Chasing dreams is a big challenge, but this local dancer was up for it, even travelling miles away to fulfil hers. Deedee Clark is totally slaying at life right now, living it up in LA and doing what she does best: dancing to her heart’s content. We got in touch with Deedee who told us all about her adventures in the City of Angels.
But first, back to where it all began. “I started off with ballet at age three, then moved on to musical theatre and jazz and then finally started hiphop/jazz funk at age 15, which is where I realised I wanted to continue that style. All in all, I’ve been dancing for 24 years as I’m 27 now!”
Deedee says she’s dreamt of jetting off the LA for a while now. “It’s been a dream of mine since I was 16 but I never had the courage to do it. Last year, I decided it was time to plan and do it. I’m a big believer in forever learning and since I wasn’t taking any classes in Malta, I felt I needed to be in a place where I could just keep learning and growing.”
Deedee has been there for a while now, and she says it’s not an indefinite stay yet. “I’ll be coming back to Malta at the end of November, but I’ll be moving here indefinitely early next year.”
So, what does a dancer’s typical day look like out in LA? “I don’t start lessons until 1pm every day, but then I keep going until latest 10:30pm, although that end time varies depending on who’s teaching that day. It’s just class after class after class. Occasionally we get some time between classes so I either go home to relax or I stay at the studio with friends.”
But although she’s having the time of her life, she does miss home. “I miss my parents, my friends and just the familiarity of everything. I especially miss my dance girls from The Unit, but I still help choreograph from here via video call or by recording videos and sending them over. They’re my best friends so it’s tough not seeing them everyday.” The Unit is a local dance collective that has just celebrated their second anniversary as a group together, featuring Kim Lowell, Leanne Vella, Nicole Schembri, Steffi Schranz and Deedee. Like Deedee said, the girls support each other through their careers, and most of all in life. Not to mention they’ve got insane routines!
“I’m just so grateful,” she says about her experience in LA so far. “I was so excited to just come here and take classes from people I used to see only on social media, and now that it’s something I’m doing every day. It’s hard work but it’s very satisfying to see the progress week in and week out.”
“It’s an indescribable feeling. It’s so surreal. I occasionally stop and think about how my body is doing this. As I said, I love learning and I’m absorbing as much as I can!”
When asked about her favourite routine so far, she admitted it was tough to choose. “Very good question… they’re all different. If I had to choose, I’d say Que Calor by Dana Alexa and Big Booty by Hamilton Evans but I’m loving all the classes I’ve been taking.”
Keep rocking, Deedee!