I deserved to be in it. I mentioned the certain image I believed I needed to hold as my fathers son well that mindset also was strengthened by the mockery and ridicule I got for pursuing the performing arts as a passion.I would gain more confidence in myself but it would either waver or it would cause me to be to cocky to the point of putting in less effort .I would achieve graduating from the college in my country and gaining acceptance in the Creative Sole Dance Company but still had that underdog mindset. If I were to truly stand out as the performer and a more confident person of my own right I had to branch out and broaden my horizons in America to both do more for my career as a performer and an artist.I would study theater arts in Bronx Community College in New York while I auditioned for jobs and Performing arts Colleges where I landed a few staged performances as well as got accepted into the American Musical Dramatic Acadamy(AMDA) in both New York and Los Angeles where I would gain my BFA in Acting.On the side I would further my dance training at Steps on Broadway and trained with Royal Thieves Dance Company for a while. Now here I am in Los Angeles establishing myself as an artist having done and still doing work in New York and Los Angeles with being represented by the Shauntiel Lindsey Talent Agency.In my journey I learned that if you truly passionate about what you love to do then you have to do it with full force and commitment no matter what.Even if you felt you have done well then you can do even better which is why I went through 3 colleges in my time to get here.Finally at the end of the day you are doing what you love for you because you believe in what you doing is successful and not for anyone else’s approval and when you do succeed in what you believe then you will always get a standing ovation. An example would be when the people who use to mock me now either applaud me or have nothing to say against my success.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
When my best friend visits then I will take him to Universal Studios Theme Park as I work there as an Animated Character and Ride op so I can get him a pass to get in and get on all the rides through Express. It’s right next to CityWalk so we can look at movie or try the Indoor Skydiving and maybe go in some stores to shop.Then when we get in the theme park we would try Jurassic World ride as it the ride wirh the most thrills .Then maybe have a chill afternoon in the magical world of Harry Potter and have some Butter beer which would be $6 with my discount.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I would like to dedicate my Shoutout to Creative Sole Dance Company, Heidi Slack, Julie Martin,my parents Janise and Sylvester Charles,Royal Thieves Dance Company, American Musical Dramatic Academy and finally the friends and family who helped me along the way. Honorable mentions to Sade Morris,Dwayne Gardner,Charles Waiters, Allister Tucket and Quamora Grady.

Instagram: Cjaves_dtjd

Facebook: Javes Charles

Youtube: Lethemkno

Image Credits
Perry Gallagher Brianne Dudra