Ricky Palomino is a professional dancer who’s toured with the Cedar Lake Ballet Dance Company for four seasons. He later became a dance teacher and choreographer, working with artists like VINCINT, Blake McGrath and Alyson Stoner as well as Kristine W, Deborah Cox, The Pointer Sisters, and Patti Labelle. Ricky’s creativity put him behind the scenes as a choreographer and producer on So You Think You Can Dance and Dance Moms. He went on to appear on Abby’s Ultimate Dance Competition (LifetimeTV), American Beauty Star and Raising Asia.
Other accomplishments include original music such as SHADOW! https://music.apple.com/us/album/shadow/1475266450?i=1475266452 and a role in The Accompanist which debuted at the Cannes Film Festival 2019. Marcelino, Ricky’s High Fashion line has been showcased during fashion week and in couture boutiques in Hollywood, and Ricky also advocates and gives back to help causes and charities that support diversity.
Here’s 5 fast facts about Ricky!
He’s experienced some craziness behind the scenes.
The craziest thing I experienced behind the scenes was during the production of American Beauty Star‘s second to last episode of the season for Lifetime TV Network. We were in the final scene and the four remaining contestants were waiting for a surprise where we brought back all of their assistants so that they could choose and trade assistants for the finale episode. Well, all of sudden, our Executive Producer decides he wants to rewrite the end of this episode to where we would bring back contestants they were competing against to act as assistants for the remaining 4. So we literally have all of the assistants in the hallway ready to enter, all cameras were up which were about 15 of them, lighting department still on, producers still on the floor, and contestants that were voted off, at the hotel with no knowledge of any of this. So we sat there and rewrote everything, went and picked up contestants from the hotel, some were shopping, some others elsewhere, got them back to set, put them in hair and makeup, transported all assistants offset, rewrote scripts for hosts, briefed the entire production team, and made it happen. We had to do this within an hour and a half and it was THE MOST STRESSFUL day possibly ever that I have seen while on set. It was a MADHOUSE and everyone’s emotions were through the roof! Thank the Lord I’m a dancer and can control my emotions otherwise, I would have been a MESS!! LOL
His solution to literally everything: MANDATORY BALLET! [I say we try it! – Editor]
If I could pass ONE law that everyone had to follow, honestly, I would require EVERY SINGLE PERSON ON EARTH to take ballet from 3 years old to 16 years old. The amount of discipline, coordination and control and body awareness, the teamwork, the critical eye you build to see small details, the appreciation of the body, the intellect of coordinating with classical music, the endurance you build, the hyper-awareness you build, and the stamina to overcome things that are “hard”, and love you build of art and culture and community it gives you. I know that it would change the world in a way that people would work differently at their crafts and what they are good at. I see it as a deeply spiritual meditation that is along the lines of religion. This world would be super functional and we would embark on the biggest feats of exploration, and discovery quicker than we have ever had in the past. It would be truly remarkable.
He had a hard time with THIS particular dancer.
OMG, the most embarrassing moment in real life would be when I had to partner Ashlee Langas on So You Think You Can Dance during a taping. She was so tall and way stronger than I was at the time and it just wasn’t cohesive. You could see and feel me muscling everything to keep her up and it was just sooooooo bad! But it was a great time and I wouldn’t trade that experience for the world.
Despite his showbiz work, he really prefers solitude.
Something people would be surprised to know about me is that I am a super recluse. LOL. I love to be alone with a couple loved ones or family members and just stay in the house and create, or lounge, or cook. Going out in large crowds gets super crazy for me cause I truly like to engage in full conversation and talk about real-life stuff. The things that make us tick, that inspire us, the things that worry us, etc. I am outgoing and love being in the entertainment industry but when that’s all done. I could stay in the house for dayssssssss. Even if I am alone for days at a time, I am just fine. I really don’t need to be around people. It really is distracting and even when I am with a couple family members, I still have to do things alone. It is just how I work. So even though I appear out on the go and super public, inside I am waiting to go home and create and cook my own vegan meals. I want to own a vegan fast-food chain someday.
He got addicted to Instagam but did something very healthy about it.
One I app I have uninstalled on my phone was INSTAGRAM! LOL. I got so lost in it and it consumed my whole being and I started comparing myself with everyone I followed and lost drive and focus. So, at the beginning of the year, I took it off my phone to focus on a project. I accomplished a lot and was much happier. However, my friends let me know what a bad idea that was because it’s your visual resume. So I reinstalled it after 2 months and lost like 1200 followers just cause I was inactive. So, that broke my heart and I got depressed again but later came to terms with it and saw it as a digital cleansing. Those people were following me because I hang around famous people and not cause they were supporting me. So now I use it for what it is and don’t put too much heart in numbers. I know my self-worth better, and I have unfollowed toxic accounts. I’m a real artist, always have been and to create great work, you have to put in the hours, blood and sweat and tears. Not just pick up a canvas and paint with one hand while holding your phone in the other. It is cheap, quick satisfaction and you’re not fully immersed in your work. Social media has changed the definition of fine art in our world.
Selfie time!
SOCIAL MEDIA:
https://www.instagram.com/rickypalomino/