When Naia Parker is at home with people she trusts, like most tweens, she knows how to speak her mind. But at a very early age, extreme shyness in unfamiliar situations muted her verbal expression. Naia’s parents sought help for their daughter’s condition, called selective mutism, through supportive homeschooling; patient, caring teachers at dance class; and inspiring role models.
A seed of expression took hold in the dance studio, where her love for music and movement were encouraged to bloom when her mother, Robyn, took her to Mommy and Me classes and developed a passion for music with her father, Ken, a musician and teacher. Naia’s dedication to dance led to the Crazy 8’s, an elite competitive dance team that trains at the Orange County Performing Arts Academy in Anaheim Hills. Earlier this year, the stage was set for Naia and the Crazy 8’s to compete on season 3 of NBC’s World of Dance, where she met one of her dance idols, Jennifer Lopez, who is a judge on the show.
Asked who inspires her to work so hard at dance, Naia shared that Hannahlei Cabanella, the winner of Season 15 of So You Think You Can Dance, who also studies dance at OCPAA, has been a huge inspiration. Another person Naia holds in high regard is Amy Berokoff, her dance teacher and choreographer for the Crazy 8’s at Orange County Performing Arts Academy, with whom she has developed a close bond over the years.
As Naia is now more frequently recognized, she inspires her own fans of 22,000 Instagram followers as a model for Sadie Jane’s Jake Nothing Brave collection of dance and activewear. She also has accepted ambassadorships for two other dance clothing companies: Discount Dance and Tiger Friday.
Sharing her story on World of Dance has brought nationwide awareness to selective mutism, which has encouraged Naia to be brave enough at times to speak. According to both her parents, Naia recognizes the powerful support she feels from God, her family, friends and teachers. Out of the quiet presence comes a strong message Naia wants people to know: “I may be quiet, but I am brave. Selective mutism does not keep me from dancing! It’s how I express myself.”