Dancer Ivan Koumaev Interviews with JigTV About Hip Hop Dancing

June 2, 2009 - PRLog -- (May 12, 2009, Denver, CO)- Ivan Koumaev is best known for his time on the 2006 season of "So You Think You Can Dance" where he was popular enough to be voted into America's top 10 dancers. His success during the competition allowed him the privilege of doing the shows tour. Originally from Russia, he moved to the US with hopes to teach dance and dispel the limited image of the US hip hop movement. He has taught on the west coast from Orange County to Hollywood and is currently on faculty with NUVO dance convention.

In a recent dancer interview with JigTV, Ivan talks about how he became famous as a dancer. The first season of "So You Think You Can Dance" he was turned aside because he wasn't 18. Being bitter he almost decided not to audition ever again the day of a competition his friend convinced him to come. He was so bitter he didn't even watch the first season. Since he didn't plan on going to the audition he wasn't very nervous during it. He says the show was a great time, he didn't think of it as a gig or a job because he was just going with it. He quickly progressed through the process and before he knew it he was in Vegas and on TV. Unlike some competitors he never looked nervous which showed on TV.

When he was 12, Ivan Koumaev couldn't even walk to a beat, he had no idea where to begin when it came to dancing. He first fell in love with dance when he watched the 80's movie "Breaking" when he was 12 and pretty soon he was enrolled in dance class. He hated every second of it the first few classes, and after a while it grew on him and then he fell in love with it. Unlike many of his "So You Think You Can Dance" competitors he had no real background in ballet or anything other than Hip Hop. Luckily he was talented enough to fake his way through ballet for an audition which he got a scholarship. He recommends that nobody else try this, be prepared by taking lessons like an online dance class.

What helped him get through that audition was commitment something the whole online dance community to have. He didn't do any competing until he appeared on the show. His first gig was Hannah Montana, back before she was big. That tour was the best experience of his life. He says image is important and he has a hard time getting rolls because he looks to old to play the young roll but too young to play the old roll. That doesn't bother him much because he really has passion for teaching. He loves to teach and inspire kids, though he would love to tour with someone like Justin Timberlake.

If you want to view the whole interview visit JigTV.com.

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About JigTV
JigTV.com, an online community for dancers, offers a range of dance instruction videos taught by master choreographers. Users can easily learn to dance the latest hip hop, jazz, contemporary, and lyrical combinations and styles, all in an online atmosphere for only $9.99 per month. JigTV's "Dance on Demand" features choreographer interviews and video blogs in addition to sponsored dance contests where users can upload their own videos to enter. JigTV is the premier online resource for everything dancers need to be successful in their art. There is nothing else like it.