Tiara McFadden dreams of becoming a pediatrician, lawyer and space scientist, but she’s a dancer at heart.
Since she was five years old, Tiara has been taking dance classes at Karar Praise Dance Studio in New Haven before taking a two-year hiatus. After that, she took to the dance floor again and now attends the Hamden Academy of Dance.
Tiara, 15, of New Haven, has many different favorite styles of dance including lyrical, tap, jazz, multi-cultural and hip hop. Though some students prefer following the instructor exactly, Tiara disagrees and prefers following her own style.
“It’s better to do your own style, not with the group, because your style shows who you are and gives more personality,” Tiara said.
Tiara Nigee McFadden was born on July 25, 1998 in Derby. She spent her first four years living in Derby, but now lives in New Haven with her family. Her mother, Schanell McFadden, works as a nurse, and her stepfather, Sheldon Schuler, is a warehouse manager. She also has two brothers, Sheldon Jr., 11, and Shemar, 6, and a sister, Tatiana, 9.
Tiara wants to go to a top university such as Stanford University or Harvard University. She said that she wants to be at the top as a dancer in Hollywood, but she is also interested in choreography and teaching young dancers.
Off of the dance floor, Tiara has some varied interests. She is a fan of professional football; her favorite teams are the New York Giants and the Pittsburgh Steelers. Her favorite movie is “Dreamgirls”and her favorite TV show is “Dance Moms.” Her favorite artist is Justin Bieber. For reading, she is a huge fan of the Twilight series.
She has already traveled to many places across the world including Orlando, and Jamaica, where her father is from. She has been there many times and it is one of her personal favorite travel spots.
Tiara is someone who won’t change who she is and lives by the quote, “Never leave your throne to address a peasant throwing stones.”
Brian Hultgren is a junior at Xavier High School, Middletown.