At the age of 7 years old, Canadian Alex Wong began dance training in tap and jazz genres. By the age of 10, he began studying ballet at the Goh Ballet Academy in Vancouver, Canada. It was through the courage of beginning to study dance at an early age that the promise of an aspiring career soon became recognized.
Early on, Wong’s talent was discovered and he soon became an award winning dancer. In 2000, Wong was awarded two Junior World Titles in the showdance and tap categories. He also received the Royal Academy of Dancing Solo Seal and the Audience Choice Award. In 2003, Wong was a bronze medalist at the Genee International Ballet Competition and the next year, he was the first ever Canadian to win Switzerland’s Prix de Lausanne competition.
Later in 2004, Wong then began working with the American Ballet Theatre Studio Company for a brief stint. In 2005, he joined the Miami City Ballet and in 2007, was promoted to a soloist at the dance company.
It was through Wong’s work in the various companies that Wong earned and played numerous numerous roles in some of the art sector’s prominent showcases. Some of the roles in Wong’s portfolio include performances in the Balanchine production of “Symphony In Three Movements,” “Western Symphony,” “Agon,” “The Nutcracker,” “Push Comes to Shove” by Twyla Tharp, “The Golden Section,” “In the Upper Room,” Mark Morris’ “Silhouettes,” “Don Quixote” by Edward Villela, Paul Taylor’s “Funny Papers,” Stephen Mills’ “Hush,” “Conservatory,” by Bournonville, Anton Dolin’s “Variations for Four” and “La Fille Mal Gardee.”
In 2009, Wong took his talent to attempt to land a spot on the television screen by auditioning for FOX network’s competitive dance series, “So You Think You Can Dance.” Wong easily made it through the first rounds and was chosen among the top 20 competitors to advance. Unfortunately, due to issues with his contract with the Miami City Ballet, he was forced to withdraw from season five of the hit TV show. Upon returning from his audition, he was, however, promoted at the Miami City Ballet to the rank of principal soloist.
Again in 2010, Wong was offered another promotion at the Miami City Ballet to principal dancer. However, this time he declined the promotion because he was still pulled into the direction of giving “So You Think You Can Dance,” another shot. Wong sailed smoothly through the beginning of auditions and went through the Vegas week of hardcore work and preparation for the how. For this season, which was season seven, he made it into the top 10 contestants of “So You Think You Can Dance.” Unfortunately, during rehearsals of a Bollywood performance during the fifth week of the show’s taping, Wong’s Achilles tendon snapped, leaving him unable to continue to compete yet again for the title of America’s best and favorite dancer.
Upon Wong’s surgery in Los Angeles, he was given a year to recover from his injury entirely. However, by the end of that year, the dance pieces that he had used on “So You Think You Can Dance,” which won him major awards. These pieces, choreographed by Mia Michaels and Tabatha & Napoleon, both became Emmy Award dance performances. Soon after his surgery, he traveled across the United States and ended up signing with Bloc Talent Agency based in New York.
By the beginning of 2011, Wong’s landed numerous jobs for print advertising and booked several commercial advertisements as well. It was then that his television dance career began to take off. Wong also landed a spot on TV as a member of a dance ensemble for NBC network’s TV show, “Smash,” which was directed by the infamous Steven Spielberg. In the summer of 2011, he made a cameo with comedian Ellen DeGeneres on “The Ellen Show.” He also danced on “The Voice,” and danced with band LMFAO. Wong was also asked to rejoin the cast of “So You Think You Can Dance” in the role of an All-Star.
It seems like “So You Think You Can Dance,” just wasn’t in the cards for Wong because, yet again, just days before beginning the show, he had to withdraw after another Achilles tendon injury on the other leg. It was during Wong’s recovery period that he began to focus on the other talents he had to offer and began focusing on acting and singing. He also auditioned for “American Idol” and made it to the semi-final rounds in Hollywood.
Wong’s hard work and determination did not go unnoticed. He was invited to be a guest speaker at numerous prestigious universities such as Dartmouth, Columbia, Northwestern, and Yale. By that January, Wong finally returned back to professional dance. It was through perseverance and despite two possible career-ending injuries that he was still be able to perform.
Wong still had a career that still had not peaked yet. He released his first dance single on Amazon and Apple’s iTunes entitled “Crave.” He filmed a music video, starred in a short film that was shot in Los Angeles, and even performed a debut on Broadway in a Disney musical. On Broadway, Wong played the role of “Sniper” in the original Broadway cast of “Newsies,” which had won two Tony awards and received six additional nominations. These are just some of the dream Wong didn’t think were feasible not only because of his injuries but also because he didn’t think it would be realistic to be a commercial dancer as an Asian. Fortunately, he was wrong and his talent prevailed all other obstacles.
In 2011 to 2012 while on Broadway, Wong won the ACCA Award for Outstanding Original Chorus for that season. In 2012, trying for yet another stint, Wong returned to “So You Think You Can Dance,” and was again in the role of an All-Star. He has also worked on the hit TV show “Dancing with the Stars.” This is just the tip of the iceberg as Wong also starred and choreographed in a Buick car launch in China, was on the Vietnam version of “So You Think You Can Dance,” participated in ABC’s Disney World Christmas Parade, the hit TV show “Glee,” and worked on a Microsoft commercial entitled “Surface.”
Wong’s professional work is filled with an impressive resume of outstanding performances and characters and numerous diverse roles through various niches within the arts and entertainment industry as a professional dancer, actor, singer, and choreographer. In his career, Wong has accomplished many achievements and in recent years was even named among “25 to Watch” by Dance Magazine.
