From the moment Max Simmons steps into a studio, you can feel it — the confidence of a dancer who has poured years of discipline, creativity, and heart into his craft. Born and raised in Sydney, Simmons discovered his love for movement at just eight years old. What started as a childhood hobby soon became a calling. When he was just 11, he won Abby’s Ultimate Dancer in Australia by Abby Lee Miller. This moment really defined Simmons’ excellence and that he was on the right path to success. By his early teens, his potential was undeniable, and he trained with the elite training program at Brent Street Performing Arts, one of Australia’s most well-known studios.
Leaving traditional schooling in Year 10 to pursue full-time training, Simmons spent long days perfecting everything from jazz and contemporary to hip hop and musical theatre. His dedication paid off: he earned a scholarship and completed his Diploma of Dance in 2022, later gaining national recognition through the Amazon Prime series Dance Life, which adopted Brent Road’s graduating class.
Since then, Simmons has danced on main levels throughout Australia — most just lately performing as a back-up dancer for Katy Perry on the AFL Grand Ultimate in addition to being a lead dancer with the Dream Dance Firm, Australia’s main industrial dance firm — and is now turning his focus to the following chapter of his journey: breaking into the colourful U.S. dance trade. Energetic, centered, and filled with artistic drive, Simmons represents the brand new wave of Australian expertise taking their artistry world, and we dive deep into his journey.
You began dancing at simply eight years outdated. What do you bear in mind most about these early days and discovering your love for dance?
“I bear in mind being younger and dancing all over the place I went. It was my manner of expressing myself with no need to speak. I may by no means sit nonetheless. I used to be fortunate sufficient to affix Brent Road on the age of eight, the place I used to be continually impressed by the older youngsters on the studio, folks like Cassie Bartho, Michael Dameski, and Paris Cavanagh. I by no means actually felt like I fitted in at college, however once I went to my dance lessons as a younger boy, it felt like house. That’s how I knew it was what I needed to pursue as I obtained older.”
Brent Road is understood for shaping among the nation’s prime performers. What had been essentially the most difficult and rewarding components of your full-time coaching there?
“Brent Road is Australia’s prime dance studio, and it was a privilege to coach there from the age of eight by means of to my full-time coaching in 2022. My laborious work paid off once I obtained a scholarship in 2021, my remaining yr of education at Brent Road. The coaching throughout my full-time yr was bodily and mentally difficult, and there have been days when my physique was sore and I used to be utterly exhausted, however these experiences formed me into the dancer I’m at this time. It was rewarding to be surrounded by Australia’s prime expertise and to be taught by the nation’s main choreographers. The coaching I obtained was at an elite degree, and I exploit it every single day as knowledgeable dancer. I’m now fortunate sufficient to be instructing at Brent Road, which looks like a full-circle second.”
Viewers obtained to know you thru Dance Life. How did it really feel to have cameras seize such a pivotal time in your profession?
“It was a life-changing expertise being a lead within the TV present Dance Life on Prime. It was a pivotal second in my profession, as viewers obtained to see my transitional yr from pupil to skilled dancer. Full-time coaching is already robust, with everybody striving to be the most effective, and having cameras in your face provides one other layer of strain. It was actually an adjustment getting used to being filmed, however over time, it felt pure. In the end, I’m so grateful for the expertise. Being on digicam taught me to be my true self always and gave me an additional push to grow to be the most effective dancer I could be.”
You’ve labored with some unbelievable choreographers — Cassie Bartho, Matthew Gode, and Mitchell Woodcock amongst them. What’s one piece of recommendation or perception that’s actually caught with you?
“One piece of recommendation that actually caught with me is that you would be able to solely be your self. In the event you evaluate your self to others or attempt to dance like another person, it should finally work towards you. Give attention to enhancing your self, and that’s the place you’ll succeed. On the finish of the day, I’m going to get employed for being me, not another person, as a result of that particular person already exists.”
Performing on the AFL Grand Ultimate with Katy Perry will need to have been big. Can you are taking us behind the scenes of that have?
“Dancing for a crowd of 100,000 folks on the AFL Grand Ultimate for Katy Perry was a dream come true. This expertise undoubtedly fueled my worldwide aspirations of dancing for the world’s greatest artists. We had two weeks of rehearsals and obtained to carry out six of Katy’s most iconic songs, songs from my childhood. There have been dancers from Australia and LA, and it was unbelievable to be surrounded by a lot expertise. I used to be simply taking all of it in every single day, particularly getting the chance to work with the Squared Division.”
Each dancer faces setbacks and self-doubt. How do you keep motivated and grounded when the trade will get robust?
“Self-doubt is ingrained in dancers, and it may be laborious to belief your self when rejection and setbacks occur. I’ve discovered to make use of rejection as motivation quite than letting it hinder my confidence. When one thing doesn’t go my manner, I let it gasoline a hearth in me to work tougher and be higher. I additionally keep grounded when the trade will get robust by remembering why I’m doing this. Dancing, though it’s my work, can be my ardour. I do it as a result of I adore it, and that love retains me going.”
As you look towards alternatives within the U.S., what excites you most about taking that subsequent step abroad?
“What excites me most about taking this subsequent step is being surrounded by the world’s greatest dancers and choreographers, as there really isn’t any setting prefer it. I’m past excited to be signed with Clear Expertise Group, my dream company, and to begin working with them. I’m additionally thrilled to be working underneath Brian Friedman at Radix Dance Conference as a lead dancer. Being acknowledged for such an essential function by Brian means the world to me, particularly being all the best way from Australia. Moments like this remind me that my laborious work is paying off.”
Lastly, what’s one dream venture or artist you’d like to work with within the subsequent few years?
“One dream venture I might completely like to do sooner or later is to bop for Troye Sivan. Troye is an artist I really feel so aligned with, and I actually really feel like I could possibly be my truest self as a dancer performing for him. I’m past impressed by him and his dancers, and I actively manifest this second.”
By Renata Ogayar of Dance Informa.
