This interview was conducted on August 25th, 2013 via Skype
I recently sat down with local dancer and business owner Roger Lee who
was kind enough to let me interview him via Skype. He is a great guy and has
such an amazing personality, and has achieved so much in his career. He owns
Roger Lee Dance Company which is located at 729 S. 4th Street
Philadelphia, PA which offers classes for people of all ages. Below is our
interview.
Rye
My: For people who don’t know Roger Lee, can you tell us about you? Where were you
born and raised? And how you got started dancing?
Roger Lee: I was born and raised in Philadelphia, PA
and started dancing when I was 12 years old. It all started in 2001 when my
mother saw an advertisement for Fox 29 dance team so she took me down to audition.
I was so nervous and didn’t think I would make it. I saw all these people go ahead
of me and I was amazed at how great they were I didn’t think I could compare to
them. But somehow I had it inside of me, and before I knew it I was in the top
12 beating nearly 300 people out of the spot. I danced with the Fox 29 dance
team for 2 seasons and had such a blast doing it. By the 2nd season
of the dance team I was co-captain and teaching the team dances and helping people
catch up, it was SOOO much fun. We performed at all sorts of events that the
city had including places like the old Veterans Stadium, the Spectrum and in
the 6abc’sThanksgiving Day Parade.
That was such a surreal experience because I use to perform with my high school
The Philadelphia School for the Creative and Performing Arts each year in the parade I chance to perform alongside American Idol winner Ruben Studdard, and Grammy-nominated
gospel artist Vickie Winans, it was a lot of fun and an experience I will cherish
forever!
Rye My:
Last year in 2012 you started your own dance classes out of The Performance Arts Center for Kids studios (PACK ) in Philadelphia. What is so
unique about your classes? What can someone expect when coming in
for a session? And who are the lessons catered towards?
Roger Lee: I assist direct at the Performance Arts Center for Kids (PACK) during the day were we offer classes like musical theatre and stuff, and it’s a lot of
fun. The kids are great and I love teaching them new things, and they have a
blast doing it! But at nigh at PACK and on weekends we have adult classes, and those
are my favorite! I offer private lessons and they are just real fun and relaxed
it’s all about the spirit of dance. You can wear whatever you feel comfortable
in. I offer classes for people who want to learn dance professionally or people
who just want to have fun. I’ve taught classes for weddings and people in the party
who have wanted to learn some quick moves, or even people who wanted to learn
some new moves for the clubs and dance floor. I make it as fun as possible, it’s
very social and I make you come out of your shell!
Rye My:
I have read a lot about you, and it seems like your goal is to inspire people
to look at dancing in a different way. What is your mission that you hope to
relay to others through dance?
Roger Lee: My mission is to teach people who think they
never would be able to dance be able to! Anybody can learn to dance no matter
who you are, it just takes the right attitude, and dedication to make it happen.
It’s not easy, but if you’re down for the experience and can get through the
pain and sometimes the hurt to your body, you can achieve anything. It’s not
easy but I always say “If I can learn it anyone can”.
Rye My:
I am a HUGE theater person I sing, act, and love the arts! I have always loved
it! What advice do you have for aspiring artists who are trying to make a name
for them like you have, especially dancers.
RL: Wow! You ask a lot of great questions! Definitely
stay open to the process, in this field there is going to be A LOT of NO’S but don’t
let that discourage you. You can’t let it, otherwise you will never succeed. I faced
a lot of NO’s, some yes’s but a lot of NO’S, but I never stopped believing and
now I am where I am now, if I quit I had I don’t know what I would have done. Never give
up!
RM:
As a child what was the best advice you were given that you feel made you so successful
today?
RL: Put yourself out there and know how to market
yourself. That’s what a lot of the teachers in my high school taught me. Every
time we had an event or we were performing somewhere my teachers would always
call the media so we could get exposure. That helped me with my studio, EXTREME
exposure. One of the best times of exposure was when I was featured on an episode
of FYI PHILLY with 6 ABC’s
weathergirl Melissa Magee. She was a great student and I even found out that she
had a background in dance as well. It was such a fun experience and she liked it
to, she has some amazing moves! It was featured on the show and I felt like
that was great because everyone was seeing what I was about.
RM:
Your new dance company that you just started has a new show coming up in the
first week of September called “The Fall”. Can you tell us about it, and what
we can expect? Where we can buy tickets, and the address? I plan on attending I
am very excited to see this!
RL: Yeah! So “The Fall” runs from September 6th
through the 8th at the Performance Garage in Philly. It’s located on
1515 Brandywine St Philadelphia, PA. Tickets are $18 online and $20 at the
door. I would definitely purchase them online, but whatever people can do! It’s
a very family friendly show, which is rare for today, so kids, parents, and
grandparents can all come out and see this, which I think is so important. The show
has 4 dances to it, and 2 acts . The first dance is called “Diary of a Dance Company” and this act I feel
is so touching. It’s a piece that shows what goes on inside a dance company and
how the magic is made. Its show the friendships that are formed, the family that
we become, and the bonds that we make for a lifetime. It has a little bit of
everything in it solo numbers, duets, trios, and partners dance. It’s a very
jazzy number. The whole show it itself is very contemporary.
The second dance is the most creative, and that’s called “The
Fall” and for this number I want audience members to interpret this in their
own way because I feel that this is what the number is about. I don’t want to
put a label on it and say “this is what the number conveys” I want you guys to
decide for yourselves. I think that is miraculous, you don’t often see that
today in performances. Its starts with the women first and the music they dance
to is original music from Danny Norwitz who I went to school with. Then the
guys perform, and then we hit intermission. You will be able to buy snacks and apparel. The third dance is a very spiritual and moving dance called The Trinity it has 3
parts to it: praise, faith, and prayer, this number is really going to WOW you!
The fourth dance and final dance is just a fun upbeat number were we will be jamming
hardcore to Justin Timberlake that’s going
to be soooo much fun! And then afterwards there is going to be a talk back and
Q&A with the cast. You can ask them whatever you want! Oh Boy! HAHA! Not
many people have this after a show so I am happy to be doing this! I hope a lot
of people will come see this; I don’t want anyone to miss it!
RM:
I saw that you are coming out with an e-book called “Overcoming Dance Fear”.
Can you tell me a little more about the book and the concept of it?
RL: Yes, you can preorder the book now and it will
be available on amazon in October, I can’t wait! (www.rogerleedance.com to preorder now).
The purpose of this book is for people to come out of their shells when
thinking about dance and to look at it differently. There are too many people
afraid to dance and that bothers me, you’d be surprised how many people don’t go
out because they are afraid of dancing and having a good time. It should be a fun
and joyful thing that’s good for you, not something people are afraid of. The book
also goes into stories about success and failure that my students have faced
which are really interesting to read, especially the people who have become successful
and are doing great things! I am so excited for you all to read, I hope
everyone enjoys it and will have a new look at dancing.
It
was such an honor and privilege to talk with you Roger; I wish you nothing but
bountiful and tremendous success in life! I will definitely be checking in
again soon!
*To
find out more information about Roger Lee and to register for classes visit www.rogerleedance.com you can also
preorder his e-book and buy tickets on the site as well!*
Keep reading and following because I will be covering some of the dress rehearsals and sitting down with some of the cast members of "The Fall on my YouTube Channel!
xx
Rye My
More interviews to come shortly! Keep reading and following!
for questions, comments, or to have me interview someone or cover an event, email me at: thepositivenewsmaker@gmail.com
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