Kevin Petite

Growing up in Fort Worth, Texas, my artistic influences came mostly from The Jubilee Theatre, where my family was very active in all aspects of the organization from working the box office to performing in productions. My earliest dancing came from re-enacting scenes from Fame (as long as no one was there to witness), and dancing around the house with my older brothers, until I started tap lessons at the Jubilee African American Dance Ensemble. So when I found Imagination Celebration was bringing Debbie Allen to put on her production of Pepito’s Story, I was elated. I’d always wanted to dance techniques other than tap, and this was my opportunity, except I didn’t know how. But I knew Debbie Allen from Fame the movie and series, and I knew this was something I had to a part of. On the day of the audition (my first audition ever) I brought my tap shoes, thinking I would dance for Ms. Allen with the hopes of getting a part in the show. I arrived at Arlington Heights High School surrounded by hundreds of young dancers, stretching, kicking, and warming up wearing leotards, tights, and other dancewear that were unknown to me as I wore wind pants and a baggy t-shirt. After being corralled into the gymnasium, I began noticing other discouraging differences; like how few boys there were, no one was wearing tap shoes, and they all seemed to have some expectation of the type of dance we were to be doing. The idea of tap dancing was out, and Ms. Allen and her assistant, Stephen Smith, started teaching the dance combination. My initial reaction was to leave, run out of the gym upset and embarrassed for not knowing how auditions worked and for not having any dance knowledge. But something told me to stay. Something told me to face my fears of others knowing I loved dance, and that this was my chance to dance like I had done while imitating dance scenes in the privacy of my own room. I took my tap shoes off, placed them along the wall, and gave it all I had. After hours of dancing I had made it past several cuts and was asked to return for the callback the following day. The callback was similar to the first, full of dancing, hard work, sweat, and sobbing from those who didn’t make it past a cut. I remember the intimidation of all the talented and more experienced dancers. I remember learning new dance terms like attitude (a lifted bent leg) and battement (a “kick”), that seemed to be a foreign language, which I later learned was French. My brain didn’t know one from the other, but my soul was fluent. It was then, the end of the second day, that we were told we’d been selected as members of the cast. I still don’t know what they saw in me that day, a kid with no training, no experience, and no knowledge of dance beyond tap. I can only guess they could see my light; the love, joy, happiness, and freedom I felt while dancing those two days. A light that before, I kept confound to my solitude.

Since Pepito’s Story I went on to participate in four Debbie Allen Summer Intensives which I looked forward to throughout each school year as a chance to express what was inside of me. These intensives led me to seek training at Dian Clough West Studios, and brought a major dance influence, Alexander Pelham, into my life. Though he and I had a rough start, Mr. Pelham became my mentor and played an important role in understanding dance and building my ballet and modern technique. From there I went to the University of Texas at Austin where I took dance classes, then to Los Angeles, California to attend the Debbie Allen Dance Academy, and finally to the Ailey School in New York City. I’ve had many honors from dancing Alvin Ailey’s “Revelations,” to “Movin’Out” by Twyla Tharp and dancing for Nilas Martin, principal dancer of New York City Ballet to name a few. But of all the things my start at Imagination Celebration has afforded me, most important was the opportunity to live my dreams. They were dreams that seemed so far fetched at times, but were able to materialize into experiences that I will carry with me for the rest of my life. It is this unimaginative start that drives me to teach and choreograph for young dancers today in hopes that I can inspire others to realize what’s within themselves. Thank you, Ginger Head and Imagination Celebration for giving me the gift of sharing my light with others.

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