AMANDA MAY | Dancer, choreographer
City: Toronto/Los Angeles
Instagram: @amvndamay
Previous work: Rihanna, Missy Elliott, Doja Cat, Jessie Reyez, Khalid
Amanda-May is a star on the rise. Born and raised in Toronto, Amanda May started out as a self-taught dancer before beginning formal dance training at the age of 14, joining DOAHL Dance Academy, a dance school founded by Greg and Charlene Hines, original members of Do Dat Entertainment,
Her deep love for music and dance led her to immerse herself in the world of movement, watching and learning from her idols, including legendary figures like Janet Jackson, Michael Jackson, Aaliyah, Missy Elliott, and Ciara.
Her journey continued as she enrolled in the Arts York Drama Program at Unionville High School with a focus on jazz and contemporary dance.
After attending The Pulse On Tour Convention, Amanda won the prestigious Elite Protégé scholarship affording her the opportunity to tour and train under internationally recognized choreographers such as Brian Friedman, Gil Duldulao, and Tessandra Chavez.
The 15th Anniversary Monsters of Hip Hop Show, directed by Rhapsody James then afforded her the opportunity to collaborate with industry giants like JaQuel Knight, Parris Goebel, and Luther Brown.
This led to her appearing on the small screen in works such as Heartbeats, Disney’s Zombies, and The Next Step showcase her versatility as a performer and dancing with the likes of Missy Elliott, Janet Jackson, Khalid, Nonso Amadi, and Jessie Reyez, as well as partnerships with brands like Nike and Roots.
Amanda May‘s journey extends beyond the spotlight to her work as a choreographer. Her creations can be experienced in shows like Make It Pop, Utopia Falls, Grand Army and Y: The Last Man. Her role as an Associate Choreographer for Disney’s Emmy-winning film Sneakerella and as Assistant Choreographer for the Netflix adaptation of 13: The Musical further highlights her creative prowess.
More about Amanda May
What is your biggest professional achievement?
“Definitely being on an Emmy-winning choreography team. In 2020, we filmed Disney’s Sneakerella, a modern day take on the classic Cinderella story. It was such a massive experience, being the first major dance production in Toronto during lockdown and with a cast so large, it was definitely a huge learning curve for all of us. I’m grateful for it because it shaped me constantly. I was stretched creatively, emotionally and physically (I was associate choreographer and one of the core dancers) and am so much stronger as an artist because of it. The moment revived our community and brought me back to why I love and cherish what we do as movement artists. The energy was always electric and we really strengthened, uplifted and held each other down in and outside of the work during that time. To see it so well-received and then acknowledged at the Emmy’s was the cherry on top of an already rewarding experience. I’ll cherish it forever.”
What obstacles/challenges have you had to face to get to where you are today?
“Artistry in general, is a pursuit of self. I think one of the biggest challenges I continue to face is pace, as a result of the intimacy I share with my craft. The ebbs of my relationship to dance reflect the ebbs of my self journey and sometimes it can be difficult to maintain a consistency or a productivity that the world desires of you when life outside of the work is calling for you to slow down. Everything is always pressured to be urgent. I believe I’ll always be in the pull and tug of finding that balance as I am constantly changing, but I look forward to the inner peace I can feel coming and it encourages me to continue this work with myself and my needs at the centre, rather than the desires of my audience. One thing that I’ve also struggled with is external perceptions of me. People tend to project what they want to believe about a person depending on how they’ve become relevant to them. Because I have a visibility surrounding my work, people often make the assumption that they know who I am based on how they receive the work I do. They feel entitled to me and if i don’t fulfill their expectation of whatever they see in me, or perhaps distance myself, reminding them that their perception of me is a reflection of them, whether I align with it or not, it can feel like I’m doing something “to” them. I’ve many times been a mirror in soulful, nourishing, feel-good ways and I’ve also been a mirror in disruptive ways. I used to internalize that, sometimes resent it, but I now see it as simply existing in my truth as an artist… as a vessel, stimulating thought, questioning, connection to what is deeper. To have access to that which is God-given, so much that it brings one closer to themselves, is a blessing and I hold the responsibility of it with reverence and humility. I know that I have a voice, but I also recognize that I am merely being used by what is divine to connect people to themselves and each other. I’m also just having a good time, and that, in its simplicity, encourages me to shed the heavy weight of perception whenever I need to.”
What’s something people should know about you?
“I’m a believer in God, the power of my ancestry, in radical love and disruption. I believe in softness as an act of resistance and I believe in divine rage. I am spirit and I am human. I am silly and I’m going with the flow. I believe I am as infinite as I am a tiny, humble piece of a larger mystery. I am everything and I know nothing. I feel deeply. I love hard. I make messes and I give myself grace as I heal. I’m ending cycles and I am finding rest. I am you, you are me, and I’ll bet on us every time.”
