Avery Ryan the GoGo Dancer

Insomniac Gogo Audition Video

So if you guys couldn't tell from the video above, dancing is one of my favorite things to do! I like to describe it as poetry in motion. This is the video I sent in to Insomniac auditioning to be a part of their performance team, which has been a dream of mine ever since going to my first rave. In this dance video I'm doing a simple freestyle gogo routine to the song "Heartbreaker" by MSTRKRFT. Using the space and resources available to me, the Insomniac audition video was filmed multiple times in front of my house on my cellphone resting next to my speakers playing the music until I had a few options to pick from. After deciding on which video I liked best, I put together the rest of my application and with butterflies in my tummy sent it in. 

I am proud to announce that I am officially a performer for Insomniac! My first ever event will be at Beyond Wonderland SoCal in March. If you're planning on going you might just see me there in elaborate costume dancing on a stage or working the crowd. I am very blessed and lucky to have gotten this opportunity, because I know hundreds of girls apply and sadly don't make the cut.

So What Exactly is Gogo Dancing?

An excellent question to ask, because it seems that there are quite a few misconceptions about gogo dancing. Sources like Wikipedia, Google, and even Urban Dictionary generally describe it as young attractive dancers that are hired to perform at nightclubs, raves, or other events where music is played in order to hype up and entertain the crowd. 

What isn't Gogo Dancing?

Here are what seem to be the two most common misconceptions people have about gogo dancers:

• They are strippers.
• The job is easy.

First of all, strippers work at strip clubs, specifically for stripping and nudity. The strip club has permits for that and everything. The type of dancers they hire are paid to take their clothes off in front of people, dance on poles or extremely suggestively, give private shows with lap dances, etc. GOGO DANCERS however, DO NOT DO ANY OF THIS. As I stated before, gogo dancers are hired by nightclubs, event companies, and performance groups where their main purpose is to hype the crowd and get people up and dancing. At no point are clothes ever removed in exchange for money.

As for the job being easy, this statement couldn't be any more wrong. To be a gogo dancer you must  ultimately be physically fit, have some kind of alternative dance training or background, and the ability to exude confidence and energetic vibes to a huge crowd of strangers watching you perform. Gogos dance with full movement, nonstop, for extended periods all through out the night using facial expressions, height levels, arm movement, and space all while freestyling. What is freestyling? It means the dancers are improvising! They are constantly thinking ahead and pushing themselves to the next level, contributing to the vibe of the show while everyone else is there to relax and have fun.

So How Did Avery Ryan the Gogo Dancer Get Started in All of This? 

To be honest I'm still in the very beginning stages, but what really inspired me to become Avery the gogo dancer and performer for Insomniac Events was watching my sister go to raves and actually attending my first one, the Electric Daisy Carnival 2015 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The things I saw and felt there were so indescribable, it is such an awesome memory and experience I got to share with my best friend and sister Haley. We both promised to each other that we would someday be the ones behind all the magic and wonder, the tantalizing creatures in outlandish garb putting on a show for hundreds of music fans in attendance.

I started doing research and found some really awesome and entertaining youtube videos called "the Gogo Life," from Ms.Easy, the super gorgeous and talented Entertainment Director for Insomniac Events and leader of Team EZ. I learned what kind of things she would be looking for, and what it takes to make it as a legitimate gogo dancer. I took what I learned from her show into account when creating my audition video by planning my outfit all black and trying to have a clean non-distracting background. For my first ever attempt at recording a video of myself dancing, I thought I did pretty good, but know I have a lot more learning and growing to do as I try to break into this industry. I just hope I meet some awesome people and create unforgettable memories along the way.

I continue to dance today in my room, taking classes at my school Santa Barbara City College, or going to studios in LA. It has been and always will be an incredibly important part of my life, because it is literally an expression of my soul and of joy for me. Thank you for taking the time to read this blog. Have any thoughts, comments, questions, or disagreements? Please leave some feedback below!!