We had the opportunity to catch up with the very busy Matt Adams to talk about how he discovered his love for dance and how he has made a career out of dance and fitness!
Where are you from?
I grew up in San Jose, Ca with an amazing family of athletes. The youngest of four boys and the son of a basketball and football coach, sports were a big part of my life.
When did you realize you were a dancer?
My father said when he coached my t-ball league as a young boy that I was more interested in doing pirouettes in the outfield than the game.
How has your love for dance shaped your career?
I originally majored in biology in hopes of one day going to medical school at the University of California, Santa Barbara.
While in college I tried out for the cheerleading team and fell in love with the sport. My dance soul was beginning to be filled.
I tried a jazz, ballet and modern dance in my sophomore year and I never looked back. During my junior year I attempted (to my councilor’s discouragement) to double major in dance and bio-psychology. After an entire year of science and dance and waiting tables I was burnt out.
At the end of my junior year, I made the tough decision to drop my bio-psychology major and just focusing on dance. My parents were shocked, but encouraged me to follow my dreams and pursue a career in dance. After graduating with my dance degree I was off to New York City.
How was life as a dancer in NYC?
I struggled like any other young artist. I lived in a railroad apartment with two other dancers. We filled our days with technique classes, auditions and working in restaurants. I landed my first real professional dance job in my second year.
I was performing with several companies and travelled the world, from New York, to California, to China and back again.
What brought you back to the bay area?
After years of performing I longed to be back in California. In 2009 I moved back to CA with my now husband Justin.
How did you continue your dance career in California?
Actually, I left it in NYC. I took a few classes here and there but never felt like I was dancing to a level I had come to know. I worked in a restaurant as a bartender in Palo Alto.
What brought you to uforia?
While working at the bar on New Year’s Eve I decided I needed to perform again with “What a feeling” from Flashdance right on the bar. Dressed in a leotard and leg-warmers I worked that crowd like it had never been worked before. A friend filmed the performance and later shared it with her friend, Sarah, owner of uforia studios. While enjoying cocktails at the bar one night with her husband, Sarah started talking to me about teaching at uforia.
Why do you love teaching classes?
After a couple months of training I was teaching fever (an 80’s inspired aerobics class which we’ve amped up) and fell in love with the class. I have since realized that I love group fitness. The feeling of energy from a great class is the closest thing I’ve felt to performing on stages in NYC. It’s different and awesome all on it’s own.
What’s next?
I have since expanded to teach Zumba, which is a whole other sweat drenched, energy driven class where I work in different styles of dance. I love teaching fever and Zumba and I’m working on some other styles. I will always bring the energy and sweat my leg warmers off!
Come and catch Matt (and possibly) his leg warmers in a Zumba or fever class.