There’s something about dancing that is so freeing whether you enjoy it personally, professionally or watching it on TV! Tomorrow is National Dance Day and we had the chance to catch up with Dancing With the Stars’ pro, Britt Stewart, who partnered with BAND-AID® Brand to celebrate this day (find out about their National Dance giveaway on their Instagram where you can find out about how you can win a special mailer that includes Britt’s favorite BAND-AID® Brand OURTONE® bandages, a gratitude journal, face masks, a gift card for dance gear and more as it’s live now! In partnership with her non-profit, Share The Movement, they’re honoring the uplifting power of dance in Black and Brown communities by sharing all of Britt’s dance “Must-Haves!”
We took some time to talk about how Britt became a dancer and her passion for it! We also wanted to know how she came to DWTS and the latest season of this show which kicks off season 32 on Sep 26th! We also wanted to know more about her partnership with BAND-AID® Brand as well as how she uses her platform to promote diversity in dance!
ATHLEISURE MAG: What was the moment that you realized that you wanted to be a dancer?
BRITT STEWART: Oh, wow! I don't know if I realized it for myself because I was three years old when I started dancing, and my parents put me into it. But as soon as I started dancing, my parents knew that that was my passion. Then, I had an amazing opportunity professionally when I was 15 years old, when I was in the high school musical movies, and it was what really showed me what a career in dance would be like. After that, I just was stuck and that's what I ended up doing!
AM: Where did you train and what kind of dance do you do or lean towards?
BS: I trained in Denver, Colorado at Artistic Fusion Dance Academy. I also trained at my art school from sixth through 12th grade at Denver School of the Arts. Growing up I trained in everything. I was classically trained with ballet and modern and contemporary and jazz. I also did tap and hip hop and cultural dances. And now of course, I lean toward all styles of ballroom dance. I would have to say my favorite is jazz through and through, but I love Samba and Viennese Waltz.
AM: You have toured as a dancer for a number of artists including: Selena Gomez (Only Murders in the Building, Selena + Chef, Dear…), Rihanna (Ocean’s 8, Battleship, Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets) Janet Jackson (Poetic Justice, Why Did I Get Married?, Why Did I Get Married Too?), Demi Lovato, and Florence and the Machine! You danced during Super Bowl XLIX and have also been in Grey's Anatomy, Bunheads, and the Gilmore Girls to name a few - how has it been to showcase your talents on so many stages and different ways?
BS: My career feels so expansive because I started so young, and I also feel very blessed that I got so many different experiences on so many different stages, from live stage to TV and film. It has really been a blessing to be able to call my passion my career and my work. I know that that is something that doesn't always happen, so I don't take it for granted.
AM: You joined DWTS as a dancer in Season 23 - 27 and then became the first black female pro on the show in Season 29! What attracted you to being on this show and what is the difference between being a dancer versus a pro?
BS: The show actually started as just a regular commercial job. I got hired to do one little performance, and that is where the producers saw me and asked me to audition for the show. It really came out of the blue! I knew that I wanted something different and I wanted to be challenged. This was right after Katy Perry's tour. I had been with her for three years, and I really loved working with her, but I knew that I just wanted something different at that moment. And literally, Dancing with the Stars fell into my lap. It pushed me in so many ways. The biggest difference between being a dancer and a Dancing with the Stars pro is it really does hold so much responsibility. As a pro you not only get to dance, but to choreograph and to teach and really create a relationship with whoever your partner is.
AM: You've partnered with Johnny Weir (Zoolander 2, Happy!, Spinning Out), Martin Kove (The Karate Kid, Rambo First Blood II, Cobra Kai), and Daniel Durant (Switched at Birth, Chicago Med, CODA) - how do you prepare to work with partners who have varying levels of expertise and what's that process like?
BS: The process of working with all levels and expertise is very unique to each season. I stay true to myself as a choreographer and as a teacher, but I always enter the room with an open heart and open mind and choreograph and teach for that partner's needs.
AM: What has been your favorite memory of being on this show?
BS: Oh my goodness. Well, my favorite memory on Dancing With The Stars is hard to choose because my first season was so rewarding. I really earned a friend for life from Johnny Weir, and he was honestly the perfect first partner I could have asked for. But then, I don't know. I mean, being partnered with Daniel and then falling in love with him, I guess that's my favorite memory!
AM: What can you tell us about the upcoming season that we should keep an eye out for and what are you looking forward to?
BS: Unfortunately, I can’t share too much information about the upcoming season but stay tuned for more to come shortly!
PHOTO CREDIT | Angela Pham at Ballet Hispánico, New York City - Dance Pros Britt Stewart and Brandon Armstrong show off their moves at a recent event hosted by BAND-AID® Brand OURTONE® and nonprofit Share The Movement.
PHOTO CREDIT | Angela Pham at Ballet Hispánico, New York City - Dance Pro Britt Stewart hosts a moving panel about barriers Black and Brown dancers face at a recent event hosted by BAND-AID® Brand OURTONE® and her nonprofit Share The Movement.
AM: Tell me about Share The Movement, how you are partnering with BAND-AID® Brand OURTONE® with dance clinics here in NYC, LA, and Atlanta, and why this was synergistic for you.
BS: Share The Movement is a nonprofit organization and I’m lucky enough to serve as President. Share The Movement was created by an amazing group of dancers, choreographers and dance enthusiasts, and we launched in April of 2021. Our mission is to increase diversity in the professional dance industry. As an organization, we’ve really grown in the last several years through our mentorship and summer scholarship programs. We also help young BIPOC dancers continue with training and development opportunities.
Through our partnership with BAND-AID® Brand OURTONE®, we’re putting our mission into action—helping to develop young, diverse dancers. Together we are hosting a series of free dance clinics in Atlanta, New York and Los Angeles. I'm currently here at the New York City event, which just begun, and it's been amazing to create a space where everyone can feel seen and heard. It has been so special.
AM: I'm caramel complected and the fact that there is an option to have wound care options that match our skin is really exciting. Why is this important for dancers?
BS: Having a brand that embraces different skin tones is so important for everyone, especially dancers. We are always on stage or in class where we are prone to cuts, bruises, blisters— you name it. Having BAND-AID® Brand OURTONE® bandages at the ready and matching my skin tone just adds that extra layer of confidence to any rehearsal or performance, shifting the focus back to my performance rather than exposing a wound.
AM: How are you using your platform to amplify content from Black and Brown dancers for National Dance Day?
BS: BAND-AID® Brand OURTONE® and I are teaming up for a giveaway in celebration of National Dance Day on Sunday, September 16! People will have the chance to celebrate dancers and win some of my favorite dance essentials, including BAND-AID® Brand OURTONE® bandages. Be sure to stay tuned for additional details and how you can enter the giveaway on BAND-AID® Brand's Instagram page @bandaidbrand.
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