Who Is She: Dancer SIREN

WHO IS SHE?
She is Dancer, Siren. Siren was born and raised in the one and only Brooklyn, New York. She discovered her love for dance and the tender age of 4, but didn't start dancing professionally until her senior year of high school. Something a lot of people don't know is that Siren graduated from high school at the age of 16. Now 20, Siren has had the honor of sharing the stage with the likes of Diggy Simmons, Maluca Mala, 2 Chainz and Major Lazer. She is an extremely talented and extremely intelligent young woman who we can all learn a lot from. Check out my interview with Siren below

How long have you been dancing?

I have been dancing since the young & tender age of 4. My passion for dance thrived from being raised in a household by parents who deeply enjoyed music and kept a large variety of albums. Having constant access to music and the latest music videos, my older sister began teaching me how to dance at a very young age. I haven't stopped since. 

What sparked the interest in dance for you?

As I sort of hinted in the previous question, I owe my passion for dance -- and dedication to it -- solely to my older sister Dana. She was the dancer in my family. She was already making up her own routines and would keep me dancing for hours! I spent most of my summer days and weekends during adolescence learning routines for shows and block parties with her and her friends. 

Do you specialize in a specific style of dance?

I am blessed to say that I am a very versatile dancer and I have so many different styles under my belt. Although my core training was done at Martha Graham in ballet and modern dance during my high school years, I have also trained and perfected many other styles. To name a few; reggae/dancehall, african, hip hop, jazz, vogue, belly dance, salsa, merengue, bachata and so much more. 

What is a typical day of practice like?

A typical day of practice or rehearsal? Hmmm it's never typical hahaha That's actually one of the greatest parts about being a dancer is that one day you can be waitressing part time and the next learning choreography for 8 hours to be flown out to Cali right after. So for me, rehearsals are pretty spontaneous. I've also noticed that at my level of expertise in this field, I've been doing a lot of professional and big shows that I get booked for last minute. This usually means learning a whole show in one long rehearsal and that can range anywhere from 3-8 hours depending on how much choreography I need to learn. 

Do you choreograph or just dance? If you choreograph, how long does it usually take to create a quality routine?

I am a choreographer and instructor. I spend and equal amount of time creating routines and teaching them as I do learning from others. I have become quite great at the choreography process and often when teaching I make it up right on the spot. 

Who are dancers that inspire you?

Through much of my adolescence, I was greatly inspired by Michael & Janet Jackson, Jennifer Lopez, & Laurie Ann Gibson. Over the last decade I've become really inspired by a dancer/choreographer Danielle Polanco, a Bronx native. She has made such a great strides in the industry and has danced and choreographed for some of the hugest recording artists in the music industry. I admire how feminine and sexy she is when she moves. The way she dances has really inspired much of the way I've grown as a dancer in the past few years. 

What kind of emotions do you feel/give off when you dance?

This is a funny question for me because I feel like I have two main emotions when I perform and it's often one or the other depending on the kind of piece. I think most of the time I am very sexy and in the dance world this would be referred to as "femme". This is because most of the time I'm doing reggae/dancehall or voguing which I feel both require a lot or that "femme" persona. Then there is the super serious and sharp side of me which is kind of the exact opposite of the other because it is far more masculine. I would say I have the best of both worlds. 

What does it take to book a gig?

Connects. By far that's the biggest part of booking the important paid gigs. It's not how well you dance, or how great you think you really are. It's really about catching people's eye and creating a lasting impression. I am constantly networking and meeting amazing people through my passion for dance. When I perform I am making sure to deviate from everyone else who performs on the same stage as me. Confidence is key and I believe that most of the times I've felt like I was standing out the most are the times when I've booked my biggest gigs. After a performance, you have to feel confident enough that you've left people asking about you with everlasting curiosity that is so significant they contact you without you even having to chase them around. 

What are some of your future goals for dance?

I want to tour! I want to have a steady gig that allows for me to explore different parts of the world through my passion for dance. I want to share that with people everywhere.

What has been your favorite piece to perform thus far?

My favorite by far was performing with Major Lazer at Coachella Music Festival in California. It was an experience unlike any other and one that I will never forget. I have always had a passion for reggae/dancehall music and Major Lazer has created such a fun, live, and interactive performance that shares this style of music with people world wide -- which to me is huge! Just being a part of it meant the world to me and people are still talking about this particular performance every day. It's breathtaking. (Pictured below is Siren on stage at Coachella performing with rapper 2 Chainz) 

What is your favorite piece you choreographed and why?

My favorite piece that I have ever choreographed was for a dance competition called World of Dance in San Diego. I feel like it was a mix of every style of dance I have under my belt and it was a favorite to many different audiences. It was fun & combined both my "femme"and masculine side that I was able to choreograph on both males and females.

What was the worst routine you ever had to perform?

Hmm, I can't honestly say I've had to perform a routine that I would consider to have been the worst. Maybe in high school, but I would say that's because we were all amateurs at our craft and collaborating was kind of difficult with all of the different egos. As a result, I had several bad routines I had to perform during that time. 

What is the hardest thing about dance?

The hardest thing about dance for me is that it is super competitive and finding the money in such a competitive field can be stressful and difficult at times. There are so many amazing dancers out there who don't mind dancing for free so when you're a dancer who requires pay sometimes it's harder to find gigs.

Have you ever used your talents for the good of the community?

Yes. I grew up in public housing and by the age of 17 I was already teaching dance at my own cornerstone community center and volunteering my classes free of charge to service my community. I also currently work at a Middle School here in Brooklyn during the  after school hours. I run the Performing Arts program 5 days a week which offers a variety of modern, Latin and hip hop dance classes along with drama and step free of charge to all of the students in the school. 

What did your first dance costume after your performance look like?

That's a tough one because I'm almost sure that I was about 5 years old and I performed in my first Christmas show in kindergarten where all we had to wear we're colored t shirts. Hahaha. 

Have you met new people from dancing?

Dancing has connected me to so many new and amazing people. I can't even begin to put a number in how many people I have met just from shows and auditions alone. It's crazy and honestly makes me feel kind of blessed to have access to so many different people because of my love for dance. 

What is the most valuable lesson you have learned throughout your journey as a dancer?

I've learned to differentiate between business and personal relationships. Often I find myself working with the same people over and over because I'd much rather have a small circle of people I trust and rely on. However, this can be tricky because naturally friendships and relationships are formed and you become really close with these people. With that being said, I've gotten a lot better at establishing with everyone that I work with a mutual understanding. By doing this, we understand that business is business and that if we are indeed friends, that's kept separate from any projects, shows or creative processes we collaborate on. At the end of the day, when we come together to work, it's time to work and when we want to have dinner and share laughs that's separate. 

What piece of advice would you give other young girls out there who are interested in getting their foot into the door of the dance world?

It's a commitment and you have to be hungry for it and love it! You have to love it more than you love sleep or even eating! It sounds dramatic, but sometimes it gets ugly and you feel defeated because you may not find that perfect professional gig for a while. Nonetheless, I am a strong believer in the fact that if you are passionate about what you do and you are dedicated to it more than anything, then everything else will fall into place and your hard work does pay off with time, effort and positive energy. 

She's So Me would like to thank Siren for taking time out of her busy schedule to speak with us. 

Keep up with Siren by following her on Instagram @sirenthedancer. Also, learn more about Siren by checking out her blog and Dansume (Dance Resume) here. Miss Siren also teaches Zumba classes. If you are interested in joining her class, you can contact her at denasiadancer@gmail.com.