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TEDDY: Performing in an arena in front of 20,000 people, it's like being in front of
the ocean. It's like being on top of a mountain. My name is Teddy Forance. I'm from South Hampton,
Massachusetts. I realized I wanted to be a professional when I won this competition called
Dance Masters of America. I was about ten years old. And that just kind of gave you
a moment of, "Wow people recognize that I love this so much. I can't wait to share it
with the world." It's deep in my blood and it went all the way back to my great grandfather.
In 1934 he opened up a studio and passed it down to his daughter and then to my mom and
my aunt. I trained in ballet, in jazz, in tap, in hip hop, in contemporary. My mom was
my dance teacher growing up. We have an amazing connection and artistry together that when
we enter the studio we just go into this creative zone. Being an artist is just culminating
all of your ideas and your experiences into what is going to make you the best artist. I was
on the Cirque du Soleil tour so I would always be surrounded by these extreme, extreme artistic
people that would take their movement and their ideas to another whole dimension.
It wasn't just about the steps. It wasn't about the dance. It was about creating my atmosphere
and creating my essence fully and being my own entity. When I'm on stage in front of
a bunch of people I close my eyes and bring myself into this other realm. Artists go to
those deep places and sometimes it's hard to stand for abstract movement like how do
you draw in a normal person to what you're doing? My father is not a dancer and he always
says, "Teddy, if you can take me away in your movement, in your dance then you've been successful."