Interview With Symonne Harrison!
- How old were you when you first started dancing?
I was 2 1/2 years old when I first started dancing. I had my first dance recital at 3 years old and fell in love with performing on stage. I began competitively dancing at 7 years old.
- What is the style of dance you engage in most frequently?
It’s tough to pick my favorite dance style because I love them all but I really love lyrical and hip hop dance styles. I love Contemporary dance and how it can have a mix of both jazz and lyrical but I also love the energy behind Hip Hop.
- Who are your dancing inspirations? Maddie Ziegler is a big inspiration to me. I love her style and the fact that she is an amazing dancer along with being a successful actress and model. I am also grateful for all the dance teachers that I have had in my life. They have all inspired me and pushed me to continuously grow and master new skills over the years.
- What is your favorite part about competing?
I love dance competitions because your entire year of training on a dance gets to be performed and enjoyed by everyone. I love being with my friends and cheering them on and making many fun memories all weekend long together. I love watching other dance studios and appreciating other dancers hard work and unique styles. It is so fun getting to wear beautiful costumes and crazy hair and makeup! It’s all so very fun and exciting!
- How did you come up with the idea for Bear On The Chair?
I was 6 years old and I was sad that my Elf on the Shelf had to leave after Christmas. I was telling my parents that there should be a year round behavior buddy for kids. I came up with the idea of a cute bear that sits on a chair and motivates kids to behave and reach goals all year long not just at Christmas time. I loved the creating process of building prototypes of my bear and picking out the hair texture, color etc. It was so much fun seeing my bear come to life. I currently hold a design patent on my bear. I am honored to be the child ambassador of the Invention League.
- What is the concept of the toy?
Bear On The Chair is a year-round behavior buddy for kids. It’s a cute bear that sits on a chair. The bear wears a t-shirt with a velcro patch. It comes with a happy-face patch and a sad-face patch.
Children connect with their bear and want to keep their bear happy. Parents can discretely switch the two patches according to the child’s behavior. It’s a great instant motivational visual tool that allows kids to stay on track for goals and take a pause when things get off track. This allows children to develop empathy and realize that their actions impact others. It is also used in elementary school classrooms, child psychologist offices, and pediatric dental offices. I especially love that my bear has also helped many children with Autism to express their emotions through the velcro patches.
- What has the fan reaction been like to your idea?
Fans are really amazed that I have my own product. They think it’s really awesome that I am a child inventor. Fans have been really supportive and have come to my meet and greets to meet me and have me sign their box. I love that I get to inspire others to dream big and be creative.
- What was it like working on “The Affair?”
Working on a Golden Globe winning drama series was a dream come true for me. The entire experience was so exciting. Walking on set at Sony Pictures was just surreal. The entire cast and production crew was so wonderful and amazing to work with.
- How would you describe the atmosphere of the set?
Everyone made me feel so welcome and special. It was better than I could have ever dreamed. I had my own trailer which was really exciting. Everyone from my on set teacher, to wardrobe, hair and makeup, stunt coordinator, all the actors, directors, producer, film crew, everyone was so incredibly kind to me. It really felt like a big family and they all welcomed me in with open arms.
- Do you have any other upcoming projects?
Yes, I have been casted in a principal role in an untitled pilot presentation. I am looking forward to working with the creator and executive producer Brandon Stewart in association with Awesomeness tv.
- What are your social media handles?
You can follow me on Instagram @symonneharrison and on my Youtube channel: Symonne Harrison. My product Bear On The Chair can be found on our website: www.bearonthechair.com, on Amazon and in select Learning Express stores.
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