Today we’d like to introduce you to Alannah Wilhite aka Dancing Daze.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Alannah. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
I am 22 years old. I was born at Malcolm Grow Medical Center on Andrews Air Force base in Prince George’s County Maryland. At the tender age of three, my family discovered that I had an innate ability to dance and perform. I would break out in dance and imitate Beyonce, Shakira, and J-lo very well! As I got a little older, I would sing and dance to the whole “Dream Girls” and “Spice Girls” soundtrack in full performance mode. At the age of eight, my mother who saw my potential enrolled me in intermediate hip-hop classes at the local community center under the choreography of Lionell Keitt. I quickly excelled in the group, reaching the most advanced level called “X-Vibe”. When in “X- vibe” I began to see a real future in dance! “Dancing Daze” was the stage name given to me by my choreographer, I use that name to this day. I faced many challenges in the group in terms of finding myself as a young person and dancer. I learned to take constructive criticism well which helped me to perfect my craft. This propelled me to become captain of the team at 15 years old for a total of three years.
Being the captain of “X-Vibe” gave me the confidence to realize my dream as a dancer. At the age of 18, I moved on from the group and attended The University of Maryland Eastern Shore. I was eager to find a place to nourish my talents. I joined “Ambiance Dance Company”. I danced with the company for 1 year as a member and then as a captain. I began to use all of my creativity putting together full performances choreographed entirely by me. After five months of being captain, I decided to attend the “ATLA TAKEOVA Convention” ran by Kiki Ely and Sakinah LeStage. My sisters and I drove nine hours from Maryland to Atlanta, GA, to attend a three-day dance convention/intensive. On the last day of the intensive, I participated in the professional audition where if chosen I would be signed to the 411 South Talent Agency. I knew this was the chance of a lifetime for me and I put everything I had into the audition. God willing, two months later, I received a call to sign with the top agency in Atlanta 411 South Talent Agency! God is so good! I immediately left school and my mother moved me out to Atlanta. By the grace of God, I began to work in the professional entertainment industry immediately. One of my first major Jobs was the role of “Lead Dancer” In the hit movie “Uncle Drew” starring Kyrie Irving Choreographed by Jeremy Green! I then went on to perform on TV shows and movies such as “Star” on Fox, ‘Greenleaf” on OWN, The BET Awards 17′, BET Hip Hop Awards 17’, Soul Train Awards 17’, and so much more all in my first year of of being signed to the Agency.
By the end of 2017, I could see God’s plan for me and I needed to keep working to the best of my ability and continue to trust in him. I continued to flourish through 2018 and 2019! To date, I have been a part of nine television shows some consisting of multiple episodes, 10 Awards shows, 5 music videos, and 5 Movies, including being given the opportunity to be a dancer in one of the most highly anticipated movies today, “Coming to America 2.” In conclusion, I’m a humble hustler, a name given to me by my agency, an optimist, a fighter and a believer in God. Moving to Atlanta without any family in the area and thriving at the age of 19 shows my true grit. I believe being a dancer and an actress is my true calling and passion. I will keep trusting in God and putting him first with the support and love of my family, especially my mom who I talk to several times a day. My one regret is that my father who passed away two years ago is not able to share in my journey. Prayerfully, God has so much more in store for me.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
The road to following my dreams and accomplishing what I have thus far has not always been a smooth one. Being a 19-year-old girl moving to a whole new state without any immediate family made me feel lost for a period of time. I was meeting new people and going straight into auditions upon moving so it was like a whole new world for me. I became self-conscious inside but I gave myself mini pep talks to stay afloat and trust myself. Within my first year of being in Atlanta, I also lost my father suddenly during the same week I was filming the “Bossy” performance episode for STAR on Fox. This was absolutely devastating to me and it was only God, and the voice of my father in mind telling me to keep going that I made it through. My mother kept reminding me that God would never give me more than I can bear. I take that notion with me through life every day. Lastly, I would be in my head a lot more than I had ever been. I found myself anxious throughout the days because I was focusing so much on what was to come instead of enjoying my personal path. When following your dreams, always put God first. He has brought me thus far and never left. You must have impeccable tunnel vision. Don’t compare yourself to others, we are all unique in our own ways. Set your personal goals and straight smash them! Don’t think twice about your ideas, just bring them to life. Don’t forget to cheer for yourself as well! Everyone isn’t always going to see the vision that God has for you, so my advice is to keep yourself uplifted always. To conclude, enjoy every moment of the process. The good and the bad all come together in the end to create magic!
What do you do, what do you specialize in, what are you known for, etc. What are you most proud of? What sets you apart from others?
I am overall a Professional Entertainer. My talents consist of dancing, acting, modeling, and singing. I’m known for dancing in tv shows, film/movies, and music videos to the top artists and actors in the industry. I am most known for being the lead female dancer in the 2018 film “Uncle Drew” the movie, The Lead in Iggy Azaleas “Sally Walker” Music video, and now being a dancer in the highly anticipated film “Coming to America 2” almost 32 years later! I am also known for being a “Humble Hustler”, a name given to me by my amazing agency 411 South Talent. Meaning that I am known for going above and beyond no matter the circumstance and taking the utmost pride in my work. I would say I am most proud of my consistency, work ethic, discipline, strength and ambition. I believe what sets me apart from others in my field is my work ethic, true passion, and love for what I do. I didn’t grow up with opportunities like the ones I have in front of me today. I cherish them that much more because I have dreamt of doing this my whole life. It is truly a blessing for your dreams to become a reality. I am so grateful to God, 411 south talent agency, and my family.
What’s the most important piece of advice you could give to a young woman just starting her career?
I would say the best advice I could give to anyone seeking a mentor or looking to network is to always be genuine about your approach. Do your research on who would be the best person to help fulfill your career goals. Lastly, know who you are and know what you want so that you are able to present yourself in a way that would make someone want to help you along your journey. Keeping myself in play meaning staying in the know, and making sure I am on the radar is truly what has worked best for me.
Contact Info:
- Email: independentalw@gmail.com
- Instagram: _dancing_daze
- Twitter: @Dazedancing
Image Credit:
Jay Lenard photography- @jaylenard
Lorenzo Smith- lsfotography1
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