Today we’d like to introduce you to Sharmaine Tate-Ross.
Sharmaine, we’d love to hear your story and how you got to where you are today both personally and as an artist.
Being a person that has always dedicated my life to the arts, my journey in Atlanta began with dance, as so did my first lessons in art. I have studied acting for theater, television & film, as well as dance my entire life. After attending the University of Houston for modern dance choreography, I was picked up for Lil Wayne’s I Am Music Tour and never looked back. Touring the entire United States also crossing several seas dancing and acting granted me an all-access pass to culture, creative influence as well as stability. Not only do I have experience in front of the camera, but my journey also led me to be a part of the world’s largest background casting company. At Central Casting, I had the opportunity to cast, hire, and train background artist for some of the leading sets in Atlanta. Currently, I am a dance instructor at The Atlanta Dance Academy, where I am allowed to pour out my passion to those who are budding in the artist pool. My husband and I continuously create content and collaborate with other influential creatives in the A, and we absolutely LOVE it!
We’d love to hear more about your art. What do you do and why and what do you hope others will take away from your work?
I am an artist, to say the least, but since you’d like the details, I create visual art through hip-hop/pop culture influences that I find to be interesting and fresh.
Not only do I dance for artists, but choreography and teaching is also a passion of mine as well. My style is a fusion of modern, contemporary-jazz meets hip-hop. I am just a vessel; dance is my blood, and acting is my lens. I truly have an eye for art in all capacities, which makes acting a thrill to embody different walks of life. I have always been a person that believed in the power of purpose. Trusting in what God has gifted you with will carry you much further than any copy-cat career. Whether it be art, caregiving, hospitality, or education, we all have a purpose that we must fulfill, and I want to influence others to be authentically themselves and dance through their tribulation.
Have things improved for artists? What should cities do to empower artists?
Platforms like these are beautiful because it gives creatives an opportunity to let it all “hang out,” which can be hard for someone like myself lol. I don’t really like saying everything I do or can do in one fell swoop when being spoken to about a particular subject, job, or topic. For artists like myself who wear multiple hats, it can be somewhat of a maze trying to figure out how to keep all of your balls rolling in the right directions. For some, they don’t want a person in production that can be in front of the camera, and others don’t want a person in front of the camera that knows too much about production. Yes, it is easier to “put yourself out there” these days because of the all mighty power of social media, but it is also still a task to juggle wordplay when dealing with certain clients and opportunities while being a queen of a few trades. Thank you for the opportunity to pop my collar on a public forum.
Do you have any events or exhibitions coming up? Where would one go to see more of your work? How can people support you and your artwork?
I teach an Adult Beginners Hip-Hop Class at TADA on Tuesday’s 630pm & Saturday’s 11a. Also, I teach children there as well, just give them a call and ask about me. If you watch FOX network, you might be able to catch my most recent acting work. I had the honor of being the lead actor in a CareSource health insurance commercial. I am also a voice-over actor and model who may have appearances from time to time. Follow me on IG @SharmaineTate, Twitter @SharmaineTate_ & YouTube Sharmaine Tate.
Contact Info:
- Email: sharmainetatebookings@gmail.com
- Instagram: @SharmaineTate
- Twitter: @SharmaineTate_
- Other: bit.ly/MaineSTvlog
Image Credit:
Calvin Ross
Getting in touch: VoyageATL is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition, please let us know here.
