NBA dancer Calvin Brown on busting a move, breaking a sweat & a man holding pom-poms - Queerty

Calvin Brown nearly competed in the Junior Olympics for track.

But the dance studio was calling his name.

The Miami native changed his life when he ditched his cleats for a pair of dance shoes. Hitting up his cousin’s studio, Calvin found what he wanted to do.

She taught him a move or two. As dance director of the Miami Heat, she also showed him that men can hold pom-poms, too.

For seven years, Calvin proved it.

After stints with the Miami Marlins in MLB and the Washington Wizards, Brown hooked up with the Atlanta Hawks. Five years later, it still feels like a dream.

“I didn’t think I would do five years,” he tells Queerty. “Looking back, it was an accomplishment.”

When Brown joined the Hawks in 2021, he was part of a wave out, Black dancers in the NFL and NBA. On the NFL side, Quinton Peron broke barriers with the Los Angeles Rams, and Ben Ajani was cheering for the Atlanta Falcons.

Brown pointed to Ajani as a role model, since they were in the same city. At first, Brown admits he was a tough sell to fans who were used to women firing them up.

But eventually, they came around. “It was always amazing on game days to meet fans,” he says. “They came a long way from when I first started.”

Stepping away from the hardwood, Brown now works at a gym in the Atlanta area that specializes in infrared heat. The man knows how to break a sweat!

In between sessions, Queerty recently caught up with Brown to chat about getting a crowd going, how to bust a move and his roots in the 305. Here’s what he had to say…

QUEERTY: You were part of a trailblazing group of male dancers in sports! Have you had any interactions that stand out?

CALVIN BROWN: I’ve had a lot! I’ve had male dancers inbox me and send me emails asking me, “What did you do to stand out and be seen by them?” My take on it: always do your research, but show your personality. Show why you belong there. Be big, be bold. That’s what they want to see. It was always amazing on game days to meet fans. They came a long way from when I first started. It was amazing to see them express gratitude and how things changed from when I first got on the team to my last games. I was able to show other male dancers and cheerleaders—and male fans in general—“Hey, this is a predominantly female field, but male dancers are here.” We can give you the physical side of dancing, and the masculine side as well.

What’s the key to getting the crowd going?

Personality. Just being yourself. You definitely have to talk. Being big, being bold. Just making [the fans] feel like they’re part of the team as well. That was my biggest thing. I can smile in your face all day, but I want to know who you are. Why did you come to the game? Who’s your favorite player, who’s your favorite dancer? Out of all the dances we do throughout the season, which one was your favorite? You want to take photos? I’m gonna give you some [pom] poms, just to make you feel special. It’s a full-on entertainment experience.

What are you getting down to these days?

I’m a Florida boy at heart! Anything ranging from… Saucy Santana. Just more upbeat, or I kinda dip into my Miami roots. Anything Latin pop. If I’m in my feelings, I will go down to some Shawn Mendes and let it all out. I’m sorry, I love Atlanta, but my Miami roots! Put that music on, and it’s a go!

I’m surprised you put Shawn Mendes in there…

I love me some Shawn Mendes!

What’s one thing about being a pro dancer that people don’t know about?

It’s very, very hard work. I think a lot of people get the misperception that, “Oh, it’s cheer.” Yes, it can be cheer. But if you really take the time to understand it, a lot of the cheerleaders don’t necessarily cheer. We dance. The amount of work that we have to put into it: the amount of rehearsals, we’re learning 2-3 dances per practice, plus sidelines. If there’s a pop-up show, we’re putting our bodies through a lot to make sure we look good and can perform to the best of our abilities. We make it look cute, we make it look fun. But it’s a lot of hard work and dedication.

What’s your best tip for bad dancers?

Nobody is a bad dancer. They have just not learned the ability to dance. Everyone can dance! But a good little 1, 2 step always helps. Take beginner classes. My favorite movie is Honey. It’s so simple, the last dance. YouTube tutorials, I like beginner classes. My favorite thing is watching people take beginner classes on TikTok. You have so many resources that you can look at. You can become an amazing dancer in 5-6 months.

Five to six months? Wow!

Amazing dancer. If you just want to pick it up as a hobby, I’m telling you, 1,2 step. Even if you go out and about, or you’re in line at a store somewhere. Just put a little 1,2 step. Who cares who’s looking at somebody? Have fun.

These days, you work at a gym with infrared heat. What do you love about breaking a sweat?

I feel like whenever I’m breaking a sweat, I’m releasing anything that I put into my body. Also, at the same time, if I’m sweating, that means I’m doing something right. Especially working out. I’m looking to get 2027 fine! It just makes me feel good afterwards.

When you’re not sweating or dancing, what do you do for fun?

Me and my friend, who was on the team with me, we just do little random things around Atlanta: going to Piedmont Park and doing a picnic, trying new food trucks and restaurants around the city. I’m a big kid at heart, so we try to do theme parks or adult arcades around here. For nightlife, we go to a little lounge and just take in the scenery. My favorite thing now is, going to the museum. I go to the High Museum. Every Tuesday is free. Every time I go there, there are different paintings. I like to indulge in that and learn a little bit more. I’ve been up here for five years, and I’m still learning something new about Atlanta every day.