We recently connected with Cherlyn Antolin and have shared our conversation below.

Cherlyn, appreciate you joining us today. Did you always know you wanted to pursue a creative or artistic career? When did you first know?

Since I was a child, I always had a passion for dance and performing; however, at the time, I never thought of it as something I could do for a living. Like most Asian kids growing up, there was a great amount of pressure to do well in school, so I could get a stable job that paid well. My mom and dad grew up in the Philippines with little money, so I understood they only wanted the best for me. My parents nurtured my passion for dance, but never would have approved if I said I wanted to do it as a profession. They are both nurses and wanted me to follow in their footsteps.

After graduating high school, I enrolled in college and majored in nursing, just as they wanted. At the same time though, I felt my passion for dance growing, and for the first time I considered it as something I could do full-time. When I expressed this to my parents, they were not thrilled. We often argued and it felt as if they didn’t understand my point of view. It was during my sophomore year that I could no longer fight the urge to pursue dancing full-time. I remember to this day, sitting in my chemistry class, when the thought just hit me. I took a moment to look at my classmates and realized there were people in there who truly wanted to be nurses. They were willing to do whatever it took, but I could not pretend I had that same drive. It was at that moment, I decided to take a risk and drop out of college, to follow my passion and pursue becoming a professional dancer.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

Dance is something I developed a passion for at an early age. Filipinos are known for their love of music and dancing, and I am no exception. As a little girl, I remember using my family’s karaoke system to blast my favorite pop princess hits, singing and dancing as if I was on stage with them. I performed at talent shows, posted dance videos online, and even created a dance crew with my friends.

Throughout my childhood and into my adult life, I have always desired to share my love for dance with others, whether it be performing, choreographing, or teaching. In 2015, I began pursuing dance on a professional level. Since then, I have been blessed to dance for several teams including the Dallas Cowboys Rhythm and Blue Dancers as well as create choreography and perform with various artists across the country. I have also had the pleasure to teach private lessons and classes at many dance studios, sharing my passion with dancers from all walks of life.

I love to help new dancers build their confidence and help seasoned dancers sharpen their skills. I enjoy all styles of dance, but my favorites are jazz funk, hip hop, and poms. I excel at helping dancers and artists with their stage presence and performing skills.

One of the things I like most about dance is the community, and the love within the community for dancers of all levels. My mission is to spread love and inspire all the communities, dancers, and audiences I encounter.

I am most proud of being able to inspire my family. I am a wife, mother, daughter, and older sister. My family is my reason why. They are the ones who push me and support me to keep going, even when it is tough. Without them, I would not be where I am now.

Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?

When I decided to take the leap of faith and pursue dance full-time, one of the first things I did was try out for professional sports dance teams. The first team I auditioned for was the Dallas Maverick Dancers. Although I did not get selected, the experience sparked my love for that style of dance and performing. The next step I took was to audition for the Texas Legends Dancers, a team that danced for a semi-pro basketball team in the Dallas area. I made it all the way through auditions and into training camp; however, the same night the team was announced, I was cut. I was devastated as I was the only one who made it that far and did not make it onto the team. Despite the setback, with the support of my family, I kept going.

That same year, I auditioned and made it onto the Texas Revolution Dancers, who danced for a semi-pro football team in the area. I danced with them for one year and then continued auditioning for teams, trying to gradually make my way up to the professional level. At this point, I decided to go big and auditioned for the Dallas Cowboys Rhythm and Blue Dancers. I did my best to not let my previous setback get me down, and I gave it my all. Many dancers often audition for professional teams several times before they make it. With my determination and support system, I was able to make it all the way through the process and was selected to be a part of the team on my first try. To this day, I use this experience to keep me pushing through setbacks, knowing that sometimes when God closes one door, He opens another.

Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?

In 2017, my husband joined the Army, and after training he received orders to North Carolina. I had plans to audition for professional sports dance teams as soon as we moved; however, shortly after, we found out we were expecting our son. I believe it’s all a part of God’s plan and I couldn’t imagine my life any other way. In the meantime, while I was expecting my son, I was able to finish school and obtain my degree, a goal I’ve been wanting to achieve. I attended Fayetteville State University where I received my Bachelor’s in Accounting and graduated Magna Cum Laude. I was also blessed to have landed a job, even before officially graduating. When I’m not dancing, my full-time job is an auditor.

Through the support of my husband, I have been able to find balance in continuing to pursue my dance career, while also still working full-time. Since moving to North Carolina, I have been able to work with several artists, teach dance classes/workshops, and be a part of the Hunnies Cheerleaders, who danced for a semi-pro hockey and football team in the area. I was also blessed with the opportunity to be selected as one of the captains this past year. I am proud to be able to support my family as well as help build North Carolina’s growing dance community.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://instagram.com/cherlynpie
• Youtube: https://youtube.com/c/cherlynpie

Image Credits
Lilly Santiago Rhiannon Lee Fred Mahusay