Dancing with Taja Riley
Q: How did your passion start for dance?
A : umm. Funny thing about that is, I was placed in dance by my mom, because my dad was embarrassed that I did not have rhythm. He is a musician, so I completely understand his anxiety around it. My mom still reminds me frequently that it is super ironic. Paraphrasing but literally she quotes that it is funny that I became a dancer who is well known for the way I sync with music. I used to clap like I was trying to kill gnats in the air.
Q: What music do you like to dance to the most and why?
A : Favorite music is Anything that has 4.32 hertz. Hahaha wow, I promise I am the coolest nerd. Really though, I love music. I do believe it is my spiritual first love, because without that my interpretation would be in straight up LACK. The music style depends on which personality of mine you would ask.
Q: What is one thing you struggle with when dancing?
A : I struggle with staying still.
Q: How do you feel about having so much support and so many fans?
A : Support is an artist’s fuel, but I try to be careful of it because it can also be a truth blinder. Everyone wants to learn about how they affect the world. It feels nice for me to have kind fans who reach out, and send me love in the ways that they do. I truly appreciate it, but I think my main joy is when I can step back at my own work and make a fan out of myself. I feel that I am my toughest critic and I am never completely satisfied, so when I can look at my work and say “OK. You kinda did that” (which lowkey has only happened like three times in my career and they were all like YEARS after the work came out), that is when I get the most supercharged with momentum to create more.
Q: Did you ever take dance lessons in your life?
A : hahaha. If this is not an obvious yes, then maybe I have not.......
Q: What is your opinion of TikTok and the popularity of dances?
A : Tik tok is special. I do not have one. Sometimes I feel insecure or left out by the movement, but being an analyzer, I also remind myself of what my purpose is and if it would be productive to have one right now, and then it does not bug me so much. I think it is great that people have appreciated dance through this platform, but sometimes I go back and forth on whether it’s helping us, or hurting us more as a dance community.
Q: What do your Instagram dance lessons look like?
A : Oh, I have not started intentional ones yet, but I guess indirectly people just learn about me and my very many personalities.
Q: If you could do anything with your career what would you do and why?
A : It is not an “if” for me, just a when. I continue to have more and more dreams with my passion and continue to gain more insight on what God wants for me. Learning how he wants to use me will forever be an expansive project, so when I understand my desire to work for any particular dream, I also realize he wants this for me too and much more. My “Why” will always be fulfilling that purpose, I feel that it is a responsibility for myself, my spiritual team, my family, and my legacy. I know I did not give you the most specific answer on what exactly that would entail, but I am currently working on being careful not to limit my manifestations, and I find that sometimes when I speak it or write it for public viewing, it can date or limit that goal.
Q: What do you like the most and the least when dancing with another person? How about groups of people?
A : Hm. I think I have the same answer for most and least. What I love the most about dancing with another person is that they are all up in your space, but what I like the least about dancing with another person is they are ALL UP in your space. HA. Seriously though, there is a certain magic when two people come together to move that is so different from when you are alone. I think to put it in a simple analogy, it is like having an in person conversation with someone vs texting. When you dance with someone else, especially when it is a new fresh combo or improvisation afterwards, there is a potency of spontaneity, and a movement language of communication, trust, and energetic observation that has to go on to make the synergy real. You feel the same when you meet someone and start and feel the chemistry. Everything just feels warm, natural and supportive. It is Tangible. For groups, I feel it's more of the strength factor that multiplies in energies. If the work is militant, you feel like an army, and when it’s moody, if it’s jazzy you feel like you are on Broadway, and when it is saucy, you feel like the breakfast club or any cult posse you relate to... at least for me.
Q: How many hours a week do you dance?
A : When I was younger I would spend on average somewhere between 55-80 hours dancing, depending on if it was a training or competition weekend. I think because of how center focused dance was when I was younger. It has helped me in maintaining my base training, muscle memory and foundational skill level as a classically trained dancer, but more than anything, training when I was younger has helped me stay in a constant mindset of learning. Even when I am not physically dancing, [which is rare honestly because I am always moving], I constantly train the dancers in my head. People may think it is silly when I say that, but I believe your training starts in the mind and spirit first.
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