Dance Mogul Exclusive Interview…
Michael Scheitzbach
Dance Mogul: When did you develop a love for dance?
Michael Scheitzbach: I’ve loved dancing since I started dancing at eight years old. I think my love for the art form gained depth when I started freestyling more and entering battles as a teenager and found myself constantly improving. And then, when I realized I could make a lifestyle out of doing what I love, I found a newfound respect for dance and myself because I knew I had worked hard to get to the places I’ve gone to thus far.
Dance Mogul: How did you develop a work ethic to be progressive and successful?
Michael Scheitzbach: I attribute my work ethic to the discipline I learned through taekwondo as a kid. I started martial arts before I began dancing and continued training and teaching in taekwondo until dance became the sole focus. I feel like the lessons I learned growing up in training in taekwondo helped cross over into my rehearsal etiquette as a professional dancer, and it reminded me to be the best me in that space every day. My parents have also taught me a lot and guided me in the right direction regarding the business side of dance: how to be professional, how to represent yourself as a business, being early, showing up ready, scheduling, answering emails properly, etc. And for that, I am extremely grateful they’ve instilled those teachings into me, and they still, to this day, help me out with how to approach situations.
Dance Mogul: Did you have family support?
Michael Scheitzbach: My parents have supported Kevin and me since day one, and it transcends through everything. I’m extremely lucky because even though I was bullied at school for wanting to dance, they never wavered and continued encouraging me to do what I loved. I found out early on that many of my friends didn’t have support from their parents when it came to dancing, let alone dance as a career path – so once again, I thank Mom and Dad for being amazing and consistently being there. From the late nights waiting in the car for us to finish class to bringing air horns and Dad’s trademark whistle to every competition and show, thank you.
Dance Mogul: When did you realize you could be a professional?
Michael Scheitzbach: I realized I could be a professional after I did the Monsters of Hip Hop show in 2016. I hadn’t booked any work before that, a few small jobs, but I had been teaching dance and taekwondo weekly for years. Getting cast to be in the Monsters Show has been a dream of mine since I was 15, and when I got to the show in 2016, I felt as if my confidence went up leaps and bounds and that I could be on stage and perform for a long time. I love and thrive in the thrill I get being on stage or in front of a camera, and after doing the show, I felt as if I could do anything. I’d experienced a few big shows before the Monsters show, but having that dream come true and being through that whole process, I knew this was my calling.
Dance Mogul: What have been some of your most memorable dance moments?
Michael Scheitzbach: My first memorable dance moment in my career was when I performed at We Day in Toronto with Austin Mahone in 2013. We were in front of a crowd of over 30 000 people, and I’ll never forget that feeling of dancing in front of everyone. As mentioned above, the Monsters show was a pivotal moment in my career, and I will never forget those two weeks. My most recent would be performing at the Oscars last year with the cast of Encanto. That was my very first award show, and it hadn’t even been a year since moving to LA when I got to do that, so it holds a very special place in my heart. Every job I’ve done is so special, and each holds a core memory for me, so it’s tough to pick a few.
Dance Mogul: How did you survive the pandemic and overall day-to-day of 2020?
Michael Scheitzbach: The pandemic knocked me down a few flights of stairs. Luckily Kevin and I still lived at home, so we had each other, our parents, and our dog and cats. It helped the days go by. Watching movies together every night, and playing video games like Mario Kart and our favorite, Rock Band, made days and nights super fun. It was hard for me, though, as I didn’t see Arianna, my girlfriend – now fiancée, much due to social distancing rules. But we made it work. We would plan bike ride dates in the spring and summer; we’d have little backyard Tim Hortons dates, and then when we both went back to work, we luckily worked at the same Physiotherapy clinic, so we were able to see each other more often until the rules loosened up. It was also tough being away from my friends that I was used to seeing weekly at the studios for dance, so we started doing freestyle sessions on Zoom to see each other until we got to meet up at an outdoor park in Toronto where we’d do our sessions in person. So overall, 2020 was a rough year, but we got through it on a mostly positive note, and about 10 lbs extra on my stomach (LOL).
Dance Mogul: How has 2020 affected your artistic decisions and progress?
Michael Scheitzbach: As I said, the pandemic took the wind out of me. I stopped dancing for a few months because I was very upset and wasn’t enjoying dance as much as I used to past the first three weeks of online classes. I had come off of an all-time high in January of 2020, spending two weeks in LA and then performing a few pieces in Toronto, until it felt like I hit a reinforced brick wall. I lost the inspiration to create, I had no energy or drive to dance or take any classes, or if I did, I wouldn’t be fully committed because I knew I could run to my kitchen and grab a snack. On top of putting on some extra weight, I didn’t like how dance felt to me because I felt so sluggish, unfocused, and lazy. It wasn’t until we started doing the in-person sessions that my love for freestyling slowly came back, and when our dad had set up a surprise Zoom class with about 60 people online ready to learn from us, my drive for creating and teaching returned.
Dance Mogul: What advice do you have for all artists as they work their way back to normalcy?
