Thinking Man’s Dancer
Nick Drago, one of the stars of Bravo’s “Step It Up and Dance” proves that success in Los Angeles can be more than skin deep
Speaking to Nick Drago, it’s easy to tell why Bravo was eager to hire the 26-year-old Houston, Texas, native for its newest reality series, “Step It Up and Dance.” Drago’s charisma and charm flow out of him with the same ease that Gene Kelly executed a shuffle. Take one look at his all-American good looks, his masculine-but-not-macho demeanor, and you’d imagine that Bravo casting put an immediate check mark next to “hunk.” Yet, there’s something underneath his dazzling smile and velvety slight Southern drawl. With each question, Drago replies with a killer combination of quick wit (the man’s hilarious) and deep humility. You get the sense that he strives not only for standard commercial dancer success, as in booking consistent work, but also to find a deeper understanding of himself and his industry. His curiosity made us wonder, too: Perhaps there’s more to this man than the typical dancer success story.
Support System
“When I was four years old, my mother showed me “Footloose” with Kevin Bacon running wild around town and causing trouble,” says Drago. “I said, ‘Mom, I want to be like Kevin Bacon,’ so she immediately put me in dance class. It’s kind of all history from there.” It’s not surprising Drago fell into dance at such an early age. He comes from an artistic household: his mother is an author and librarian, while his father is a painter and graphic designer. They encouraged their son from the start, and have remained his support system as he navigates the often unstable commercial dance scene in L.A. “I have to give immeasurable credit to my family,” says Drago. “To have a father say, ‘You know what? If you love to dance, then dance,” is absolutely incredible to me. I can’t explain the feeling of having that kind of support structure.”
Drago began his dance training at Progressions Performing Arts studio in Houston under the tutelage of director C.G. White. Although he started in jazz class, he soon expanded to tap and ballet, and received additional ballet training outside the studio with Houston Dance Theatre’s Angela Jackson. He credits White with the foresight to expose her students to an array of teachers and choreographers. “I grew up a competition kid and went to all the conventions,” he says. “It’s fortunate because C.G. didn’t take it to heart that we wanted to study with other teachers. That’s huge because it really opened my eyes to guys like Joe Tremaine and Gregg Russell who influenced my life as a male dancer.”
Photo: Jacqueline Veissid
Male Matters
Being exposed to circuit teachers, especially the men, helped encourage Drago to continue striving for his passion while maintaining his masculinity. He was guided with the help of NYC-based teacher, choreographer and mentor Jeff Amsden, who stressed the importance of training at the gym in order to partner women with greater ease and be manly in his movement. “My goal is to keep guys in dance and not let them fall into peer pressure to quit,” says Amsden. “So, naturally I was drawn to Nick. He’s full of life, energetic, gregarious, outgoing and animated. I knew he had it in him to go professional.” In fact, Amsden gave Drago one of his first gigs, performing in “A Few Good Men Dancing”. “I’ve known Nick since he was 11 years old,” he says. “I’ve seen him develop and have encouraged him to be versatile. It’s nice to see the progress.” Amsden and Drago now teach together through Tremaine Dance Convention.
It didn’t take long for Drago to catch up to his male mentors and realize he’d have to go head-to-head with them for dance jobs. When he was 18 years old, he flew to L.A. for his very first dance audition and saw Russell’s headshot in a pile on the table. “I thought, ‘My God. I’m with the big boys now.’ There’s no ladder. There’s no caste system that says you’re a rookie and you’re going to audition with rookies,” he says. Even though Drago was green, he booked the job, which was a Japanese national commercial for Exxon Mobile. Boosted by his successful first audition, he wanted to move to L.A. right away. But, once again, a male teacher stepped in and offered invaluable guidance. “When I was about to graduate high school, Joe Tremaine told me not to rush out to L.A.,” says Drago. “He said, ‘There will always be more auditions. You’re not going to miss anything that’ll make or break your career. Go to college and get an education.’”
