Hidden Gems: Meet Allison Little of Kerosene Creative Productions

Today we’d like to introduce you to Allison Little.

Thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I started dancing when I was 3 years old. My studio offered a lot of wonderful experiences like traveling the NYC, taking classes at Broadway Dance Center, and seeing Broadway Shows and professional ballets. I truly believe these experiences inspired the trajectory of my life and career.

I was in 3rd grade when I first went to New York City and the first Broadway show I ever saw was CATS. I vividly remember it and I think it only deepened my love for dance, the theatre, and performing. I continued dancing and got involved in other activities like sports, choir, and gymnastics, but dance always held a special place in my heart.

I graduated from Western Kentucky University and was on their competitive dance team for my first 2 years at college. In my sophomore year, I auditioned for the Theatre and Dance Department’s production of Chicago but was unable to be cast because of my rigorous dance team schedule. I knew at that point I had to decide to not continue on the dance team the following year. That way I could focus more on theatre and concert dance.

During my last 2 years of school, I was immersed in the Theatre and Dance program, with most days starting at 9 am and not returning home until 10 pm because of classes and rehearsals. In my senior year, I ended up choreographing my first concert dance piece which was around 7 minutes. long, performed in the department musical Sweeney Todd, and directed my first play!

I booked my first professional job between my Junior and Senior years of college at an Outdoor Drama in North Carolina. It was my first taste of the professional world! Fast forward to 2006 – I had recently married my high school sweetheart and we decided to make a HUGE move all the way out to sunny Los Angeles, CA!

While in LA, I had numerous opportunities to audition and work in all facets of the entertainment industry. (which was exactly what I wanted to do at the time) I worked on films like Ocean’s 13, The Prestige, and The Comebacks. I filmed on TV shows like Mad Men, and Boston Legal, and worked on music videos and industrial projects. I continued to pursue my love of theatre as well and got to work with top professional theaters and companies on the West Coast.

While in LA, the Broadway National Tour of CATS held auditions for their upcoming tour. I knew I had to go! Being a dancer at heart and with jazz being my favorite style of dance, this show was a jazz dancer’s dream. The audition went extremely well and I was kept till the end with 2 other girls, out of hundreds! They put us on film and said thank you. I ended up not booking it. However, that following spring I got a call from the casting company asking if I could come to NY for a callback.

At the time it didn’t work out for me to go, so I had to decline it. THEY CALLED AGAIN – in May. I told my husband – “I need to go this time.” He agreed! Long story short – I booked it! I went on tour for the next two years traveling all over North America, South America, and Canada. I was living my dream of performing and traveling and creating some of the best memories of my life! Talk about a full circle moment – from that little 9-year-old 3rd grader sitting in The Winter Garden Theatre watching her first Broadway show – CATS!

After the tour, my husband and I decided to settle back in TN where our families were. This was a big transition professionally because at the time there were not as many opportunities for dancers and performers in Nashville. I started teaching at a few different places including Belmont University and in 2012, I booked another big show. The Nutty Professor, directed by the legendary actor and comedian Jerry Lewis! Marvin Hamlisch wrote the music, Rupert Holmes the book, and it was choreographed by Broadway choreographer, Joann Hunter!

The show premiered at The Polk Theatre at TPAC and was a huge success. Jerry stood on the stage and said “We’re going to Broadway!” The cast was thrilled and we awaited that phone call saying it was happening. But instead, we got letters from Jerry talking about the “uncertainty” of the show but that he was hopeful it would still go. 3 years later we knew that probably wasn’t going to happen.

At that point in my life, I started to have a tugging on my heart for my husband and me to start our family. Having kids was something we both always wanted, and in 2014 we had our first beautiful baby boy, Logan! He was perfect and stole my heart immediately. I started to navigate this thing called Motherhood, while still trying to keep my identity as a performer and dancer. It was a juggling act and still is at times. Nonetheless, a year after he was born I booked another big show that would perform at The Opry – How the Grinch Stole Christmas the Musical. I did the show for the next 2 years during the holidays and was even the Associate Choreographer for the 2019 Tour.

