Meet Nick Young | Dancer

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

Hi Nick, what role has risk played in your life or career?
When I hear “risk”, I think about the moments right before I push my boundaries for what I’m comfortable with. Most of these situation revolve around performing. I hate to admit it, but I still get nervous, as much as I try to conceal it. Dance is a hard skill to execute. What I’ve learning from my experience taking class and enjoying showcases, is you can easily see a difference in the dancers who choose to take risks in their performance from those who play it safe. Risk taking is beyond terrifying. When applied to dance, you run that risk of seeing where your momentum falls, or where your foot ends up landing. Pulling that off is not easy, but taking more risks can reveal a new pathway otherwise would’ve never been found. I believe it is astonishing when a dancer use their technique and improvisation to not only surprise you with their movements, but surprise them as well. My goal with my performance, is to incorporate risk taking into my dance quality where the viewer will never be able to guess my next move.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
If you shared these next few sentences with my younger self, I would have never believed you. I am beyond grateful to have turned my passion for performing, dance, and creating into my career. Joining the show choir in middle show and opening my eyes to world of entertainment felt like a dream I needed to make my reality. After six years of musical theatre and a semester of dance training, I was offer my first professional job working as a Dancer. Oblivious to how much this would chart the course of my future, I was hesitate to leave my home and family in LA to take this job in Michigan, however I knew this is what I’ve been waiting forever for. The Young Americans was my door into the industry working at their Dinner Theatre in Harbor Springs and continuing on dancing for “The Magic of Christmas”. Returning back to LA, more opportunities arose with performances at renowned amusement parks, including Disneyland for the Lunar New Year Procession and Knott’s Berry Farm, where I launched “Calle Celebracion” and “Music, Monsters, and Mayhem”. With theater under my belt, I transitioned into film joining LUME Dance to learn the ropes of performing behind a camera. Since then, I have been privileged to work for prominent artists such as Justin Timberlake, Lenny Kravitz, Twenty-One Pilots, Todrick Hall, and Cody Fry. These opportunities have introduced me to collaborate with talented choreographers including Monika Felice Smith, MaryAnn Chavez, Hannah Gallagher, Payton Murillo, Noel Bajandas, and Erica Klein, exploring new opportunities, and pushing limits to what is achievable for me. I cannot wait to see where I go in the future.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
One spot you can never go wrong with has to be Laguna Beach. Whether your goal is to be fulfilled with a day at the beach exploring the tide pools, or just walking downtown enjoying all the vintage shops have to offer, I have the perfect itinerary for you. Although this destination might be the best part of your adventure, do not let the journey fall behind. Take a drive down PCH whichever way you’re coming from, because that beach side view will fuel that anticipation. Once you’ve hit Laguna Canyon and are overwhelmed by options for where to go, start with a rooftop table at the Skyloft, New American Cuisine, and enjoy a bite with a beach front backdrop. Then satisfying your sweet tooth, head to Gelato Paradiso hidden inside a narrow passageway between brick buildings to find yourself having forgotten you’re at the beach. The evening does not stop here, making your way up north to Little Corona Del Mar Beach. Down by the water, take a right to adventure through the tide pools just before encounter a sandy trial leading up the rocky cliff. Executed beautiful at sunset, you’ve found an elevated platform engraved into the mountain side overlooking the open ocean and watching the sun disappear behind the skyline.

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 hate to be unoriginal, but I truly mean this when I say my mom has been the biggest supporter I could ask for. I’ve known forever that entertainment is the industry I will break into. I never knew exactly how I was going to accomplish this, and neither did my mom. With all the encouragement she gave me, she also wanted me to stay realistic. However, she was the photographer to take my first headshot. I pursued my dream life fully motivated making content for social media while taking dance class through YouTube videos. When I got offered my first professional job working as a Dancer, she stayed hesitant. Not knowing much about this industry, neither of us knew what I was getting myself into. With much gratitude, I am beyond proud to say I’ve been booked ever since then. Not one show has gone by where my mom hasn’t been in the audience. My independence has shown her what I’ve been able to achieve and sustain on my own. Now, my mom is the first person to hear about my next opportunity.

Instagram: https://instagram.com/the.nickyoung

Image Credits
Photos taken by Jess Young Photography.