Derek Piquette and Prodigy Dance Conference

Piquette has at all times been one with dedication, attaining his profession targets of performing with Cirque du Soleil and dancing on SYTYCD at a younger age. “By the point I used to be 21, I’d carried out each the issues I needed to do,” he reveals. “So now what?” Even with such accomplishment, he felt like he was lacking one thing — the load of a mentor.

Now, a decade later and a protracted record of credit below his identify, he has got down to be that mentor for youthful dancers. He goes on to say, “I didn’t actually have any steering, which is form of what led me to instructing and to the touch each side of our business.” His expertise engaged on over 35 tv exhibits, films, music movies and world excursions as both a choreographer, a dancer or an assistant choreographer has expanded his data to assist dancers irrespective of the avenue they wish to take as an expert. 

The transition from performer to mentor, instructor and choreographer has been within the works for awhile, though even after taking a 12 months off of performing, Piquette nonetheless managed to movie two films final 12 months. The recommendation that he has mentioned since he was 18 is “at all times be true to your self and don’t attempt to match a mould. That’s what’s going to shine via in an audition or any setting.”

Protecting true to himself and his want to assist others, he has sponsored worldwide performers to make their approach to the USA to bounce. “I simply know the way onerous the visa course of could be,” Piquette says. “And there are such a lot of gifted performers that I’m at all times serving to indirectly.” The shift to being a frontrunner is in full pressure, and Piquette has spent a number of years utilizing his connections and doing analysis to create the subsequent huge factor. 

One of many tendencies that Piquette has observed within the subsequent technology of dancers is their want to be on a school dance crew. Realizing there wasn’t a lot to immediately assist with this, Piquette began Prodigy: The Dance Workforce Conference. By way of the connections that he has made within the business, Piquette has compiled a crew of working choreographers and dance crew specialists to provide dancers trying to be part of a school dance crew what they have to be profitable. “It has been my ardour challenge for the final two years as a result of it’s simply one thing I’m genuinely so invested in,” he explains. “I work with plenty of the universities, both as a choreographer or as a method instructor or a grasp class teacher. It’s actually cool to be part of these children’ journeys indirectly. And getting them the place they wish to go, that’s really what it’s about.” 

After his first 12 months of operating this conference, Prodigy was in a position to give away $350,000 in scholarships to potential collegiate dancers. This coming 12 months, Prodigy hopes to supply a million {dollars} in scholarships through the dance crew recruitment occasions. Paired with over 50 of the highest faculty packages attending to recruit dancers, Prodigy has plenty of consideration on social media and thru the dance group. He believes there’s area for everybody on a school dance crew and with spreading the correct data and exhibiting dancers their choices, dancers will have the ability to make your best option for them.

The statistics of dancers getting recruited has been promising after the primary 12 months, and Piquette predicts it would maintain gaining traction to different collegiate dance groups. “I really feel like I’m so keen about it as a result of I didn’t have that. And I really feel like that’s why it will get me so excited and it will get me so impressed to proceed doing what we’re doing as a result of we’re seeing the outcomes, which is unbelievable.”

You’ll be able to comply with Derek Piquette on Instagram: @derekpiquette. For extra on Prodigy Dance Conference, head to www.prodigydanceconvention.com.

By Abby DeReamer of Dance Informa.