Today we’d like to introduce you to Tiffany Burton-Gordon.
Tiffany, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
I started dancing at the age of three, thanks to my mother. She says that I had rhythm in a chair and could never keep still. I began my Dance journey with Flair Dance studios, where I met my 1st Dance teacher Terri Joyner. Terri is the reason I do what I do. She kept everything interesting and pushed me to dance at a level that surpassed my age. Ms. Joyner soon left Flair to open her own studio Quest Artist and that is when I decided that I wanted to be just like her. I continued to dance at Surrounding studios and my mother had me audition for the Baltimore School for the Arts TWIGS program. This is a free program for elementary and middle school children that show great interest in the arts. Growing up and through the TWIGS program gave me great insight as to what type of dancer I wanted to be. My 8th grade year, I auditioned and was accepted into the Baltimore School for the Arts for High School. After working with a wonderful host of teachers, I was completely prepared to move on to my next phase of a dancer’s career, which is to perform or to educate. Thanks to these teachers, Norma Pera, Debra Robinson, Tony Wilson, Robyn Synder, & Stephanie Powell, I was more than prepared to go either way. I attended New World School for the Arts in Miami as a Ballet Major and it was an amazing experience to work with Choreographers and dancers from all over. After College doing many auditions and teaching for many different studios, I was always planning for my own space. Years of working for others and touching the hearts of many, I decided to go with what was needed for my heart, Velocity Center for Dance.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
My road to success has been hard at times. I have lost friends, students, money, time and most of all, energy. My biggest struggle would have to be giving my all to people that never deserved it. Sometimes you put your all into places that are not ready to accept the person and or Artist that you are. I struggled with finding myself. I was turned down, fired, talked about and emotional abused. I was completely broken. I had to dig deep and find the true meaning as too why I was giving this gift. I have always believed that what is given can be taken away. For a few years, I was in a dark place and I just wanted to give up. After a failed marriage, I had to fall back in love with my 1st love. Become grounded within my craft and rebuild. I wanted to give up. I stopped learning and teaching all for a true friend to ask when you will open a studio of your own? At that moment, I prayed and for the leap of faith. Trusting the process and my talent, I just had to push through. They said I would never get to this point, but here I stand. They set limitations and proclaimed them to be mine. Building my brand and Victory is mine. I not only own Velocity Center for Dance, but I also Created House of Sloan an alter ego experience for women, VCD Elite competition and VCD Elite Performance, Team.
Please tell us about Velocity Center for Dance.
Velocity Center for dance is not only a studio; its a family. I take pride in building a relationship with all of my kids and parents. We use dance to teach life lessons. Dance is a form of discipline, just like karate or football. I hold my dancers to a harder standard. Grades are number one and attitude is key. My parents know to call me for the good, the bad, and the ugly. I am a mentor, teacher, parent, friend, nurse, superhero, best friend, auntie, mom, therapist…… You name it. Velocity Center for Dance is for the community and we pride ourselves in being involved with local festivals and events. Spreading our love and joy to others. I could not ask for better staff, we are all on the same page and are pushing for the same goals. We would love for all of our students to become professional dancers but are all okay with them using the gift of dance to land a scholarship to become doctors or lawyers. The lessons of being on time dressed appropriately, and to travel some adults still can not do. When I started Velocity, I was called the “Hip Hop School,” and I was not a huge fan of the name, but then I turned the negative into a positive. My students are good at hip hop, but they are well versed in Lyrical, Ballet, Modern, Jazz, Tumbling and Tap. This is just the beginning and I can not wait to see what has yet to come.
Do you look back particularly fondly on any memories from childhood?
As a child, I often pretended to be a fly girl and Paula Abdul. What people never knew was the Fly Girls from the show In Living Color were like the Lakers Girls to me. I wanted to be the head dancer in charge and at the time, it was Rosie Perez. She was this tiny firecracker that demanded your attention and danced full out at all times. She was the creative director and choreographer for the show. I would dance along with the opening of every show. I would then take the dances and make them into my own. I wanted to dress, look, and dance like them. All of my favorite dancers came through this show and I still to this day have a great love for all of them. From Jlo, Laurieann Gibson, Carrie Ann, Michelle Morrison, and most of all Rosie Perez. All of these Dancers moved on to become lead dancers and Choreographers for artists like Janet Jackson, P Diddy, Heavy D, Brittney Spears, Missy Elliott and more. These moments helped me to prepare and to dream the big dream of creating a space where others can lie out of their dreams. One day I will meet Rosie & Laurieann to thank them for being a positive influence in my life.
Contact Info:
- Address: 3681 Offutt Road
Randallstown, MD 21133 - Website: www.dancewithvelocity.com
- Phone: 667-231-5867
- Email: velocitycenterofdance@gmail.com
- Instagram: @velocitycenterfordance
- Facebook: Velocity Center For Dance
Image Credit:
Elijah Camera Art
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