Alberta's Taylor Hatala, 12, dancing on tour with Janet Jackson
Sherwood Park's 12-year-old dancing phenom is back in the spotlight once more, having secured a coveted position as a dancer in Janet Jackson's Unbreakable world tour.
Taylor Hatala, who's been dancing since she was three, first gained attention last year after a video of her dancing to the Nicki Minaj hit Anaconda went viral, earning the pint-sized dancer a chance to show off her big moves on the Ellen Degeneres Show.
Then, earlier this year, she and dancer Larsen Thompson co-starred in a music video to Big Sean's I Dont F*** With You. As of this week, the video has been watch more than two million times on YouTube.
Even with the fame garnered from those appearances, Taylor had to go through a rigorous audition process in Los Angeles to secure the tour spot.
"When we got there, there were like 130 kids there, and I was so nervous. And by the end of that day, we went through about two auditions, two callbacks."
Several weeks passed with no word, then finally the phone rang. She was asked to come back in for a third and final audition.
"The … choreographer asked us to stand in a line and he said blankly and simply congratulations, you just booked Janet Jackson's world tour," Taylor said.
"I screamed, I jumped up and down. I couldn't believe it. It felt like a dream."
On the road
For the next two months, Taylor danced and sweated alongside Jackson as they prepared for the tour, which she says is full of hip-hop dancing with a "super fun vibe."
"I'm speechless on how I feel dancing next to someone who is an icon. It's crazy."
Fans, meanwhile, are clearly just as impressed with Taylor and the other young dancers on tour.
Unbreakable officially hit the road on Sept. 1 with a concert in Vancouver, followed by an overnight bus ride to Calgary for a show the following day.
"We got a little taste of how it'll be on the road," said Teresa Hatala, who has joined her daughter on tour.
"It's something that, as a family, you don't think you're ever going to be in a situation where your daughter goes on tour with Janet Jackson — so we are blessed and just happy that we are part of this journey with her."
Also on tour: a teacher in charge of daily classes for the young dancers. Taylor has also enrolled in an online school to keep up with her studies while on the road.
While a dream come true, the situation isn't quite what she expected, Taylor said.
"It was a goal I had, or a dream, that I'd be going on tour when I'm older. But it just came so quick and I could have never imagined what I'm doing right now would be possible. I'm so thankful."
On Friday, Taylor (and Janet) will perform in front of a hometown crowd at Rexall Place in Edmonton.
"I can't wait, I'm so excited."
