VHHS alumna talks on dance career, forming traveling convention

When she graduated from the University of Alabama in 1998, four years after graduating from Vestavia Hills High School, Pam Chancey thought she’d work for a dance convention somewhere in New York.

She never thought she’d start her own.

In 2004, Chancey, a 1994 graduate of VHHS, started The Pulse on tour, a dance convention that travels to various cities around the country, bringing expert teachers and choreographers to teach classes and help those who are looking to improve their skills and advance their career.

Chancey had previously served on the faculty at the Broadway Dance Center, the largest dance studio in the world, but saw the need for a convention to travel outside of studio walls, expanding access to aspiring dancers.

Chancey hired celebrity dancers, including Mia Michaels and Darren Henson, to partner with her to teach dancers, and held a convention, which includes classes and a competition with money and scholarships awarded. In the past, dance scouts for famous artists and organizations including Lady Gaga, Taylor Swift and Disney scouted her events, Chancey said.

The convention started with three cities, but has now expanded to 18 cities, including London, as well as cities in Canada and Mexico. The brochure for Chancey’s first convention said The Pulse would be the “breaking ground” for dancers to train with celebrities and to get into the world of dance.

“I never thought it would actually happen,” Chancey said. “... The dancers … were so good, I got them hired by agents.”

Chancey thought she would do some kind of public relations work combined with working for a convention, but The Pulse has turned into a full-time job. Her days as a Rebelette at VHHS and the challenging academics provided by Vestavia prepared her for her work, she said.

“When I got to UA in my freshmen classes … I looked around the room and thought, ‘This is what we learned in eighth grade,’” Chancey said.

Since she was two years old, Chancey has taken dance lessons, and said while she was never the best dancer, she believed she was good enough to become a teacher. Chancey took classes and learned how to train others and how to choreograph on different stages.

Her love for New York started when she was taking lessons herself, and continued in college, as she would take a group to New York each summer to train.

“My teacher, starting [when Chancey was] 14, she would take us there to train,” Chancey said.

Chancey would spend three weeks there in the summer, and while she said she was able to enjoy the city, she knew she was there to work.

Reflecting on 14 years of The Pulse, Chancey said she believes she’s hosted 490,000 students, and has also started a protege program, which awards scholarships to dancers and allows them to come on the road with the convention, which helps get them agents.

In 2009, Chancey’s parents died, forcing her to run The Pulse from home in Vestavia. Her parents left an indelible mark on her life, causing her to name The Pulse’s parent organization, PTC Productions, after her parents, with their initials included in the name.

“They always wanted me to succeed,” Chancey said.

Chancey has worked to find talent for “America’s Got Talent,” and her choreography work can be seen in the opening ceremony for the U.S. Open, at Radio City Music Hall and opening for musical acts such as Neil Young.

Chancey’s conventions have been so popular, there was a time in Houston when she had 500 dancers on a waiting list. To resolve the issue, Chancey rented out the ice skating rink in the middle of the Galleria there. At first, she was told she could not rent it, but $50,000 later, Chancey was laying down carpet and building a stage for the convention.

Chancey has also written a book called “All the Right Moves,” a guide to positive dance conventions.

Chancey is now starting a nonprofit, “Start 2 Stage,” which can be found at starttostage.org. The nonprofit will raise money to give back to the community by way of scholarships and paying for workshops.

To parents of young dancers, Chancey says to “take it all in,” and expose your dancer to more than just competitions. It’s important to support dance studios and learn to be supportive of others, Chancey said.

Looking back on her career so far, Chancey said she’s most proud of sticking to the grounds of education during the convention while fostering a competitive environment. She said she’s proud when she looks at some of the dancers who have come through her convention and are now dancing with musical acts like Lady Gaga.

“I feel very rewarded and blessed,” Chancey said.