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PrintInterview with Ayla Kell
Ayla Kell stars as the powerful yet graceful gymnast, Payson Keeler, in ABC Family's hit teen drama series, "Make It Or Break It;" but before she landed her break-out role, she was a devoted dancer, completing 15 years of Royal Academy of Dance ballet training at the Los Angeles Ballet Academy. It is her passion and dedication to the art of dance that led Ayla to achieve her lifelong goals of dancing on the world's most prestigious and professional stages with the American Ballet Theater, Los Angeles Opera, and as a finalist at the Youth America Grand Prix in New York City. Achieving merits of this magnitude do not come easy. Ayla's proven path to making her dreams come true can be seen as an example for all aspiring young professional dancers. She has managed to maintain a level of maturity, grace, and beauty while balancing a demanding career in dance and acting, all the while leading a "normal" teenage life. -Anderson Group Public Relations
Interviewed by: Alyssa N. Crump, National Dance Association
Q: Tell me about how you first became involved in dance, and what made you decide to pursue it professionally?
A: "I was about 3 or 4. My mom always had me watch the Nutcracker. Once she took me to a show [of the Nutcracker] where there were little kids dancing in the show. I was so amazed seeing these little children up on stage, and I thought, 'I want to do that.'"
Q: What type of dance forms have you taken?
A: "I started with everything; ballet, jazz, tap. And as I got older I took on contemporary and more and more."
Q: What is your most memorable dance moment? 
A: "One of my favorites, in my opinion, was when I got to do a dance called 'Little Sparrow,' and [performed it] not only in LA but also Japan. And I remember before a show I was standing backstage with two of my friends… and we were all holding hands. My friend looked at me and was like 'Ayla, we're about to perform on a stage in Japan. This is crazy, right?!' And I was like, 'Yeah, this is crazy.' And then we went on."
Q: So, you've traveled to many different places throughout your dance career. What is the favorite city you have visited?
A: "Well, that's a wash... I'd have to say New York. New York has a different atmosphere. Japan loves dance, but New York loves dancers."
Q: What advice would you give to young dancers looking to make a professional career?
A:"Stay true to who you are. Dance can be all inclusive, just about the solo or getting the next part… it's going to be all right….and Dear God, eat something! It's not worth starving yourself."
Q: Gymnasts share a lot of the same pressures and responsibilities as dancers. Do you feel that your background as a dancer has helped you relate more to your character on the show?
A: "Absolutely." Many times while shooting a mother-daughter scene on the show Ayla would think, "Man, I went through this with my mom." And when it comes to the issue of body image, similarities abound… "They're in leotards as much as we are- but they need to have muscle too. We need muscle and need to be tiny at the same time." The issue of having to have your body look its best at all times is a universal pressure felt in both fields.
Q: How do you train for your role on "Make It Or Break It?"
A: "We hit the gym with real gymnasts. We train just the same as the gymnasts do."
Q: Are you still very involved in dance?
A: "It's something that never leaves you. I feel so blessed to have this show where I can continue my training, and I'm having the best time."
Q: On one episode of "Make It Or Break It" your character, Payson, took her first ballet class, where the teacher kept harassing her on her poor technique. What was it like shooting this episode for you?
A: "Kind of hilarious. The producers and directors were watching that day, and after the first take they told me 'We need you to look worse than that. You need to make fun of bad dancers.'" "It was fun though; they built a whole ballet studio on the set. It was nice having that there instead of the gym for awhile."
Q: Tell me about your involvement with IMAGINE LA.
A: "I would love to talk to you about that. IMAGINE LA is an organization that helps homeless families in Los Angeles. There are thousand and thousand of kids living homeless with single parents. This gives them an opportunity to changes their lives… A family is selected and put in a house. They receive job placement, tutoring, the works... It's not really focused to singular adults; it's focused on families... Many people don't realize how many homeless children that are living in LA. Everyone sees the commercials shot in black and white of starving kids in Cambodia, and they want to give them money. The funny thing is, I can walk down to the freeway and shoot the same footage, and show it to the same people, and be like, 'Yeah, this is LA.'"
Q: I see that you are also a certified cake decorator on top of everything else. Tell me how you got involved in that.
A: "I like food. I've always loved to bake. I love making cakes taste good, so I figured I would make them look pretty too."
Q: How do you find time for it all?
A: "I don't sleep. No, I'm just kidding. I like to stay busy. If I didn't do this much, I would probably go stir crazy."
Q: You've already accomplished so much, what's next for you?
A: "I just take every day on a day-by-day basis and see what the universe has in store. I would love to do more of the show. I hope it comes back for another season, and I hope I can go with my character to the Olympics."
