Jamal Wade is a dancer, actor, and director from Baton Rouge. He began his formal dance training with the Baton Rouge Ballet Theatre while attending Baton Rouge High. At the time, he was performing in local productions with Debbie Allen, New Venture Theatre, and Of Moving Colors Dance Company. In 2012, Jamal moved to Los Angeles to attend the American Musical and Dramatic Academy. There he trained under choreographers like Genevieve Carson, Doriana Sanchez, Donyelle Jones, Fresh Redding, Miguel Antonio, and many more of the industry’s finest before graduating with his BFA in Dance Theatre. He has worked with artists like K. Michelle, Kiiara, Snoop Dog, and Pink- appearing in both the music video and the live performance of “What About Us” on the 2017 VMA Awards. He has also appeared in advertisements for Google Pixel, Bonobos, and Fresh Empire. Jamal recently made his directorial debut co-directing and producing Gia Gun’s (VH1’s DragRace), “La China Mas Latina”, which had its Billboard premiere in September. He continues to work and train in Los Angeles, and doing youth outreach in performing arts.
Tomorrow Jamal will be hosting an entertainment seminar and audition workshop in Baton Rouge, LA at a private location, so let’s “dip†into his back story and get to know him better.
Fancy: How would you describe your swagger? What makes Jamal?
Jamal: I would describe my ‘swagger’ as vibrant, and warm, but at the same time very laid-back. I’m an incredibly easy going person with a big heart for helping others; I get that from my mom. I really do my best to try to understand people for who they are and not where they’re from or what they look like. That’s probably my most defining characteristic.
Fancy: Your official dance training started at Baton Rouge Ballet Theatre, but I assume you were dancing before then correct?
Jamal: I actually took my first dance class at McKinley Middle Magnet with Ms. Robbye Thomas. The class wasn’t very focused on any one particular style of dance but was more so a curriculum to fit the structure of a substitute for physical education. What I did learn from that class was confidence and how to work hard at something that I wanted. I really appreciate her for pushing us to have pride in ourselves and to accept our peers.
Fancy: So what was it about dancing that attracted you?
Jamal: For a long time, the only thing I felt solid about was my academics. Everyone in my family was super into sports, but they were just never my thing. Dance was so appealing to me because, in a way, it made me feel like more than just an athlete.
Fancy: Do you think male dancers today still face the same scrutiny they did in earlier times? Jamal: Being from the South in general, there were a ton of things that men would come under scrutiny for. Now that times are changing, doors are opening, and hearts are warming, we’re coming to our senses and realizing how silly (and even ignorant) some of the stigmas we had about certain things were. I think we are definitely past that scrutiny, but there’s still work to be done.
Fancy: How did your parents feel about your desire to be a professional dancer?
Jamal: I’ve always had the most supportive family ever! When it came to exploring my interests and hobbies, my mother was always figuring out a way to make it happen. The entire family was incredibly supportive when I decided that I wanted to dance professionally and dedicated themselves to making sure I knew they believed in me.
Fancy: What was it like working with Mrs.Debbie Allen?
Jamal: Working with Debbie Allen was absolutely life changing. She is literally a legend. It was my first time working at such a high caliber and with so many other talented dancers. It was honestly really intimidating, but it also made me push myself in way that I hadn’t before. Funny thing is that I actually didn’t make it into the first Debbie Allen show I auditioned for. I was pretty devastated, especially since my school took a field trip to see that same show (which I declined to go to for obvious reasons). On the same token, I worked hard to get better, auditioned again, and was in three of her following productions- the last being the same show I didn’t make the cut for and as a lead this time!
Fancy: So was it your work and experience on other videos that led to your directing debut? I’m trying to understand the correlation between the two, and is that common among entertainers?
Jamal: I’d honestly like to think of my directorial debut as somewhat of a “stars aligning†kind of situation. It was the combination of meeting my partner around the same time as the project’s inception, having the right skills and experience to comfortably pitch ourselves, and seizing an opportunity that came about when we realized our roles as producers would ultimately require us to step in and become directors as well. There is a lot of cross pollination between entertainers and the production side of things, but ultimately it just depends on what your interests are.
Fancy: What can we expect of your Entertainment Seminar & Audition Workshop?
Jamal: By coming to this workshop, you can expect to walk out with real practical and relevant information to get started with a career in the performing arts and entertainment world. It can be hard sometimes to sift through the stuff that matters most. I want to make sure that every person in the room feels comfortable knowing that they could start their journey as soon as they walk out of the workshop, whether that’s by going to take their first headshot or nailing their first audition.
Fancy: If you had to describe your ideal attendees for this event, how would you do so?
Jamal: If I could choose my audience for this event, I would choose people who are hungry for the process and not just thirsty for the product. You have to be invested in the dirty work. That can include looking deeper into yourself to face things that may be uncomfortable at times, or sometimes having a critical eye on work that means a lot to you. It’s not easy, and it’s about giving. So, all in all, I would want to see a room full of givers.
Fancy: Why do you find it important to return to Baton Rouge and host these types of events?
Jamal: Baton Rouge has always been filled with talent. After all, it’s only a skip and a hop away from The Birthplace of Jazz. There’s always been a strong arts community in the city as well, and now the film industry is establishing a bigger presence in the region. I believe there’s no need to fly all the stars out from Hollywood or New York when you can find them in our city! The only difference is the amount of access to professional resources and information. I want to bridge that gap so the talent of Baton Rouge can see their dreams happening a lot closer to home.
Fancy: Do you have any other upcoming events or projects that you care to share?
Jamal: I’m currently preparing to go into rehearsals for a new concert dance piece with The Iris Company here in LA. I’m also starting to look for new ways to get more involved with the Baton Rouge entertainment/arts community and would love to start connecting with people to develop some projects.
Connect with Jamal and purchase tickets below.
