Like many toddlers, Ire Omitowoju’s parents enrolled her in dance class. At age two, she put on her first ballet shoes. Next thing she knew she was performing in elite dance competitions across the country. Nearly two decades later, the USC Iovine and Young student is still dancing, but her stage is… a little bigger. Now she’s choreographing the multifaceted parts of her life and infusing them with purpose – from studying healthcare innovation to working on high-profile movie sets. 

Omitowoju recently found herself entrenched in Hollywood alongside household names like Ryan Reynolds, Octavia Spencer, and Jerry Seinfeld. Last year, Omitowoju got the call of a lifetime from her longtime mentor, esteemed dance director and Emmy-nominated choreographer, Chloe Arnold. “How would you like to come to Boston and work on this movie for two weeks?” Arnold asked – a question that elicited an immediate “I’m coming right now, obviously” response. 

As she simultaneously prepared for finals, Omitowoju packed her bags and headed to Massachusetts to assist Arnold on the upcoming film Spirited, a modern musical twist on Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol classic that comes out in November. Suddenly her years of training and tenacity allowed her to lean into a side of herself that she was always searching for, as she learned directly from her early motivators.

“The dancers were people I admired growing up, people on So You Think You Can Dance, who worked with Janet [Jackson] and Beyonce, all these people. I was star-struck because they were my inspiration. It was so surreal and I was challenged in so many aspects,” Omitowoju describes the experience.

What started out as a two-week gig lasted the entire summer once school went on break. Omitowoju, who always had an innate talent for movement and an entrepreneurial spirit, was able to define her role and make it her own while putting her interdisciplinary interests into action. She managed dance administration, responsible for everything related to the production’s dancers – communicating effectively with multiple departments, making sure physical therapy was set up, working with the costume unit, and staying on top of music and lyrics. Not to mention, she had to know the entire film’s choreography. 

When she’s not dancing, Omitowoju is devoted to combining her deep-rooted interests in healthcare and entrepreneurship. A business trendsetter since elementary school (“I was always creating duct-tape wallets or friendship bracelets”), Omitowoju’s first real profitable venture was a homemade body butter company. Inspired by her physician mother and a fascination with skincare, she knew her professional passage would lead her to both business and medicine. Instead of applying to college as a business major or as a pre-medicine student, she discovered she could explore the intersection of innovation and healthcare at the Academy. 

“Through all of the things I’ve learned, design thinking and coding, I’m able to bring this variety of skills and basically apply it to my main mission in life which, no matter what I do, is representation and diversity. In any industry, all those skills are needed. We need more people who understand all of those things and how they intersect,” Omitowoju says. “I want to be that person, no matter what space I enter in, who is able to bring that to the table. 

In addition to finding her footing in the movie industry and being a full-time student, Omitowoju is a member of USC’s new majorette team, The Cardinal Divas, which was founded by her Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. sister Princess Lang. For Omitowoju, the team mirrors her commitment to working (and dancing) with intention. 

“I feel like the mission and intention is really similar to what we already do in our sorority, which is trying to uplift the Black community and make it stronger on campus,” says Omitowoju of her involvement. “A big thing that I prioritize and am passionate about is representation and diversity … Within dance, I would love to have that same impact if I was going to do it on campus.”

As a young dancer, Omitowoju trained in a variety of styles, from jazz to hip hop and contemporary. She realized she had a natural flair and passion for tap, but she didn’t see herself in the examples who inhabited the spotlights. 

Omitowoju reveals, “They don’t give the [tap] dancers as much time …  Tap is a Black-founded style and I didn’t want to be typecast or put into a box. In the competition world there’s not a lot of Black dancers either. There isn’t that much representation, so I wasn’t seeing as many of the older Black competition dancers doing it, so I had no inspiration.” 

After taking a class with Chloe Arnold, who is also the founder of the tap troupe the Syncopated Ladies, Omitowoju gained  the encouragement and connection she needed. Arnold recently hired Omitowoju for another project, Unfrosted: The Pop-Tar Story, a movie directed by Jerry Seinfeld. Omitowoju acknowledges how much she owes to Arnold’s leadership, and vows to be the same type of role model for aspiring dancers and students. 

“Don’t let anyone say you can’t do something or make you feel less than. I know that’s super hard in environments where you don’t see yourself,” Omitowoju advises. “Once you see someone doing something you thought was impossible, it just makes you feel more determined and inspired to do it yourself. If that’s not enough, do it for the other little girls. Even if you’re five, do it for your younger sister who is two. Everyone needs someone to look up to.” 

No matter what she accomplishes next, Omitowoju is establishing an exceptional position to apply distinctive abilities and points-of-view to the dance community that don’t often get a chance to shine. 

She adds of the multifaceted goals she’s working towards to make a difference, “The dance world doesn’t have a ton of people who have those skills, who are into coding or business trends, and that awareness. Being able to bring those skills into the dance world would be something I would love to do and bring that impact. Whether in medicine or dance – I’m bringing that diverse and unique perspective and background into those spaces.” 

As she readies for her subsequent acts, the dedication and creativity Omitowoju embedded into her work on set will play out for the world to see. What’s next for this inspiring student? We’ll certainly be tuning in. 

Ire Omitowoju has competed in dance competitions since she was a little girl. The USC Academy student is still dancing, but her stage is… a little bigger. She recently found herself working alongside household names like Ryan Reynolds, Octavia Spencer, and Jerry Seinfeld. Find out how she’s choreographing the multifaceted parts of her life and infusing them with purpose – from studying healthcare innovation to finding her footing on high-profile movie sets.

In School and On Set, a Student Taps Into Her Potential

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