We recently connected with Jordan McDaniel and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Jordan thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. When did you first know you wanted to pursue a creative/artistic path professionally?

The first time I knew I wanted to pursue a creative/artistic path professionally was when I was twenty years old. I remember I was talking to my mom at our house and she was telling me that I need to get a degree in accounting. When she said that I automatically said “Why can I just major in Dance?” After I said that she asked me “What if I fell out of love with dance once I pursue this career?'” I instantly told her that it would be my decision to make and I rather do something that I love to do then to get a degree in something that I get a lot of money from and not love that type of career. That next day she showed me a college called Southeast Missouri State University where I’ve learned different styles of dance such as the following: ballet, modern, jazz, contemporary, etc. I’ve also graduated from there in 2017 with my Bachelor’s of Fine Arts in Dance and it was the best decision I have ever made.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

I started dancing at the age of thirteen by looking at different music videos from Michael Jackson, Chris Brown, Omarion, Missy Elliot, etc. Then at age fifteen I started dancing in a dance ministry called Anointed Feet Christian Dance Academy of the Arts where I’ve learned not only how to dance, teach kids how to dance, but understand the importance of having a relationship with God. I’ve also learned how to minister to the people through the gift that God has given me which is dance.

I went to the University of Central Missouri from 2011-2013 where I’ve participated in a dance team called Associations of Black Collegians Dance Company (ABCDC) where I’ve performed and choreographed different pieces for competitions, and events. I transferred to Southeast Missouri State University in 2013 where I’ve majored in Dance and received my Bachelors of Fine Arts in 2017. After I graduated, I became apart of a professional company in St .Louis called “Ashleyliane Dance Company directed by Ashley Tate. I currently dance for “Kode Redd Dance Company under the leadership by Anthony” Redd” Williams and I teach hip hop at a studio called “St. Louis Academy of Dance.”

The thing I’m most proud of is doing a commercial with “Microsoft Education” with high school musical star “Kacy Stroh” in 2023. The main things I want to encourage the people is that always keep God first in everything you do, work hard to achieve the dreams that you want and trust the process of the journey you’re stepping into.

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

A journey that I’ve experienced that illustrates my resilience was when i diagnosed with Chronic Myeloid Leukemia on August 26th, 2018. It started with me having an enlarged spleen, liver enzymes were elevated, sleep sweats and literally having a total of 640,000 white blood cells in my body. In the midst of me recovering I ended up getting a stroke which gave me three blood hemorrhages in my brain one of them was in my cerebellum so I had to re-learn how to walk again. I left the hospital on September 5th and every appointment I had was excellent. Then December 17th 2018 was the day that I got the news that was I was in remission with Chronic Myeloid Leukemia. My testimony alone is the reason why my relationship with God is strong and when I dance people are able to feel my emotion as well as story telling.

We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?

A lesson that I had to unlearn is that its never too late to achieve your dreams. The backstory behind my lesson that I had to learn was when I was 30 and I was worrying that when I became 30 I felt like it was the end of my dance career and that I’m too old to keep my dance career going. A few months later I received a text message from my friends Jenny and Jessy Dyson that I dance in a company with that they were choreographing a commercial with my Microsoft Education and they asked me and my other friend Anise Williams be apart of it. Also, I had the opportunity to dance with High School Musical star Kacy Stroh which as cool as well. That moment lets me know that I’m still in my prime in the dance world and it’s never too late to follow your dreams.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: @itsjordanmc__
• Facebook: Jordan McDaniel
• Other: Tiktok: @itsjordanmc__
  Threads: @itsjordanmc__

Image Credits

Photo Credits: Lumosco Photos