GiaNina Paolantonio is taking the dance world by storm. The 20-year-old has carried out on Broadway, toured with Mariah Carey, appeared in The Best Showman, and reached worldwide fame starring in Season 8 of “Dance Mothers.” This previous 12 months, she’s shifted her focus to instructing and choreographing. With common class slots at iconic studios and an international teaching tour in full swing, Paolantonio is buying a fame as an in-demand teacher. As a choreographer, she’s labored with main artists like Billie Eilish and Jessie Murph to craft viral dances utilizing their music.
Dance Spirit talked with Paolantonio about her instructing philosophy, choreographic course of, and recommendation for dancers.
On Instructing Dance
Paolantonio by no means dreamt of being a dance trainer or a choreographer. Rising up, she thought lecturers couldn’t even be working dancers. So when she moved to L.A. in 2021 at 16, Paolantonio turned down affords to sub courses within the space. It wasn’t till a visit with buddies that she modified her thoughts. A suggestion to sub popped up on Paolantonio’s cellphone, and her buddies urged her to take it. She recollects actress and singer Kylie Cantrall’s phrases of encouragement: “What are you ready for? Simply do it.”
Paolantonio agreed to sub a up to date class at Millennium Dance Complicated with lower than per week to arrange. It felt like the best time, she says, as a result of her household occurred to be on the town. Each Paolantonio’s dad and mom and her canine went to the studio to supply their assist. The category was a sold-out success, and Millennium supplied her a weekly instructing slot.
Her Instructing Fashion
It took Paolantonio about six months to search out her choreographic groove in jazz funk, which she now teaches at Playground LA. She brings a “very fierce, very Britney” vitality to the type, she says, taking inspiration from Brian Friedman, whose courses she took at conventions rising up. With modern, which she teaches at Millennium, the motion has at all times come naturally. (She will choreograph combos fully in her head, whereas sitting in an airplane.)
Paolantonio’s favourite reminder to her college students, whether or not they’re whole newbies or seasoned execs, is: “All I ever ask is so that you can give me effort and an enormous smile in your face.” She’s touched when college students—particularly those that are new or returning to bounce—thank her for making a secure house to make errors. “It’s a human atmosphere,” says Paolantonio. “I at all times say that if I made up the combo and I neglect it, you’re allowed to neglect it too.”
Getting Social
Paolantonio got here of age on social media, creating content material for enjoyable lengthy earlier than she amassed a following of hundreds of thousands. “I’ve at all times beloved making movies. I used to be doing it earlier than I wanted to,” she says. Social media took off for Paolantonio when her season of “Dance Mothers” airing preceded the COVID-19 pandemic and coincided with the rise of TikTok. It was a “excellent storm,” she says, and he or she used the momentum to develop her viewers on a number of platforms.
Paolantonio appreciates social media for the alternatives it brings, however she additionally acknowledges its damaging aspect. She says as a dancer on social media, your ardour for dance has to get you thru the robust moments, like navigating imply feedback and unsolicited recommendation. “I’ve so many eyes on me and opinions of me that it could actually get to be quite a bit,” says Paolantonio. However she is aware of the way to give attention to the opinions that matter: these of her household and shut buddies. “You really want a assist system behind you. You possibly can’t do it alone.”
On Working With Prime Artists
How did Paolantonio come to work with musical artists like Billie Eilish, Nelly Furtado, and Jessie Murph? Fusing her content-creation expertise along with her choreographic chops, she got here up with the concept for artist courses, during which she companions with a particular artist and their label to create and educate a combo to the singer’s music. On the finish of sophistication, the combo is filmed and shared to social media. Some artists come to the courses in particular person, and those that can’t attend present assist by re-sharing class movies, typically sending in video messages. Paolantonio says two of her passions collide throughout her artist courses. “I like to offer an thrilling second to my college students,” she says. “We’re all consuming, we’re all profitable, we’re all doing nice issues collectively.”
Her Recommendation for Dancers
Paolantonio believes that when you’re nice at what you do, others might even see your success and attempt to carry you down. She says it’s necessary to affirm your individual confidence: “You must know your self sufficient and consider in your self sufficient.” That’s how Paolantonio, who describes herself as “a really susceptible human,” stays grounded in cutthroat environments.
So what’s subsequent for Paolantonio? Her worldwide instructing tour shall be retaining her busy effectively into 2026. And he or she’s been nurturing one other ardour: singing. Her first single, a challenge a 12 months within the making, shall be popping out quickly. “I believe it’s one thing that nobody expects,” she says, including, “It’s been a very long time coming, and I lastly really feel prefer it’s proper.”
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