Persistence Pays Off: Bobby Amamizu

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Persistence Pays Off: Bobby Amamizu

Written by Kris Babao

Bobby Amamizu is not only a student at UC Irvine, but also a talented dancer since the age of five. You can currently catch him dancing in the new Cirque du Soleil show, Viva ELVIS, in Las Vegas, Nevada. From his beginnings as a dancer, Bobby has been under the direction of Monie Adamson of Focus Dance Center and began ballet training with Molly Lynch of Ballet Pacifica just a few years later. His television credits include Fiona Apple’s music video, Paper Bag; an Emmy Award-winning number for the Jerry Lewis Telethon, choreographed by Jason Samuel Smith; the United Television Broadcast; the Walt Disney music video, Your Library; America’s Most Talented Kids; and also Fame, a major motion picture, for which he performed as a feature dancer. This young, yet very experienced and humble dancer dances in a variety of styles, including commercial hip-hop under the direction of Definition of Creativity, based in San Diego, California.

Mateo Magazine: How did you first get involved in the dance world?
Bobby Amamizu: From the time I was a little boy, I always loved music in general. I first got involved with gymnastics before telling my mom that I wanted to try a dance class—any dance class. So I began with tap. I really liked it and continued to pursue it for about a year. From there, I met Monie Adamson, who furthered my training in tap at her studio, in addition to teaching me other dance styles such as lyrical, jazz, ballet, and hip-hop.

MM: At what age did you want to become a professional dancer?
BA: I realized at the age of ten that I wanted to make dance my actual career, and not just a hobby, so I found representation and joined the Orange County High School of the Arts (OCSHA). I graduated from there in 2006 at the age of sixteen and moved on to UC Irvine as a dance major with a minor in business. I like to mix dance with business.

MM: What did you know about Elvis before the show, and how do you view him now that you have had the opportunity to learn about his life in depth from beginning to end?
BA: Did I know about Elvis Presley before? Of course. But was I a big fan of his? Not really. By doing this project, however, I can now appreciate his background. I appreciate what he did in the industry as a musician, actor, etc.. I certainly do respect him a lot more then I used to. What initially made me want to do this show was my desire to work with the director, Vincent Patterson, who choreographed for Michael Jackson. M.J. is one of my favorite idols, and I thought that working with Vincent would connect me most closely to Michael.

MM: You are a very mature and humble twenty-year-old professional dancer. For this, I commend you. What advice do you have for young dancers who might aspire to enter the professional dance industry?
BA: First, work your butt off in class—every single class. One thing I always hear is that technique will never go away. So make sure that you know the basics of dance, for styles change all the time. Secondly, style is what people, including choreographers, enjoy. So be able to adapt to different styles, but the basic technique must be there first.

MM: Is there anyone to whom you would like to give shout-outs?
BA: Monie Adams, D.O.C., Kris Babao, who taught me hip hop for a couple of years.

Photograph by: Kris Babao

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