Michael Scheitzbach: My biggest piece of advice I’m still telling myself is to know what’s meant to happen for you will come when the time is right. You can’t rush the process. You must learn to love the journey, not just chase the destination. Keep working, sharpening your tools, and adding to your Batman utility belt of things you know how to do, and when the opportunity presents itself, seize it with everything you have. Don’t forget that you started what you’re doing now because you love to do it.
Dance Mogul: What would you like your legacy with dance to look like 20 years from now?
Michael Scheitzbach: I want my legacy to outlast me. I want to say I’ve achieved my dreams in this path called dance. I’d love to say that I’ve danced for artists and choreographed projects teenage me was writing about in 9th-grade dance class. I am undeniable in my work ethic, adaptability, and presence.
Dance Mogul: Is there anyone you’d like to thank for helping you on your journey?
Michael Scheitzbach: I’d love to thank my parents firstly for their unwavering support in me choosing dance as my career. Secondly, my little brother Kevin for always pushing me to be a better dancer and inspiring me as I watched him achieve his goals. To my mentors, who have trusted me, watched my growth, and allowed me to be undoubtedly me. George Jones Jr and Derick Robinson for taking a chance on me and providing me my first chance to be a part of the creative process, allowing me to make the mistakes needed for growth while assisting and performing alongside you. To Nika Kljun for fine-tuning my skills and constantly helping me sharpen myself up how to be a better teacher and educator, as well as always trusting me and pushing me to be better in and out of my comfort zone. To Brian and Scott Nicholson for allowing me to travel, train and create with you and trusting me to demonstrate your work at the highest level in many places. Thank you to all my friends and my tribe; you know who you are for always holding me down and supporting me no matter where I am. Thank you for helping me become a better me. And lastly, thank you to my fiancée, Arianna. Thank you for seeing in me what I didn’t see in myself before we started dating, and thank you for all of your support, love, on kindness, in and out of dance. You inspire me to be a better man, and I’m forever thankful I get to spend the rest of my life with you. I love you all so much, thank you.
Kevin Scheitzbach
Dance Mogul: When did you develop a love for dance?
Kevin Scheitzbach:I developed my love of Dance from watching my brother Michael start dancing. He started first, and I would watch his recitals and dance along in the corner the entire time, so after a while, the teacher just told my parents to sign me up even though I was too young for the program.
Dance Mogul: How did you develop a work ethic to be progressive and successful?
Kevin Scheitzbach::I developed a work ethic to be progressive and successful through the help of my family. My parents always went out of their way to provide us with the best training and tools to succeed as long as we wanted. Also, being constantly inspired by my brother throughout my entire artistic journey helped me elevate and progress.
Dance Mogul: Did you have family support?
Kevin Scheitzbach: I have the most supportive family. My parents always tried to provide us with the best training and would go out of their way to bring us to classes, conventions, auditions, jobs, etc. They are the best parents ever.
Dance Mogul: When did you realize you could be a professional?
Kevin Scheitzbach: I realized I could be a professional when I booked my first job as a Dancer. It was a tv show called The Next Step, and I was twelve then. After that, I booked various other jobs, but it was not until I did the Monsters of Hip Hop show in 2016 that I truly felt I wanted to be a professional and could do it.
Dance Mogul: What have been some of your most memorable dance moments?
Kevin Scheitzbach: Some of my most memorable dance moments include Coachella 2022 for 88rising, The White Party in Palm Springs for Paula Abdul, being a Dancer in Disney’s Zombies 2, and being Curtis on the Next Step season 7.
Dance Mogul: How did you survive the pandemic and overall day-to-day of 2020?
Kevin Scheitzbach: I survived the pandemic and day-to-day in 2020 by being grateful to spend so much time with my family. But also being able to connect and share knowledge and learn from people worldwide even while trapped inside.
Dance Mogul: How has 2020 affected your artistic decisions and progress?
Kevin Scheitzbach: 2020 has affected my artistic decisions and progress by making me realize that anyone can do it; all you have to do is put yourself out there. People were able to share their artistic voices worldwide during that time, so now I always think if I want to do something, I have to do it and put it out there.
Dance Mogul: What advice do you have for all artists as they work their way back to normalcy?
Kevin Scheitzbach: Some advice I have for all artists is not to be scared to put your work out there. If you’re passionate about it, share it with people, and it will resonate and connect you with the right people.
Dance Mogul: What would you like your legacy with dance to look like 20 years from now?
Kevin Scheitzbach: I would love my legacy with dance in 20 years to remind me of my amazing memories and journeys and the people and places I visited. And I want to share everything I have learned in my career with friends and students who are willing to learn and want to push to be the best they can be.
Dance Mogul: Is there anyone you’d like to thank for helping you on your journey?
Kevin Scheitzbach: I would like to thank anyone who has impacted or been a part of my dance journey, as I would not be where I am without any of them. Specifically, I would, of course, like to thank my parents for always supporting me; My brother for always being there for me and always inspiring me. And then my mentors who really took me in and taught me so much about dance and life were Derick Robinson, George Jones Jr, Angela Mahoney, Nika Kljun, Brian and Scott Nicholson, Mitchell Jackson, and Danielle Mucciciato.
Follow their current journey @
@officialflowxs
@mikehydroflow
