Check out our interview with dancer, choreographer, producer and influencer Kent Boyd.
Boyd is best known as the runner up in season 7 of FOX’s So You Think You Can Dance. Following his success on the show, he has established himself as one of the premier dancers and choreographers in the industry. Boyd has worked with many notable artists including Billie Eilish, Dua Lipa, Vanessa Hudgens, Becky G, Vance Joy, All Time Low and Lauv to name a few. He also choreographed for the Billboard Music Awards, where he worked alongside Taylor Swift. Trained in ballet, jazz, tap, lyrical, contemporary and hip hop, Boyd serves as an instructor at Hollywood Vibe. He is also a member of Entity, an LA-based contemporary dance group. Boyd is also in high demand on the convention circuit and travels around the world sharing his knowledge with up and coming dancers.
Boyd is also making a name for himself as an influencer. His large social media presence includes a TikTok with over 275,000 followers and 3.7 million likes, a verified Instagram with 104,000 followers and a verified Twitter with over 88,000 followers. Boyd teamed up with his Teen Beach co-star Mollee Gray and her husband Jeka Jane to establish PridehouseLA, the first LGBTQ+ TikTok Content House.
Follow Kent on IG @Kent_boyd & TikTok @Kentboyd_
When did you started dancing? Did you take dancing classes?
I started taking dance classes when I was six years old. I hadn’t danced before then. I had too much energy around the house and my mother couldn’t keep up with my madness so she gave dance a try!
How did you got involved in FOX’s So You Think You Can Dance? Tell us about your experience as the runner-up in Season 7. Big congrats!
I went to an open call in Chicago and made it on the show! It was madness! The experience was extremely difficult and exhausting, it felt like an intense year-long boot camp. I loved every minute of it: the intensity, the travel, and of course the dancing. SYTYCD started my career and gave me the confidence to follow my dreams of being an entertainer.
How is working with big name artists as a choreographer and being part of big events like the Billboard Music Awards?
There’s nothing like producing and choreographing for awards shows. It’s my favorite part and something I’d like to do for the rest of my life. There’s so much energy and it feels like the world’s best talent show! It’s so much fun being a part of that much energy and celebration.
Which celebrities would you like to dance/work/produce with in the future?
I always say Remi Wolf, but I would also add Dominic Fike, Black Midi, Caroline Polachek, and my man Bruno Mars!
What do you feel just before hitting a stage?
Usually excitement! I love putting on a show and entertaining others!
Any advice for aspiring dancers?
Have good management skills! To make it as a dancer, you have to be very intelligent. Have a sense of creating a plan and executing it.
What type of dance do you like best?
I like classic jazz mixed with current-day music! That mixture of old and new is so fun!
What do you do in your free time?
I love photoshoots and home decor! I recently moved into a mid-century house in the canyon built in the ‘50s and I’ve had so much fun imagining and searching for the right finds, either online or at an estate sale.
What’s next for Kent Boyd in 2022?
Pride Month! I’m so excited to celebrate and enjoy the summer! I’m just looking to reconnect and get my mind ready for the end of the year. Hopefully, finish and start new projects!
What would say are the greatest lessons you learned so far in this business?
Sit down, be humble.
What mindsets helped making you so successful and popular?
My positive attitude! I really believe in people and love what I do, it comes from a genuine place and is something I’ve always felt. What is sometimes hard is maintaining that energy when the work is inconsistent. It can sometimes be hard to retain that passion.
When you started your Social Media accounts, did you expected such a success?
I mean yes, I want everything I do to be successful. I hope I can evolve with the times and make my corner of the internet a desirable space and inspiring as well! I wanna make people feel good.
As a popular dancer and influencer you are followed by so many people. How do you feel about that pressure of doing always the right thing, and encouraging people to follow their dreams?
It’s important to always be considerate and really take the time to look at content from as many perspectives as possible. But at some point, you have to make a choice on what you like. Having that opinion is what makes everyone themselves. I hope my knowledge can help people avoid the same mistakes I did and open their eyes to better options for themselves.
I bet you get millions of them, but what are the best and worst Instagram DMs you’ve received so far?
The best ones are the ones when they tell me they’re doing a school musical to Teen Beach Movie and they are playing Rascal!
The worst ones are spam accounts telling me I’m going to win a dream home if I send it to 10 people, LOL.
If you were a book, what would be the title of the book and why?
Something very simple like “Dance is Life” and it would be an experimental art book filled with graphics, illustrations, and data with random facts about life. Kind of like a self-help book paired with abstract art and bright colors! I’m a visual learner and love self-improvement so mixing those together would be fun.
What advice would you give to your younger self and why?
I’d say you’re going to be protected. I always thought something terrible would happen, you know, creating false realities to protect myself from actually succeeding. So I would do my best to let go of that sooner.
What actor/actress do you admire the most, and why?
Johnny Depp. I’ve been watching him nonstop during his trial. He’s such an interesting man.
How would your best friend describe you?
Insane and bad at texting.
What is your own definition of happiness?
A full stomach and a real smile.
What’s your advice for the newer dancers and influencers?
Know what makes you feel special and enjoy life!
What is your own definition of happiness?
Gratitude.
If you could meet someone living or dead, who would it be and why?
RuPaul. He’s a legend.
Where do you see yourself and your career 5 years from now?
Traveling and emailing more! I see my career being filled with projects that require attention to detail and hopefully still filled with laughter and fun.
Idea of a perfect Sunday?
Dolores Park in San Francisco having a picnic and playing games.
What is your favorite healthy food?
Oranges.
And your favorite cheat food?
Flaming Hot Cheetos with lime, of course!
What music do you like?
I love anything with an afro house beat, Latin, steel drums, and a variety of sounds! I love DJs. Check out GG Magree and Mija!
Do you support any charities?
Yes! The Trevor Project, GLAAD, LA Food Bank, JoJo Siwa Childhood Cancer Foundation, and St. Louis City Museum!
How would you explain your fashion style and what items in your closet can you not live without?
My fashion style is daring and free, as brave as the style of an 11-year-old. If I’m afraid to wear it, I’ll put it on! I can’t live without my hats, must protect the brain!
Besides dancing, what do you do to stay fit?
Yoga and weights.
What do you think of Social Media?
It’s fun! It’s so cool to see what people come up with next!
Where we can follow you?
IG: Kent_boyd and TikTok: Kentboyd_
And website www.kentboyd.com
Quote: “High kick into a fart.”
Song: “Diamonds Are A Girl’s Best Friend”
Movie: Cruella
Travel Destination: Hong Kong
Sports Team: LA Dodgers
Photographer: Tim Schaeffer Photography @timschaefferphoto
Grooming/Makeup: Ashley Simmons @makeupbyashsimmons
Stylist: Haili Pue @allzedetails
Pink Jacket – Mag N Lens
Rainbow button up – I Wear Up
Pants – Gigi Moda
Slides – IWEARUP
Rings – BP
Bracelets – Love Is Project
