Meet Marcus Lira | Choreographer & dancer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Marcus Lira and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Marcus, can you tell us more about your background and the role it’s played in shaping who you are today?
I am from Pueblo, CO and it has greatly impacted who I am today. Growing up in a semi-small town has given me a great appreciation for my passion. I have loved hip-hop dance for about 12 years now and growing up I was a fan of many famous dancers. Being in Pueblo, none of these famous dancers seemed like they were in my reach. It seemed like they were aliens from a different planet. As I’ve grown up, I’ve gotten to meet and even become friends with people that I’ve looked up to. If I had grown up somewhere where I could see these famous people regularly I don’t think they would have had the same effect on me. I definitely do not take for granted the opportunities that I’ve been given.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I’m a hip-hop choreographer. My love for my art comes from my ability to create something meaningful. I’ve been teaching hip-hop for 8 years and all 8 of those years I’ve been doing it because I love it and no other reason. I take pride in this fact and I think this sets me apart from others. Some dancers teach because they love to look good and they love the way that their choreography looks on other people. I teach because spreading the knowledge that I have gained to others is a gift that I will never take for granted. My ability to teach has given others confidence in me and given me the confidence I need to take on any challenge. It hasn’t always been easy, in 2017, I applied for many jobs that I did not get and felt like that was it for me. I persevered and have taught at over 15 studios since then. Sharing my talent across all of Colorado has been a blessing. I think my biggest lesson through my entire dance career has been that it is fully okay to fail as long as you can accept your failure and move past it. This is something I keep in mind in all walks of life.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
My favorite spots to eat in Colorado are definitely denver biscuit company and cherry Thai in Aurora. Every time I’m in the area I’ll eat at one of those two. My favorite dance studio at the moment is collabratory complex and Denver or Leilani are my favorite teachers there. I hella recommend taking their class anytime you can.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I would like to credit a lot of my accomplishments to the wonderful people that I’ve had the pleasure of meeting throughout my time dancing. I’ve been on two dance crews, Southpaq (2017-current) and COhe One Motive (2017-2019) and everyone on these two crews motivated me and pushed me without even knowing it. My mentor, David Mares, deserves a huge shoutout. He instilled work ethic in me when I was young that I still practice today. I also would like to shoutout Aiden Evetts, my friend who works incredibly hard to be an amazing dancer. I’d also like to give a shoutout to my parents and grandparents for helping raise me and caring for me always.

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/marcky_marck_/?hl=en

Youtube: https://youtube.com/c/MarcusMarkyMarkLira