young & ambitious plugged
Ikeela Sealey
How Toffee stuck at it to create a street dance legacy
Searching Birmingham’s Jewellery How long have you been dancing? abroad and up and down the country.
Quarter for Sticky Dance Studios, my I’ve been dancing for the past We also deliver qualifications etc.
thoughts gravitate towards my 21 years.
impending meeting. The lady I’m What’s the hardest thing you’ve
meeting has not only won awards, What made get into dancing? had to overcome?
gained honourable testament from I started out cheerleading and then The passing of my husband. I got
global dance organisations and at the age of 13 I saw some street married at 20 – we were childhood
established herself as a formidable dancing and decided I wanted to sweethearts. He passed away two
choreographer, she’s created a do it. I didn’t know what style it was years after we married and that was
flourishing empire. but a week later there was hard. I didn’t know what I was going
Entering Sticky Dance Studios an audition. You had to be 18 to to do because Tyrone (my husband)
I’m greeted by Ikeela Sealey. audition but I did it anyway and got set up Tru Street with me. That’s why
Immediately I’m struck by her through. I started doing professional I’m so passionate about it because
presence, colourful outfit and sexy dancing with Smash Hits Tour, the legacy has to carry on.
hairdo to boot. She projects style, Shaggy and the likes of 5ive, and it
swagger and an array of confidence. all went from there. What would be the coolest
Set against the backdrop of her new outcome for you in the future?
dance studio I instantly feel Sealey is Where else did you go? Seeing the legacy passed down.
a force to be reckoned I went to the Caribbean and did a
with. To call her Summer Fest. I choreographed a What’s the craziest thing
talented is an piece out there and got awarded about you?
understatement UK Choreographer of the Year. My shaved head (she smiles). I’ve
– with awards such I had to go to Germany and just got that done… I’m just very
as the 2007 Amsterdam to train. creative. I’ve a split personality when
Youth Dance Ikeela’s on she’s quiet but when
Choreographer of What’s been the biggest Toffee’s out she’s bad! (Laughs)
the Year under her highlight of your career?
belt I can’t wait to My company Tru Street What kind of events do you
find out more about Dance! It’s me empowering perform at?
Ikeela aka Toffee! young people through dance First and foremost it’s about getting
but it’s not just about dance it’s the community behind you so we do
about life opportunities. a lot of community events. We’ve
choreographed things for Channel 4,
How did you start up BBC and Headspace so we get a lot
your dance school? of media but not enough.
I put on my own class
at 17. In my first What’s the sexiest thing about you?
class I had over 100 (Laughs loudly) I’ve got a sexy
people attend. It got swag. I’d say the sexiest thing is
too big so I shut it my body. My body creates shapes
down and formed and movements.
a group of 25
people and To close, what is your motto?
started a If you would like to start to dance you
company start it with Toffee!
where
they did To find out more about Sticky
perf- Dance Studios or to
ormances. I book classes,
started check out
running an www.trustreet
open class dance.com
which is still
going strong
now. It’s open
to all and that’s
how you get into Tru
Street Dance. There’s
no audition – once you’re
Anderson • Photography by Len1okai at a certain level you go
from there to Sticky Toffee
which is work opportunities.
What is Sticky Toffee?
Sticky Toffee is an agency for
ords by Daina
artists. I employ freelance
W people to do choreography
www.flavourmag.co.uk 057
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