We recently connected with Edmond “Ej Staxx” McNack and have shared our conversation below.
Edmond “Ej Staxx”, appreciate you joining us today. Can you talk to us about how you learned to do what you do?
I learned how to dance by going into my parents basement, turning on music that I loved, and started moving and grooving out. I would also copy what I saw in Videos, trying to understand textures and the feeling that the choreographer would try to convey.
Knowing what I know now, I would have never been afraid to move to a different City to train and pursue Dance. I would of also been more discipline when it comes to taking care of my body, and adopting a more healthier eating lifestyle.
I truly believe that the most important skill to have is LOVE because when you have a love for what you do, you have the ability to inspire and encourage others to be great regardless of their level or stature! I also believe that having the ability to Network is also another important skill, especially in the Entertainment industry.
The only obstacle that stood in the way was money. It cost money to travel, to take classes, to purchase headshots, shoot dance reels, etc. I learned that you have to make sacrifices. If you parents can’t afford it then you have to step up and fund the things that you want. The younger me, thought that my parents could cover it all, but I found out quick that I was in for a rude awakening!
Edmond “Ej Staxx”, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?
I started out dancing in the dining room chair. I would picture that as my stage, and my family would watch this little chubby, 10-year-old groove it out in the dining room. My family would laugh and hype me up so that I would dance more. I remember this so vividly because there was a vinyl player in there. It always had the Rose Royce album loaded, and I loved playing the song Car Wash. I hope this doesn’t expose my age. Haha! I always knew I could dance, but I grew up watching my older brother dance and travel worldwide. So naturally, I wanted to do the same.
I never knew that becoming a Marching Cobra would be the foundation I needed to become a professional Dancer. It taught me so much discipline. I remember only being in Drill for a short time, and years went by. Once I hit junior high school, I performed in the talent with a freestyle routine, and everyone loved my performance. I won 1st place, and the look on my friends and family’s face was priceless. They were so proud and happy. So I started performing in Talent shows around the city and at the Grandview skating rink. It was take off from there. So my brother wanted to audition for the talent agency holding auditions at the Independence mall. I was scared because I had never done choreography before, so I did it, and I failed tremendously, but after that, I was determined. I worked so hard. I would be in the basement working on my craft for hours because classes weren’t a thing back then. It was something about that failure that I was not a fan of. Eventually, I got better and formed a group called KC REIGN, where we would start dancing professionally for artists and opening up concerts. We would work hard, putting shows together 24hrs before the show, at 3 am, and sometimes on school nights, but we wanted to be the best. Eventually, we started to grow apart over the years, and I decided I would keep going because I had worked too hard to give it up. I began teaching classes at KCMDT and workshops around the city and then started booking gigs with the big dogs.
We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.
I have tons of stories to tell! haha! I had been told NO so many times just because of my size. “Type casting” is a real thing; if you don’t fit the look, it doesn’t matter how talented you are. You also have to know certain people, who know other people to succeed in this industry. So networking is key. In the earlier days, I have been scammed, lied to, cursed out, and replaced for no reason at all. In this industry, you need to have tough skin because it is a really harsh world. Someone still owes me $500 for a gig I did in 2010, haha! I didn’t know anything about contracts and agreements back then, but now I consider myself an expert. Now, My motto is to “Stay Strong & Power On” because you will get a YES for the right opportunity!
Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?
Yes, the number one goal is to be happy, to inspire, and uplift. Doing the work that I absolutely LOVE and enjoy! People see what I do as entertainment, and I look at my job as a way for people to escape, and to feel things that they were never able to feel before. I read this verse from the bible, Proverbs 29:18 that said; Where there is no vision, the people perish. We have to be able to see things that are out of our norm. Visuals help us see different perspectives, and to decipher differences, colors, and the action at hand. It allows us to connect and to read body language, etc. Art is beautiful because it’s something you can see, smell, hear, taste, and sometimes touch. I am a person who wants people to be able to experience the beauty in art as I do.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ej_staxx
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ej.staxx
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/edmondmcnack/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@EjStaxx