Forget counseling, Shawn Jones-Murray lets his feet do the talking. Born in Minneapolis and raised in Chicago, he grew up in a family where dance was not just a hobby, it was a way to end arguments and keep the peace. When the music dropped, the bickering stopped, and Shawn learned early on that movement speaks louder than words ever could.
“Dance is a conversation, it’s a love language, it’s therapy,” Shawn explains, clearly not here for your average two-step. What started as a kid mimicking music video moves turned into a way for him to process life’s wild rollercoaster, from joy to rage. Dance became more than just steps, but words in movement.
As a dance teacher, one of Shawn’s first gigs was at Let’s Dance Studio in North Dakota. Eventually, his passion led him to Los Angeles, where he aimed to turn that love into a full-blown career. But LA isn’t easy, it is packed with dreamers, and Shawn found himself facing a familiar enemy: self-doubt. ‘Sometimes I forget who I am,’ he admits. Even the most talented among us have those ‘what am I doing here?’ moments.
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Shawn’s ultimate goal is to book a major music video or tour; an opportunity he believes would be truly life changing. “That would just build my confidence,” he admits, echoing the sentiments of many in his position. People around him constantly tell him he is a star, but that belief is something he is still working on fully embracing. At home, he is dancing freely, telling stories with his body, feeling free. But the moment he steps into a class, something shifts.
“I get so caught up in perfecting the choreography, I forget who I am,” Shawn says. Being booked for something major is validation and trust. “I feel like I would walk into rooms different, with my head held higher,” he shares. It would mean a nice paycheck and a feeling of finally arriving and belonging.
Despite any lingering doubts, dance remains Shawn’s greatest strength. Whether teaching jazz-funk to teenagers or engaging in spontaneous sessions with friends, dance is where his passion truly lies. His journey of self-discovery, however, is still unfolding.
“For me, I feel like I am someone who is just finding out who I am as an artist,” he reflects, acknowledging the evolving nature of his identity. Shawn resists being confined by labels or defined by a single role.
“I wanted to be a choreographer, a rapper, and then I wanted to sing,” he says with a laugh, illustrating his belief that creative boundaries simply do not apply to him. Instead, he absorbs inspiration from the world around him and expresses it in whatever form feels most authentic. For Shawn, labels are irrelevant; artistic expression knows no limits.
In the end, Shawn’s advice is both practical and powerful: ‘Believe in yourself more than the next person believes in you.’ For him, it all starts with the little things—the discipline of waking up early, making your bed, and tackling those small, everyday tasks.
“It’s the little things that build the confidence within yourself and the discipline within yourself,” he says. Those small habits create the foundation for bigger achievements.
And when it comes to growth, Shawn insists, “Do the things you don’t want to do. Do not get comfortable. Make yourself very, very uncomfortable.” Whether it’s showing up to the toughest classes or mastering the basics, he believes that embracing the uncomfortable is where real progress happens. As Shawn puts it, “Those hard classes are where you’re going to grow.”
Through persistence, discomfort, and constant learning, Shawn knows that true artistry isn’t just about talent—it’s about the discipline to push forward, even when it’s hard.
For the latest updates, dance videos, and music follow Shawn Jones-Murray on Instagram @shawnjworld and on SoundCloud as Autumn Artiste.
