Melissa Becraft
Melissa Becraft’s videos are broadcast to her following of hundreds of thousands who enjoy her exciting and distinctive TikTok niche. The entertainer’s content is almost always centered around her #1 passion: dance. She isn’t just any dancer, though. When she isn’t making content, she’s a model and a dancer for the Brooklyn Nets. On TikTok, she posts videos remaking old music videos and choreographing dances to popular songs from different eras. Her loyal following loves to watch how creative she can get, as she often creates colorful outfits to fit the decade or celebrity dance she’s recreating. In only four months posting on the app, Becraft has earned herself over 6.3 million likes. We recently spoke with the entertainer about her career as a dancer in the NBA, her favorite era of dance, and more!
Did you have any specific plans or ideas when you joined TikTok?
I joined TikTok near the beginning of quarantine. I had just left the city to stay with family, and I had no job, no classes, no rehearsals, etc. I was just having fun when I joined, but I decided at the end of April to start taking my content creation seriously. I'm so happy I did!
What was your first big video?
This is a good story! At this point it was May 19th. I was working hard and I had gathered a few thousand followers, but none of my videos had really taken off. I was feeling discouraged overall. While I was filming outside it started to rain. Not just a normal rain, but a full-blown storm - black clouds, swirling wind, torrential downpour. I ran inside frustrated and called my sister. I told her how mad I was and asked her, "Should I just go outside in the rain and do Maniac from Flashdance?" I decided to go for it, and had a blast filming it. When I posted the video, it was so exciting to watch the views go up. I felt like people were enjoying my dancing, which was the whole point all along.
How much of a role has dance played in your life?
Dancing guides my entire life. It's not a job where I come home from work and forget about it. I'm so thankful to be able to pursue my passion.
What’s your favorite genre or era of music for dance?
I just did a series on my page called Dancing Through the Decades. It was so much fun to research the music and dancing from each era. The 50s has a beautiful style that is all its own and is so recognizable. But the music in the 80s has always been my favorite. Michael Jackson changed the industry to me.
What do you consider your biggest accomplishment?
I've done a lot of cool jobs in my career, but my biggest accomplishment is not giving up. There were so many days that I wanted to leave the city and I'm so glad I didn't.
Who’s a TikToker you’d love to collab with?
There’s an amazing pianist I’ve been following for a while, @levelsofpiano. I’d love to collaborate with him and dance to his work!
Would you ever consider a career on social media following your TikTok success?
Yes! As a performer, social media is already a part of my career. I'm excited to see where things go from here now that I get to share my joy of dancing with so many people.
