Making History Today: McKenzie Jordan School of Dance
McKenzie Lewis is a Brown Ballerina Ambassador making history today. The 14-year-old ballerina started the Mckenzie Jordan School of Dance during the COVID-19 pandemic. After helping with her mom’s summer camp and facilitating online lessons, McKenzie fell in love with teaching dance. The McKenzie School of Dance teaches beginner’s ballet lessons for people who may be interested in starting ballet.
In her interview below, McKenzie discusses the lessons she’s learning as a business owner, the impact she hopes to make in the dance community, and who inspires her today.
Photo: McKenzie Lewis; shot by Ty Lewis
What does it mean to you to make history?
Making history means being a role model and leader. Last year, during the pandemic, I started my own dance company. Owning a company means that I get to teach aspiring dancers beginning ballet, build young girls' self-esteem, and build a company that will leave a legacy. The goal is to create something that will outlast me. Since my mom is an entrepreneur, I believe in working for myself to create generational wealth.
What are you learning by being a business owner?
Being a business owner has taught me that dreams only come true when I'm focused and have a good work ethic. Running a business can be challenging. However, keeping my goals in the front of my mind and working hard will allow me to achieve the success I want and leave a legacy for generations to come.
What impact do you hope your school will make on the dance community?
Being a dancer can be hard emotionally, physically, and mentally. I hope that my school will positively impact the community we serve. I want my school to be a center where young ballerinas can grow, support each other, enjoy dancing, work together doing community service projects, and feel good about themselves.
What other changes do you hope to see in the ballet world?
Ballet can be very strict and traditional. In the future, I'm hoping that companies will reflect the actual image of their dancers. We all have different skin tones, hair textures, and body types. The future of dance must reflect the diversity of the dancers they hire. I want young girls to be able to go to a recital and see someone like me, with darker skin and loc'd hair, and be able to imagine themselves on the stage, too.
Who is a Black ballerina who inspires you and why?
A black ballerina that inspires me the most is Aesha Ash. Not only is she a successful ballerina, but she is also very active in the community. For example, she created the Swan Dreams Project. Her project aims to "convey the message that beauty and talent are not constrained by race or socioeconomic status." Her work ethic, commitment to the community, and success as a dancer make me want to work harder to reach my goals.
Do you have anything else you’d like to share with dancers reading this article?
If I could say anything to a dancer, I would say, "Have a positive mindset, encourage other dancers, stay focused, don't be afraid to take risks, love yourself, and enjoy the gift of dance."
Photo: McKenzie Lewis; shot by Ty Lewis
McKenzie started dancing when she was 3 at Norma's Academy of Dance. She later transitioned to Anthony Burrell Center for Dance, followed by The Atlanta Dance Academy. McKenzie has experience in ballet, pointe, modern, contemporary, Horton, jazz, hip-hop, tap, Latin Fusion, and African. She and her family recently moved to L.A., where she currently trains under Debbie Allen.
Keep up with McKenzie’s dance journey by visiting her website and following her on Instagram!
Our Brown Ballerina Ambassador program is designed to create opportunities for young dancers in training to be seen as leaders and to eventually become mentors to other Brown Ballerinas in training. To find out more about our ambassador program and how you can support it, visit our Ambassador/Mentorship Program page.
Be sure to check out our Brown Ballerina Blog, where we feature spotlights on our Brown Ballerina Ambassadors, updates from our organization, useful tips for ballerinas, interviews with dance professionals, and more!
Note: This interview has been edited for concision and clarity.