We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Brooke McPheeters. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Brooke below.
Alright, Brooke thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. It’s always helpful to hear about times when someone’s had to take a risk – how did they think through the decision, why did they take the risk, and what ended up happening. We’d love to hear about a risk you’ve taken.
We were born to take risks. But that is not what society wants us to believe. We are here on this planet to remember what we are, how we are and what we can do to make this world a better place. In order to do that, we have to step out of our comfort zone and “be.”
Risk taking has never been hard for me as my whole training and career has been a risk physically and mentally. My mother took a risk placing me in my first ballet class when I was three years old and from there on, I was hooked.
I took risks competing in Dance Competitions through my studio and Dance team into auditioning for the University of Missouri – Kansas City Conservatory of Music and Dance where risks blossomed into day to day. Auditioning in a dancer’s life is second nature to where it is an Interview at a Corporate job but multiplied by a million.
Think about going into an interview and not only interviewing for the job, but also seeing everyone else interview for the exact same job as you in the same room for hours on end. Sometimes you do not even say one word, but you let your body do the talking through movement, choreography and artistry.
There are so many more “no”s in life, then there are yes’ as anyone can concur. The artist life has taught me that risk taking will always lead you to bigger and better. There is always more that you can learn and more you can withstand.
Through an artist’s life, that is multiplied as well times infinity. When you are in a Performer Contract, you are always searching for more in your career within quite possibly one or two auditions a week. This means on top of your contract job, you are going out there to take a risk and try and land another job.
During Covid, I moved back to my home with my mother and father. I stayed there for a full year in a half during those wild times. Once I felt the need to move, I took a risk and moved to a new city and state called Las Vegas, Nevada.
Pre Covid, I was living in New York living out my goals and going for the risks. I took a long, hard look at my life and realized I had always wanted to try out the West Coast. Since I was judging Dance Competitions, (Full Circle from where I started taking risks) I got to travel to fun spots and witness the beauty of the states. Vegas caught my eye through its mountainous views, artistic people and easier/cheaper way of living.
When I first moved to Vegas, it was the most treacherous transition from living conditions to finding work. I am happy I pushed on and found my way into my Vegas life today with the wild risks because I have found who I am today in every aspect.
Brooke, 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?
Hi, hello, what’s up?!
My name is Brooke McPheeters who is a Performer at heart and an adventure seeker of thrills, nature, coffee, and extravagant desserts. I have been in dance since I was three years old, but truthfully I could say since I was in my mother’s womb. I am from Liberty, Missouri and have lived in numerous places around the United States and sea.
I started dancing at multiple dance studios, learning every style from ballet to tap and the in between where I suddenly fell in love with movement. During High School, I was on the Liberty Sapphires Dance Team for 4 years, where I was Co-Captain my third year with 3 State Champions under the dance belt. I was named “All American” and “Best Showmanship” throughout the NDA Dance Camps.
Then, I was accepted into the prestigious UMKC Conservatory of Music and Dance. I studied Dance and Business on top of being the Co-President of the Conservatory of Dance Association at UMKC. During college, I became a NFL Kansas City Chiefs Cheerleader for 4 consecutive years and became Co-Captain the last two years. It was a honor to perform at the Wembley Stadium in London when the Chiefs played the Detriot Lions in 2015 while also performing in London, Germany, Texas, and Tennessee on military trips.
After college, I traveled throughout 33 countries dancing and singing for Norweigian Cruise Lines. I performed Vegas the Show, Dancing Fool, Tuxedo and “Lights, Camera, Music” and my own choreographed solo/duet pieces! It was a beautiful moment of my career to be able to see the world with my profession.
After getting back on land in 2017, I went back to Liberty, Missouri and worked numerous freelance work that then led me to RWS Entertainment Group at World’s of Fun Theme Park Winterfest for Charlie Brown’s Christmas Spectacular, RWS Entertainment Group, After finishing that fun contract, I moved to New York and found the big apple!
