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The Commercial Appeal: Memphis dance student receives full ride scholarship to Howard named for Chadwick Boseman
From The Commercial Appeal:
Author: Jacob Wilt
Roman Neal’s life changed when he got a call in late April from Howard University. He had already accepted that he would have to pay for college and assume student debt at a different college. Luckily, Neal’s teacher at New Ballet Ensemble and School had pushed him to apply to Howard, a prestigious HBCU in Washington D.C.
That call confirmed that Neal, a native Memphian, professional dancer and graduate of NBE and KIPP Memphis Collegiate High, would begin his studies as a fine arts student this fall at Howard as the latest Chadwick Boseman Scholar, an honor which awards a full-ride scholarship to one student every year.
The Chadwick A. Boseman Memorial Scholarship is named in honor of the legendary, award-winning actor and 2000 Howard University graduate. The scholarship was established by Simone Ledward-Boseman after her husband’s death in 2020 from cancer. The scholarship originated just last year and is awarded to students who “demonstrate a drive for excellence, leadership, respect, empathy, and passion,” according to Howard’s press release. Roman Neal demonstrates all of those qualities.
“It’s kind of a blessing to have this happen to me. Because it was like, what if I didn’t do it? And what if I just went to sleep and didn’t think about it. It was crazy … everybody doesn’t get this opportunity. It’s very exciting to know that someone sees what I can do.”
Neal didn’t always have a singular focus on dance. Before he fell in love with dance at eight years old, he tried his hand at football, though he quickly found it wasn’t the right fit.
“What made me quit football, I was running, and my head fell in an anthill. And I was like, no,” he said, laughing. “I cannot do this anymore.”
The future Howard student credits his mother for leading him in the right direction. As a child, she was unable to experience different programs and extracurricular activities and wanted her son to have to opportunity to discover his passion.
“I really thank my mom for doing that for me, because maybe I would have never found my love for dance.”
At eight years old, Neal began his journey as a hip-hop dancer. He gradually increased his knowledge of the art, going to dance conventions and competitions. Soon, though, he was ready to try a new style, at an early age showing a drive for learning and constant improvement that hasn’t abated. After taking summer class at New Ballet, he was offered full ride scholarship to the school, giving him the chance to perfect his passion and perform in NBE shows.
“I danced every day of the week except Fridays and Sundays,” he said. “I got to perform in shows at the Kennedy Center doing NutRemix and Springloaded, so I was able to find a love for dance with also growing my technique, not only just being a hip-hop dancer.”
Neal is able to perform a wide range of dance styles, including ballet, hip-hop, flamenco, West African dance, Memphis jookin’ and more, though his favorite is contemporary. Having a preferred style doesn’t stop him from mixing it up and working on different styles. Neal said he is constantly looking to expand his repertoire.
“I would love to do ballroom,” he said. “That’s the one style I’ve never tried − it looks very exciting and very energetic. I know most of styles of dance and I want to keep training in those. But I also want to learn something new. Always.”
His versatility as a dancer has led to some unique roles and unforgettable collaborations with other dancers. Neal was able to see his own progression as a dancers through his roles in NutRemix, a remastered version of the Nutcracker with a Memphis flair, going from playing a minor role as the party boy years ago, to the hero in the latest edition.
“I grew up watching older artists and guest artists do lead roles… it was exciting to see me grow through the NutRemix, to grow up. It was amazing to dance alongside Lil Buck, and I got to work with international guest artists.”
Neal’s passion for his craft, especially ballet, was sometimes met with petty insults and stereotypes from his classmates. But he’s grown to look past those belittling comments.
“In school I would face like, ‘guys he’s a ballerina, this is a ballet boy,’ you get hit with a stereotype,” he said. “At that point I didn’t even care. I can do what I want to do and be who I want to be. Now look where ballet has gotten me.
It’s that perseverance, determination and love for the art that has gotten Neal to where he is today as one of the most accomplished dancers in Memphis, before he’s even started college. Practicing five days a week to become a true renaissance man of dance isn’t enough for Neal, and he said he’s going to “keep pushing to where I want to be.” Neal is often so busy practicing, it’s difficult to decide what to do when there’s downtime.
“When I’m not (at New Ballet), I’ll be out hanging with friends, but sometimes I don’t even have time for that,” he said, laughing. “I ran track and field, and did cheerleading too, so I was always busy… my mom would say I’ll be changing in the car to go to the next rehearsal. So I’m not used to sitting at home.
Sitting around at home just isn’t Neal’s style. His sense of purpose is clear. He has big plans for what he wants to do after college, and the positive impact he will continue to have on Memphis and the dance world.
“So I know later on… that I want to own a studio and give back to my community,” he said. “But right now I want to start off touring with commercial artists, and maybe join a ballet company or contemporary company. I have like whole bucket list that I want to do, like performing with Beyonce, but also doing the company world, maybe dance with Alvin Ailey one day.”
These big plans have been made possible by an incredible level of dedication. Neal said that’s the most important thing necessary to succeed.
“It’s not about how you look… you don’t have to see yourself in anyone else,” he said. “Just be yourself. Everyone’s abilities are different, and everybody can do different things. But it all depends on how hard you work.”
Posted by New Ballet at July 24, 2023