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Wednesday, February 4, 2026

Catching Up With Competitors Champ (and Budding Professional) Kira Chan


At 17, Kira Chan resides the resumé {most professional} dancers dream of—all whereas becoming in her historical past homework. Attending dance competitions and performing business gigs, she balances an intense dance schedule alongside her senior yr of highschool.

Chan, born and raised in Los Angeles, began her dance journey like many: child ballet and faucet courses. After including jazz, modern, and hip hop, she started competing and joined Components Dance House and its Accelerated Mini Makers Program at age 8. There, she centered closely on business hip hop and entered the conference circuit. In 2023, at 15 years outdated, Chan took residence the title of Radix Teen Elite Protégé. In 2025, she was named Senior Elite Protégé and Senior Prime Soloist.

Apart from these nationwide titles, you’ll have seen her on NBC’s Dancing with Myself or on the Billboard Music Competition, and even performing on the World Choreography Awards. And although Chan’s record of accomplishments goes on, what units her aside is her work ethic.

Dance Spirit spoke with Chan to find out about her busy way of life, profession aspirations, vogue sense, and extra.

In front of a taupe backdrop, Kira Chan sits on a brown wood box with one leg crossed over the other, propping her chin on her hand. She wears a dark knit sweater, shorts, and loafers with white socks.
Kira Chan. Photograph by Lindsay Rosenberg, courtesy Chan.

You’re balancing highschool, competitions, courses, {and professional} gigs suddenly. How do you handle that schedule?

Having a transparent routine has helped me handle each faculty and dance. Every single day, I get up and go to high school. Then I am going straight to my dance studio, the place I’ve a two-hour break to work on homework, after which I am going to all my dance courses. I get residence round 10 pm, end up any homework, and repeat the cycle each day!

On the weekends, I usually have rehearsals at my studio, however after I don’t, I take courses at completely different L.A. studios. I additionally attend competitions and conventions.   

What fashion feels probably the most “you” as a dancer?

I might positively say hip hop or jazz funk.

Describe your favourite combo you’ve ever discovered.

That’s a tough query! I did a Sean Lew combo at Offstage [Dance Studio] just lately, and it’s positively a brand new favourite of mine. It was so completely different from what I’m used to. I do a number of jazz funk and hard-hitting actions, and that combo actually made me take into consideration the best way to be softer.

Kira Chan dances a combo at a convention, wearing a white bra top and gray sweatpants. She juts one hip out with one elbow bent as she whips her head to the side, her long hair flying.
Chan dancing Brian Friedman’s choreography at Radix Dance Conference. Photograph by Johnny Axenov, courtesy Chan/Radix.

What’s your go-to dance-class outfit?

I like saggy pants, particularly for hip hop. The basic tight prime and saggy backside is my favourite outfit combo.

What faculty topics do you take pleasure in, and what’s your least favourite?

It’s not everybody’s favourite, however I like math. It’s so satisfying that there’s one reply to each query. My least favourite topic must be English.

After a protracted day of faculty and dance, what’s your consolation meals?

I like sushi. A lot.

What’s your funniest onstage or rehearsal blooper?

Once I carried out in Mark Ballas and Whitney Leavitt’s freestyle for the Name Her Daddy podcast, we had prop telephones. One rehearsal, I totally chucked my telephone out of my hand. It was utterly out of the blue, and I don’t know—it simply slipped out from my fingers!

What has competitors dance taught you about your self that on a regular basis life by no means may?

Competitors dance has taught me that you would be able to’t examine your self to different individuals, as a result of everyone seems to be so completely different. Comparability is a large drawback within the dance business as a result of it’s so aggressive. I’ve discovered by way of being surrounded by so many wonderful dancers to simply give attention to your self and never examine.

Onstage at a dance competition, Kira Chan dances in a bright red costume. She is shown from the side as she tilts and kicks one leg straight up, foot flexed. Her upper body is parallel to the floor. She bends both elbows in and twists her torso to look up at the ceiling/
Kira Chan performing choreography by Beau Fournier at Radix Dance Conference. Photograph courtesy Chan/Radix.

What are your largest dance objectives proper now?

My prime objective proper now could be to tour with Tate McRae. I went to her live performance just lately, and it was one of the best factor that I’ve ever skilled. She is in her prime proper now, so she’s positively going to have one other tour quickly, and I need to expertise that!

Should you weren’t a dancer, what would you do as an alternative?

If I weren’t a dancer, I might be a clothier. I truly plan to begin my very own vogue enterprise later in life. Proper now, I’m so centered on dance that merging the 2 worlds is troublesome. Even so, by way of my partnership with 5 The Label I’ve been capable of pursue a few of my vogue aspirations. Ideally, I might go much more into the style scene outdoors of simply activewear.

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