College Bound
Drago followed through on Tremaine’s advice and was accepted into the Anne Lacey School of American Dance and Arts Management at Oklahoma City University. Under the direction of department chair Jo Rowan, he further deepened his ballet training and learned practical lessons that helped him get a leg up on the L.A. competition. “What I took away most from OCU was that professionalism is the most important thing in the entertainment business,” he says. “When I go to auditions now, I know I have to step it up in front of everybody else and be prepared. I see dancers without a headshot or resume, and I learned this can make or break you at an audition. That’s the difference between paying rent or not.”
Drago made quite an impression at OCU, where he was well-liked by the faculty and students. His solid upbringing and versatile training proved instrumental in not only becoming a better dance during his college years, but also growing into a well-adjusted man. “Nick was such a gentleman,” says Rowan. “He was always so considerate of the women he danced with, his partners, and the faculty that were striving to make him better. He had an in-depth gratitude, appreciation and love of life.” During college, Drago was able to strengthen his character and open himself up to new opportunities. “He’s not just a guy who’s not afraid to put on a pair of tights,” says Rowan. “He’s interested in so many things. He seems open to grow not just as a dancer, but as a person. I give him an A+!”
Reality Check
After college, Drago initially planned on moving back home to Texas to save up money in order to have padding for his eventual relocation to L.A. However, he landed a job that he thought would bring some stability, so he packed up his things and headed out West. Unfortunately, the job fell through and Drago was left stranded in L.A. without work. That’s when the reality of the professional dance world hit him. “You grow up in the competition world thinking you’re going to move to L.A. and do Pepsi commercials and rub elbows with celebrities every day. The truth is, it’s not like that,” he says. “I don’t say that to discourage people, but I make sure they understand that it’s a lot harder than just doing five clean pirouettes or fouetté turns. It has a lot to do with your character.”
Drago put his character to good use in order to persevere through the dry spells. “You have to make opportunities happen for you,” he says. “Stay positive and keep trudging. If you sit around and watch TV, you’re not helping yourself. If you don’t have an audition, the best thing you can do is not complain about it. There are ways to find jobs.” In fact, Drago used just such positive thinking in order to wrangle a job he might not have been initially qualified for. When his agency, McDonald Selznik and Associates, called him up for a direct book on a gig which called for a tumbling dancer, Drago didn’t hesitate to say yes, even though he had no tumbling experience. “I hung up the phone, ran up to my roommate and said, ‘Dude. You’ve got to teach me how to tumble right now.’ I was freaking out,” he says. “Next thing you know, I learned as much as I could and three days later I was on set for Comedy Central. It turned out that the space was too narrow to tumble in, so I just danced down the aisle. That’s why you never say no to a job!”
Teaching Skills
Making good use of his own advice, Drago paired up with his roommate and dancer friend from OCU, Grant Chenok, to create prospects for himself. In 1999, the two had formed a performance group called Flow40 in order to supplement their technical college training with fun hip-hop movement. When Drago moved to L.A. in 2003, they decided to transform the group into a teaching organization. Flow40 now exists as an all-male instructive staff, which travels to various dance schools to teach master-level classes. “We really capture the convention spirit and bring it into the comfort of the studio,” says Chenok. “It gives students a chance to receive personalized attention from industry professionals.”
Chenok and Drago’s prescience paid off: in less than five years, the company has grown into a national organization, employing teachers from New York, Chicago, Las Vegas and L.A. under its umbrella. They have recently branched out to develop an all-female teaching group called EV3 as well. The women cater to drill teams, pom and cheerleading squads. Part of the secret to their success could be Drago’s natural teaching ability. “Understanding how students learn and knowing what keeps them interested is what makes Nick a great teacher,” says Chenok. “He’s able to relate to them and approach them in a way that makes them feel comfortable.” Amsden, who’s witnessed Drago’s convention classes on the circuit, agrees with the assessment. “He gets on the students’ level, but he doesn’t talk down to them or placate them,” he says. “He’s not your average dancer.”
