Viral dancing influencer TJ talks how dance shaped his entire being | amNewYork

"That love for movement followed him upstate to the University at Buffalo, where dance became his way of connecting. While studying marketing, he joined African dance clubs to meet people in a new environment and quickly stood out. I'm a quick visual learner, he says. I started picking up choreography naturally, and before I knew it, I was leading, choreographing, and performing at fashion shows."

"After graduating and returning to New York City, dance remained central to his life, even as he stepped into corporate work. I came back knowing I had to keep dancing, he says. That's where my community was. What began as teaching dance classes soon moved beyond studio walls. He started filming to show students what they could expect the choreography, the energy, the atmosphere and people showed up."

"TJ has grown in popularity online. As his classes grew, so did his collaborations. TJ leaned into shared movement, linking up with dancers across the city and moving beyond solo performances. That shift naturally pulled him toward Manhattan. If I'm meeting someone from the Bronx or Brooklyn, we're meeting in the city, he says. Times Square has the lighting, the background, the movement it just works. Dancing in the streets wasn't just practical, it felt right."

TJ began dancing in high school across African, international, hip-hop, Afro, and Caribbean clubs purely for enjoyment. That passion continued at the University at Buffalo, where dance became his way of connecting while studying marketing. He joined African dance clubs, learned choreography quickly, and progressed to leading, choreographing, and performing at fashion shows. After graduating and returning to New York City, he balanced corporate work with a commitment to dancing and community. He began teaching classes and filming them to show choreography, energy, and atmosphere, which attracted students. As his online popularity and collaborations grew, he moved performances into Manhattan, where Times Square and street settings made movement accessible, spontaneous, and public.

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