My Story
God, Dance, and People
Joél Casanova was born in Chicago, IL and raised in Dallas, TX. He started dancing HipHop at age 11 and for the next 5 years danced on competition teams. By the age of 16, he was choreographing professionally. Joél moved to Virginia Beach at age 18, where he taught in multiple studios across Hampton Roads while pursuing a BA in Journalism. He created BeatHunter Dance at age 20. Since then, his career as an instructor has grown including teaching STEM through dance, freelance competition choreography, dance intensives, and theatre camps. Joél Casanova has a deep passion for instruction and showing everyone he meets a new way to look at dance.
Learn more about Joél's dance story and BeatHunter Dance here.
My Dance Identity
Performer
Performing has always been exciting to me because it connects me with the audience. I strive to show them quality art that is relatable and touches them on an emotional level. My performance experience ranges from national dance competitions to theatre productions to music videos. I plan to add to this body of relatable, quality art with my own dance productions that I am currently writing.
Instructor & Choreographer
HipHop Instructor
HipHop is my foundation. I have been teaching HipHop for over a decade and after discovering Modern, Ballet, and other techniques, I created my personal dance style, U-Mod. Using this new blend of styles, I entered the Musical Theatre realm. No matter what I am teaching, my students needs come first: their growth, their ability to express themselves, and most importantly, their identity as dancers.
Choreographer
I have choreographed for hundreds of people for a myriad of different reasons including:
- Flashmobs
- Competition Teams
- Theatre Productions
- Weddings
- Recitals and Showcases
- Auditions
Creator & Founder of BeatHunter Dance
As a performer and choreographer, I understand the power that Dance has to change a person's life. At an age younger than most, I was blessed to discover that teaching dance is a way to pass on that change to anyone and everyone with a body. BeatHunter Dance is a mobile dance educator that provides structured dance instruction in Virginia where I live, across state lines, and internationally.
Journalist & Talkshow Host
With BeatHunter Dance a fully operational business, my past interests started to merge with it. I realized that, with a degree in Journalism, I am fully equipped to create a talkshow that is completely centered around making the dance world more integrated, more thoughtful, and more connected place. The BeatHunter Dance Talkshow was born and as the host, I am able to talk to people who have so much to contribute to the world of dance.