Once moving to New York, I made it into the NBA Knicks City Dancers for two consecutive years and performing with “A Boogie wit a Hoodie, TPain, Fat Joe, and A$AP Ferg” to name a few. Then, I became an Assistant for the Radio City Rockettes where I assisted with music, formations and events at Radio City Music Hall. I was selected for the Radio City Rockettes Intensive for five summers to train at the New York Radio City Music Hall with one of the summer’s being Invitational which is the hardest to get into for the summer. In the city, I worked at Chacott by Freed of London as a Sales Associate and was a Party Motivator for Total Entertainment at multiple events.
During Covid, I moved back to Liberty, Missouri and continued to teach at multiple dance studios into judging every weekend for Inferno and Dance Team Union Competitions. I also became the Event Manager for a Local Dance Experience named “Kansas City Jazz Dance Intensive” bringing together emerging and innovative artist voices from all over the world for professional training.
I have worked with numerous Dance Teams, Studios, and Dance Competitions as well as choreographed for bar/bat mitzvahs, weddings, quinceanaras, churches, birthdays, bachelor/bachelorette, dance privates, master classes and more. Outside of dancing, I have modeled in Aruba, St. Lucia and St. Thomas for the Chiefs Cheerleading Swimsuit Calendar while modeling for boutiques, salons and fashion runways.
Offstage, I was a stage manager for multiple UMKC shows and went to Indiana for American College Dance Association with the Conservatory. I completed the lighting and cueing for different pieces making it into the National Conference. I am also a Brand Ambassador for multiple companies where I have worked for Barbie, Samsung, Hulu, Old Navy to name a few.
I was named High School Homecoming Queen and Alpha Delta Pi Courtwarming Queen as well as a National Miss American Miss Finalist. I was awarded the Denise Ash Scholarship as well as the Heartbeat Award from the NFL Kansas City Chiefs Cheerleaders.
I moved to Las Vegas two years ago and have been a performer on the Las Vegas Strip at MGM’s Excalibur Hotel and Casino at Tournament of Kings while being a Dancing DJ on Fremont Street. From working gigs on and off the strip to teaching at Millennium Dance Studio, she can’t wait for what’s in store for her in the Viva Las Vegas Life!
As one can see, performers are not just performers. We do a little bit of everything in life in and outside of performance. I am an alchemist of art, authenticity and love throughout movement. I want to help others achieve their goals through movement whether it be inside or outside of dance. I teach dance privates to any level, but one thing stays consistent. It’s the universal language of movement. I want to really get to know the person I am helping through movement, through art.
Is there mission driving your creative journey?
I never knew dance was such a therapeutic outlet until I became older and realized the reason of why I loved it so much. When I was younger, my goal of dance was just to keep going and get better. Then, I realized that I could take this on as a part of the High School Dance Team, into Professional teams and then into my career.
My mission of dance has always held consistent subconsciously that I stay true to my authentic self and I live the life that I want and no one else wants. Titles of jobs are just titles of jobs, and yes does that make us want them in our career, but I truly just want to be happy in my dance career with whatever I am doing.
My creative journey consists of the spontaneous spots, late night adventures and that last dance class you are taking where your body is extremely exhausted, but you have the grit to go to this last hour in a half and let loose.
I used to put myself in little baskets of goals in mind, but now I am more observant to the whole picture of life, That is to be happy in the moment and don’t sweat the small stuff. It all will come when it needs to come.
For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?
The most rewarding aspect of being an artist and creative would have to be the openness of it all. Dance has so many aspects of it all, to where when you say you are a dancer, you are saying that you are multiple dimensions of yourself.
In dance, you could be the dancer, or you could be the choreographer, director, stagehand, clothing designer, judge/adjudicator, you could be anything and everything that you want to be.
I love dance because it gives you freedom to be what you want to be and how you want to be it. That’s the biggest reward because you know that you are doing it for single handily yourself. 
Contact Info:
- Website: http://www.brookemcpheeters.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brookemcfab/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/brookemcfab/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brookemcpheeters/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/brookemcfab?lang=en
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQKNpsg51M-bviuT5Nf5dcA
Image Credits
Justin Patterson Jayson Ikner Paul McMillen Gene Starr