Vidal James is what many would call a natural-born performer. He is a triple threat — a classically trained singer, initially self-taught dancer and choreographer.
Although he has seven years of classical voice lessons under his belt, James’ journey into the world of dance is a different story — he began by being entirely self-taught. How did James teach himself how to dance?
The answer is straightforward: by watching TV.
“I love ‘So You Think You Can Dance,’ and ever since I started watching, I thought, ‘I want to dance like those people,’" he says. "So, I taught myself choreography from watching certain episodes and would practice around the house. College was when I started taking dance more seriously.”
James is currently a third-year dance student at USC set to graduate in winter of 2016. After a year at Benedict College studying music, he transferred to USC in order to pursue theater. James’ passion for dance ultimately led him to audition for the dance program, despite his lack of formal training.
"I was the only guy in the studio, sweating and shaking, and I didn’t know what I was doing. I thought to myself, ‘I’m not going to get into this program.’” However, his natural talent and self-practice ended up earning him an acceptance letter.
In the tough world of show business, talent alone is not enough. All successful performers possess a drive to work incredibly hard to differentiate themselves from a competitive pool — James is no exception. He was and is always striving to improve at what he does. In high school, when asked to choreograph for his school’s show choir, James gladly accepted the opportunity. “I just took it as a good chance to better myself,” he says. Now, as a member of the USC Dance Company, James’ work will be featured in the December Student Choreography Showcase.
James has already mapped out his ambitious post-graduation career. He plans on moving to New York to audition for prominent dancer Ellenore Scott’s company, ELSCO Dance. After gaining professional experience, he wants to venture off into Broadway, and gain recognition by securing a lead role in "The Lion King," "Wicked" or "Les Misérables." After Broadway, he aspires to find an agent, sign a record label and attain stardom through success as a solo vocal and performance artist.
James has thrived under professional guidance at USC, and his dance repertoire has become incredibly varied. “I concentrate on contemporary, but I now do different styles: ballet, jazz, hip-hop and even African, if it comes up,” he says. Improving as a dancer was just the next step in James’ dream to become a prominent performer.
“I love what I do,” he says, and he takes his craft seriously. As a true performance-minded artist, James focuses on enhancing his interactions with his fellow artists during shows, saying he has a duty to “keep the story on the stage.”
James also possesses a true sense of self confidence that is borne by his talent and ongoing hard work. He says, “I tell people, ‘The world is my stage. Just look out — you’ll see my name in lights one day: ‘Vidal X James.’’”
