Interview Date: January 5th, 2025
Episode Summary:
Larke Hasstedt, a talented dancer who transitioned from classical ballet to the commercial dance world. Larke, who was born into a dance family, began her training at a young age and eventually joined prestigious ballet companies like Pacific Northwest Ballet and Oregon Ballet Theater. However, her journey took a pivotal turn when she moved to Los Angeles to pursue a career in commercial dance.
Larke shares her story of moving to LA with nothing but a dream and a self-imposed deadline to make it work. Through persistence and dedication, she landed an agent and went on to work with major artists like Beyoncé, Britney Spears, Usher, and more. Larke talks about the challenges of transitioning from ballet to commercial styles like hip hop and heels and offers insights into how dancers can make a similar shift in their own careers.
She also shares advice on the importance of versatility, mental resilience, and hard work in the dance industry. Larke’s teaching style, which blends her classical ballet background with commercial dance techniques, has gained recognition for creating beautiful lines and fluid movement. This episode is filled with valuable lessons on adapting to different dance styles, developing your unique career, and staying dedicated to your craft.
Tune in to learn more about Larke’s journey and the lessons she’s learned along the way.
Show Notes:
(0:00) Introduction to Larke’s dance background
(5:00) Growing up in a dance family and early ballet training
(10:00) Joining prestigious ballet companies like Pacific Northwest Ballet and Oregon Ballet Theater
(15:30) The pivotal moment: transitioning from ballet to commercial dance
(22:00) Moving to Los Angeles with a dream and a year to make it work
(28:00) Securing an agent and booking jobs with top artists like Beyoncé, Britney Spears, and Usher
(35:30) Adjusting ballet technique to fit commercial dance styles like hip hop and heels
(42:00) Challenges faced and lessons learned in the commercial dance world
(47:30) The importance of versatility and mental resilience in building a dance career
(53:00) Creating a signature teaching style blending classical ballet and commercial dance
(59:00) Advice for dancers looking to make a similar transition into commercial dance
(1:05:00) How to balance ballet and commercial dance and maintain growth in both area
(1:12:00) Larke’s experience teaching and the evolution of her heels class
(1:18:00) Reflecting on the different worlds of ballet and commercial dance
(1:23:00) Larke’s favorite career highlights and unforgettable moments (Super Bowl, Coachella)
(1:30:00) Advice for aspiring dancers: believing in yourself and staying focused
(1:36:42) Closing thoughts and inspiration from Larke
Biography:
Larke Hasstedt started her dance training out very early, as both of her parents were professional ballet dancers. She trained with Pacific Northwest Ballet,San Francisco Ballet,Boston Ballet,and eventually joined Oregon Ballet Theater when she was only 17 years old.
She did 8 seasons with them before leaving for Los Angeles.
Once moving to LA, she had a dance career of over 20 years dancing for such artists as Beyonce, Chris Brown, Usher, Britney Spears, Jlo, Ariana Grande, Missy Elliot, Ciara, Miley Cyrus, Neyo,Cardi B, Snoop, Pitbull, Nicki Minaj, Christina Aguilera,Tinashe, Pharell, Rihanna and many more. She has been on shows such as The Voice,Ellen, Jimmy Kimmel, America's Got Talent and performed at The VMAS, American Music Awards,The Superbowl, Coachella, Bet Awards, Billboard Awards, Latin Grammys, Dick Clark's Rockin NYE and the Grammys.
Currently she is teaching and sharing everything she has learned from the Ballet world to the industry with the next generation.
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