His most recognizable and unforgettable dance moment was his work in Beyoncé’s Coachella performance in 2018. In 2019, Netflix released “Homecoming: A Film by Beyoncé,” a documentary detailing the iconic concert and Ward was a force on the stage.
Ward is still rocking out on stage—but he’s now performing a solo R&B act. He’s currently on the road with fellow St. Louisan Smino in the Luv Is 4 Ever Tour with J.I.D.
“The tour is going well,” Ward said while preparing for a Chicago show. “The crowd’s energy has been super amazing. Everyone on the tour is super cool including the artists. I’m having a great time.”
Ward also performed at Smino’s annual Kribmas benefit concert last December at Stifel Theatre. He says he’s “learning and soaking up a lot of lessons.”
“Seeing him [Smino] go out there and give it his all every single night; at the end of the day that’s what it's about,” Ward said. “We’ve got to give people the best show we can every single night and it's just inspiring. Seeing how if you just focus on the music over time you’ll build that fan base that's just so solid.”
Ward recently released his debut album “FORWARD” and will begin his first headlining tour, “TOURWARD ‘23” in May. He will perform at St. Louis’ Blueberry Hill Duck Room on May 10.
The album title is an homage to his family’s surname.
“I wanted to shed light on my identity,” he said.
“What I’ve been through with my family represents how I got here, who I was as a kid, what my upbringing was like and I’m going through as an adult. FORWARD is also my taste level with different sounds. I like what creative powers do. I wanna indulge in ‘For Ward,’ not for anybody else but for me.”
Nearly 10 years ago, Ward moved to Los Angeles the day after his high school graduation to pursue his dreams in commercial dance.
“That's something I had been prepared for, for a few years before I even graduated high school,” he said. “l wanted to move, I wanted to get an agent, and I wanted to go on tours and dance for artists.”
His career took a leap when he performed in The Monster Show, which was staged during the “Monsters of Hip Hop” convention.
The convention hosts workshops throughout the year and youths receive dance instruction and performance tips. Some performers receive scholarships, and are invited to dance in The Monster Show.
After months of low wage dance gigs, his hard work began to pay off. His agent called him and told him he booked Prince’s “Breakfast Can Wait,” music video. Ward moved to LA in May 2013 and that gig came in September.
He didn’t get to meet Prince during that performance’s practice or shows, but he later performed on the rebooted Arsenio Hall Show in 2014 and the men met.
He almost thought he wasn’t going to book “Beychella,” [Beyoncé’s Coachella concert] in 2018.
“I had just got home from traveling and doing some other dance stuff. I didn’t really think that I was gonna get it,” he said.
“I’m like a 5’7,” 150 pound guy. I feel like Beyonce needs some big Hercules dudes. I went into the audition really goofing around. Then for the next few months we were just crushing it for hours every single day, six days out of the week. It was a dope experience. It pushed me a lot and I built a lot of great bonds.”
Ward grew up in south St. Louis and Maryland Heights. He attended Metro Academic and Classical High School, and later graduated from Parkway North High School.
He trained in dance and musical theater at The Black Rep, Center of Creative Arts (COCA), The Muny, Charmette Academy of Dance & Acrobatics, and Pinx Academy of Dance.
“Every single person on this planet has embedded greatness in them,” he said. “When you call that love, light, God, purpose, vision, mission, whatever you wanna call it we all have an infinite capacity that we’re entitled to explore and St. Louis is no exception."
He added that St. Louis is filled with many great musicians that have changed music’s landscape.
“We have a right to push the boundaries and to fully indulge and invest in our business because that's what we’re here to do. I would just say keep going, don't try to fit any mold, do what you like to do.”
Tickets are available on https://www.jordanalexward.com.
