Today we’d like to introduce you to Jared.
Hi Jared, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
My journey with dance started through music. Growing up, I was fascinated by music videos and the way artists like Missy Elliott and Fall Out Boy used movement to bring music to life. I found myself drawn to the idea that music could be experienced with your entire body.
What started as a childhood interest eventually became something much bigger. Over the years, I immersed myself in different styles and communities, developing not only as a dancer but as a creative and educator. Dance gave me a deeper understanding of culture, storytelling, individuality, and connection.
Today, my work is centered around helping people see dance as more than just steps. Whether I’m performing, teaching, creating, or building new experiences within the dance community, I’m interested in the personality and intention behind movement. My journey has taken me from being a kid inspired by what I saw on a screen to becoming someone committed to contributing to the culture that inspired me in the first place.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Not even close. If anything, the challenges have been one of the biggest parts of my journey. I’ve dealt with multiple injuries, financial hardships, uncertainty, and one of the hardest things early on: pursuing something you believe in while feeling like very few people around you truly support or understand the vision.
Especially in the beginning of a career, when support can make a huge difference, I often felt like I had to figure things out on my own. There were times when the financial reality of pursuing dance made things incredibly difficult, and injuries forced me to slow down when I felt like I needed to keep moving forward.
But those experiences also shaped me. They taught me how to be resourceful, resilient, and intentional about the opportunities I create for myself. My path hasn’t been smooth, but I think overcoming those obstacles has given me a much deeper appreciation for everything I’ve been able to accomplish, and for the journey that’s still ahead.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
Artistically, I’m a dancer, performer, educator, and creative. Dance is the foundation of everything I do, but my work extends beyond simply performing. I’m interested in creating experiences, telling stories through movement, educating the next generation of dancers, and building opportunities and spaces that contribute to the culture.
I’m known for my versatility, but one of my biggest specialties is bringing things to life. That can mean stepping into a character and fully committing to that world, using props as an actual extension of the performance rather than just an accessory, or finding ways to make an idea, concept, or piece feel alive and believable. I love transformation and creating moments where people can forget they’re simply watching someone dance and instead feel like they’re experiencing something.
I also approach movement as something that should have personality, intention, and identity behind it, not just technical execution.
I’m always interested in what makes something feel authentic and memorable.
I think what separates me is that I exist in multiple spaces within the art form. I’m a performer, but I’m also deeply invested in education, community, and creating platforms for other artists. I don’t just want to participate in dance culture, I want to contribute to it and help create things that give other people opportunities to tell their own stories.
For me, the goal has always been bigger than simply being known as a good dancer. I want to create experiences people remember and leave something behind through the work that I do.
How do you think about happiness?
What makes me happy is honestly pretty simple. My wife, my cat, my family, and my closest friends are a huge part of that. I love exploring, experiencing new places, and spending time in nature. I think I’m pretty easy to please when it comes to the basics, good people, good experiences, and having the opportunity to enjoy life are what matter most to me.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shogunarsenal?stkn=eWs5MmRmaTQxcDJ2&utm_source=qr
- Youtube: https://youtube.com/shorts/GlUtOvLyYMY?is=9QP4NOhMeMK9b-53
