How to become a TikTok dance star with Laurie Elle

Now she’s a real mover and shaker

We’re often told that to succeed in life we need to have a plan. While there’s nothing wrong with thinking ahead, sometimes the best things in life can’t be scheduled, as 23-year-old dancer and influencer Laurie Elle found.

Having taken her first ballet and tap classes when she was just three years old, the talented Mancunian set her sights on becoming a professional dancer. She had her whole life planned out: take dance lessons, study dance at university, get an agent, dance as a job. It wasn’t until she actually went to dance school at 18 that she realised this wasn’t the right route for her. So she quit.

Fast forward some five years and she’s not only a professional dancer with an agent, but she’s also a dance influencer with huge followings on Instagram (271k) and TikTok (4.1M). She regularly posts street, hip-hop and commercial dance routines, challenges and OOTDs on her social media, and films dance tutorials and fashion and beauty hauls for YouTube too.

Her online success has meant she’s been approached by brands including Samsung, Disney and Ray Ban for collaborations. “I’m really happy I get to do my favourite things as a job,” she said in a video on her YouTube channel. Not too bad for someone who didn’t stick to the plan.

Laurie gave us all the details about her success

How long have you been dancing?

So, my parents took me to my first dance class when I was 3 yrs old and ever since then I have not stopped taking classes. I tried different styles to see which one was my favourite and yeah as I grew up, I knew I wanted to take it more seriously and have a career in dance.

How do you turn your hobby into your main hustle?

I think eventually all the time, the effort, the money that my family and myself put into dance just paid off, because it never felt like just a hobby.

Has social media helped your success?

100% yes, growing up I knew dance was competitive and I had to find something that would stand me out from other dancers and that’s how I used social media to my advantage.

What’s been your career highlight so far?

Doing a one-to-one private dance class with Kenny Ortega that is just massive its huge as a dancer and without my career that never would have happened it’s just something not many people can say they have done.

What’s your most watched TikTok?

My most viewed Tik Tok has 20.3 Million views and it’s me doing a dance trend called the spooky scary skeleton dance.