Beacon article
November 20 article from a VB local paper. Its cool that the rest of the cast voted him co-captain, even though the obvious choice would have been the winner.
By Laine M. Rutherford
Shopping is a little weird these days for Travis Wall .
So is going to get his hair cut or sitting down to eat at a restaurant or simply walking down a city street.
The 19-year-old Virginia Beach native isn't just some cute young man with a spiky haircut and bling on his clothes anymore.
He's a certified pop star, shot to fame through his dancing ability and participation on one of the summer's top-rated reality television shows, Fox' s "So You Think You Can Dance."
Buying a T-shirt can take five hours. Eating out entails autograph signing, picture taking and constant flashing of his still-boyish smile.
Wall isn't complaining, though. He's enjoying his time in the spotlight and is still amazed by the fact that, as a dancer, people know who he is.
"I'm still doing what I've done my whole life - dance - but now I'm considered an icon," he s aid, smiling with a "go figure?" look on his face as he relaxed before a recent performance at Norfolk's Chrysler Hall.
"This never happens to dancers. We're always back-up for the pop star, or dancing as a group for a smaller audience. "
Star power
Wall has devoted fans, groupies and tens of thousands, if not millions, of people who recognize him from his performances on the dancing competition show.
Each week, they tuned in to watch him pirouette , krump and chassez his way across a stage as he vied for the title of "America's Favorite Dancer."
While the judges on the show consistently praised him for his technical prowess - and phones grew hot as fans redialed to "Vote Travis" - he didn't win the title. Still, he came close, placing second to West Coast swing dancer Benji Schwimmer .
Wall, however, is no less a celebrity for his runner-up showing, and when he came home for the sold-out "So You Think You Can Dance" tour, thousands of local supporters turned out.
The first stop on his brief visit home in October was to the dance studio where he learned his craft, Denise Wall's Dance Energy on Bonney Road . His mother, Denise, is co-owner and artistic director.
Travis showed up the morning of Oct. 21, bringing with him nine other stars from the tour to sign autographs and take photos with friends.
Brittany Cochran, 14, came to the special event wearing a homemade shirt with "I Love Travis" written on one sleeve .
The Princess Anne High freshman was wary of approaching him at first - even though she's known Travis for seven years, dancing with him in competitions, taking classes from him at the studio and learning dances he choreographed.
Wall wasn't shy, however, and didn't hesitate to give Brittany and her mother, Ann-Marie , huge bear hugs.
"I watched the show faithfully all summer, on television, on DVR, on TIVO. We did it all," said Brittany .
Ann-Marie Cochran beamed with the pride of a "dance mom" as she watched Wall interact with guests and his fellow co-stars in the mirrored room.
"The whole reason we came to this studio was because we saw him dance at a national Showbiz competition here in Virginia Beach where he won Junior Mr. Showbiz. We'd never seen anything like him," the Indian Lakes resident said . "I'm thrilled to see a boy who's worked so hard, for so long, do so well. "
Ready for home
Although tired from the three months of the show and the eight weeks of performances - all sold out within minutes across the country - the dancers were gracious and charming to their admirers.
They came to the Dance Energy studio, said artist road manager Craig Campbell, because of their respect for Wall, who attended Salem High before being homeschooled.
"H e's a great leader, and the rest of the kids really look up to him. They made him co-dance captain of the tour, which means he helps maintain the director's vision while we're on the road," Campbell, 32 , said.
Following the visit and a requested breakfast and lunch of his favorite fast food - Chick-fil-A - Travis rushed with co-stars Allison Holker and Ivan Koumaev to Spa Sumatra, where his hairstylist spruced up the "fauxhawk" hairstyl e with razor lines cut on the side of his scalp that's become something of a trademark.
"It feels so good to be back home," Wall said. "I haven't been back in five months, and I miss everyone so much. At first it felt good to get away, and it wasn't bad because we were in a very contained environment in L.A. and busy and tired all the time ."
While the other dancers were well received, the night's performance at Chrysler Hall turned into a combination lovefest and welcome-home party for the local star.
Each time Wall appeared on stage to dance or speak, the cavernous room filled with high-pitched screams and lengthy applause.
"I found him more amazing than ever," said Vicky Cooke, co-owner of Denise Wall's Dance Energy and one of Travis' earliest teachers. " I'm not seeing him as a student anymore, but as a dancer. And now I'm saying, 'Wow. That's some dancer!'\"
After the show, Wall and the other dancers spent hours signing autographs and snapping photos with fans until everyone who wanted to meet the stars had had the opportunity to do so. Then the performers boarded the bus headed north for the last few stops on their tour, which ended last week.
Keep your eyes peeled
The Travis Wall sightings should begin locally any day.
The young dancer is ready to come back to Virginia Beach, the city that he extolled as his hometown each week on television and during each stop on the "So You Think You Can Dance" tour.
Wall plans to stay here for a couple of months before moving in January to Los Angeles , where he'll live with Koumaev.
"Everything is going to slow down a lot for me, but it's going to feel good to get back into the studio, work with the girls and get everything ready for the (Denise Wall's Dance Energy) competition year," he explained.
"After that, I'll be teaching with New York City Dance Alliance (dance conventions), choreographing for other studios and, hopefully, doing even bigger things. And, of course, coming home to visit every so often."
