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Some people gain success through work and effort, while others inherit it. Dee Perkins’ starting point to success was apparent since he was a child in elementary school. “I was the kid that was always at recess making up cheer teams or dance teams,” Perkins stated. “Many of the girls would try out for my team. So, every day, we had auditions at recess, and I knew I always wanted to coach. It’s just something about me making up something, teaching it to somebody, and watching it come to life basically off the top of my head.”

It wasn’t until 8th grade that Perkins’s middle school teacher saw his passion for dance. He stated, “I was a troublesome kid in school. I used to get in trouble for not sitting still in my seat because I always wanted to make a beat for everybody to dance to,” Perkins recalled. “So, my 8th grade teacher sent a letter to my mom and she said, ‘Dee is a great kid. He’s very energetic. He’s not a problem, but he wants to have dance practice throughout the class.'” Eventually, Perkins’ middle school teacher found a way for him to channel his energy by signing him up to Lucretia’s School of Dance. Perkins had dance class every Tuesday and Wednesday for two hours.

For one year, he danced at Lucretia before he joined Murkerson’s Dance Academy, where he started as a cheerleader. From 9th to 10th grade, he became a hip-hop team instructor.

After two years with Murkerson, Perkins did basketball cheer from 10th-12th grade. Even though Perkins had an outlet for his energy, he would still be in class making up routines, but he always got his work done.

After high school, he became a cheerleader at Albany State University (ASU) for his first and second years. During the summer, the captain of the Passionettes dance line offered him a position as the choreographer, where he coached the dance line team at ASU from 2011-2013.

After Perkins’ third year of coaching the Passionettes, a former HBCU dancer from Morehouse College reached out to Perkins and offered him the opportunity to be the lead choreographer for her dance company workshop. He accepted the position and started working for the company in 2012.

In 2013, Perkins received news that his boss submitted videos of his choreography with the Passionettes to Robin Thicke, who was looking for two HBCU dancers to perform in his music video. The news got out, prompting other HBCU members to enter the audition. Almost two weeks later, Perkins’ videos were chosen along with another dance team. Perkins went out to LA for five days to do the video shoot, where he also met and worked with famous artists like 2 Chainz, Pharrell Williams, and Kendrick Lamar.

He stated, “It was a great experience. I thought I was a celebrity. I was on a video set with people I see on TV. They were walking around me like it was a normal day.” After the video shoot, Perkins was invited to the MTV VMA in Bronx, New York. He recalled, “Robin Thicke loved the performance so much that he wanted it performed in the MTV performance.” Perkins went to the MTV performance as a supportive choreographer for the girls. Still, the director contacted Perkins and asked him if his choreography could be featured in Robin Thicke’s music video “Give It 2 U.”

This video shoot with Robin Thicke gave Perkins a new level of exposure and attention. Different high schools, colleges, community dance teams, and many up-and-coming Atlanta artists reached out to him. He also worked along with Dianna Williams, also known as Mrs. D from the TV show “The Dancing Dolls.” He stated, “From my experience, lots of people knew my work from being Passionettes Fans. Every other weekend, I was flying somewhere or either traveling somewhere to host a camp for someone and hosting or judging a competition while still working for the company that got us the recognition.”

In 2016, Perkins’ choreography travels with big-name celebrities were put on hold when he received surgery on his head.

In 2017, news about his grandmother’s declining health prompted Perkins to return home. When he returned to Bainbridge, he started subbing at the school. “I had the middle school and high school fighting to get me every week,” he joked. “The kids love me, and I know how to get on their level and keep them in line simultaneously.” Perkins subbed for five years. He stated, “After being in the school system from 2017 to 2019, I had already built a reputation for myself as a middle and high school sub-teacher. In my second year of subbing, I was asked to be the assistant cheer coach in 2018 at Bainbridge Middle. In 2019, I was the basketball cheer coach at the high school.”

Following his coaching at both BMS and BHS, as well as his grandmother’s passing, Perkins was stuck at a crossroads: either going back to Atlanta or continuing to coach in Bainbridge. Eventually, the middle school principal, Quinten Fuller, presented him with an opportunity to coach a Step Team at the middle school in 2020. He answered, “I can step because I was in a fraternity, Phi Beta Sigma, where I pledged in Albany State in the spring of 2014. So, I’ve always been into step and dance.”

Perkins was concerned with the ins and outs of teaching middle school because he had never coached middle school students. After further discussion with Fuller, Perkins decided to take the position, and he’s been teaching the step team for five years.

Last year, the Step Team competed against 30 teams at Westover High School, winning first place. Even though Perkins’ received more love and recognition in the dance community in urban areas, he decided to stay in Bainbridge and give back to the Decatur County Schools. He stated, “I don’t plan on going anywhere. I thought Bainbridge was too small for me, but I’m never too big for myself. I love the fact that I can be the person who I am to the kids. A lot of kids don’t have a person who cares about them and who’s gonna push them to stay on the right track.” Even though Perkins lives in Bainbridge, he’s still making waves on social media with almost 100,000 followers on instagram watching his quirky dance moves and entertaining cheer chants.