Arts Directory

About

Artist Bio

Michelle Morast was born in Valdosta, GA into a military family. She had the opportunity to live across the world due to her father’s line of work in the Air Force.

She moved to Japan in 2006 at the age of 10. She lived on Yokota Air Force Base, located in Fussa, Tokyo, Japan for 7 years. She always had a love for music and dance. It wasn’t until entering high school when she decided to take dance more seriously. She attended weekly classes at Boogie Zone Utopia in Shinagawa. She also attended workshops and masterclasses with Izumi Dance Company who would invite world renowned choreographers to teach. Michelle was given the opportunity to perform in several showcases around Tokyo, working with choreographers such as Keita McGee, Tony Tzar, and Minami Doi.

After graduating high school in 2013, she moved to Greenville, SC where she currently resides. After a year of living in Greenville, she started teaching hip-hop and acro classes and has taught for the past 9 years. In 2018, she choreographed and danced in Glow Lyric Theatre’s production of “In the Heights”. She was recently featured in Anike’s new music video “In the Light”. Michelle is currently teaching weekly hip-hop classes at Arts Academy of the Carolinas and English Theatre Arts and she just finished a 2-year training program at Xcel Studios in Atlanta, Georgia.

Artist Statement

As a dancer, I approach dance as a form of artistic expression and a deeply spiritual practice. Dance, to me, is more than movement; it is a language of the soul, a way to communicate emotions, stories, and experiences that words cannot fully capture. My journey as a dancer is guided by a passion for hip-hop, a culture that has shaped my identity and creative voice. Hip-hop, with its roots in resilience, community, and self-expression, resonates with my belief in the power of art to bring about change and inspire others.

However, my approach to dance is also profoundly influenced by my Christian faith. Being a Christian in the hip-hop world presents a unique challenge and an opportunity. Hip-hop often grapples with themes of struggle, rebellion, and a search for identity—issues that are deeply relevant to the human experience. As a Christian, I engage with these themes through the lens of my faith, seeking to bring light, hope, and redemption into spaces where these might be missing.

In my work, I strive to bridge the gap between the often raw, unfiltered expression found in hip-hop and the message of love, grace, and transformation that is central to my faith. I believe that the stories told through hip-hop are stories worth telling—stories of perseverance, of overcoming obstacles, of finding strength in the face of adversity. But I also believe that these stories can be told in a way that uplifts and empowers, rather than glorifying the negative aspects that sometimes accompany the genre.

Dance allows me to embody this balance. Through movement, I explore themes of struggle and redemption, brokenness, and healing. I aim to use my platform to challenge stereotypes and misconceptions about the hip-hop culture and Christianity. My goal is to show that one can be true to the authenticity and raw energy of hip-hop while still living out Christian values of love, compassion, and integrity.

I believe that as an artist, I have a responsibility to use my craft to speak truth, to shine a light on what the true meaning of hip-hop is, and to advocate for change. My dance is a reflection of my commitment to these values.

In conclusion, my approach to dance seeks to honor both my faith and the culture that has shaped me. Through my art, I hope to create a space where the beauty of hip-hop can coexist with the transformative power of the Christian message. My dance is a testament to the belief that art can be a force for good, a vehicle for change, and a source of hope in a world that desperately needs it.