By Laine M. Rutherford
Shopping is a little weird these days for Travis Wall .
So is going to get his hair cut or sitting down to eat at a restaurant or simply walking down a city street.
The 19-year-old Virginia Beach native isn't just some cute young man with a spiky haircut and bling on his clothes anymore.
He's a certified pop star, shot to fame through his dancing ability and participation on one of the summer's top-rated reality television shows, Fox' s "So You Think You Can Dance."
Buying a T-shirt can take five hours. Eating out entails autograph signing, picture taking and constant flashing of his still-boyish smile.
Wall isn't complaining, though. He's enjoying his time in the spotlight and is still amazed by the fact that, as a dancer, people know who he is.
"I'm still doing what I've done my whole life - dance - but now I'm considered an icon," he s aid, smiling with a "go figure?" look on his face as he relaxed before a recent performance at Norfolk's Chrysler Hall.
"This never happens to dancers. We're always back-up for the pop star, or dancing as a group for a smaller audience. "
Star power
Wall has devoted fans, groupies and tens of thousands, if not millions, of people who recognize him from his performances on the dancing competition show.
Each week, they tuned in to watch him pirouette , krump and chassez his way across a stage as he vied for the title of "America's Favorite Dancer."
While the judges on the show consistently praised him for his technical prowess - and phones grew hot as fans redialed to "Vote Travis" - he didn't win the title. Still, he came close, placing second to West Coast swing dancer Benji Schwimmer .
Wall, however, is no less a celebrity for his runner-up showing, and when he came home for the sold-out "So You Think You Can Dance" tour, thousands of local supporters turned out.
The first stop on his brief visit home in October was to the dance studio where he learned his craft, Denise Wall's Dance Energy on Bonney Road . His mother, Denise, is co-owner and artistic director.
Travis showed up the morning of Oct. 21, bringing with him nine other stars from the tour to sign autographs and take photos with friends.
Brittany Cochran, 14, came to the special event wearing a homemade shirt with "I Love Travis" written on one sleeve .
The Princess Anne High freshman was wary of approaching him at first - even though she's known Travis for seven years, dancing with him in competitions, taking classes from him at the studio and learning dances he choreographed.
Wall wasn't shy, however, and didn't hesitate to give Brittany and her mother, Ann-Marie , huge bear hugs.
"I watched the show faithfully all summer, on television, on DVR, on TIVO. We did it all," said Brittany .
Ann-Marie Cochran beamed with the pride of a "dance mom" as she watched Wall interact with guests and his fellow co-stars in the mirrored room.
"The whole reason we came to this studio was because we saw him dance at a national Showbiz competition here in Virginia Beach where he won Junior Mr. Showbiz. We'd never seen anything like him," the Indian Lakes resident said . "I'm thrilled to see a boy who's worked so hard, for so long, do so well. "
Ready for home
Although tired from the three months of the show and the eight weeks of performances - all sold out within minutes across the country - the dancers were gracious and charming to their admirers.
They came to the Dance Energy studio, said artist road manager Craig Campbell, because of their respect for Wall, who attended Salem High before being homeschooled.
"H e's a great leader, and the rest of the kids really look up to him. They made him co-dance captain of the tour, which means he helps maintain the director's vision while we're on the road," Campbell, 32 , said.
Following the visit and a requested breakfast and lunch of his favorite fast food - Chick-fil-A - Travis rushed with co-stars Allison Holker and Ivan Koumaev to Spa Sumatra, where his hairstylist spruced up the "fauxhawk" hairstyl e with razor lines cut on the side of his scalp that's become something of a trademark.
"It feels so good to be back home," Wall said. "I haven't been back in five months, and I miss everyone so much. At first it felt good to get away, and it wasn't bad because we were in a very contained environment in L.A. and busy and tired all the time ."
While the other dancers were well received, the night's performance at Chrysler Hall turned into a combination lovefest and welcome-home party for the local star.
Each time Wall appeared on stage to dance or speak, the cavernous room filled with high-pitched screams and lengthy applause.
"I found him more amazing than ever," said Vicky Cooke, co-owner of Denise Wall's Dance Energy and one of Travis' earliest teachers. " I'm not seeing him as a student anymore, but as a dancer. And now I'm saying, 'Wow. That's some dancer!'\"
After the show, Wall and the other dancers spent hours signing autographs and snapping photos with fans until everyone who wanted to meet the stars had had the opportunity to do so. Then the performers boarded the bus headed north for the last few stops on their tour, which ended last week.
Keep your eyes peeled
The Travis Wall sightings should begin locally any day.
The young dancer is ready to come back to Virginia Beach, the city that he extolled as his hometown each week on television and during each stop on the "So You Think You Can Dance" tour.
Wall plans to stay here for a couple of months before moving in January to Los Angeles , where he'll live with Koumaev.
"Everything is going to slow down a lot for me, but it's going to feel good to get back into the studio, work with the girls and get everything ready for the (Denise Wall's Dance Energy) competition year," he explained.
"After that, I'll be teaching with New York City Dance Alliance (dance conventions), choreographing for other studios and, hopefully, doing even bigger things. And, of course, coming home to visit every so often."
Labels: article
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home