Interview with Kayla Massey
Q: Can you share with us your journey?
A: I took my very first dance classes at the age of 4, which were ballet and tap. I ended up not going back to dance classes in the following years, but I knew I always wanted to dance.
Growing up, my family was very big on exposure to the arts. Going to see ballets and modern dance concerts at the Kennedy Center always kept me wanting to dance. I began training as a freshman in my high school’s dance program under Ms. Vicki Wooten-Tchanque. I also trained at the Washington School of Ballet. It was during my senior year of high school when I decided to attend UMBC and major in dance after seeing their spring concert. While attending UMBC, I was able to gain so much knowledge on multiple modern dance techniques, make connections, and even gain a deep understanding of composition and choreography.
Q: Share about the audition process for Cleo Parker Robinson Dance.
A: I actually didn’t have the traditional auditioning process. I officially met Ms. Parker-Robinson in March at a dinner in Washington, D.C., to celebrate the International Association of Blacks In Dance (IABD) receiving the National Medal of the Arts from the White House. Ms. Parker-Robinson’s company is one of the five founding companies of IABD in 1991, also known as the “Founding Five”. I was IABD’s intern throughout college.
Right before she was about to leave the dinner, I expressed to her that I loved her work and was interested in the company, and she told me to come to Denver in the summer to attend her Academy’s summer intensive. I did come out to Denver in July to attend the intensive, and by the end of the week, she gave me a Cleo II offer after observing me in classes and a performance.
I say all of this to say that it is important to always be present and show up as your best self in and out of class because you don’t know who’s really watching you. Also, never underestimate the power of taking initiative and making connections with the people you want to work with.
Q: What does this opportunity mean to you?
A: This opportunity means SO much to me. I am so grateful to be starting my professional career dancing with Ms. Parker-Robinson and her internationally acclaimed company. Being that she is a living legend herself and has worked closely with other legends like Katherine Dunham, Donald Mackayle, Baba Chuck Davis, and Maya Angelou, it is still sometimes surreal that I am in this space.
I am extremely grateful for receiving a company offer right out of college. We all understand how temperamental and challenging this industry is in the professional realm.
I cannot thank all of my dance teachers, and UMBC Dance Department professors enough. I would not be where I am today if it were not for all the teachings, love, and support that has been poured into me over the years.