Forward Movement

Expressing yourself can take many forms. Whether it’s the gift of gab, an affinity for the written word or a flair for movement, performing is, at its core, about self-expression. Thomas Nguyen is a living example of that.

Though he didn’t start his official dance journey until his teenage years, Nguyen was no stranger to an appreciation for music and movement, thanks in part to his dad’s love of music from the 1980s.

“I kind of always had dance in the family, but I didn’t know I could actually do it until I was 17,” he said, referring to his first brush with the Washington High School (WHS) dance team.

“They were asking for males to audition that year, so I went and auditioned and made the cut,” Nguyen said. “It was really exciting—I didn’t think I could do something like that.”

From that original foray, Nguyen started to develop a passion for dance, even going so far as to form a dance team with his fellow WHS collaborators called “The Guy Steppers.”

Pictured: Thomas Nguyen (Credit: Michael Woolheater)

“We mainly did our own thing,” he said. “We did halftime shows. We did football games. I’d never gotten to perform like that before. It was incredible.”

His next step was on a slightly more global level—competing in the 2010 U.S. All-Star Federation contest as part of the primarily Sioux-Falls-based All-Star Dance Team.

“We didn’t make it to finals that year,” Nguyen said, “but that was the year I told myself I wanted to get better, go back and do better than I did before.”

And he’s made good on that promise, competing again in 2014 and clinching “World Champion Dancer” in the hip-hop category with the all-male group, Evolution.

Meanwhile, Nguyen attended South Dakota State University (SDSU) with a dance minor, serving as an introduction to ballet, jazz, musical theatre, modern dance and tap. “Most traditional dancers go to a dance college,” he said. “I don’t come from money, and I did my best with what I could—and I think I’m thriving.”

His time on campus also gave him exposure to dance education, teaching hip-hop at the SDSU studio for a couple years.

“The program wasn’t available, and I was fortunate enough to help provide that for them.”

Since graduating, Nguyen has used that opportunity to dabble in instruction in his time teaching private lessons and competition choreography for Sioux-Falls-based Balleraena Dance Studio.

“Now, I’m mainly focusing on a little bit of choreography, but also training to get better as a dancer,” he said.

That choreography experience has brought him to stages across the Sioux Falls community, including the piece he created for LiRa Dance Theatre Company’s showcase last August, “Lose Control,” a dance he performed alongside Sanford Health’s Stacy Wrightsman for the Dancing with the Sioux Falls Stars fundraiser in 2018.

Pictured: Thomas Nguyen (Credit: Michael Woolheater)

This love of choreography that has evolved over the years has given Nguyen a particular appreciation for contemporary and lyrical dance.

“It’s easier for me to dance my emotions than to speak my emotions,” he said. “A lot of the time, I’m in my feels.”

But despite his busy schedule with local companies, Nguyen still finds time to continuously educate himself, attending conventions and competing.

“I think a true dancer can always learn new things,” he said. “You never want to settle. The moment you settle, you’ll be content with what you have. It’s not the right way to progress.”

And in terms of his assets as a dancer, Nguyen counts this flexibility—both literal and figurative, his energy and his emotional connection to the piece as his greatest.

“Speaking with people after a show—it’s quite humbling,” he said. “People approach you to tell you that you moved them. I just didn’t think I was that kind of a dancer. I always thought I was a background dancer.”

With an eye to the future, Nguyen hopes to one day open a studio in Sioux Falls, continue choreographing and build community.

“I want to help kids, providing an outlet for dancers to express themselves,” he said. “A safe place for people to come and dance, no matter their training.”