Meet Dazzmin Brown | Dancer, Teacher, Choreographer, Creator, Model

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

Hi Dazzmin, what led you to pursuing a creative path professionally?
Pursuing a creative career wasn’t always the easiest choice for me. As a kid, I was introduced into many things like, playing music, gymnastics/cheerleading and dancing. I remember wanting to be a model and being too heavily into fashion. Unfortunately, always hearing doubts of how being an artist of any kind doesn’t make any money and just the overall limitations for wanting that lifestyle. it wasn’t “realistic”.

I eventually settled into wanting to become a nurse or doctor and worked really hard to try to get to where I wanted to go in terms of what was going to make the most money. Something that I may enjoy because I really had a passion for helping others. So in high school, that was my main goal.. My sophomore year of high school was when I found dance again and it’s been stuck with me ever since because I absolutely love it. realized that a just nursing path wasn’t for me when I went to Grand Canyon University in 2012 and declared a nursing major. I was no longer dancing as much as I was, if at all, and was only focusing on schoolwork. It was emotionally draining for me. I knew in that moment that I needed to pursue a dance career in some way (as well as make money). So eventually came to the conclusion to try to pursue both at the same time. Which I did for while. I ended up finishing at Estrella Mountain Community College and transferring to Colorado State University to obtain my bachelors of arts in dance. I completed my perquisites for nursing as well as all credits needed for dance. And still came to the conclusion that even the idea of working in a hospital setting still isn’t for me.

I figured I would go for something in terms of what will make me the most happy. Have a job where it doesn’t feel like I’m working by doing something I absolutely love. That life isn’t something to just work the rest of my life and not do anything I genuinely enjoy. Not because its something I have to do for survival. Granted there is no helping that but that is not what I want my life to be. I want to live a full creative life. Doing the things I loved to do as a kid, And making sure that my overall happiness is where it needs to be because at the end of the day that’s what matters most.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
Mostly I am a dance artist. I have my Bachelors in Dance and in college is what made me find my voice in movement. College dance is a lot different from high school dance. High school, you learn basics and things, but it was always more performance based. What can wow and entertain the crowd. While in college, its more meaningful. Not saying that high school dance isn’t meaningful but there’s just a lot more depth I feel like when going to college and learning dance in that setting. That’s when I realized my focus would be on creating something that leaves a powerful message vs. something more commercial or for an audience that will just like it because it has cool treats or wild special effects. I hope the work that I put out makes people think and get a glimpse of what its like to be me in my lived experience. That it can serve as a messenger to the masses of important things shown in our world that certain people may not get. To fully express myself and to voice the voiceless. I hope through modeling and fashion that anyone can see my inner beauty from the outside as well. That anyone can be confident in themselves because there was and is a point in time where I don’t feel confident and having the will to want to continue and push forward. I truly feel like my heart is really big and I have enough love to share with the world, and I hope that other’s will be able to feel that as well. That anyone can be more than one thing in life if they want to be. That it’s possible to do things people say are too crazy or unrealistic to do.

It took a lot of hard work and courage to get to where I am today. I am originally from Phoenix, Arizona. Where I spent 23 years of my life. I decided to leave because my environment at the time wasn’t the greatest. I was working and going to school full time. I was stressed about my living situation and felt transferring to a school out of state would give me a better living situation and give me a new place to experience. And still to this day, I say it was the best decision I’ve made. Even though it was definitely the toughest time I had experienced. It was not easy at all. I felt homesick for a place that I no longer felt like home to me, and eventually doubted my decision in moving to Colorado. But I kept motivating myself to want and do better for myself. I met some of my best friends, had my real first dancing and modeling job, graduated with my Bachelors, my first apartment to myself and just overall doing things I wasn’t able to do back in Phoenix. As tough as it was at first in the beginning, I am forever grateful for making that transition and making the decision to expand my horizon somewhere else.

I worked and have to work so hard to maintain this sense of positivity. Because choosing this lifestyle isn’t an easy one. And I believe it takes a lot of guts to be able to want to do want you want. All without judgement of self or from others.

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’m sending big thanks to those who have inspired me the most during this journey called life. My dance teachers for inspiring me to keep going. My friends who inspire me every day to want better for myself and to keep striving for more. My inner child for loving and getting excited about everything. Allowing myself be my full self. Everyone who has supported my journey since I made the decision to live a more creative life. I’m inspired by life and things that I have went through to get where I am now. My family for their support and love. The artists for keeping art alive and allowing opportunities!

Instagram: @bedazzlerr – main page, dance content @__db.designs – food, travel, fashion, beauty, art, photography page

Facebook: www.facebook.com/dazzminbrown12

Image Credits
Dennis Larson (IG @azdennislarson) Mosi Jelani (IG @mosijelani_bestvoyimages) Ciara Goulette (IG @ciaragphoto) Charles Schinner (IG @werx.studios) Dazzmin Brown (IG @bedazzlerr & @__db.designs)