Ask and you shall receive: Self-advocacy and leadership -- with Riley Groot

Dance Careers: Unfiltered

Today’s guest is the ever so talented professional dancer @RileyGroot. You may have just seen her dancing next to Katy Perry in her Las Vegas residency, but I know Riley from her time as a student at AMDA college here in LA and have had the pleasure of witnessing her career unfold over the years. She's been on “American Horror Story”, the MTV Video Music Awards with BLACKPINK, Disney’s Christmas Spectacular, the Grammys, Billboard music awards, to name a few. We chat about:

• How being a reliable dancer can provide more opportunities
• Why connections are the most important aspect of your career
• The challenges and mindset shifts to withstand the breaks between gigs
• How dancers can self-advocate to make the changes we need in the industry

Born and raised in San Diego, Riley Groot’s love for dance sparked at age 13 when she began training with the non-profit company, Unity Dance Ensemble. After winning numerous competitive titles, all while touring nationally as an assistant for established dance conventions, Riley moved to Los Angeles, where she continued her study of dance and the performing arts at The American Musical and Dramatic Academy. Since her graduation she has grown her resume and reputation through the commercial industry as a hard-working and reliable talent. Her credits include “American Horror Story”, the MTV Video Music Awards with BLACKPINK, Disney’s Christmas Spectacular, and The Annual Grammy Awards with J Balvin, to name a few. Currently, she is traveling Asia on Jolin Tsai’s Ugly Beauty World Tour, and when she is not on the road or working in LA, you can find her dancing in her fourth Las Vegas Residency: Katy Perry’s ‘PLAY’, where she leads as dance captain. Riley believes that with every job and opportunity, a new lesson is to be learned. She vows to pass along the powerful insights she has acquired throughout her growing career and hopes to inspire the next generation of dancers, just as her mentors have inspired her.

Hey y'all! I'm Justine, the voice behind the DC:U pod and MNTR MGMT. After 15+ years in the industry as a choreographer, dancer, producer, educator and more, I'm now working closely with dance artists on professional development, business skills and digital enhancement. Curious? Book a free 1:1 Career Call. You can also help support the podcast! Subscribe and receive exclusive member benefits --> Pod Producer/Supporter
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