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Miami native dancer and choreographer, Dexter Carr, has become a name to know in the industry, attributed to his dynamic performances and versatile style. His innovative choreography and energetic presence have made him a sought-after talent in the dance industry, and his reign as one of the best is far from over. Carr is known for his impressive performances from Broadway appearances in “Bring It On: The Musical” and “In The Heights” to choreographing Nikki Minaj’s most recent tour, as well as choreographing and dancing for many other industry titans such as Beyoncé, Chris Brown, and Megan Thee Stallion. He also plays a vital role in Hulu’s “Playground”, a new reality series that takes viewers exclusively behind the scenes into the vibrant world of the famous Los Angeles dance studio, Playground, founded by Pussycat Dolls creator, Robin Antin. In addition to his performance career, Carr is also involved in teaching and mentoring the next generation of dancers through his online platform OUTLET and as tour director of the KĀOS Aftermath Summer Tour. Dance industry king Dexter Carr speaks with Miami Living about his part in “Playground”, life in the dance world, and starting a career in the city of Miami. Miami Living: When did you start dancing? Can you pinpoint a moment when you realized dancing was something you wanted to do for the rest of your life? I started dancing at 16 years old and after I booked my first job with Chris Brown (the “KISS KISS” music video), I knew this was something I wanted to do for the rest of my life. Miami Living: Did you have any instructors in particular that motivated you to get to where you are now? The instructors who motivated me the most were Tawanna Hall, Sheryl Murakami, Jamilia Hall, Aushi Oskarsdottir, George Jones and Richard Rosen (my theater teacher). They have believed in me since day one, never judged me, allowed me to go through my ups and downs but were always in my corner. Miami Living: What was your favorite style of dance growing up, and why? Is it still your favorite style now? Musical theater was my favorite style and actually still is. It’s evolved into a completely different genre than what it used to be. I also love it because it’s a different way of expression than your typical dance routine. Miami Living: During your career as a dancer, what is the biggest challenge you’ve had to face? How did you overcome it? One of the biggest challenges I’ve had to face in my career is realizing that not everybody is going to be in your corner. Even while being someone considered a “popular dancer”, I still deal with haters, negativity, etc. But I’m a harsher critic of myself than anybody ever could be, so I take it with a grain of salt, learn from it, and move on. Miami Living: How was being in huge Broadway shows such as “In the Heights”, and “Bring It On: The Musical”, a change of pace for you? How did this experience add more to your skillset as a dancer? I got to work with the best in the business during my first go on Broadway, which was a blessing, but also scary! HA! You don’t want to mess up, and you wanna make sure you’re doing your job well, but they created such a safe and amazing environment so we all felt so loved. I had an amazing time working with the team. Miami Living: You recently worked with Nicki Minaj, choreographing her most recent tour. What was it like choreographing a tour for such a big name in the industry, and how was your experience working with her? I am a HUGE Nicki fan, so this was a dream come true for me. I also really felt like she gave this album her all, so I was honored to be a part of what her fans would see on the road. It’s an amazing show and I’m so happy I got to be a part of the creative process. Miami Living: You’ve worked with and