An Alsager man who quit his “muggle job” cleaning hotel rooms to chase his dream of becoming a full-time dancer and choreographer has landed a contract with Warner Bros.
Nimble-footed Diezel Morar spent the festive period performing at a Looney Tunes convention in Oman, in the Middle East.
The 21-year-old, who trained at a Broadway dance centre in New York earlier this year, discovered his thirst for being footloose by chance after he showed up to a “random” class during PINC (people, ideas, nature, community) week at Alsager School.
Held just ahead of the summer holidays the week was always a popular one in the school calendar. Pupils chose activities to enjoy from a list that included painting, dancing, board games and many others.
He said: “I’d never danced in my life, but it sounded fun. I didn’t know anyone there. We danced to a Jennifer Lopez song, and I was fascinated by it. Afterwards I searched for local dance schools in the area and found the Street Dance Academy in Sandbach.”
Mr Morar added: “My mum didn’t have a car, so I had to get a train to Crewe and a bus to Sandbach there and back each week, so it was a big commitment at 15 years old, but I loved it, and this led to this passion I have for dance now.”
He quit what he described as his “muggle job” cleaning rooms in the Travelodge at Barthomley services near junction of the M6 to pursue his love of dance.
He said that a “muggle job” was a term used to describe a job that provided the income an artist needed to fund their passion, but doesn’t usually provide enough to survive. Muggles are non-wizards in Harry Potter books.
Mr Morar, who lives with his mum and pet dog Hector, commuted five days a week from Alsager to Liverpool to attend Rare Studio performing arts college, where he just about managed to make it for the 8.15am warm-up class.
While at the college he trained in ballet, jazz, hip hop, commercial and musical theatre dance.
Mr Morar, who described his principal style of dance as hip-hop and commercial, explained: “When you see people behind artists on ‘X Factor’, for example, or backing dancers for artists like Chris Brown in music videos, that’s the path I’m trying to go down.”
And at this early stage of his career, he said he was not being too “picky” with the jobs he was offered and was ready for anything that came his way. “I can do ballet if someone needs me to!” he said.
The “Chronicle” was curious to know how Scottish Terrier Hector reacted when the former Alsager School student practised new routines at home. “He just watches me,” he laughed, “It’s quite funny because I always have a little audience.”
Mission
Mr Morar, who teaches teenagers and young adults twice a week at the Sandbach dance academy and once a week at a dance studio in south London to advanced students aged 15 and older, said he was on “a mission” now to move back to New York.
Posting on his social media, he said the Big Apple had captured his heart.
When asked what he enjoyed most about the city that never sleeps he said that, although he left Cheshire with the motivation to make as many business connections as he could, he unexpectedly encountered a group of around 30 friends while training who have become almost like family.
He said: “It was great to see how dance can bring everyone together. I’ve never experienced anything like that before. In college it was always a bit cliquey, and I’ve never really had that at home, in Alsager, a group of friends through dance.”
Mr Morar told the “Chronicle”: “Growing up here I always thought my whole life was going to be in this small town. I’d love to show people that you can achieve anything you set your mind to and that dance isn’t just a hobby.”
However, to get a working visa the choreographer said he must prove he is “extraordinary” in his field and future plans include gaining as much experience as possible and gathering evidence to prove he is a master of his craft.
“I need to get together recommendation letters from people. It will take time, but I want to go back to America. I think after this job in Oman I’m going to move to London for a couple of months, because that’s where the industry is. I can hopefully book some more work and make more connections, which can help towards my visa.”
Mr Morar added: “It’s like building this big portfolio of yourself. You’re trying to sell yourself to America, essentially.”
What does dance give to him personally?
”A reason to start my day, a motivation, a reason to stay creative, and it’s the reason I make money now, which is hard because now it’s full-time for me. But when I teach it, I try not to fall out of love with it, so it doesn’t turn into just trying to pay the bills by teaching the class. I still try and find the love of it. I love teaching people. I love being able to give back to kids.”
Mr Morar wished he’d had a mentor while growing up “that would have said things that I know now”. “It’s about creating a space for people to grow and be comfortable.”
Asked about what insight he could offer to other young people from small towns wanting to pursue a career in dance he said: “Don’t let anyone or anything stop you from doing what you want to do; if you have a love for something that isn’t, traditionally, normal, I wouldn’t let that affect you.
“Because if you stick it out, and if you put the work in and want to be the best at that thing, or just want to grow and learn as much as you can, then opportunities will come to you when the time is right.”
