Dancers' Paradise: Shamara Spencer loves to stand out

When Shamara 'Inspire' Spencer entered the Red Bull Dance Your Style contest in Kingston last Friday, she knew she would stand out among the other 15 contestants.

While she did not win the competition, Spencer was the only female to advance to the semi-finals and showcase her diverse dance repertoire of dancehall, afrobeat, hip hop, and whacking.

"I wanted to enter because I had never competed solo before, and I'm very big on facing my fears," she told Dancers' Paradise. "For me to make it to the semi-finals as the only female is a big deal to me."

Spencer returned to Jamaica earlier this year after relocating to the United States in 2013 to study economics and finance at the University of South Florida. While overseas, she joined the VYB Dance Company based in Tampa, where she said she broadened her dance scope.

"I used to take classes at VYB, and one day I ended up auditioning to become a member of the team," she shared. "My first rehearsal was terrible, but like I said, I have to continue until I overcome my fears. This was hard-core fundamental training that you needed in order to be a good hip-hop dancer."

While part of the troupe, Spencer was made team captain, and the group participated in the Atlanta leg of the World of Dance competition last year, which they won.

"The training was vigorous, but worth it 'cause in the end we got the trophy and title," she said. "I'd been watching videos of the contest on YouTube from I was a child, and now to have my own video there for people to see is really special."

Now, back at home, Spencer is a dance teacher at her alma mater, Mount St Joseph Preparatory School in Manchester.

"Being abroad diversified me as a dancer, but I felt I had lost that dancehall side of me, so I knew I had to find a dancehall class as soon as I returned to Jamaica," she said.

Spencer has also appeared in music videos for artistes like Tommy Lee Sparta and even a Magnum commercial with Ding Dong. She also shared that she has aspirations of entering a pageant and establishing her own organisation, dubbed Inspire, which will be dedicated to raising funds for performing arts students at the secondary level.