Canadian Artist Izzy Pereira On Navigating the New York Dance Industry

Izzy Pereira is a professional dancer currently based in New York City, originally from Toronto, Canada. Izzy recently graduated from Pace University with a BFA in commercial dance. Professionally, Izzy has been in a national commercial for Snapchat, was in a short film with NYC’s Wolf and Swan Company and most recently she was the rehearsal director and the assistant to choreographer KingChris for pop artist Tash Blake’s European tour.

Izzy had the opportunity to be in the Broadway Votes PSA directed by Kenny Ortega, danced in the music video ‘SHE’ by the Canadian artist Sayana and was a lead dancer in ‘Whole New World’ a full length contemporary production at the Winchester Theatre in Toronto. Since graduating, Izzy has joined the faculty at Downtown Dance Factory in NYC.

Izzy has assisted some of New York’s most notable educators and choreographers including Al Balckstone, Eric Delgado, Nijawwon Matthews, Jess Hendricks and Ginger Cox. Izzy also worked closely with Emmy award winning Tyce Diorio to create her senior solo piece. Other work Izzy has done includes being part of Andy Blakenbueler’s skeleton crew for The Nine on Broadway, completed a summer internship with Black McGrath’s online dance mentorship program and is on faculty at Terpsichore Dance. Celebration (an all Canadian dance competition).

Izzy was also selected as an emerging young choreographer and had her work showcased at The Young Choreographer’s Festival in 2024. Izzy has performed multiple times for various live shows including Choreographer’s Carnival LA/NYC , Sybarite, NYCDA’s Destiny Rising, Young Choreographer’s Festival NYC and Solar Fusion showcase in Toronto.

How did your journey with dance and performance begin in Canada?

I started dancing at the age of two and competed in my first dance competition at the age of five. I fell in love with dance from the very start and quite literally haven’t stopped dancing ever since. I attended an extremely high caliber competitive dance studio at eight years old until I graduated from high school. I also attended a specialized arts program in elementary school and went to a performing arts high school where I concentrated in dance. I spent over 20 hours a week in the studio training in all different genres of dance including ballet, jazz, tap, acro, contemporary, hip hop and musical theatre. I attended four to six regional competitions with my competitive studio each year and one national competition event at the end of every year.

While I trained at a Canadian studio, most of the competitions we attended were in the United States, which allowed me to travel a lot from a young age. I competed and performed more than 12 routines at each competition, including 2 solos pieces. Some awards I received include; The One Shot Senior Solo Champion 2020, Terpsichore Dance Celebration Senior Soloist Winner 2020, 7th overall senior soloist at The Dance Awards Nationals 2019, winning Studio of the Year with my dance studio at The Dance Awards in 2018, 2nd overall senior solo at 24 Seven Dance Pittsburgh, named the Face of Fever Dance Championships 2019 and many scholarships wins from Jump, Nuvo, and 24 Seven Dance Convention. On top of my competitive dance performances, I performed multiple times a year with my high school Cardinal Carter Academy for the Arts. There is nothing I love more than being on stage and performing, no matter where.

Shortly upon graduating high school, I broke into the professional industry in Canada. I was a lead dancer in Tyler Hutching’s Whole New World, a full length contemporary production performed at the Winchester Street Theatre in Toronto. I was one of twelve dancers cast in the production and received the opportunity to be featured in a duet. This opportunity was one of my first professional contracts I received. It felt extra special to perform in Toronto; in the heart of the community that built me up to who I am. I have since been a part of multiple professional projects in Canada that have each further contributed to my experience as a professional dancer. I continue to be a part of Canadian productions and events and find so much joy in celebrating the talent of my hometown even since moving to NYC. Most recently, I performed in the Solar Fusion showcase at the Isabel Bader Theatre in Toronto in August 2024. I was selected to be in pieces choreographed by Josh Lamb and Michael Prince at this event.

Were you the only international student in your graduating class at Pace University in New York City?

Yes! I was the only international student in my program's entire graduating class. Prior to attending the school, I knew the commercial dance program at Pace was extremely competitive with a less than 10% acceptance rate. When I started as a freshman, I was  the only Canadian in the entire program. I knew a couple of Canadian alumni but they had graduated well before I began school. During the program, I was selected to be a dance captain four times. Being trusted with this role across four different productions was a special opportunity which not all students receive. As dance captain, I took charge of the dancers and movement to ensure the piece was in great shape and stage ready alongside the choreographer, or when they aren't present. The incredible relationships I've built with each choreographer continue to grow in the professional world outside of Pace. My versatile and intense training while growing up allowed me to partake in every single genre of dance genre in school. From tap, to hip hop, to contemporary, to theatre, to jazz, to ballet, my versatility was utiliized to its fullest capacity. 

