It was watching her sister, Jessica on stage as a young girl that really inspired Allison Holker to pursue a career in dance. Seeing her perform a very famous dance by choreographer, Mia Michaels was the first time Holker saw women dancing “so powerfully, like they were warriors.” From that moment on, she knew she wanted to be a dancer and change someone else’s life like how her sister changed hers. It’s safe to say, she’s doing just that.
We first fell in love with the Emmy-nominated dancer and choreographer on So You Think You Can Dance and again on Dancing With the Stars. Now, we’re one of two million Instagram followers who can’t get enough of her dancing videos with husband, Stephen 'tWitch' Boss (or her kids) or her Groovealong workout classes. But soon, the mother of three will be gracing our screens again as the host of HGTV’s Design Star.
Read on to learn more about her biggest challenge to achieving success, the transition from stage to reality television, and how she’s helping to push her industry forward.
You have made such an impact on Dancing With the Stars. How did that platform help to catapult your career to where it is now and what did you learn about yourself during the show that still serves you today?
That show was absolutely incredible to be a part of for so many reasons. The experience of working with obviously the celebrities and other pros but also having the experience of not only being a dancer and choreographer on that show but also essentially learning how to direct and give lighting cues and work with art departments and costuming. When you’re a pro on that show, you’re essentially creating an entire environment around these pieces that you’re in charge of and I grew so much as an artist on that show, more so than I ever expected to on all fronts. The show gave me the confidence to know that I could do literally anything and everything.
How are you making a difference and pushing your industry forward?
By showing other dancers that there are different paths that you can take to further your career in multiple ways. I have found myself being a dancer, choreographer, and also a wife and mother, but now moving forward in being a host on television, outside of the dance field. I think sometimes dancers forget that we are loud in our voice as we are in our moves and people want to hear from us.
2020 presented everybody around the globe with new, unprecedented challenges. How did you #FindNewRoads + switch gears towards your new version of success?
2020 has been absolutely amazing in the most surprising of ways because I, for the first time in my life, took a moment to be at home and to breathe and assess who I am as an artist, as a creator, and as a family. It really made me realize what’s truly important to me and what I want to do with my future and gave me the time that I needed to actually move towards that.
What career mistake has given you the biggest lesson?
You don’t have to say “yes” to everything to succeed.
Going after what you deserve in life takes confidence and guts. Does confidence come naturally to you or did you have to learn it? What advice can you share for women on cultivating confidence and going after their dreams?
Since I was an infant, I’ve always had the blessing of having confidence in who I am and believing in myself. There’s levels of that that just can’t be taught but there’s some that can. I really was blessed with an innate understanding of who I was and believing in it. I do believe that there are certain people that are just willing to look at fear and getting comfortable enough to take risks. I believe I’m a person that even on days that I’m nervous or overwhelmed or fearful, I have enough confidence in myself that I know I can move forward and conquer it. My advice is instead of looking at things and being fearful, get comfortable with being scared.
What is the biggest challenge to achieving success in life?
Doubting yourself. We always put up our own walls and stop our own growth.
How have you remained true and authentic to who you are, especially in the public eye, and what advice can you share for women who are struggling with that?
I move forward confidently with the fact that I’m awkward, weird, loud and obnoxious but that’s exactly who I am and I can’t hide it. That’s made me into the woman I am today. My advice is to be authentically you every single day.
It’s easy to celebrate the wins, but how do you handle failure or when something hasn’t worked out for you?
It’s the only way you learn. No one that is successful has lived a perfect life. They’ve moved forward and looked at whatever they’ve failed in as a lesson and grown from it. That’s how they prosper in life.
With success comes opportunity, but that also means you have your hands full. What keeps you inspired and motivated to keep going even on your most challenging days?
I move better, this year I have, and I know it sounds crazy and absurd, but the busier I am as a human, the more excited I am about life. It’s quirky and it’s imperfect but it’s beautiful in my eyes.
If you could go back to the beginning of your career journey—with the knowledge you have now— what advice would you give yourself?
Everyone’s paths are different. It’s good to look at someone else’s as a guide but no one has the perfect layout or path that everyone has to follow.
Fill in the blanks:
When I feel fear, I…
Talk to myself and hype myself up.
To be successful, you…
Need to be willing to be a student.
I turn bad days around by…
Dancing.
Three qualities that got me to where I am today are…
Authenticity, bravery and creativity.
The change I’d like to see in my industry is…
Acceptance.
