Dance transcends motion: MEHOW Hendzel on art, education, and inspiration

Photo courtesy of Mehow Hendzel

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MEHOW Hendzel is passionate about the art of dance. He’s a self-described artist, dancer, choreographer, and dance instructor. Based in Los Angeles, he’s worked on many artistic projects and TV productions. His talent has led him to collaborate with celebrities such as Dua Lipa, J. Cole, Cara Delevingne, Marshmello, Dave LaChapelle, and many others.

Big dreams and accomplishments in Poland

Born in 1994 in Lublin, Poland, to a dentist mother and an engineer father, Hendzel seemed destined to follow in their footsteps. However, when he was a young boy, he made a strong connection with music that changed his path. When he was around 10, he started DJing. By the time he was 12, he was spinning in clubs in his hometown and was dubbed “The Youngest DJ in Poland” by a Polish newspaper. 

At 13, he shifted his attention from DJing music to dancing to it instead. Hendzel was inspired by dance movies and productions like Stomp the Yard, Step Up, and others. After informing his parents of his ambitions to become a professional dancer—even though it seemed unlikely to happen in Poland at that time—he steadfastly pursued his dreams.

“It was hard to share my vision with peers and family. My dream of being a professional dancer was unreal and impossible in the circumstances back in the day. Poland’s independence was in 1989. I was born in 1994, the first generation after communism, living in free Poland. I was fighting with an old-school mindset. It was very hard to follow your dreams,” Hendzel explains.

Despite obstacles, Hendzel persisted. By the age of 16, he was performing on TV shows. For a while, he was part of a well-known Polish dance group, UDS, who were finalists of Poland’s Got Talent and Got To Dance Poland.

Traveling the world

Hendzel has been a professional dancer since 2007 and has worked steadily. He has taught dance all over the globe and has worked with many talented people in the industry. As a choreographer, he has done projects for brands such as Puma and Balmain. Hendzel has also performed for Apple, Sony, Häagen-Dazs, Panasonic, Johnnie Walker, Mountain Dew, Mazda, Volvo, Mercedes, and Black & Mild.

“Years of working and competing… inspired me and gave me tools to become a professional and versatile dance artist working in commercials, TV, stage, and tours all around the world. I spent most of my life traveling, teaching dance, and performing on stage in Poland, Europe, Asia, North, Central and South America,” Hendzel says about his career. “In 2020, I moved to Los Angeles, where I had a chance to work with celebrities and best dancers and choreographers from all around the world.”

Hendzel’s mission is to be a “leader to inspiring young talents.” As a teacher, he has taught thousands of students who look up to him because of his professional dancing career. Currently, Hendzel is on the faculty at one of the most famous dance studios in the world, Millennium Dance Complex.

In the future, Hendzel plans to continue working as a choreographer and creative director. He also hopes to perform on many more major tours while mentoring the younger generation of dancers. The success he has achieved despite a difficult start as a child in post-communist Poland exemplifies his determination to achieve his goals of becoming a choreographer and dancer for the brightest stars of Los Angeles.