DERRICK SCHRADER
Dance Styles: FUSION JAZZ, JAZZ, TAP
Dancer, Choreographer, Educator, Model, Painter, Writer & Storyteller
Derrick was born in the small town of Sioux Falls, South Dakota, and later moved with his family to Minneapolis, Minnesota. His first inspiration for dance was watching his cousins annual recital. Hearing the crowd cheer over "coffee grinders", Derrick though... "I can do that!" The cheering helped him realize that dance is what he wanted to do. So at age 9 he began taking tap classes, and by age 11 he had expanded his dance training to include ballet, jazz and lyrical. At age 15, he started traveling around the country to take classes from the best of the best dance educators. Derrick says the only way he was able to make it through the drama of high school was by taking part in a work study program, where he could earn school credits by teaching dance 5 days per week. After graduating high school, he continued to develop his style of choreography. Teaching at 5 studios, he soon became one of the most sought after choreographers in Minnesota. At the peak of Derrick’s popularity as a choreographer, and being a firm believer that a persons dance education is never complete, he decided to pack up his car and move to Los Angeles to expand his career. Since the move, he has appeared on ABC Family’s "Switched! ," the motion picture "The Gift" and the stage show for Disney's animated feature "Bolt." Other credits include: Tappin’ in the Twin Cities with Gregory Hines and Savion Glover, Burnin’ The Floor and Blur featuring Carmen Electra, as well as performing with the Seamless Dance Company, Out On A Limb Ballet Company, In*Formation and Keep It Jumpin’. Derrick has received many honors over the years including more than 300 top choreography awards and more than 100 concept and storytelling choreography awards. However he claims his biggest achievements are being honest, true to his craft and making his Mom proud. Watching his student, Kourtni Lind, on "So You Think You Can Dance" was an affirmation for him and his work. Derrick’s teaching methods are based upon embracing your limitations and developing the facility you are given. He believes we are humans first, dancers second, and asks his students to be true with themselves and honest with the art. It’s not quantity, but quality. Growing up, Derrick says it was always his dream to one day take classes at Tremaine, but never had the chance to attend a Tremaine convention. However, he’s very excited because "Now I get to share my passion on the Tremaine stage . . . What a pleasure!" And we’re just as excited to have him teaching them.
Entertainers Derrick Schrader has worked with:
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