Avery's dance journey began with 12 years of self-instruction in urban dance techniques before he took his first formal dance technique classes at Knox College. He boasts an extensive performance background, having appeared with or for notable names such as Mielle Organics, Fuego Dance Sneakers, Silky Nutmeg Ganache, and MTV-2. Avery has also taught at various institutions, including Red Clay Dance Academy, Emory University, and Dyett High School for the Arts. Recently, Avery made history as the first male heels dancer to perform at the 94th annual Bud Billiken Day Parade and the 32nd annual Dance for Life Chicago benefit showcase. He currently serves as a company member with the Hiplet Ballerinas, a recording artist with the Haus of Everything, a runway and vogue performer in the House of Alain Mikli, and the founder and instructor of Hips & Heels by Brandon Avery™.
I was first introduced to ballet as a prospective student at Knox College. I thought it was cute, but it didn't call to me like jazz and hip-hop did at the time. Now ballet has a major place in my career and personality. As a Hiplet dancer, ballet is literally half of what I do. My ballet mentors are Homer Hans Bryant, Waverly Lucas, Nena Gilreath, Lydia Mitchell, Savery Morgan, Deneen Graham-Kerns, Fury Gold, Wayne Villamil, Calvin Gentry, Karla Tyson, Yanis Marshall, and Dereque Whiturs. I agreed to participate in Ballet Unboxed because all of the people mentioned provided a perspective of how to approach the technique for my body's benefit, and what it is like to have a personal relationship with the movement/music/genre/profession; that is what I want to share with the students of my Ballet Unboxed classes.