The racism in the dance competition world doesn't always show up as outright hostility. Sometimes racism looks like a studio owner quietly leaving your name off the audition list.
Nicaya Wiley spent seasons two through seven on Dance Moms, and on this episode of Dance Dad with John Corella, she gets honest about what the experience cost her. Growing up as a Black dancer in a predominantly white studio meant rarely receiving corrections in class, questioning whether her body was built for this, and getting body shamed on national television before she was old enough to process what was happening.
Her mom is central to everything. She submitted Nicaya directly to casting when the studio tried to quietly leave her off the list. She faced racial slurs in the dressing room, none of which made the air. She came out as gay on the show, which Nicaya calls the boldest thing she has ever witnessed. And she raised a daughter who eventually learned to stop apologizing for the body she was born in.
Black dancers and body image in dance training is something the industry still doesn't talk about enough. Nicaya reflects on what changed for her after studying with the late Judith Jamison and what diversity in professional dance feels like now, performing aboard a Norwegian Cruise Line ship with castmates who finally look like her.
If you've been wondering about the Dance Moms cast and where they are now, Nicaya Wiley is still dancing, still growing, and still the person her mother raised her to be.
Episode Breakdown:
00:00 Nicaya Wiley on Racism in the Dance Competition World
01:32 The Four Questions With John and Nicaya
03:14 Training With Judith Jamison at Alvin Ailey
05:39 Learning to Never Apologize for Who You Are as a Dancer
07:38 Body Standards and Race in the Dance Competition World
10:40 The Economics of Flexibility in Dance Training
15:37 How Nicaya's Mom Got Her on Dance Moms
18:36 What Her Mom Taught Her About Standing Your Ground
22:04 Dealing With Cyberbullying After Dance Moms
26:03 Losing Her Brother and Father and Dancing Through Grief
31:40 Seeing Real Change in Diversity in Professional Dance
43:44 How to Address Racism in the Dance World
51:03 Best Memories From Dance Moms
56:59 What Dance Means to Nicaya Wiley
1:00:10 Favorite Dancer, Choreographer, Style, and Dance Movie
Connect with Nicaya Wiley:
Follow Nicaya on Instagram
Connect with John Corella:
Follow Dance Dad with John Corella on Instagram
Follow John on Instagram
Join Dance Dad with John Corella on Patreon
Visit John Corella’s website
Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm
