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Netflix dropped the Dance 100 competitive series on March 17 at 3.01 am ET. The competition featured eight choreographers trying to develop a dance routine for the top 100 dancers across the globe.
The number of dancers kept increasing with every episode, as did the competitive themes. At the end of every challenge, the dancers were supposed to choose whose choreography they liked the best.
Much to everyone's shock, popular choreographer Akira Armstrong was eliminated after the first round when none of the Dance 100 performers liked her routine of Doja Cat's Woman. The Bronx native kept her head high while leaving the stage and called it a learning experience.
Akira is the founder and CEO of a dance organization called Pretty Big Movement, which promotes plus-size dancers and helps them train in many dance forms. Akira and her group performed in NBC’s America’s Got Talent season 10 but were eliminated in the Judges’ cut round.
More about Dance 100 choreographer Akira Armstrong
In a Dance 100 confessional, Akira revealed that she has been dancing since she was eight but then corrected herself by saying that she has been dancing since she was in her mama’s belly.
Armstrong faced some tough times as a dancer because of her “chubby body type,” which was not conventionally seen in dancers. She had to work hard to change the narrative around her.
She lost her father, who was a correctional officer, at the age of 13. In an interview with Amsterdam news, she said:
"It put me in a certain headspace. I didn’t understand at that age why God had to take my dad."
Since then, Akira made dance her passion and stayed in class as she did not want to “block and chill.” She studied dance, drama, and vocal training at the Mind Builders Creative Arts Center and attended the Alvin Ailey School. Armstrong received her bachelor’s degree in public relations and education at Syracuse University but kept her focus on dancing.
She has traveled with many dance companies to perform onstage and has even danced at the Cosmo Theater in Vienna. Akira debuted as the principal dancer in Beyonce’s Get me Bodied and Greenlight dance videos. She had to work at Sephora because she did not get many calls even after appearing in Beyonce’s video.
Akira has also worked as a make-up artist for Salt-N-Pepa. After meeting a mentor, she started her own company in 2008 and has since been featured in Vogue and Full-Figured Fashion Week.
What did Akira Armstrong say before leaving Dance 100 competition?
Akira wanted her performance to tell the story of her own toxic relationship. So her routine showed different couples and a dance performance with swift, slow moves. Akira wanted to transform her pain into a passion for creativity. This, however, did not impress the dancers.
Performer Amara said she had a strong opener but lost connection with the song through the dancers. While growth in Akira was being shown, the dancers rarely had to do anything. Myles also said that she lost momentum toward the end.
No dancer voted for her, including her own team members. Before leaving, Akira said she would not do anything different and was not at all bitter towards the dancers. She instead motivated them to live through their art. Armstrong added that to survive in the jungle, the performers need to have a strong backbone or should get out of there alive quickly.
All six episodes of Dance 100 are now available on Netflix.
