Mateo Magazine: What is Dance Sweat Live?
Benjamin Allen:  The class itself is called GROOV3™.  The 3 stands for Dance Sweat Live which is our motto. Not only is it what you will get when taking a GROOV3™ class, it is also a way of life.

What projects are you currently working on?
I recently just released 2 dance instructional's that are available for download on DancePlug.com.   I had the opportunity to work on a music video directed by Drew Barrymore and to give choreography to Mark Steines and Nancy O’ Dell of Entertainment Tonight for an upcoming project.  GROOV3™ continues to grow and give back with our fundraisers and community outreach. We just launched our 6th location in Torrance at BoogieZone Utopia, and now have classes at The Edge Performing Arts Center in Hollywood. We are about to host a GROOV3™ instructor certification course, finalize some new designs for our GROOV3GEAR, and continue to further our mission to inspire change and build communities through the power of dance.

What accomplishments are you most proud of?
I’ve had the opportunity to do a lot of great things since moving to Los Angeles, but nothing has compared to the journey and fulfillment that starting GROOV3™ has given me.  You have to take a class to understand, but to bring a group of 40 – 50 strangers, from all walks of life, together for 1 hour and watch them all support and cheer each other on, no judgment, while having a sweaty good time, is truly like nothing else.

How did you become a master in your field?
I think to become a master, you not only have to put in the time, but it really has to be your passion to succeed at it. I didn’t discover how much I loved dance till I was 18, which is late in life in the world of a professional dancer. I didn’t realize I had a gift for motivating and inspiring others to dance till about 2 years ago. Once things started falling in place, I knew I was exactly where I was supposed to be and have dedicated a large part of my life to what I am calling a GROOV3MENT.

Who or what inspired you?
Initially, I was inspired by my first dance teacher, Leslie Scott. She was so positive and taught me that dance was for the mind, body and soul and that it didn’t discriminate. I continue to be inspired on a daily basis not only by my students who show up 3 times a week just because they LOVE it, but also by my peers who are constantly pushing envelopes with new ideas and projects. We have so much at our fingertips these days, and I strongly believe that if you want something bad enough, you can make it happen.  To me, life is definitely too short to not be doing what you love on a daily basis.

What were some difficult times or obstacles you had to face in achieving your goals?
Well, of course, there is never enough time or money to do all the things you want. I’d say the biggest thing overall is rejection or the fear of rejection. I’ve always been the kind of person to only do something if I know I could succeed at it.  Constantly being told no at auditions and not being able to pay rent some months because there wasn’t enough work is very stressful. Overcoming all of these things by having a positive attitude, building the belief and confidence in yourself and setting goals higher than I expect to achieve have all helped me get to where I am.

What is your motto or some words of encouragement you tell yourself (and that you can tell our readers) to help push them to attain their dreams?
Finding your passion and fulfilling your dreams may seem scary and unattainable to most, but it’s all about baby steps and balance. First of all, you will never get anywhere if you don’t take risks. Most people are too afraid to quit their horrible jobs, but once you finally let go, it can be the most freeing and rewarding experience. Put things out to the Universe. If there is something you truly believe in, write it down, tell somebody, make it known and you’ll be surprised at what comes back to you. And at the end of the day, just be a good person. It sounds cheesy, but there are a lot of hateful, negative people out there. With a smile here and a hug there, together we might be able to all make this world a better place.

What are your plans/goals for the future?
Definitely too many to mention right now, but I would like to continue to build the GROOV3™ brand and share dance with the world. It has magical powers, trust me. I want to continue doing charity work as well as my work as a choreographer in film and television. Above all, I want to travel. There are so many fascinating people and cultures I would like to experience. So hopefully all these things combined will allow me to reach these goals and beyond.