Dancer Becomes Her Own Hero

ShirJuanda “Bounce” Woodson and I met several years ago. She was working on her portfolio. The Bishop Dunne graduate had dreams of being a professional dancer and traveling the world.

At 26 years old, most would say MISSION ACCOMPLISHED, but the dancer, choreographer, performer, teacher and actress insists she’s just getting started.

Sunday night, Woodson was one of 30 dancers onstage with one Mary J. Blige during the 2019 BET Awards. The opportunity was a direct booking through her agent, which is a big deal in the industry. She was wanted. She was requested. It was Woodson’s first time attending the BET Awards and she got to be a performer.

“That was absolutely everything and more,” says Woodson of the BET Awards. “I’m still on a high from such an incredible opportunity. To be able to work with Mary J. Blige, a veteran of multiple decades was amazing. She was very sweet. I got to work with her during each day of rehearsal. Dancing with someone who valued each of her 30 dancers was remarkable.”

A big 2019 goal for Woodson was to start directly booking with some of the more seasoned talent in the industry.

“The new generation is amazing and very talented,” she says. “But my heart and core are with the old school - 90s R&B and Hip Hop.” One of Woodson’s most shared choreographed productions has been her creative spin on 90s group Boyz II Men’s Motown Philly, which mimics an old-fashioned house party.  

Over the last year Woodson has worked directly with many artists. Last December, she worked with rapper Kash Doll in the Rolling Loud Festival. Recently she’s worked with legendary producer and performer Will.I.Am and his UK artists NXTGen. She recently shot two videos with the group.  

Woodson is not afraid to move about the world for opportunities to do what she loves. The Dallas native has lived in Los Angeles, New York, Las Vegas, China and Japan. While in Las Vegas, she was part of a very popular rock and roll burlesque live show for one year.

She would move on from Vegas to work as an entertainer for a cruise line while in China and Japan. She was featured in two shows while working for the cruise line, one of which was a musically centered show with instruments. Woodson would learn to play the earth harp, a very rare instrument that only 24 people in the world know how to play (she was number 20).. Her other cruise line production was a showgirls type of performance called “Sequins and Feathers.”

Currently back in Los Angeles working as a freelance dancer, Woodson finds herself with many opportunities to network via her agent. She’s hoping to find herself performing at many more awards shows in the future.

Woodson owns IAmBounce LLC, which she runs in Texas. Consider it a giving back program. Each year she returns to her hometown to offer workshops on making it in the industry. She shares insight on the professional world of dance and training.

“I wanted to create a program for artists, preparing them for the professional world,” says Woodson. “When you leave Dallas, you see all of the resources on the coasts.”

She doesn’t take issue with Dallas, but living on both coasts and touring around the world has exposed Woodson to so many big breaks that just didn’t reveal themselves in Dallas. 

“So many good things go on in Dallas, but not opportunities specifically for Dallas,” she insists. “They’re bringing everything in from other places – I want Dallas to have homegrown opportunities.”

The ever-so-resourceful Woodson will return to Dallas for the month of July and she’ll be offering a three-hour workshop several times during the month. There will be 20 participants per workshop.

The objective will be to give dancers the ins and outs of what is needed to become a successful brand.

For Woodson, her end goal is to have an academy with internal resources. She wants to include all artists, not just dancers - but also videographers, photographers and more. She wants that network to exist and to be strong, where all creatives can network with each other. She wants everyone to cross resource and know how to elevate each other in different capacities.

Woodson insists that she doesn’t do it alone. So many people have helped nurture her on this journey. On average, she sends prayers and affirmations to 50 people each week who constantly encourage her.

“Dallas is always on my mind,” promises Woodson. “My parents are a huge part of the management side of my career and my brother Devin is in charge of my marketing.”

The business and the brand will take care of Woodson, as long as Woodson preserves who she is. All indications are that she will continue to aspire to dance and offer her infectious smile in every corner of the world. 

“I try to reflect my business off of my personality – bubbly and jubilant,” laughs Woodson.  “My brand is based on my passion to dance in my purpose.”