Carley Cofield’s dream is to dance with a famous pop artist on stages around the globe — and she just soared over a big stepping stone on her way to make her dream reality.
The 20-year-old woman from Courtenay recently shared the Much Music Video Awards (MMVAs) stage with Canadian band Hedley.
“Since moving to Toronto last September, I began making a list of things I wanted to accomplish here and began trying to tick them off,” recalls Cofield. “The MMVAs are one of the only events in Canada that hires international talent, and books Canadian dancers. For us, this is the job we all have been fighting for — and for me was a dream come true.”
Handpicked for Hedley
Cofield had caught the eye of MMVA co-ordinator and choreographer Ryan Scheel after he saw her perform in other shows and in numerous auditions.
He handpicked her as one of the girls to perform with Hedley – who won three MMVA trophies – during the nationally-televised MMVAs, which aired June 15.
Cofield has been a fan of Hedley since she was a child, and she notes her sister bought her a Hedley CD for Christmas one year.
“So to share the MMVA stage with this band meant a lot to me,” continues Cofield. “However, this is just a stepping stone. I wish to travel the world with one of these international pop artists … That is the real dream. I probably won’t sleep until it happens.”
Parents watched on TV
Cofield’s parents George and Shelley watched the awards show from their Courtenay home, and George admits seeing his daughter perform on national TV for the first time was an emotional experience.
“I started crying,” George recalls with a laugh. “To see her on TV was just — I’m sort of speechless on it. We were just sitting there watching her there again today, because of course we taped it, and it’s just unreal what she’s done.
“I couldn’t be prouder.”
Coming home soon
George says Carley plans to return to the Valley in about a month to teach dance at Triple Heat Dance and Valley Dance Centre. She’s also taking steps to obtain a work visa so she can move to Los Angeles and continue her dance career there.
Carley started dancing when she was two. She’s learnt various styles, like hip-hop, lyrical, ballet and jazz.
“Although I’ve trained in almost every style of dance growing up, my heart this year has been with jazz funk,” says Carley. “Nothing lights my fire more than dancing to a good Beyoncé or Britney (Spears) track.”
Carley has trained extensively, including spending 10 years at Valley Dance Centre and five years at CR Dance Xtreme in Campbell River, as well as taking advantage of numerous international training opportunities, such receiving a scholarship to train in Paris, France.
writer@comoxvalleyrecord.com