As the sun rises just before 7 a.m., the majority of Palo Alto High School students are sleeping soundly — but one room on campus is alive with energy.
In the dance studio, overhead lights illuminate a dozen girls in workout attire, effortlessly whirling and twisting their bodies as they prepare for their next dance performance.
Energetic music roars from the room’s speakers, echoing throughout the hallway of the Peery Family Center, but Paly freshman Alana Gordon is oblivious to the deafening noise. For two hours every morning, Gordon trains to perfect her craft.
As a member of the Paly dance team, Gordon blends in seamlessly with the girls surrounding her.
But behind what is seen by most people lies years of experience as a competitive and professional dancer with a career in commercial modeling.
Gordon first discovered her passion for dance when she was just a toddler, eventually making her way to the big stage.
“My mom put me into dance at a pretty young age,” Gordon said. “I think I was around three, and that was because she did dance growing up. And ever since then, I kind of just stuck with it, and I really fell in love with it.”
Not until years later did Gordon found her second calling — modeling.
“When I was 10, I signed with my agency, and a couple weeks later, I got my first job, which was super incredible, and it was just like my first time experiencing the industry,” Gordon said.
With over 14,000 Instagram followers, Gordon has an extensive collection of achievements, including National Dancer of the Year and National Protégé, as well as advertisements with Gap and Old Navy. She is now a TIGRL model for Tiger Friday Dancewear, a widely known dancewear brand.
Gordon first signed with Movement Talent Agency at the age of 10, but is now signed with Clear Talent Group, an agency based in Los Angeles. Being from the Bay Area, Gordon also is a part of a local modeling agency.
“I was at a dance convention, and one of the teachers wanted me to get signed, because they saw me,” Gordon said. “So I got entered in this kind of competition where you submit a dance video, and then the one with the most votes gets a meeting with an agency.”
A notable moment in Gordon’s career was performing in multiple sold-out shows in New York City for “The 50th Anniversary of Hip Hop,” directed by Nick DeMoura, who has choreographed for superstars like Justin Bieber, Ariana Grande and Usher.
“It was about a four-week show, and we rehearsed in Baltimore, and then we took a bus over to New York, and it was just super fun,” Gordon said. “If you’re a dancer, you know doing a monster show is a super big deal. And then on top of that, it being the 50th anniversary was super special.”
In addition to DeMoura, Gordon has worked with choreographers and internet personalities like Tricia Miranda and Amari Marshall.
She was also a member of the Golden State Warriors Junior Jam Squad, a group of young professional dancers that perform at Warriors games during halftime.
Alanna Williamson, head coach of the Paly Varsity Dance team, applauds Gordon’s efforts to remain humble in the midst of her success.
“There are many dancers who would be at that level and let that give them a big ego and a big head,” Williamson said. “And she is not like that at all.”
Williamson said Gordon has earned her respect, as talent alone doesn’t mean anything if not paired with the right person.
“The fact that she is so easy to work with and such a nice person, as well as being so talented, will make her a huge asset in the industry,” Williamson said.
Though her career is challenging, Gordon said she is motivated by her desire to stay in the industry when she is older.
“I definitely want to go to college and be on … a college dance team, and then after that, I would aspire to be a choreographer and continue working in the industry,” Gordon said.
Gordon said she hopes to be on the dance team at Louisiana State University or San Diego State University.
As both Gordon’s mother and her mentor, Cynthia Gordon describes Alana Gordon as the hardest worker she has ever met. Not for the success she has achieved, but rather the effort she puts in.
“I love the fact that … she always comes and does 110 percent,” Cynthia Gordon said. “ She’s there to work. She is so grateful. She’s super kind to everyone.”
Cynthia Gordon said the key to success in the hyper-competitive industry is to not take things personally.
“It’s really hard to work in an industry where the majority of the time you’re rejected,” Cynthia Gordon said.
After facing rejections throughout her career, Alana Gordon has taken her mother’s principle to heart.
Along with rejections, she is faced with making crucial decisions. At a loss for time, many of her colleagues sacrificed attending school in order to pursue their careers. Rather than homeschooling, Alana Gordon decided to stick with traditional schooling at Paly.
“It’s definitely hard socially sometimes, because everyone just knows you as the dancer,” she said, adding that she wanted the experience of being a “normal” high-schooler, rather than allowing her life to be centered around dance.
With choosing going to school, Alana Gordon recognizes the challenges that it can bring.
“Sometimes I have to prioritize hanging out with some friends or doing homework over dance, but I also do really prioritize my passion,” she said.
Wanting to focus on her social integration while also working in the industry is important to her. Rejections are a big part of the industry, but Alana Gordon reminds herself not to let these small hurdles slow her down, and instead, to focus on where life takes her.
“I’ve kind of learned through trial and error, you can’t really take everything too seriously,” she said. “If you get cut or you don’t get the job, it’s really not that serious, and you’re just meant to do something else.”
