Cadence McBride: The Making of a Top Commercial Dancer
Feb. 16 2026, Published 1:32 a.m. ET
Cadence McBride is a dancer who turned relentless ambition into a career, moving from Canada to the US and earning a coveted signing with MSA through the CLI Conservatory. As the first Canadian ever to sign out of the program and the only international in her class, she has established herself through a combination of skill, adaptability, and steady progression. With a unique look, a rare mix of movement quality, and the drive to keep pushing what comes next, McBride continues to make space for herself in a competitive industry.
The Beginnings of a Principal Dancer
McBride was raised in Ponoka, a small town in Alberta, Canada. She began dancing at a small studio in her hometown at age 3. She trained at two dance schools before her high school graduation: Ponoka’s Got 2 Dance Productions and Edmonton’s Sandra Gray School of Dance.
After finishing her education, she moved to Vancouver and attended the Harbour Dance Centre’s intensive training program. It felt like “a new world to conquer” for her, and she stayed there a year before moving to Boston. There, she danced for the CLI Conservatory.
Each new city, new challenge, made her, as she puts it, fall in love with the fight of it all. CLI was both a training opportunity and a significant milestone in her developing dance career.
Inspiration In Dance
McBride first fell in love with the work behind dance: the precision, discipline, and details most people don’t see but make the movement come together. Her learning began to blend with her passion as she continued studying, leading her to realize that technique was only part of the performance experience.
She started to recognize patterns, some styles she would favor over others, or certain artists she preferred, and then dance was no longer only a hobby. It became an identity for McBride, a direction she wanted to pursue professionally.
Dancing the Road to Success
After the COVID-19 pandemic, McBride was scouted by her current mentor, Joel Ronnie, a Royal Caribbean choreographer and performer. She was taken under his wing and became his lead dancer. It was Ronnie who encouraged her to move to continue expanding her training and experience, ultimately guiding her to larger markets.
McBride has received multiple national scholarships through the Break the Floor convention circuit in hip-hop, jazz, and contemporary styles. She auditioned and was accepted into the SGSD tour company, where she travels to Canada and the US to compete as a soloist.
While training at CLI in Boston, McBride got her next major opportunity: signing with the top American agency, McDonald Selznick Associations (MSA). With this connection, she hopes to break into the music touring, film, and TV dance circuit. She is currently scheduled to return to CLI as a principal dancer and instructor.
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Dreams and Aspirations
McBride hopes to tour as a dancer with major musical acts like Justin Timberlake or Kendrick Lamar. She wants to bring her skills and passion for hip-hop to the largest stage possible.
She aspires to one day dance in or even choreograph a music video, a significant milestone for a commercial dancer, as well as perform with Cirque Du Soleil. With her dedication, passion, and spirit, Cadence McBride continues to build experience and pursue new opportunities within the dance industry.
