Person Biography:
Sandra Colton was born on July 27, 1978, in Des Moines, Iowa, to Pamela and Darwin Colton. She is a multi-talented individual with a background in voice, tap, jazz, hip-hop, and gymnastics. Sandra began performing at the age of three and has since taken the stage by storm, appearing on the Star Search stage and the Las Vegas Strip.
Sandra's early career included a role in the CBS TV Movie of the Week, playing a young Johnnie Mae Gibson, the first Black FBI woman. She has also appeared in commercials, including one for Tara Cone Factory and a series for New York Fabric.
As a member of the performing troupe P'zzazz, Sandra performed around the San Francisco Bay Area, spreading positive messages through anti-drug shows for local high school, junior high school, and elementary school children. Alongside her sister Christine, Sandra performed as an opening act for entertainers such as Bill Cosby, Lou Rawls, Savion Glover, Gregory Hines, and the Nicholas Brothers.
Sandra and her sister Christine won the 1992 Star Search Teen Dance Champions and performed in a series of Public Service Announcements for latchkey children in Las Vegas, NV, called "Phone Friends." They also won rave reviews at the Showboat Hotel & Casino in Atlantic City and were named Entertainers of the Week in Las Vegas, NV.
After her sister Christine went to college in 1994, Sandra continued performing as a Varsity Cheerleader for Cimarron-Memorial High School in Las Vegas, NV. She was offered a position to teach High School and Junior High School Cheerleading Camps with Universal Cheerleaders Association in 1996 and worked for UCA for the next two years.
Sandra went on to college, graduating with Honors from Cimarron-Memorial H.S. She cheered for four years at the University of Oregon, becoming Dance Captain for her Junior and Senior years. During her studies, she was a member of Team Council, an organization of student-athletes that taught team-building skills to youth, and contributed articles as a freelance reporter for the Oregon Daily Emerald.
Sandra graduated with Honors, obtaining her Bachelor's degree in Sociology with a minor in Communication Studies. The Departmental Honors were awarded to Sandra for her completion of the Honors Thesis Program during her senior year. Her thesis, entitled "Biracial Identity Development," tackled the hard questions that persons of biracial decent face when trying to decipher how they will racially identify themselves.
Sandra worked as the Community Relations Coordinator for the XFL's Las Vegas Outlaws, involved in both sports and entertainment in Vince McMahon's joint venture with the WWF, now the WWE, and NBC. She wowed the home crowd at Sam Boyd Stadium with the National Anthem in front of an estimated 20,000 people at the Outlaws Final Home Game.
After completing this chapter, Sandra auditioned and was invited to be a Laker Girl for the 2002-2003 Season of the NBA's Los Angeles Lakers. She performed in front of thousands of people, friends, and stars alike, having the best courtside seat in the house. She performed six high-energy dance routines every home game, along with charity and promotional appearances, making the 2002-2003 Laker Girl Season a hit!
While living in Los Angeles, Sandra performed in a Nike Industrial, Macy's Passport 2002, and the 2003 MTV Movie Awards. Sandra started her own company, Original Girl, LLC, publisher of OG Magazine, in February 2004. She taught dance and resource classes at various institutions and choreographed for University of Oregon Dance & Cheerleading Teams.
Sandra is currently living in Los Angeles, where she has just completed her run as one of the Top 16 on the dance spin-off of American Idol on Fox called So You Think You Can Dance. She is promoting her debut album, Just Dance, and is a showstopper. Sandra is launching her online magazine in the Fall of 2007 called Original Girl, OG for short, and a clothing line called OG as well! Sandra believes that with hard work and perseverance, nothing can stop you from achieving your goals.
