We had the good fortune of connecting with Suzannah Ruth and we’ve shared our conversation below.
Hi Suzannah, can you tell us more about your background and the role it’s played in shaping who you are today?
I was born in Manchester, England. Manchester has such a strong sense of community and is famous for its music, culture, and media. My family always encouraged me to pursue my dreams. I was in dance training most evenings from a young age. I could see the success of older students from my theater school (many who were booking TV roles) and that drove me to work hard early on! My mum instilled confidence in me and a positive work ethic to keep reaching for my goals.
Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I’ve had a very busy career dancing behind stars such as Jennifer Lopez, Meghan Trainor, French Montana, Nile Rogers and Little Mix. I’ve also performed on The Voice, The Latin Billboard Awards, The X Factor, Britains Got Talent, Jingle Bell Ball and many others. Coming from the UK, I moved here with lots of experience under my belt and connections from jobs in London. I’ve managed to dance all over India, Dubai, Luxembourg and Spain. I’m always thankful for the array of opportunities I get in the entertainment industry out here including appearing in commercials and top music videos. I’d say the key factor in where I am today is being consistent with training in many styles, being versatile and being pleasant to work with being a very important factor. Simple things like arriving on time, working well with others and taking corrections on board go a long way. The dance industry definitely has its challenges! There are a lot of auditions you won’t be right for and you have to learn quickly that it’s not personal. You can only really overcome these set backs by believing in yourself, a tough skin and knowing you have a clear purpose and place in the industry. I try to be patient for those shining moments, knowing you will have your time and chance! I have more recently focused on salsa and bachata, it adds to my repertoire and gives me opportunities to teach all over and assist salsa legends. I have had the chance to assist choreographers on projects because of extra skill sets I’ve picked up. I believe upping your skill set makes you shine, I have also released my own music on Spotify as an artist and have been pursuing song writing and spoken word as a new venture. I am excited to go into the creative side of the entertainment industry, working alongside top choreographers like Charm LaDonna, Kevin and Marcel Wilson and others. I want the world to know about my songwriting and poetry, and how I am creating a world linking them to dance, combining all of my passions! I am giving budding choreographers my written work to choreograph and have had some great collaborations.
If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I would take them Salsa dancing! The Sofitel Hotel is my regular spot, actual salsa legends spend the night whisking you off your feet! Malibu Beach for sure, the pier is so relaxing and a great getaway from the hustle and bustle of LA life. Food wise, Ysabel is my favorite spot fusing Asian and Italian, what a dream! Coffee wise I’d stop off at RedWindow in Studio City, a great Aussie coffee shop hole in the wall. A HipHop Grooves class with Kennis Marquis for some more dance fun. I’d have them check out Melrose place for shopping and Fairfax market and then a visit to one of the many Farmers Markets for some local produce.
Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
World renowned choreographer Charm LaDonna is my biggest inspiration and has been key in enabling my journey as a successful dancer. In 2014, Charm selected me out of many dancers to perform on Britain’s Got Talent. I’ve flown out to Spain to work for her on music videos and have performed on The Voice for Meghan Trainor, again, hand picked by Charm. She has played a huge role in encouraging and supporting my work in the USA and has given me incredible work opportunities. My shoutout is to Charm for her continuous mentorship.
Website: www.suzannahruth.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/suzannah_ruth/
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/suzannah-ruth-30b143217/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/suzannah.ruth
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/user/suzyfluzyful
Other: Spotify https://artists.spotify.com/c/artist/1ZITzoSmThpE3mRu5YBsFg/profile/about https://open.spotify.com/album/79rGscJcPrdI8zyqQHUc4d
Image Credits
Joshua Mobijohn