This post was updated Oct. 21 at 9:54 p.m.
With hip-hop rhythm, heel flair and unapologetic fun, Ruby Silverman is shaking up the Los Angeles dance scene.
After going viral among the dance community in April, Silverman – a third-year dance student – secured a spot as a choreographer at Playground LA, one of LA’s most influential dance studios. Every third and fourth Monday since July, the lifelong dancer brings her hip-hop-inspired, groovy take on heels choreography to the iconic Melrose Avenue floor.
“I focus more on hip-hop into my stage performance – what you would see maybe in music videos, maybe on stage concerts,” Silverman said. “My main focus is to stay away from just the slow stuff and (focus) more (on) the upbeat groupie stuff.”
Training in styles ranging from jazz to hip-hop, Silverman said she grew up dancing but didn’t pursue it seriously until she was 14 years old. Around three years later, she signed with an agency and has since choreographed various large-scale events including the opening ceremony of the World of Dance Summit – a highly renowned global dance competition based in LA, Silverman said. At 20 years old, Silverman pivoted to promoting her work independently, using Instagram as a publicity tool.
During her sessions at Playground LA, Silverman said she enjoys choreographing to artists such as Don Toliver and Pharrell Williams. Dancer and friend Sam Wirsching said the environment of heels classes can often feel like an audition, but in Silverman’s class, she feels like she gets to hang out with friends. Silverman said she is keen on teaching the importance of groove and just having fun rather than emphasizing precision and technique.
“I feel like more of a friend than a teacher because although I think I’m teaching the importance of the groove, … I mainly just feel like I’m really there to just have fun,” Silverman said. “I think we’re missing a lot of classes in our industry that are just there for the fun of it and reminding us why we dance and why it’s just fun.”
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In March, Silverman posted a combination to Don Toliver’s “LV Bag,” which quickly gained traction among the dance community, she said. The buzz, Silverman said, inspired her to teach a free class that sold out immediately. After this, she said studios began reaching out with teaching offers, including Playground LA, where she began leading a series of pop-up classes. Eventually, this turned into an official bimonthly slot after consistently high demand from dancers around LA, she explained.
Chloe Stephan, a second-year dance student at Chapman University and a friend of Silverman, said Silverman is an enthusiastic choreographer, encouraging dancers to bring their own individuality to her choreography – a testament to Silverman’s focus on just having fun.
“Going in groups sometimes can be intimidating, but she is always cheering for you,” Stephan said. “She’s going to be your biggest fan. She just wants to see everyone have a good time and enjoy themselves.”
Wirsching added that Silverman’s dance combinations often include playful moments of interaction between dancers – like waving to one another mid-performance – reflecting her approachability as a teacher and choreographer. Stephan said Silverman’s classes feel personal, as she makes an effort to remember faces and build genuine connections with her students.
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Derived from her training in hip-hop, groove is paramount to how she approaches choreographing, largely thanks to her dance education in college, Silverman said. Her perception of hip-hop changed when she began studying at UCLA, offering her a more historical and cultural perspective on the dance style she had grown up learning, she said.
“That’s why I put it (hip-hop roots) into my heels choreo because my heels choreo is so industry, and I want to take the aspects of original hip-hop – which is the grooves – and I think that’s why I focus on it most importantly,” Silverman said.
Looking ahead, Silverman said she hopes to collaborate with big names in the industry, including UCLA alumnus and choreographer of Kendrick Lamar’s Super Bowl halftime performance, Charm La’Donna, and Robbie Blue, known for his work in the viral “Better in Denim” KATSEYE Gap commercial. She said she also aspires to both choreograph and dance in the Super Bowl halftime show. But first, Silverman said she wants to secure another agent and continue auditioning for roles in commercial dance spaces, believing everything will fall into place from there. While Silverman’s sights are set on her dreams, she emphasizes the importance of patience, persistence and self-promotion in the industry.
“Get used to the no’s … keep persisting because the no’s are not personal, and it’s just going to help you grow and get stronger,” Silverman said.
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