Alex Wong Takes Center Stage

Professional dancer, consummate optimist and choreographer of his own life…one step (twirl, jump and lift) at a time. We sat down with MPG Messenger Alex Wong to get a behind the scenes look at the life of a dancer and see how he’s staying upbeat and fit during these unprecedented times.

Growing up in Vancouver, Canada – Alex had an innate love of movement and dance from a young age, but it was his parents who first believed that his talent could one day turn into a career.

Alex is wearing Caliber Recycled Polyester Hoodie & Resolute 10" Sweat Short in Black.

“I always used to dance around when I was a kid. When I was around five, I started choreographing random dances and performing for my family. I'd bring everyone into the bedroom, turn off all the lights, hand my dad a flashlight and say "spotlight" me. They saw that talent in me and asked if I wanted to dance and my answer was always "no, dancing is only for girls.”

For the next couple of years, Alex’s infatuation with dance and performance continued, but only from within the confines of his own home. Sensing that their son was missing an opportunity to share his talent with the world, his parents struck a deal with him. They would bring him to a local dance school recital and if he still did not want to take lessons after that, they would not ask him again. His parent’s plan worked in their favor as Alex was instantly enamored by the performances and taken by the energy of the stage. The next day, he told his parents that he wanted to start lessons right way and since then, he’s never looked back.

That young five-year-old boy could never dream of just how far his passion for dance would take him. In 2004, at the age of 17, Alex became the first Canadian to win the esteemed Prix de Lausanne Apprentice Scholarship. Open to non-professional young dancers aged 15 to 18, the competition attracts participants from all over the world.

Now, at age 34, he has achieved some incredible career highlights that include being a principal dancer with the Miami City Ballet, being on the hit American TV show So You Think You Can Dance, a Broadway debut in Disney’s Newsies and working on the critically acclaimed movie The Greatest Showman.

Alex now calls NYC and Los Angeles home. Juggling a demanding schedule of practicing in studio, training at the gym and performing all over the world, his life is nonstop. This past year, he’s had the opportunity to work for several award shows, teaming up with prestigious artists like Taylor Swift, Paula Abdul and The Jonas Brothers.

However, pursuing a career as a dancer has not been a footloose and fancy-free endeavor for Alex. With so much competition amidst a notoriously critical industry, talent alone is often not enough to make it. Alex has learned that a resilient mindset is equally as important and his road to success has not come without obstacles, including physical injuries and continual rejection.

Alex is wearing Posse Element Tech Jacket and Boundary 9" Recycled Polyester Short with Liner

I think if you ask most dancers what the hardest part of pursuing this as a career is, the answer will be rejection. Within this entire career, no matter how successful you are, you definitely hear more “no’s” then “yes’s”. That’s just part of the industry and you have to know that sometimes, you just aren’t right for the “look” they’re going for (which can be size, ethnicity, height, tattoos, piercing, or really anything else).

Recently, the Covid-19 pandemic has been a particularly difficult challenge for Alex, as the entertainment industry has come to an abrupt halt, leaving TV and film production almost completely shut down. Alex has adapted to this unexpected change by exploring the digital space in order to keep things moving. He recently provided a series of online classes which were viewed by 20,000 people from all over the world. With a positive can-do outlook, he’s working to stay inspired and motivated during these trying times.

I surround myself with wonderful, positive people. Watching videos of talent keeps me inspired to continue and it renews my fire for my love of dance. I've been keeping busy taking online fitness classes, and dance classes. Also, within my friend group we started a burpee challenge where we do 100 burpees every day, in addition to our daily workouts.

Looking towards the future, Alex is focused on continuing to be happy and making choices every day to help him cultivate that happiness. And, despite navigating through these uncertain times, one thing is for sure. His talent, persistence, and positive outlook create a powerful formula for success that is bound to keep him in the spotlight for years to come.