Jimmy Locust on Rhythm Nation Life as a Dance Studio Owner!

October 2nd, 2026
Just Dance

The Kelly Alexander Show presents another special edition of Just Dance hosted by Kelly Alexander and Tina Landon featuring dancer, choreographer and dance studio owner Jimmy Locust.

Jimmy takes us through his journey from discovering dance as a junior in high school to landing his big break in “Coming to America” and becoming part of Janet Jackson‘s iconic “Rhythm Nation” era. He and Tina revisit their experience working alongside Janet including the Rhythm Nation audition, the intense rehearsal process and what made Janet’s vision and eye for dancers so unique.

Jimmy also shares how his time with Janet Jackson helped lead to the opportunity to dance with Michael Jackson, including the story of being contacted by Lavelle Smith and the moment Michael recognized him from working with his sister. He also opens up about his experiences as a shorter dancer, discovering his own path in the dance industry and eventually building and running his own dance studio in Connecticut.

If you love dance history, choreography, music videos and behind-the-scenes stories from the entertainment industry, subscribe to The Kelly Alexander Show on Podbean, Apple Podcasts, Spotify and iHeartRadio for new weekly episodes.

Photo Credit: Kelly Alexander
Graphic Design: Zak Thriepland

Kelly Alexander

Kelly Alexander has always wanted to host her own show where the sole purpose of the program is to be entertaining, informative and engaging to her audience while thinking outside the box. This is what Kelly and her team strive for on The Kelly Alexander Show. Expect to hear from up-and-coming as well as established artists, not to mention in-depth interviews with your favorite entertainers that you can’t access anywhere else.