While 20,000 fans attending Janet Jackson's concert at the Fed Ex Forum will certainly be excited to see the pop diva, no one will be more thrilled than Terris and Shontal Harris.
Their 12-year-old daughter, Kyndall Harris, is one of the dancers on the Unbreakable world tour. Yes, the entire world tour.
In an announcement that made worldwide entertainment news this summer, Kyndall and fellow teen, Taylor Hatala, from Canada, were chosen from hundreds of dancers to be part of Jackson's dance troupe. The girls perform throughout the show. “It's amazing,” says her mom, Shontal Harris. The tour has more than 30 venues in the U.S. alone.
A pep rally at John P. Freeman Optional School is being planned to welcome Kyndall home on Monday. Her sister, Chase (8), attends second grade at the school.
Along with their sister, Sydney (14), the Harris girls have danced together under the name "Mommiesgirlz." Harris formed Mommiesgirlz into a management entity as an additional way to bond with her children and to assure they would have the best chance to pursue their dreams.
When Harris and her husband noticed their real love and dedication to the group — practicing after doing homework, thank you — they decided to give them the chance to see if they really could become professional dancers. They moved to Los Angeles and started making the audition rounds, which resulted in Kyndall and Chase being chosen to perform in Debbie Allen’s Hot Chocolate Nutcracker. Later came the current work with pop star Janet Jackson.
“This is an amazing opportunity for her to be working with perhaps the biggest and most respected female entertainment icon in music. And they are wonderful to us. Beyond professional,” says Harris.
“The best part about it is that she’s enjoying it and taking just like a child should. It’s fun for her. I feel a burst of excitement every night, but it’s just an adventure for her. I’m in awe of her and all my children. Our whole thing is about inspiration. Whatever your child can do, let them if it’s planned well.”