Today we’d like to introduce you to Zack King.
Hi Zack, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start, maybe you can share some of your backstories with our readers.
I grew up in an artistic home: Both my parents play music and are covered in tattoos, so it made sense that my first step into art was music. I played music from elementary school through high school. I participated in all the events: concert band, marching band, band camp, competitions. The whole nine yards! I also had a very active childhood: I played sports in and out of school; I learned martial arts; and I started weightlifting in high school. All of these activities were fun, but it wasn’t until I was introduced to poetry in middle school that I became passionate about art. Writing poetry turned into writing and performing slam poetry. I even created the slam poetry club at my high school. This passion for performing led me to dance. What started out as just a few friends freestyling and joking behind the arts building eventually grew into the official San Diego High School dance crew. We performed at lunchtime dance battles, school rallies, and other themed events like Halloween.
After a tumultuous high school experience, I found myself at City College majoring in Liberal Arts. I wanted to be a teacher, just like my mom, but life had other plans for me. I took a dance class to balance out my general-ed-filled schedule, and it soon became all I could think about. One thing led to another and I switched my major to dance. High school was rough, but college was one of the toughest parts of my life. My romantic relationship became increasingly toxic. My dad’s mental health and alcoholism spiraled out of control, and I was put on academic probation several times. I spent seven years in and out of school. I hopped from job to job, dancing here and there but never feeling satisfied. After what felt like decades, I was finally accepted into SDSU’s Dance Department in 2016. The next two years were some of the best times of my life. I was finally on track to graduate college, and I was excelling in all my classes. I was hungry for knowledge and opportunities. In 2018, I graduated with a BFA in dance and a minor in theater.
Now, five years later, I’m still pursuing my dream of acting and dancing professionally. I’ve been lucky enough to film a short web series, appear in several commercials, train with international artists, and in 2021 I got my first speaking role in a feature film. I was a part of the 2017 San Diego International Airport arts residency. In 2022, I had the wonderful opportunity to choreograph for SDSU’s rendition of Love’s Labor’s Lost and debuted a work in progress of my latest piece, Project Psyche: Loyalty, with the support of Disco Riot. I currently work as a teaching artist, actor, and choreographer for several art education non-profit organizations in San Diego.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Taking nine years to finish undergrad was demoralizing. I watched tons of friends enter and finish college before me. I felt like I was behind in life. Every day was a struggle to finish a race that felt never-ending. I was in a constant emotional tug of war with myself: “You’re a loser. You’re never going to finish school. Just give up already. A degree is pointless… You’re amazing! You’re so resilient. You must persevere. You’re so close.” All were part of my inner monologues!
After I graduated, finding work as a performer was very difficult. Since I had worked all through college, I had pretty realistic expectations of how much work I was going to get. Some seasons were good, and some seasons were bad. I found minimum-wage jobs and teaching opportunities to sustain me between gigs. Unfortunately, this is the reality that artists, particularly black artists like myself, still have to navigate in San Diego and beyond.
Although the road has not been smooth, I am not losing sight of my goal. While I’m still not in a place where I’m performing and directing full-time, I have a roadmap to get to that goal. It’s taking longer than I had hoped, but the good thing about dreams is that they don’t expire.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar, what can you tell them about what you do?
I am a dancer, actor, director/dancemaker.
I got my start in hip-hop dance but have expanded my movement repertoire to include many other styles and ideologies. As an actor, I’m currently training in Meisner technique. Even though I’ve only been training in this style for a short amount of time, this technique has become very important to me. I believe that Meisner‘s approach to acting by “living truthfully, in imaginary circumstances” sits perfectly with who I am as a person. As a maker, I would say that I focus a lot of my attention on the relationship between functionality and spectacle. There is an internal logic to everything I make. Whether or not the finished product looks a certain way, I’m always working to create something that is new and impactful to me, and hopefully to others as well.
In regards to what I’m known for, I experimented with asking my longtime collaborator… Those who have worked with me know that I always put a lot of myself into the work. I believe it’s important to have a personal connection with any kind of art that I’m creating. I’m also consistently experimenting in an attempt to deepen my understanding of whatever I am making or co-creating. I would rather go a mile deep and an inch wide than a mile wide and an inch deep.
I think I am most proud of the vulnerability that I bring to any project I’m a part of. I don’t want to be a wandering generality. I want to be specific, and I think that requires a lot of honesty with myself and vulnerability with the people that I’m working with.
It’s odd to say out loud, but I think what sets me apart is my personality. I’m very passionate, I’m very ambitious, and I want to make bold choices. At the same time. I am very silly and childlike. So much so that people think I am the youngest of my siblings when I’m actually the oldest. When I was younger, I promised myself that no matter how old I got, I would never grow up. I love cartoons; I love fantasy and sci-fi. Ultimately, I love imagination and my art reflects my unwillingness to give that up.
What quality or characteristic do you feel is most important to your success?
I think it’s my compassion towards myself. I spent a lot of my life failing and because of that; I’m not afraid to keep failing. I believe that if I work hard enough and improve my skills enough, I can do anything I set my mind to – and I’ve proven that in my career so far. Everything I know about filmmaking and video editing I taught myself. Most of my acting training came from me seeking out coaches and mentors. Through my life and career, I have learned to love myself, and so I can trust that when things get tough, I won’t quit. More than anything, I believe in my ability to conquer any obstacle in front of me. No matter how long it takes or what I have to endure, if I want something, I’m going to go get it. I also have a lot of people to thank for that like my mom, my uncle, and my wife – I am grateful for their support!
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theofficialzackking/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@KingBrosYT
Image Credits
Renaldo Orozco
Mao Tran
