Take a Step Back To DESTINY

by L onita C ook // phot ography by Jason Dai L ey

“Who run the world? Girls.” – Beyoncé

Young Elaina Paige Thomas hears a voice, faint in the distance. That means you, okay?

Light sweeps over her third-grade face as she sits at the brown wooden desk, the chatter of peers all around, threatening to pierce the veil. But she doesn’t quite hear them either. She’s between worlds.

Elaina’s daydreaming delivers a potential destiny. Three major points revealed in her reverie become guideposts for her future: 1) work with her idol – renowned dancer and choreographer, Debbie Allen; 2) become a professional dancer; and 3) open a studio/agency.

With the powerful force of innocence, little Elaina Paige accepts fate’s assignment.

Networking is not about take, take, take. It’s about mutual take and give. How can we help each other? Not just help me, help me.

I established awesome relationships early on because I was genuine. I’ve always been the type to want to help everyone.”

– ELAINA PAIGE THOMAS

THE NEXT PAIGE TALENT AGENCY, Kansas City’s first Black- and woman-owned talent management company, was born of that future-gazing moment of its owner and founder. Thomas, a Kansas City native, is a popular figure in entertainment. She’s been a background dancer for Beyoncé, toured Asia as a professional and returned home as a gift to aspiring Kansas and Missouri creatives of all ages.

Today, Thomas offers her experience to those she represents, bolstering their talent with professional tools. But several twists, turns and leaps of faith came first, as the light that warmed that dreamy day in third grade illuminated her path.

“A lot of people don’t know this about my story, but I actually got kicked out of Lincoln – for fighting,” Thomas recalls.

During her middle school years, Thomas attended the prestigious Lincoln College Preparatory Academy in Kansas City up until this incident.

“My mother made a huge sacrifice and moved us to Lee’s Summit,” says Thomas.

Self-disappointment loomed over a Thomas too young to understand the phrase “take a step back to leap forward.” But fate showed its face and started to make good on the vision. As it turned out, this bit of “throwing these hands” led her to the school where she would get her introductory taste of becoming a first: Thomas was crowned the first Black homecoming queen of Lee’s Summit North High School.

Columbia College Chicago is where her calling came into full view. Thomas was transformed from a pre-professional – having trained from the age of three in ballet, tap and modern – into a developed dancer, poised for the global stage.

“I was exposed locally to the arts, to the mentorship and to many people who believed in my talent. When I went to train in Chicago, I had the foundation and then I was able to layer on development pieces I needed to be successful,” Thomas says. “Having the foundation really helped, but having access to a larger market, the educators, mentors and networks – those resources helped navigate me toward successful outcomes.”

Wanting to be a well-rounded artist, Thomas enrolled in history, anatomy, business, writing, speech and finance in addition to dance.

“I was embedded in the industry and became more than just a dancer,” she says. “I learned how to understand the business aspect of it. I became a performer and learned to be a brand.”

It was here that the first goal was checked off her childhood to-do list when Debbie Allen set one of her dance pieces. Thomas combined this experience and her education into showwomanship. This put her in an excellent position to achieve her second checkpoint: becoming a professional dancer. With the fortune of good timing on her side, a friend within her network phoned to invite her to audition for none other than Queen Bey.

“It’s a lot about who you know, the connections – no – the relationships that you’ve made,” Thomas says. “Networking is not about take, take, take. It’s about mutual take and give. How can we help each other? Not just help me, help me. I established awesome relationships early on because I was genuine. I’ve always been the type to want to help everyone.”

It was well-cultivated relationships, ballet technique and vogue learned from the culture that helped secure a spot on Beyoncé’s 2011 “Run the World” debut performance on Oprah Winfrey’s final show.

“I loved the shoulder action. That is a staple. In rehearsals, our shoulders would be so tired. But we had to get the undulations and isolations of the shoulder patterns just right. We were in rehearsals eight to ten hours working shoulders. But that was one of my favorite moves.”

Thomas synthesized her talent, education and childhood dreaming into an international tour with Bey. It didn’t come without hard work, which is something she has in common with the multifaceted star.

“Bey is an amazing woman to work with. She would come to rehearsals. She is a haaard worker. People have no clue. She is a business woman. That, itself, impressed on me, to see her work ethic,” Thomas recalls.

“Being on the road is tiring. The money is great, but they wear you out. [Even so], I would never trade that magical moment in our lives. The day of the first show, we were backstage praying together. We were right there, holding hands with Beyoncé.”

It was in this enormous moment that Thomas found alignment, reminding herself to stay focused on the prevailing innocence of her third-grade inner child as she scaled up. Post-tour, Thomas returned to the Kansas City area where she continued to elevate her resume, strategizing and choreographing for artists like Black Eyed Peas, Tyrese and Genuine. She also worked with former Kansas City Chief, Tamba Hali, as he transitioned into his music career.

She was successful, and yet there was a third aspiration waiting to be realized. Thomas had that feeling, a déjà vu sensation summoning her to the vision, reminding her of the blueprint. That inner girl was tugging on her soul like an attentiondemanding child pulling on coattails. She was saying, It’s time. But Thomas stayed put in her fulltime artistic role.

Her sister urged her forward, “‘You just need to quit – just let it go. Just go ’head and start your spot.’” Thomas recalls her sister’s encouragement. “And I’d say, ‘Yeah, yeah, I should. One day.’”

As she continued to drag her feet, it seems other forces aligned to give her a nudge. Thomas was terminated from her safe, full-time job. Fate once again teaching her to take a step back so she could leap forward into purpose.

“I didn’t know what to do. I didn’t know where to turn,” she says. “A month after that, I was able to get the keys to this spot.”

This spot is a brick-and-mortar business owned by Thomas. The Next Paige Talent Agency aims to be an oasis for searching and aspiring Kansas and Missouri creatives, artisans and technicians vying for representation, training and networking. There are classes and workshops, plus scholarships through The Next Paige Foundation. Thomas wants to make professional development and talent management accessible, the kind that could result in international credentials for students.

Professional actor and model Jamie Addison believes there are many talented people in the community who can benefit from Thomas’ input.

“Elaina is an exceptional woman and I’m forever grateful that God placed her in my life,” Addison says. “It was her guidance and belief in me that led me to really get serious about the craft of acting…a journey that has blossomed from actor, to writer and soon-to-be filmmaker.”

According to Addison, the agency unlocks access to the industry and equips students with training resources to sharpen their talent while covering topics such as etiquette, networking and branding.

Thomas is happy to open her doors wide and wants to help provide a purpose for the next generation.

“I don’t want to scale up in my business. I want to scale deep in this community,” she says. “As I scale, I stay focused on the young girl I was. I sit in this space and think, ‘I dreamed of this.’” n