Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Ladarris Ware. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Alright, LaDarris thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Do you have a hero? What have you learned from them?

My hero is my dad. As early as I can remember, he has always exuded light, love, joy, and beauty in a way I can appreciate. He groomed me to be the person I am today. I would often try and beat him before the sun came up. I had to make sure I was ready to go with him to work. He spent a lot of time on rooftops laying shingles and patching leaks. It’s better to get up and active early before the temperature gets too hot!

He was the hardest-working man that I’ve known. I saw him go to great lengths to provide and protect his family. He is the earliest memory of a confidant and safest person that I know, and he is the person who nurtured my artistic talent. Daddy was also an artist and musician, so studying his musical tastes and listening to his many side quests of being a DJ/Singer helped guide my ear as I ventured into music and dance. As I matured, I aspired to be just as hardworking as him in whatever career path I was going into.

In the winter of 2010, my dad suffered from a traumatic accident that left him paralyzed from the chest down. For 3 years, he suffered in and out of hospitals, being exposed to other illnesses that only made his condition insufferable. The fact that the person everyone leaned could no longer support or care for themselves without the assistance of bedside nurses, AKA The Ware Family – was hard. The accident put a major strain on my family, leaving me to step up to provide for and support us. I took the initiative to find work, hoping to create a consistent stream of income lessen the worry for my family. About a year later after my venture into the workforce, my dad passed away. Since then, the journey through manhood and navigating the workforce has been a challenge.

At times, I wonder what advice he’d be able to offer me whenever I’ve had my lows ir just been stuck. I suffered a lot mentally without paternal guidance. This challenged me to mold myself into being a better version of myself and I was able to cope with the grief. He was an entrepreneur, so naturally, I would follow his footsteps. He was very creative and loved his family, and his artistry and humor heavily influenced the way that I work and approach interactions. My dad had that country southern charm and the pretty boy from the hood complex going! He was very impressionable on most people he encountered. Shadowing him, I learned how to create personable interactions and long-lasting relationships with people. I stretch my talent by transferring skills between different roles that essentially tie into my current role as a middle school dance instructor. It seems passive, but I wish I could let him know how him just operating in his humanness gave me strength & resilience I had yet to experience. My confidence, strength, persistence, and work ethic all came from watching him. Even on his worst days, I saw a man who was led by the voice of the Holy Spirit and someone willing to working through their afflictions. No matter what adversity arose, my dad always pressed forward, remaining cool, calm, and collected. He could be the quietest in the room or cracking a joke and stirring the pot, and even more annoyingly funny than anything, and that I miss. The way he cared for and loved on us was REAL.

In ways, certain whims of him jump out of me in the way that I speak, dress, or act. I think he would be very proud to see who I have become and what he has poured into me. Shockingly enough, I now coach several students in DISD, and I find myself becoming more like him in in my coaching style and being a mentor to the youth in the community.

Seeing him carry his torch gave me the fuel and ambition that I needed to start my stride. Though our career paths aren’t the same, it’s the interpersonal skills he poured into that have made me have such a gracious stride thus far. I thank God for allowing me to experience him. I thank God for creating me to be his son.

LaDarris, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I’m 31 years old, from Jackson, MS, and I’ve been a Dallas transplant for about three years. I’ve always a creative person, often in Gifted Programs or finishing my work early just so I could go write music or draw something. There weren’t many performance opportunities or spaces for me to truly explore my range of talent in dance, so I found ways to nurture those gifts by working on music, dancing at home, and pursuing other art projects with creatives in my hometown. For about ten years, opportunities for me to stretch those talents in the creative space gave me room the chance to find my lane until dance became prominent. I’ve danced my entire life, but not at the capacity that I have performed at. In the fall of 2020, I found my way into a couple of “underground” dance classes, where I met so many other dances in the Jackson area.

A local dancer, Kenmeekia Stanton, spearheaded a space for us to train and work towards opportunities as dance professionals. I did this for about a year, still finding meaningful projects to participate in but ultimately applying my time and attention to the craft of dance. In the summer of 2022, I moved to Dallas, where I began working as an educator in Dallas ISD, teaching dance to K-12 students and performing as a professional dancer for the NHL Panther City Lacrosse Club and later WNBA Dallas Wings, for two seasons.

I provide choreography for dance teams of all sizes, mostly concentrating on hip-hop & majorette. I also travel as a coach, offering group and private training sessions, graphic design consulting and social media development for teams, individual dancers, and small business. I am always interested in learning and growing as a dancer, collaborating with other dancers/choreographers and facilitating safe spaces the community together and sharing the gift of dance with others. I am passionate about nurturing talent, building confidence, safe exploration, and providing the tools, opportunities, & resources needed to pursue a career in the dance industry.

I am most proud of my time and efforts being part of the WNBA Dallas Wings Flight Crew, but nothing can compare to my time coaching for my students at Seagoville Middle School! I have a beautiful batch of young dancers I have learned so much from and pray their continued growth is matched in abundant success. Being their first dance teacher has been such a beautiful blessing and an honor! We have shared beautiful memories within a two-year timeline, and I cannot wait to see what they accomplish during this season and afterwards.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

Seeing my students have that “ahaaa” moment and growth as individuals. Them being young dancers and learning is always going to be a highlight, but watching them grow and matriculate through their educational careers to becoming young adults is the most rewarding thing! I enjoy getting to know my students and what their interest in life will be. Seeing them knock out their goals and become well rounded individuals is heartwarming.

I’m interested to see more of my work performed and captured on the big screens and I’m front of larger audiences. I want to continue providing opportunities for young dancers to explore their talent and pursue careers in dance. Im also curious to explore some business ventures that combine design, music, and design into one big project.

Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?

I believe God gives us gifts to share His word and tell stories. Dance is a way to communicate and express yourself. I often aim to lead from a Christ-centered perspective, leading on the unifying theme that we all know and understand – Love. When I am creating, it is genuinely a labor of love. I want my work to continue to uplift and inspire people to overcome adversity by focusing on God and using their past pains, failures, uncertainties, etc., and constructively apply that energy towards something good. God will turn it into something beautiful. Dance will always be a highlight of my life, but if not for the glory of God, I would not be here today to share how He has led me through some trying times and how dance became a space of exploration and expansion in my life! I don’t take any of this for granted.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: @hesladarris
• Youtube: @ladarris

Image Credits

Dallas Wings, Panther City Lacrosse Club, Taylor Hope