Life & Work with Carissa Campbell

Today we’d like to introduce you to Carissa Campbell. Them and their team share their story with us below:

Carissa Campbell, born and raised just outside of St. Louis, is now attending her second year at the University of Arizona studying to earn her BFA in Dance, as well as a second major in Business. Her background consists of intense training in multiple dance styles, traveling, and assisting professional teachers, in addition to sharing her passion with others through video documentaries online. She has been dancing for 15 years and during those years, Carissa has been a part of multiple pre-professional companies, while simultaneously training at prestigious hometown dance studios. Throughout middle and high school, Carissa was a member of the Dance League Assistant Company and traveled with Desiree Robbins as her personal master class assistant. Desiree showed Carissa the ropes of the professional dance world and helped her jumpstart her dance career while increasing her love for jazz dance. In the summer of 2018, Carissa was signed with Go2Talent Agency in Los Angeles, California, and continues to work through the agency today. Since then, Carissa has been featured in a few internet commercials, including SSM Health Physical Therapy and BetterHelp.com.

While working with Desiree and other professional faculty, Carissa was also a member of the AshleyLiane Junior Dance Company and Renee Johnson’s Competitive Team in her hometown. Through these programs, Carissa trained privately with professional choreographers, Hailey Hoffman, Chelsea Thedinga, Caroline Lewis-Jones, Courtney Barclay, and more. Carissa performed in opening shows at The Muny and other local events in St. Louis. At national dance conventions and competitions, Carissa was often recognized for her talent and unique artistry. She received various awards and scholarships at these events, including the title of 2019 National Masquerade Dancer of the Year.

At the age of 17, Carissa graduated Summa Cum Laude from Francis Howell High School one year early and immediately moved to the University of Arizona, on both an academic and dance merit scholarship, to begin her training toward a BFA in Dance and a second major in Business. During her first year at the University of Arizona, Carissa trained in Modern, Ballet, and Jazz under the reputable School of Dance Faculty. She was taught by Michael Williams, Jason Hortin, Sam Watson, Lorin Mathis, and Tammy Dyke-Compton, to name a few. She looks forward to continuing her training at the school and is very excited about what is to come in the future.

In addition to dance, Carissa runs her own popular Youtube channel (Carissa Campbell) that currently has over 24,500 subscribers and 3.5 million views. Over the years, Carissa has been able to showcase her love for dance and share that passion with people all over the world. Carissa is known for her “Different Types of Dancers” and “What Dancers Think…” series’ that combine dance techniques, skillful editing, and comedy. Viewers love Carissa’s open and honest personality, as well as her thoughtful, humor-able creativity. Carissa plans to continue producing content for her viewers for as long as she can imagine. Carissa also works hard to help the University of Arizona School of Dance promote their school on social media. She spends many hours a week filming and editing footage from the School of Dance classes, shows, etc.

After graduating from the University of Arizona, Carissa would love to perform professionally, along with choreographing and inspiring the next generation of dancers. Some of her goals include dancing as a backup dancer for a music artist and starring in film/stage work, such as commercials, movies, and television shows. She’s also interested in teaching and touring at a national dance convention, setting professional pieces, and one day becoming a college dance professor.

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
While it has been a very rewarding journey, it has not always been easy. As an intense training dancer, Carissa has faced many injuries that have been obstacles that she has had to overcome. From chronic ankle injuries and tendinitis to back and neck strains, Carissa has spent a great deal of time in physical therapy.

This past summer, Carissa had a calcaneal bone graft done on her left foot due to a fluid-filled bone cyst/lesion. This surgery left her on crutches for six weeks, and unable to dance for 4 months. She is still continuing to heal with multiple physical therapy appointments every week to aid her return to dance, yet she has been able to develop a growing passion for dance choreography in the process.

Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
Carissa Campbell, born and raised just outside of St. Louis, is now attending her second year at the University of Arizona studying to earn her BFA in Dance, as well as a second major in Business. Her background consists of intense training in multiple dance styles, traveling, and assisting professional teachers, in addition to sharing her passion with others through video documentaries online. She has been dancing for 15 years and during those years, Carissa has been a part of multiple pre-professional companies, while simultaneously training at prestigious hometown dance studios. Throughout middle and high school, Carissa was a member of the Dance League Assistant Company and traveled with Desiree Robbins as her personal master class assistant. Desiree and Carissa worked closely with each other for multiple years, up until Desiree’s unexpected passing in 2021. Carissa was fortunate enough to have the opportunity to travel with Desiree all over the country, and work as her assistant and demonstrator in each class she taught.

The two of them also spent much time creating new choreography. Desiree showed Carissa the ropes of the professional dance world and helped her jumpstart her dance career while increasing her love for jazz dance.

Through Desiree, Carissa also assisted Christina Grady, Natalie Willes, Chris Moss, Tyler Muhlenkamp, Ashley Silva, and many others. In the summer of 2018, Carissa was signed with Go2Talent Agency in Los Angeles, California, and continues to work through the agency today. Since then, Carissa has been featured in a few internet commercials, including SSM Health Physical Therapy and BetterHelp.com.

While working with Desiree and other professional faculty, Carissa was also a member of the AshleyLiane Junior Dance Company and Renee Johnson’s Competitive Team in her hometown. Through these programs, Carissa trained privately with professional choreographers, Hailey Hoffman, Chelsea Thedinga, Caroline Lewis-Jones, Courtney Barclay, and more. Carissa performed in opening shows at The Muny and other local events in St. Louis. At national dance conventions and competitions, Carissa was often recognized for her talent and unique artistry. She received various awards and scholarships at these events, including the title of 2019 National Masquerade Dancer of the Year.

At the age of 17, Carissa graduated Summa Cum Laude from Francis Howell High School one year early and immediately moved to the University of Arizona, on both an academic and dance merit scholarship, to begin her training toward a BFA in Dance and a second major in Business. During her first year at the University of Arizona, Carissa trained in Modern, Ballet, and Jazz under the reputable School of Dance Faculty. She was taught by Michael Williams, Jason Hortin, Sam Watson, Lorin Mathis, and Tammy Dyke-Compton, to name a few. She looks forward to continuing her training at the school and is very excited about what is to come in the future.

In addition to dance, Carissa runs her own popular Youtube channel (Carissa Campbell) that currently has over 24,500 subscribers and 3.5 million views. Over the years, Carissa has been able to showcase her love for dance and share that passion with people all over the world. Carissa is known for her “Different Types of Dancers” and “What Dancers Think…” series’ that combine dance techniques, skillful editing, and comedy. Viewers love Carissa’s open and honest personality, as well as her thoughtful and humorous creativity. Carissa plans to continue producing content for her viewers for as long as she can imagine. Carissa also works hard to help the University of Arizona School of Dance promote their school on social media. She spends many hours a week filming and editing footage from the School of Dance classes, shows, etc.

After graduating from the University of Arizona, Carissa would love to perform professionally, along with choreographing and inspiring the next generation of dancers. Some of her goals include dancing as a backup dancer for a music artist and starring in film/stage work, such as commercials, movies, and television shows. She’s also interested in teaching and touring at a national dance convention, setting professional pieces, and one day becoming a college dance professor.

What makes you happy?
There are many things that make me happy, but at the top of that list has to be dancing, creating, and spending time with the people I love most.

Specifically, through my YouTube channel, I am able to combine my two greatest passions, dance, and video-creating.

Through my video documentation and creations, I find so much joy. Not only in just the process of actually making the videos but being able to go back and watch myself grow up. A video I create at the end of every year, simply titled “2021” or “2020”, depending on the year, is a whole recap of my year. I hit all of the major moments and I get to observe my growth over the year. It brings me so much cheer and gratitude for the beautiful life I get to live.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/carissadances/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/CarissaCampbellDances