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American Dance Festival describes “Dom-Sebastian Alexis, a Greensboro native, is a Hip-Hop and Contemporary Juxtaposition Artist trained in various degrees of Street Dance, Social Grooves, and contemporary dance techniques and has devoted their life to understanding dance diversity…”
Dom-Sebastian will be performing at the July 7, 2024 Made in North Carolina event. As he tells it, we first have to thank his Mom whom he credits with teaching him to dance while she cooked supper.
Here, Picture This Post (PTP) talks with Dom-Sebastian Alexis (DA) about the path from his Mom’s kitchen to the stage in the world-renowned American Dance Festival.
(PTP) What were your your first exposures to dance and hip-hop?
(DA) My first exposure to dance was dancing with my mom in our kitchen as she cooked supper as a kid. Even though I didn’t have the notion of being a “dancer” at the time, I do consider her as my first dance teacher…
My first exposure to both Hip-Hop, StreetDance, and contemporary dance was seeing the movie Beat Street (one of my favorite movies of all time).
Why are you drawn to these dance genres?
I don’t know why I’m drawn to these styles to be honest. I used to wonder about it, but recently I’ve just accepted my fate and act accordingly.
Please share with Picture This Post readers how your creative process works to create your choreography?
The details of my creativity are sacred to me. But in a nutshell, I will share that the process is to stay as authentic to the original intention of the work as possible.
In this work, I wanted to find a true way to juxtapose ideas in a multidimensional sharing while staying simplistic in nature and design.
It’s still evolving. New Pangaea is only in the first phase of generating my overall goal. The project is a world premiere but to explain its metamorphosis at this time would still be premature.
For me, a feeling comes first. Music speaks to it and movement speaks of it.
Did you explore new creative areas in the course of making this work?
Oh yes! Where do I start?… hmmm.. we experienced the meaning of what open collaboration and communication meant in the process of generating art. I believe this may be the most valuable part of our experience in creating this particular piece.
What do you most hope audiences take away from your work?
I want them to take whatever they need. Right now, at this moment, a beautiful quote from choreographer Jesse Zaritt comes to me. When I took his class years ago he said something that stuck. It went along these lines. “Take what you need. Leave the rest.” That’s what I want for the audience.
Other comments?
Keep it 100. Escape the streets but don’t forget where you came from. Holla at your boi.
For more information visit the Obey Your Dreams website showcasing Dom-Sebastian Alexis’ work both as a performer and teacher.
To book tickets to Dom-Sebastian Alexis’ performance and other premieres in the Made in North Carolina July 7 event, visit the American Dance Festival website.
All images courtesy of Dom-Sebastian Alexis.