I continued to teach at Belmont where I was choreographing for one of their elite performance ensembles, Company. I did that for a total of 6 years and got to hone in on choreographing and directing and started to feel a shift in what direction I wanted to go artistically.

Around 2018, I started to get an idea to start my own company. I was still teaching and performing at local professional theaters and working individual gigs here and there but I wanted to start my own business. So in late 2020, amidst a global pandemic, I launched Kerosene Creative Productions, LLC.

KCP is a production company that focuses on Creative Direction, Choreography, and Professional Development for performing artists. We offer those services through music videos, conceptual dance videos, live shows, and our professional training program called IGNITE! We work with all types of performing artists like dancers, musicians, actors, bands, and theatre companies. We strive to collaborate with each artist and help bring their vision and goals to life! Our motto is “Igniting inspiration into life!”

Starting KCP has been a dream of mine and it’s extremely empowering to see your vision come to fruition! I love creating art and collaborating with other artists. Empowering, inspiring, and teaching are all parts of who I am and what KCP is all about. I hope it will continue to grow and will always be a company that people can rely on, respect, and want to work with.

I am still performing and choreographing outside of KCP. I’ve recently been in Mary Poppins and Elf with Nashville Repertory Theatre and will be in Cabaret with Studio Tenn this spring. This fall I was honored to be the choreographer for Nashville Rep’s production of 9 to 5 performed at The Polk Theatre at TPAC! I am grateful for the opportunities I was given as a child because I truly believe they have shaped my professional career.

We all face challenges, but looking back, would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
There have been hard moments.

When you are constantly auditioning for different jobs you hear “no” more than you hear “yes” so you have to have thick skin and truly believe in yourself. Even now, after 20+ years in the entertainment industry, I still give myself pep talks just about every day!

Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about Kerosene Creative Productions, LLC?
KCP’s motto is “Igniting Inspiration into Life.” We are a production company that collaborates with other performing artists to bring their vision to life. We achieve this through offering Creative Direction, Choreography, and Professional Development services. We work with artists on music videos, live shows, and conceptual dance videos, and offer classes, workshops, and private coaching through our Professional Training Program – IGNITE.

IGNITE exists to educate, encourage, and empower performing artists! We currently offer professional dance classes in multiple different styles all taught by top professional dancers/teachers/choreographers in the entertainment industry. At an IGNITE class, you can expect a challenging class that includes a great warm-up, technique exercises, and a dynamic combo. The individualized attention we can give students helps them hone their craft bring their performance quality to the next level and gain more confidence. With our bi-weekly Professional Filming option students are pushed to be “camera ready”, get experience working with a Professional Videographer, and walk away with fantastic footage to use for their performance reels. Classes are for 13+ and are for Intermediate/Advanced level dancers.

We also recently launched a Premiere Service called, Cinematic Solos! This service is perfect for dancers who want to capture their dance solo in a more creative way than just on the stage. We offer creative direction, conceptual design, and professional videography, and collaborate with the dancer on their vision for their video. Whether in the studio or on location at multiple places we ensure that their Cinematic Solo is unique to them! Our team plans every detail on the day of the shoot so the dancer can enjoy their day and perform their best. Additional services that we offer through our Cinematic Solos service include Professional Hair & Make-up, private coaching with KCP’s founder/CEO Allison Little, BTS footage, and an intimate interview session with the dancer and family/friends. Everything is professionally edited and you end up with an unforgettable experience and Cinematic Solo to treasure forever!

At the heart of KCP is creating and inspiring. We love collaborating with other artists to create art. We love inspiring other artists to reach their goals to be more successful performers. Each artist or student we work with has their unique journey and vision. We work with them to make that vision and dream a reality!

We all have a different way of looking at and defining success. How do you define success?
My definition of success is being well respected and sought after in your field. Having a reputation that you are dependable, professional, and pleasant to work with, and that you bring exceptional talent to the table are all extremely important and valuable.

Pricing:

• IGNITE Classes – $30/class
• Cinematic Solos – start at $1200

Contact Info:

• Website: www.keroseneproductions.com
• Instagram: @kerosenecreativeproductions and @Allison_little_professional
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/KeroseneCreativeProductions
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCMppgurq1q9X8F4BujtFdFg
• Other: www.allisonlittle.com