November 12, 2016

Meet West Midtown Dancer: Shervoski Couture

Local Stories

Today we’d like to introduce you to Shervoski Couture.

Shervoski , please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
Born and raised in Athens, Ga. I have been dancing since I was eight years old. Which started to be an outlet for all the trials & tribulations I was forced to go through as a child. Dance turned into a way out for me. Away from all the chaos that was happening at that time. At the age of 13, I founded the 2 Cute Step / Dance team at my high school along with my best friend Mike Lee. We didn’t know it was going to turn into a trendy topic to where all the middle school in Clarke County started a step / dance team. Once I got in high school I founded a dance organization called JADE (Jindiac Afrocentric Dance Ensemble) under the guidance of Dr. Melanie James. This is where I was able to give back to dance what it gave me at a very young age. Training none dancers in hip hop, jazz & West African dance. I was asked to become the high school choreographer for drama department, black history productions & the marching band majorette dance team. While balancing school, choreographing for all those groups. I started training after school in Atlanta at Gotta Dance Atlanta under Cici Kelley, Rikki McKinney, & Stevo Jones. During my senior year, I was asked by Cici Kelly & Rikki McKinney to dance audition to dance with them in the Off-Broadway production of “Satin Dolls.” Which kicked off a week after I graduated from high school. After successfully doing so, I returned to Athens and started teaching full time at East Athens Educational Dance Center where I became the Artistic Director of the holiday annual dance productions. After 5 years there, I was asked by legendary choreographer Obediah Wright to come to New York to train & work for his company Balance Dance Theatre for the summer. Afterwards, I came back to Georgia & started to teaching in Decatur at Dancers for His Glory Dance Academy where my work won several of awards & trophies at regional & national competitions throughout the east coast. In 2013 I started looking for movies to be a part of. While applying for an extra roll in VH1’s original movie “CrazySexyCool” I was asked after submitting to be a hotel patron to audition to play celebrity choreographer Devyne Stephens. While on set, I was networking and introducing myself to everybody!! Because of that, I was asked to film for several other movies. I was also asked by celebrity stylist MaCray Huff to dance in the 2013 Bronner Brothers Hair Battle Royale. Since then I’ve went on and dance for celebrity stylist Terrance Davidson for the Bronner Brothers hair battle, and be choreographer & assistant creative director for celebrity stylist Angela Stuckey. Today, I’m teaching at Footprints Dance Alliance in Cumming, Ga., 3D Dance Academy in Buckhead, MJCCA in Dunwoody and McClendon Performing Arts Institute in Decatur, Ga.

Has it been a smooth road?
NO, one thing for me is I was driving from Athens, Ga daily chasing my dream. Driving 1.5 hours after a late night rehearsal was crazy! Being a gay black male for one. That’s one thing plays a huge role in this industry. Because agents / artists automatically assume that you dance like a female instead of a male because you’re gay. Which isn’t true. Being a dancer means you should know how to turn it on and off. Dealing with other dancers who are straight rude for no reason. Granted I know all artists are arrogant a little in some way. Humbleness hasn’t hurt anybody!

What are your plans for the future?
For the future, I’m looking to continue to teach dance to kids throughout America. Hoping dance will change them they way it changed me. As well as embark on becoming a talent agent her in Atlanta. I do have a few bug things I’m working on, but I’m currently not at a space to announce those. I will definitely give you all the heads once I’m allowed to speak in them.

Let’s dig a little deeper into your story. What was the hardest time you’ve had?
Hardest time in my career was not knowing what was happening. I found myself in a space where I wasn’t teaching or getting any gigs. My money was running really low and bills were piling up. This was back in 2012 I believe between the time I left East Athens Educational Dance Center & going to New York to work for Balance Dance Theatre. For almost 5 months I didn’t have a single income coming in. Nobody knew it but me, cause o kept a smile on my face and acted as if everything was perfectly fine. Lord knows I was breaking on the inside. The only way I made it through, I pulled out my God giving talent of doing hair & makeup. I started posting ads on social media about hair and makeup and crossed my fingers somebody would contact me. Then one day, the phone calls started and I was doing hair until 2/3 in the morning.

What about “Wow-moments” – any moments that stick out? Any moments when you felt like you had made it?
The first time I felt like I was finally making progress in my career; is when I booked my very first movie and because of my genuine personality, talent, and hard work. That same director asked me to be a part of another movie he was working on. At that moment I was like, “OMG Shervoski, you’re a working professional in this entertainment industry.”

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