CASSIDY NOBLETT: Been There, Done That!
The dance profession is changing, growing, diversifying: Cassidy Noblett has studied many different styles and is making his career in commercial dance.
Noblett and his sister Casey were studio kids, growing up in Roxboro, North Carolina where their mom, Toni, had a studio where she taught everything: ballet, jazz, tap and hip-hop. He says he “actually started dancing when my mom was pregnant with me” but entered the studio at age three or four and danced in the group numbers. At an early age he was inspired by a Janet Jackson video and loved hip-hop, jazz and martial arts classes. His first performance was as a Ninja Turtle. Venturing to New York at eight, he spent summers at the National Dance Institute, studying with Jacques d’Amboise and Lori Klinger, taking additional classes at Steps and Broadway Dance Center. Still dancing through their teens, as a high school senior, Casey attended North Carolina School of the Arts and Cassidy followed her there for the 11th and 12th grades, staying an additional year to acquire some college credits. Cassidy’s major interest was modern dance, taking class from Sean Sullivan, Brenda Daniels, Trish Casey and Diane Markham. Returning to New York, he enrolled in NYU to continue his academic studies, but that did not leave him enough time to take classes in outside studios. He thinks education is very important and would like to complete his college degree someday studying Arts History, Musicality and Dynamics.
Cassidy Noblett and Victor Rojas at the opening of The Cove Atlantis in the Bahamas for Janet Jackson
Noblett’s passion for music videos fostered his interest to pursue commercial dance. He loved the audiences that this style of dance attracts. He started as a background dancer in music videos with Britney Spears and Madonna. His first main spot came performing with Christina Aguilera. Jeri Slaughter was the choreographer. Noblett says, “The artist wants you to act as a unit but also be an individual.” The bulk of the work is in Los Angeles, and that is more than okay with Cassidy. He loves the people, warm weather and the beach. He has worked with Shayne Ward, winner of X Factor, and on a world tour with The Spice Girls. He has performed in industrials for Macy’s, Swarovski, New Balance and MAC makeup and was David Beckham’s body double in a commercial for his new fragrance. Of all the stars he has worked with, Noblett says Janet Jackson is his favorite. She is the nicest individual he has ever met and shares everything. It is hard work, rehearsing six days a week, and sometimes you are in the rehearsal studio from noon to 8:00 p.m. He says, “The music video industry pays well. However, the work can be inconsistent and you might go from paycheck to paycheck.”
Having a commercial agent is very important. Getting jobs often depends on height, looks and style. There are hazards in the business: bad stages, laser lights and dancing on wet surfaces. To keep in shape, Noblett takes two or three dance classes a day and also goes to the gym. In his limited spare time, he likes to read, go to museums and hang out with friends. He is an avid people-watcher. Speaking of the business, on the pro side, “You get to see the world, work on yourself as an artist, work with great people and give back to the fans, but there are also a few cons: disappointment, demand on the body, competition, jealousy and [the difficulty] making a living.” Down the line, he would like to choreograph and then direct. When working on a venue, he watches how it all works. His sister Casey is still dancing and also teaching. The Nobletts are carrying on the family tradition.
Noblett has taken advantage of every opportunity offered to him and has some advice for dancers wanting to go the commercial route: “School gives you maturity in your dancing; work gives you different experiences in different media. Work hard; everything happens for a reason.”