Meet Nia Mason | Dancer, Artist

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

Hi Nia, Let’s talk about principles and values – what matters to you most?
As of recently, I’ve really begun to value every moment that I’m in. Of course I still struggle with getting out of my own head and finding myself stressed with other tasks that I need to complete, but I’ve been realizing more often lately that I truly appreciate being present and enjoying the little things. In the midst of a group conversation, I take a step back and see that I’m making my inner child so happy, and I know that she’s so proud of the person I’m becoming.

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 currently a dance artist based in Los Angeles, California. I specialize in hip hop, street jazz/jazz funk, heels, contemporary and tap. I give a lot of my credit to my versatility to my first studio I ever attended when I was four years old until my freshman year of high school. I was able to train in styles such as broadway theatre and modern more than I could at other studios in my area, and my love for every genre made me feel like I stood out amongst my peers. Alongside my dance training, I also focused on singing, acting and producing from a young age. I got to perform at events in my community with my studio, and that got stage fright out of me pretty early. Learning everything that goes into writing a script, scheduling rehearsals and learning lines and lyrics set me up for success that I didn’t even realize would be so beneficial to me later on in my adult life. I’ve recently started to create and produce my own works, and I’m excited to explore other avenues that peak my interest outside of dance. My latest project entitled “Never Dreamed You’d Leave in Summer” has been my favorite thing to create and my favorite creative process I’ve made for myself. Finding the inspiration behind conceptualizing an idea has been so fulfilling to me recently. I consider myself a very organized person, and having fun with organizing my ideas and getting into the nitty gritty is always equally challenging and exciting. I will say, when I do have to get super specific with what I want and how I’m going to do it, I tend to get a bit discouraged when I don’t have every answer immediately, or as soon as I’d like for them to come. This is when I realize that I have to take a step back and take a minute away from my project. Remembering why I do what I do and create what I create has been a consistent motivator to not let my extremely high expectations get the best of me.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Well I’m always down to have a great time, and some of my favorite places to go and see weren’t on my original agenda. This happens a lot with food. I’ve recently ran across this burger place called Farmer Boys, and I genuinely can’t wait to go back. If you know anything about living in LA, is that there’s essentially no such thing as a meal or combo that isn’t under $20, but the Farmer Boys meals quickly became a great find for me with the cost friendly food. A few of my staples though for food would have to be Solar de Cahuenga, Blaze Pizza, and Sushi Stop. As for places to go visit, I love hopping on the train and exploring downtown, and I’m always finding new things to do there. The Infinity Mirrored Room by Yayoi Kusama at the BROAD is a spectacular place to see if you’re ever in LA. Even though you’re only allowed in the room for a short amount of time, the exhibit is breathtaking and it’s honestly pretty surreal. Walking through the rest of the BROAD museum is also a great way to spend an afternoon. Also, one of my favorite parts of downtown would have to be Spring Street Park because there are always so many dogs!! I love watching them play, and the owners are usually nice enough to introduce their pets! While downtown is my go to place for a good time, I also have been loving the Los Feliz/East Hollywood area. The Los Feliz Theatre is such a great place to watch a movie and feel like you’ve been transported to the 30s! The tickets are cheap and the it has a vintage aesthetic that takes you out of the usual hustle and bustle of Hollywood. Right beside Los Feliz Theatre is Skylight Books, and they have a huge selection of good reads to choose from. They also hold events every week to get the community together for book signings, book club meetings and more. Los Feliz is just a great place to get out of the city and find smaller businesses to support!

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
First and foremost, I have to thank my mom, Dana. She has been my number one supporter through every thing I’ve ever done. Whatever the case may be, I know she will always be there to lend a hand. I don’t know what to wear to an interview? She’s shopping online for me. I need to vent? She’s there to listen and give feedback from an unbiased (usually) perspective. I’m working tirelessly to get a project done? She offers to complete something else for me that’s been on my to-do list for a week. Despite knowing that I’m a very self-sufficient person who needs to get things done for myself, my mom still understands that even the strongest of people still need help, whether they ask for it or not. If it weren’t for my mom, I wouldn’t be where I am today. She’s gotten me through so many hard times and has saved my life more often than she thinks. I would also like to shoutout my brothers and my dad. They’ve stuck through countless performances of local productions I participated in. My mom was the prop manager for my studio, and she made my brothers help bring in the heavier props for my cast as my dad got to sit in the audience and enjoy the show and all of our hard work. When I started competing in high school, they had no idea they were signing up to sit through thirteen hours of routines just to see me on stage for a total of one hour. With all of their patience, they’ve never complained (not to me at least). They’ve supported me in my dreams to move to Los Angeles and I know they’ll be by my side through every victory and every hardship.
Lastly, I would like to shoutout everyone I’ve met since moving to LA. My girlfriend, roommates, classmates, teachers and mentors have all inspired me everyday. I’ve been pushed to what I thought was my limit, only to find myself thriving in ways I didn’t think I could. They’ve helped me discover who I am as an artist, a student, and a human, and I’m forever grateful for the experiences and memories I’ve made so far.

Instagram: instagram.com/niamiahmason

Image Credits
Josh Rose