How did you begin to navigate the professional world of dance in New York City upon graduation?

Upon graduating from Pace University, I had an extremely open mindset entering the professional world. I set out to take advantage of every single opportunity I was given no matter how small or big scale. While this industry comes with emotionally navigating so many highs and lows, I’ve achieved dream career goals of mine that I am so grateful for.

I joined the faculty at Downtown Dance Factory right after graduating from Pace. My heavy teaching hours have helped me to navigate creating my own schedule. I've found it extremely beneficial to have stable weekly teaching hours I can hold onto while pursuing freelance work that has a totally fluid and ever changing calendar. My job allows me the flexibility to continue to pursue my performance dreams during my off time. It has become part of my routine to check for upcoming auditions, online submissions and performance events daily. I have also remained open to any and all parts of this industry. While some dancers prefer to specialize in specific parts of the industry i.e. commercial dance, theatre work, company contracts, I haven't found it helpful to limit myself on what type of opportunities to pursue. This mindset is what has opened so many doors for me and has brought me so many valuable connections.

When working on projects, I enjoy absorbing as much knowledge as possible. When I'm assisting choreographers is where I've gained the most insight. I learn what draws choreographers to certain dancers, why certain casting decisions are made, all the moving parts that come together to make a cohesive creative vision, and so much more. I have used this insight to navigate how I approach auditioning and seeking out freelance opportunities. Being a genuine human beyond dancing ability, having consistent positive energy, being reliable, adapting to the needs of the project at hand, and keeping a humble attitude are all attributes that I lead forward with.

Have you faced challenges in the industry?

One thousand percent, yes. Being in an industry where it is impossible to control the outcome of our efforts, I continuously have to be my own source of motivation to keep going. Choosing to chase my goals and dreams is a choice I make everyday, and at times it proves to be very hard to show up; but that's when showing up matters most. The battle of working in this industry builds resilience, character and supports my strong ethic. Learning how to not take each rejection personally and to use it as a source of redirection takes great strength, maturity and self confidence.

What are some professional highlights you’ve experienced since entering the industry?

Being on set to dance for a music video was one of my most memorable highlights. I was cast as a dancer in the music video 'She' by Sayana through the Canadian choreographer Melissa Mitro. I have always dreamt of being in a music video and it was an incredible experience. I adored working with the choreographer and dancing on camera.

The greatest highlight of my career thus far has been working as the rehearsal director and dance assistant for pop artist Tash Blake’s international tour in Europe. Hitting this milestone was incredibly artistically fulfilling. I had the opportunity to work closely with choreographer KingChris and artist Tash Blake in all rehearsals leading up to the tour, even prior to the dancers attending rehearsals. My role included rehearsing with KingChris while he choreographed new dance routines for the tour, demonstrating the choreography to the dancers, facilitating all rehearsals, and ensuring communication between the creative team.

Another big career highlight was being selected as a dancer in a short film with the award winning NYC contemporary company Wolf and Swan Company. The three day shoot was filmed at an abandoned mansion in upstate New York. As one of the twelve dancers in the cast, I worked closely with choreographer Wilma Casal. Wilma’s company has won many awards and recognition across multiple film festivals. I absolutely loved diving into the contemporary world and dancing on camera. Other highlights of my career include being involved in the Broadway Votes PSA directed by the one and only Kenny Ortega. Very recently I also had the incredible opportunity to assist Al Blackstone at Steps on Broadway for his February Spotlight class. Working one-on-one with Emmy Award Winning Tyce Diorio to create my senior solo piece that I performed live in NYC and Toronto was also a wonderful highlight, in addition to being in a national commercial with Snapchat and part of the skeleton crew for the Nine on Broadway with Tony Award winning Andy Blankenbueler.

What are you most excited for upcoming?

I am most excited to be performing at Sony Hall this month for Leg Up on Life benefiting the Trevor Project. This event aims to promote inclusivity in the industry, specifically supporting the LGBTQI+ and BIPOC communities. Each artist involved donates their time and all ticket profits are allotted towards donations. It is an incredible community event and I am so excited for the opportunity. The other project I am excited occurs towards the end of the month. A mentor of mine and past professor at Pace, Nijawwon Matthews, asked me to assist him for setting a new piece for the upcoming Pace show. I absolutely love working with Nijawwon and am excited for the opportunity to be back at Pace and share my expertise and artistry with the current program dancers. The show will hit the stage in April!

Photo Credit: Jon Taylor, Conor DeAth