The Story of Alan Ritchson | From Ballet Dancer Turned Action Movie Star
When your kids get involved in a fun activity, you would normally like it to come from a place of inspiration. Who do you want them to look up to for them to continue participating in a particular activity, like dancing? Many popular dancers have come and gone who inspire the next generation to follow in their footsteps…
What if we told you that there was one big star out there right now who got their career started with the help of dance? You’ve probably seen him at some point on the big screen in action movies, and his name is Alan Ritchson. He’s known for his major role on the comedic series Blue Mountain State, playing Raphael in the live-action TMNT movies, recently starred in the newest Fast and Furious movie, and is getting his main stardom from playing Jack Reacher in the new TV series of the same name.
Alan was once a dancer and was very into ballet before he became an actor, but that’s the great thing about his story that we want to delve into. In this blog, we will reveal the story of Alan Ritchson! A ballet dancer turned action movie star, and how that shaped his career for the best.
How Alan Got His Start in Dance Through Ballet
Alan’s story of how he got into ballet and the benefits he got from it is not just an inspiring story, but also a touching one. He and his longtime wife are high school sweethearts and met through ballet. Since then, they’ve stayed together, and at the same time of telling that story while on the Stephen Colbert show, he was able to reintroduce his ballet knowledge to the world on video (see below).
As he has stated in interviews, he was able to get into dance during high school because it was a requirement for his musical theater degree in college. If you’re someone who wants their kids to dance through school instead of just on the side, this is one of the paths you will have to take. Quality studio training on the side is still very important, and while there’s no evidence to support that Alan did that before school, we still recommend it from a networking point of view. Getting as many eyes on your kids’ talents will help them in the long run.
Even with that in mind, Alan clearly has a lot of talent, and as you can see below, there are several more videos to show how well he does with his forms. In the first video, he’s doing a form of break dancing with another performer in a very performative manner. It’s very fluent and shows how well he can work in a format such as this, which is not easy for everyone, especially when doing it in front of a crowd.
In this next video, he’s having a practice session in a dance studio, practicing what looks like a type of salsa dance. He’s very elegant with his movement; they are in sync and are performing underarm turns, partner spins, and it finishes with an ending dip. He’s very proficient in multiple forms of dancing, and it makes his ability to be multifaceted all the more impressive, given where he is now as an actor.
How Dance Helped Alan in His Acting Career
You would not be at fault for asking the question, “Does dance actually translate well into other professions?” We can comfortably say that the answer to that question is a resounding YES! Dance is a very physical activity to participate in, so a lot of strength training and cardio come with preparation.
Any other sport out there does the same thing, so if you didn’t feel compelled to do dance professionally, your kids could fit right in with sports instead and already be prepared physically to match other people.
To bring Alan into this, he’s an actor, and what do actors do that’s VERY similar to dancing? They stage their scenes, they rehearse them, and they choreograph how the actors will be shot and where they move on set. While acting itself is not directly tied to all of this, the movement of rehearsal is just as important, and Alan learned this a lot with his time in dance.
If your child is interested in exploring other professions that could benefit from their dance experience, education is a valuable asset. Dance and acting share another similarity: they are a part of the Arts category of class education in school. Alan was able to find another avenue that suits his skills and other abilities, and that’s how, to this day, he has become a rising star who has been in many different films and whose career will continue to shine. This is his story!
And don’t forget, dancing isn’t just for girls! Boys (even big, strong, macho action stars like Alan) dance too! If you have a kid who’s a boy, they should not be afraid or embarrassed to show their talents in dance. Alan is a true inspiration to that level of thinking that allows people to face their worst fears or take on a challenge that will only improve them more than before. Dance is for everyone!
If you’re someone looking to sign your child up for dance and want them to be inspired by stories like this one, please reach out to us with any questions you may have, and we will be happy to accommodate you. Alan worked through ballet as his main form of dance in school. We have ballet classes that we teach, and you can sign up for. Again, reach out through our contact form, and we can wait to see your kids step into the shoes of someone like Alan.