We recently connected with Kimaiya  Hall and have shared our conversation below.

Kimaiya , thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today. Can you talk to us about how you learned to do what you do?

Yes, so I began dancing around the age of 3. Dance is something that has always been in me. I would see a commercial and dance, listen to a song on the radio, and dance. I mostly learned through media, like music videos, and then when youtube launched, I began learning from there. At 11, I began formal dance lessons with Zhanda Clarke at New Era Productions Dance Academy. I then went on to attend Central Visual and Performing Arts High School. While majoring in dance there, I also began training with various studios and choreographers in St.Louis, MO. Although I didn’t complete my bachelor of fine arts degree, I attended Alabama State University, where I again majored in dance. Ive also trained in numerous cities, including LA and NYC.

In terms of being an entrepreneur, I am still learning. There is always work that needs to be done to build your own business and brand, from finding funding to staying proactive. It’s not a walk in the park.

All arts, especially dance, require mind, body, and soul. I am a teacher and student, learning that it takes a lot to execute while being a student. I feel I’m more self-aware at this point. A smart dancer constantly learns what to do and not to do by listening, observing, and asking the necessary questions.

Kimaiya, 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 am Kimaiya Hall, a dancer, dance teacher, and entrepreneur. As I mentioned, I started self-taught. I loved learning from music videos, competition dance videos on YouTube, and musicals. My passion began to grow and grow. Eventually, I knew by the time I was 14 that I would be in the arts and dance community for the rest of my life.

I launched Kimaiya Hall Dance Company, or KHDC, at the end of 2020. KHDC is an independent dance agency. Our mission is to serve, connect, and collaborate with like-minded organizations everywhere.

In such a short time, I’m very proud that KHDC has collaborated with businesses founded by and aimed to support black people, women, and children. We have worked with For the Culture STL, Princess Storm and HSSU, Shop Amour Fashions, and The Give Black Ball and danced backup for numerous STL artists, including Roxx, Bebe, and Shailynn. The list continues to grow!

KHDC has a standard of excellence on and off the dance floor. Our ultimate goal is to shine a light on the St. Louis dance community so it can eventually become an arts capital (such as NYC or LA). The talent is already present. Now it’s time to collate resources to continue to build. I see STL having dance studios, art events, consistent auditions, and even award shows in all of the arts. By having KHDC, I am doing my part to build in dance!

Aside from running KHDC, I am the captain of St.louis Bombshells, a professional official cheer/dance team for the St.Louis Ambush soccer team. I teach technique, conditioning, and competition choreography at New Era Productions Dance Academy and work with musical artists on artist development. You can reach me on Instagram @kimaiya_ or @khdancecompany. To learn more about KHDC, go to the company’s website www.kimaiyahallllc.com.

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

The years 2019-2021 were very hard for me. I had been hospitalized and diagnosed with MDD (major depressive disorder) & anxiety.  In 2020, I moved back to NYC for work, then the pandemic happened. NYC was a “hotspot” for COVID, which forced me to return home to STL after just a few months because studios, Broadway, and anything dealing with dance, were shut down.

I also dealt with my father’s unexpected death and other personal and family struggles. I felt unresolved childhood trauma and a hint of immense sadness when he passed. I was feeling so emotional all at once and was unsure how to cope.

I was in one of the deepest depressions I had ever been; I didn’t dance. My weight was up and down from eating too much or not eating at all. I didn’t sleep regularly, and the intrusive thoughts were horrible.

Mental illness and the need for resources within our communities to be mentally stable are real. Through meditation, prayer, therapy (that I’m seeking again), and support from those close to me, I built myself back up (and I still am). I now have much better coping mechanisms. I’m grateful for this journey; I didn’t always feel like I would make it through.

Do you think there is something that non-creatives might struggle to understand about your journey as a creative? Maybe you can shed some light?

It might be difficult for non-creatives to understand why an artist would invest so much. We invest financially, spiritually, and physically in a product or goal that isn’t fully formed yet. I think creatives, for a better term, are misunderstood.

For example, some will say the man making beats all day who sleeps on an air mattress is a bum until he blows up mainstream and is making 6 figure deals. But creatives will look at this like he did what he had to do for his future. People will say spending your last dollar on an audition or dance class is crazy until that hard work and networking puts a dancer on tour with a notable celebrity. Then it’s considered passion. Not having a traditional 9-5 is considered irresponsible until you see how that creative spent their hours gaining knowledge and perfecting their craft. Then it’s they’ve worked so hard and put everything into this. In sum, most people will support when it’s beneficial or after all the hard work has happened and success occurs.

But support costs nothing. Believing in someone costs nothing. I don’t have the vision anyone else has, just as no one else has mine. I wish we would support each other more through the “struggle” phase and be more understanding, not just when we see the hard work pay off.

Contact Info:

• Website: Kimaiyahallllc.com
• Instagram: @kimaiya_ @khdancecompany
• Youtube: https://m.youtube.com/channel/UCAHxPP38RtG6FzLt5jvj5CA

Image Credits
Robyn James Digital Media Production Underdogs Promoter | (314)532-4215 [email protected] Instagram: @sweetlatricepresents