I LOVE THE UTAH DANCE SCENE! There is so much diversity of styles and genres of dance! The beautiful thing about all of the Utah dancers from St. George to Logan is everyone supports each other! There is a thriving bboy scene, a growing funk styles hub, a number of amazing house dancers, and choreo heads who are changing the game! The last few years many reality TV shows, movie productions, and auditions have gone to Utah because of the vast talent that radiates out there.
Among the scene of amazing dancers helping to grow the culture is none other than Chenelle Monqiue Young, Salt Lake City. As a dancer with the Utah Jazz, a Zumba instructor, and co-creator of InMotion Dance Workshops helping bring professional dancers from around the world to Utah. Although I have never met Chenelle face to face, I know the kind of passion and love she has for dance! We have helped each other promote the beauty, talent, and artistic value of those who create dance! She is amazing woman and has so much energy for life and energy for promoting positivity through dance. Enjoy the interview with her!
INTERVIEW:
Where are you from?
Salt Lake City, Utah
How long have you been dancing and what got you started?
17 years! My friend dragged me along to one of her classes as a kid and I’ve been hooked ever since! I grew up playing baseball and doing karate so I was always the Tom Boy!
Were you in any crews or competition teams?
I danced at a very competitive studio growing up! (Elite Academy in Riverton, UT) I loved it! I am naturally a competitive person so I continued dancing and cheering competitively throughout Jr. High, High School!
I was Choreography mistress on my cheer team as a sophomore in high school, which means I choreographed all football and comp routines, and Jr. Captain of my drill team as a Jr. These were huge honors to me, and helped push me to keep dancing after high school. I graduated early and started dancing professionally with the Utah Blaze (AFL) in 2008 for two seasons (08-09,09-10) where I was also team captain and choreographed many routines. I am now currently a 3rd year veteran NuSkin Jazz Dancer (NBA) and have choreographed several routines performed at games and media/public appearances worldwide.
Tell us about some of your early inspirations
Some of my early inspirations were going to see Ballet West perform the Nutcracker every year with my mom. I also trained under some really great instructors at studio and convention and I wanted to grow up to be just like them!! (Julianne Hough, Eldon Johnson….etc.) My family are also HUGE Jazz fans so I grew up watching the NuSkin Jazz Dancers and always dreamed about dancing on the court!
What are some of your accomplishments in dance?
I think some of my biggest accomplishments in dance have been; First, making the NuSkin Jazz Dancers, Utah is EXTREMELY competitive when it comes to the dance scene. If you want to dance professionally, really your only options are Odyssey and Jazz. I would have LOVED to do Odyssey and have MAD RESPECT for the talent that they have, but Jazz was definitely more my style ..and again, I’m a huge tomboy so if I could combine sports and dance.. My two passions…
Uhhh DUH!!! Jazz was always “it” for me!
Second, I established my own dance convention/workshop business in 2010 with a partner and it has been a blast being able to give back and bring world renowned choreographers to Salt Lake and allow dancers here the opportunity to take class!
Third, TRAVEL! I have been blessed with the opportunity to perform and dance all over the US, Europe, and Asia!! BEST.JOB.EVER!
Tell us about the Salt Lake scene where you are from in regards to dance:
The salt lake scene is INTENSE there are soo many amazing dancers, and they just get better and better!
Tell us about the audition process as well as dancing for the Utah Jazz:
It is a tough audition! My first year over 200 girls, now we have smaller numbers but the talent level
Is insane!!! Very VERY competitive!
Do you teach at any studios:
Yes I have taught at several studios all over and still have close relationships and do choreography for
Many of them but I am now only teaching at Elite Academy! I love the professional atmosphere and competitive spirit in the girls! It’s fun to BE one of the teachers that I grew up idolizing as a kid!
What do you have planned for the future?
I’m actually headed to Italy this week
with the NBA to perform! Beyond that I plan to continue with the Jazz for as long as God will allow, and grow InMotion Workshops to it’s full potential!
I recently started a health and fitness blog www.fitnfabblog.blogspot.com and would love to grow that to the point where I am able to hold dancer specific and athletic bootcamps!
I would love to do choreography on a larger scale and grow my business nation wide. I mean, I look at Julianne Hough, Napoleon and Tabitha, Shane Sparks… They have made it! Ideally that’s what I want! Ultimate success in my goals and dreams, however far that will take me!!...and then, it’s kids and a family somewhere in there too!! 😉
Tell us about you got involved with InMotion Workshops:
I began doing events at 17 with my fitness career. I teach group fitness and do personal training, and would plan large “fitness events” and have about 100-200 people per event. This eventually grew into inviting other instructors to join me, so these events would last all day instead of an hour or two, and then I met my partner Brindie and she has helped me turn it into the brand it is now. We like to keep the fitness aspect alive, and start every camp with a workout whether it be Zumba, GPP Dance, or bootcamp. We have created a well known dance workshop company that instructors nation wide want to be a part of. It really is amazing and I’m excited to see how we can continue to grow it in the future!!
If you were on an island and you could have only one music album, what would it be:
Easy…SPICE WORLD!
Guilty pleasure song to dance to:
2 Legit 2 Quit
Words of Inspiration for Dancers:
Never ever EVER give up on your dreams! You really can become whoever it is you want to become if you are willing to create the vision, and work hard for it, EVERY SINGLE DAY!
Step X Step Dance 