Today we’d like to introduce you to Isabella Akel.
Isabella, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
Dance is and has always been my passion. Most weeks, I train/dance in the studio for up to 35 hours and every time, I look forward to doing it all over the next week. Growing up (and still today), it’s very common for me to turn down social activities due to dance—” sorry I can’t. I have a dance.” Dance is the best form of self-care for me. It helps me escape reality and express my feelings without speaking. I am a quiet lady, so once I’m on stage, the music is playing loud on the speaker, I’m ecstatic. My adrenaline is so high once I’m done, I forget what I did because I perform with my heart out. What some people do not understand about dance is the constant challenges we face—balancing friendships with the competition, finding our true self so that we can shine when no one else is looking. Like most other liberating jobs, there is always something new to overcome; I enjoy challenging the status quo and breaking through norms to reach my potential.
Now to paint a picture on how I got here. I was born and raised in Little Rock, Arkansas; I started dancing at four years old at local studios—Irby’s Dance Studio and Dance Dynamics. So you ask what I cherish most about these studios? I loved that all the teachers taught me how to push my limits on the dance floor, get out of my comfort zone, and to never give up on myself. The dance studios were my second home and every day. I was doing either Jazz, Tap, Ballet, or Hip Hop. In the summers, I traveled to extensive ballet camps worldwide and still to this day, use the unique traits from an array of cultures I was immersed in. My favorite ballet intensive was a six week program, three weeks in Long Beach, California and three weeks in Guangzhou, China. I was 15 years old and never seen something so different then from what I’m used to.
When it was time to choose my next destination for college, it was a no-brainer to me to choose Kennesaw State University (KSU) and major in dance with a focus on ballet. Their program is the best in the south. KSU was also only 30 minutes from Atlanta. One summer, I studied abroad to study Gaga Contemporary in Tel Aviv, Israel. It was under the Batsheva Dance Company, everything about this trip was an experience. During my time in Atlanta, I starred in multiple music videos, toured as a backup dancer with rising artists, filmed in TV shows, and became a member of the dance community by signing with the 411 agency. Atlanta is an amazing place, but I wanted to expand my artistry so I decided to move to NYC.
I moved to NYC in September 2019 and have been embracing the dance scene ever since. People say, “if you can make it in NYC, you can make it anywhere.” So I am taking on that challenge, head-on. So far, I train with Brickhouse in the MIXRZ company and their Xpro training program. We train 12 hours on the weekends working with established choreographers.
The most exciting news is that now I am with the House of Xtravaganzas in NYC. If you are not familiar with this, it is.recognized for their cultural influence in the areas of dance, music, visual arts, nightlife, fashion, and community activism. House of Xtravaganza members continue to be featured in popular media and travel the world as ambassadors of voguing and the ballroom scene. And once you’re in a house, you take the name as your last name, so my name is “Isabella Xtravaganza.” Our gatherings are truly something xtravagant every weekend. So with that being said, I’m dancing in the underground ballroom scene–battling in vogue femme, runway, face. Another thing that is new in the Isabella Xtravaganza life is that I am starting my own clothing brand here in New York. I have not started marketing yet, but you can find me on Instagram @moodbyiz. It’ll be chill, comfortable, and of course, cute. It’s going to be for dancers and anyone else who wants to wear a mood. I have a nice sense of fashion so I want to share it with the world too. And New York is the place to be for the fashion industry.
I am really excited to see what happens in the future and who I will become. I want to thank my teacher and dance studio owner, Jenny Cockrill and Latisha Daniel for teaching me what I love today. Also want to thank my parents who are my biggest supporters and allow me to follow my dreams and my two older sisters that are truly my ride or die and are always there for me.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
The dance industry is not an easy industry to be in. You get rejected, you think you aren’t good enough. Dancers are very hard on themselves. And that’s definitely me. There have been many struggles but probably the most important one is that I am just too hard on myself. I have to remember who I am and keep that little minion in my head away.
Please tell us about your work.
I am a professional dancer, commercial dancer, ballerina, street dancer, designer, business owner. There are so many things I do and specialize in. I never want to “work” a day in my life, saying I want to love every single day I’m living.
If you had to go back in time and start over, would you have done anything differently?
No, I wouldnt have. I feel like everything happens for a reason. But ask me that in 20 years and I might have a few things to say haha.
Contact Info:
- Email: isabella.akel98@gmail.com
- Instagram: @_izthewiz_
Image Credit:
@kycal
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