Photo: Jacqueline Veissid
Professional Gigs
Although Flow40 and EV3 provide Drago with solid work, he hasn’t left behind the dream of a career as a performer. He’s appeared in several music videos, including Jessica Simpson’s “Boots,” My Chemical Romance’s “Helena,” and Duran Duran’s “Falling Down.” Most recently, he was Theodore’s dance double in the “Alvin and the Chipmunks” feature film. Drago extends his professional attitude beyond the audition and applies it to each job. On set for music videos, dancers spend a good deal of time waiting around, and often, griping about less-than-stellar pay and conditions. Instead of joining in the ranks, Drago opts for the high road. “These video shoots go a long, long time,” he says. “You have to have patience. Keep your cool, be on your choreography, and you’re going to be good to go.”
Not content to simply book gigs and collect his paycheck, Drago treats each job as a learning experience. During “Chipmunks”, he examined behind-the-camera techniques, noting that the animated movie was filmed frame-by-frame instead of with CGI or motion capture. “I think it’s really important to be aware of what’s happening on set and not just be joking around. Keep your eyes open,” says Drago. “Talk to [production and film crews] when you get a chance. Don’t bug them, but if you have a moment, go for it. Learn as much as you can because when you know about their job, it’s going to make your job a lot easier, and they’re going to love you for it.”
Stepping It Up
Drago’s proactive approach landed him the opportunity of a lifetime. One day, his friend sent him a text message to audition for a new Bravo reality dance series called “Step It Up and Dance,” and after a series of interviews and auditions in front of producers, he booked the job. Tepid about entering into the reality show circus, he asked friends in the television industry if he was making the right decision. “They reassured me that Bravo makes good television, and does so in a way that would show how difficult each challenge would be,” Drago says. “In effect, it would bring a broader understanding to the general public of how each dancer copes with his or her internal limits and creative flow. Bottom line: what we are going through on the show is not easy.” With cameras following him around 24/7, Drago had to become accustomed to adjusting his behavior, yet continuing to be himself. “From day one, my stomach was in knots. You almost feel naked at times,” he says. “You have to be conscious of your actions. If you fall out of a turn, just know that they may use the footage or they may not. If you have a bad habit, like picking your nose, don’t do it! You may look like an idiot sometimes and you just have to accept it.”
Of course, outside of the dramatic aspect, there were hours and hours of dance-related challenges placed before contestants. And among the chaos, Drago found ways to impress his superiors. Jerry Mitchell, Broadway choreographer and “Step It Up’s” resident mentor, gushed about Drago’s abilities. “Nick is an amazing dancer whose fluidity is seamless,” he says. “When he dances, he feels his body in a way that not all dancers do.” Yet, Drago’s dance skills, in a sea of exceptionally talented professionals, weren’t what made him stand out the most on the show. “Nick approaches people in a kind way and treats them with respect,” says Mitchell. “It’s a great way to enter any job with a choreographer, because you are there to serve the choreographer. Once a dancer establishes that relationship, the boundaries come down and the collaboration begins.”
What’s Next?
Starring in a dance reality show does not necessarily translate to immediate success, but for Drago, opportunity has come knocking. With increased exposure, Drago has landed even more teaching gigs on the convention circuit. Mitchell also expresses interest in working with his latest protégé. “I would hire him in a minute and I already have my eye on him for a few things,” he says. But, if Drago has his way, he’ll continue to use his cunning, warmth and professionalism to seek out work as an all-around entertainer. Since moving to L.A., he’s harbored hopes of working as a television and film actor. Carving out a charming T.V. personality on “Step It Up,” it looks like he’s headed in the right direction. His dream job? “To tell you the truth, I am hoping that my phone will ring and it will be Bruce Willis calling to ask me if I’ll shoot guns with him in his next movie,” he says. “And yes, I’m serious.” Looks like Kevin Bacon’s wild influence hasn’t dimmed in the 20 years since Drago first idolized him.