Annoucing 2016 Convention Faculty!

Summer is coming to an end and you know what that means, the 2016/2017 dance season is in near site! What a better way to start off the season by attending one of Turn It Up’s fun and informative one day conventions with some of the best in the industry! We are excited to annouce two of our all star faculty members, Thayne Jasperson and Alex Wong, who will be coming to a city near you this fall! Keep reading to learn more!

Thayne Jasperson was born in Provo, UT July 27. He grew up in parts of Wyoming and Utah. He started dance late in life but has been quickly successful in his art. He danced professionally for 6 years with Odyssey Dance Theatre of Utah. He was a Brainiac in High School Musical. He was a featured dancer in High School Musical 2 (What Time is it?) and a Dayplayer/ Featured Dancer in MTV’s American Mall. Thayne has also done various musicals as he is not only able to dance but sing and act as well. He recently played Ren McCormick in an equity production of Footloose. He has played MungoJerrie (Cats), Courier (1776), Andy Lee (42nd Street) and was the Seasons of Love Soloist in a concert version of (Selections of Rent). Thayne has done various choreographic work for company Odyssey Dance Theatre as well as Odyssey 2. For his work in Odyssey’s “Can Can Club” formerly known as “Moulin Rouge”, Thayne received rave reviews from the New York Times. He continues to teach and choreograph. He has sung the National Anthem at a Utah Jazz vs Chicago Bulls game and for the Roadrunners baseball team. In March, 2012, Thayne joined the Broadway buytramadolbest.com/ cast of Disney’s Newsies: The Musical. Alongside him are fellow SYTYCD alumni; Alex Wong, Evan Kasprzak, and Jess LeProtto. In April 2013, Thayne was part of the original Broadway cast of the RSC’s Matilda The Musical. Thayne was in Lin-Manuel Miranda’s Hamilton at the Public Theater and has been part of the Original Broadway Cast since previews in July 2015.

Alex Wong was born in Canada. In 2000 Alex won two Junior World Titles in Tap and Showdance. Alex won the Audience Choice Award and was a Bronze Medallist in the 2003 Genee International Ballet Competition. In 2004, he became the first Canadian to win the Prix de Lausanne competition in Switzerland. He danced with American Ballet Theatre and was a Principal Soloist with the Miami City Ballet. Alex was a finalist on Season 7 of the FOX hit series “So You Think You Can Dance” competing for the title of America’s favorite dancer but was sidelined by an injury halfway through the season. Later that year, both pieces Alex danced on So You Think You Can Dance choreographed by Mia Michaels and Tabatha & Napolean both won Emmy Awards. Alex has appeared on Glee, Smash, The Voice, Dancing with the Stars, SYTYCD Vietnam and China, The Oscars and several national commercials including Trident, Microsoft and McDonalds. He was also a Semi Finalist on American Idol. Recently, Alex released his first dance single “Crave” on iTunes and Amazon, filmed his music video, starred in a short film and had his Broadway debut, playing the role of “Sniper” in the Original Broadway Cast of the Disney musical “Newsies” which won two Tony Awards and received six other Tony nominations. Alex also won the ACCA Award for Outstanding Original Chorus for the Broadway 2011-2012 season. Alex recently finished shooting the new TV series drama “Flesh & Bone” playing the role of “Kim” set to debut on Starz network in 2015, NBC’s Peter Pan, Ted 2 and is working as an All Star on So You Think You Can Dance.