“I used dance as a way to make money when I first moved to Los Angeles,” Thomas says. “It eventually began to pay off big when several recording artists invited me to perform as a backup dancer.”
Soon enough, Thomas found himself dancing behind artists such as Beyoncé, Rihanna and Chris Brown. Those opportunities helped him catch the eye of casting agents who got him into films like Stomp the Yard and Dreamgirls. Thomas will be featured in the new Buena Vista Pictures film Step-Up.
Although he has been able to establish a career as a dancer in Los Angeles, he continues to work hard in order to stay prominent in the fickle industry. “With dancing, you have to save your money because the work is wavering,” he says. “I try to put myself in a position to spread myself out with as many opportunities as possible. It’s an every day process.”
The process seems to be working for Thomas, who taught dance in Australia. He will also be featured in the new film, Groove. Thomas credits his college education with allowing him to prosper in the entertainment business. “It’s important to get an education before you do anything,” he says. “Graduating from FAMU gave me a lot of tools to understand how to make it and keep my money. It also made me more concerned about what really matters in life. Sometimes it’s hard to understand those things when you enter the business out of high school.” -amir shaw
