Biografia
Born on July 27, 1978, in Des Moines, Iowa, to Pamela and Darwin Colton, Sandra Colton possesses a diverse range of talents that guarantee success. Trained in voice, tap, jazz, hip-hop, and gymnastics, she is a rising star to watch on both stage and screen. Having performed since the age of three, Sandra has captivated audiences, whether on the Star Search stage or the Las Vegas Strip. Early in her career, she portrayed a young Johnnie Mae Gibson in the CBS TV Movie of the Week, which told the story of the first Black FBI woman, played by Lynn Whitfield as the adult Gibson. Sandra has appeared in commercials such as one for Tara Cone Factory and a series for New York Fabric. She was also part of the performing troupe P'zzazz, which toured the San Francisco Bay Area delivering positive anti-drug messages to local schools.
As a song-and-dance opening act, Sandra and her sister Christine Colton have performed alongside entertainers like Bill Cosby, Lou Rawls, Savion Glover, Gregory Hines, and the Nicholas Brothers. The duo, known as Colton & Colton, won the 1992 Star Search Teen Dance Championship, making history with their tap dance performance. They also appeared in a series of public service announcements for latchkey children in Las Vegas called "Phone Friends." Colton & Colton received acclaim at the Showboat Hotel & Casino in Atlantic City and were named Entertainers of the Week in Las Vegas. After Christine went to college in 1994, Sandra continued performing as a varsity cheerleader at Cimarron-Memorial High School in Las Vegas. In 1996, she was invited to teach cheerleading camps for high school and junior high students with the Universal Cheerleaders Association, working there for two years.
Sandra pursued higher education after graduating with honors from Cimarron-Memorial High School. She cheered for four years at the University of Oregon, serving as Dance Captain during her junior and senior years. While studying, she was a member of Team Council, an organization of student-athletes that taught team-building skills to youth, and contributed freelance articles to the Oregon Daily Emerald. Sandra graduated with honors, earning a Bachelor's degree in Sociology with a minor in Communication Studies. She received departmental honors for completing an Honors Thesis titled "Biracial Identity Development," which explored the challenges biracial individuals face in defining their racial identity.
Sandra worked as the Community Relations Coordinator for the XFL's Las Vegas Outlaws, engaging in both sports and entertainment through Vince McMahon's joint venture with WWF (now WWE) and NBC. She performed the National Anthem before an estimated 20,000 fans at the Outlaws' final home game at Sam Boyd Stadium.
Following this, Sandra was selected as a Laker Girl for the 2002-2003 NBA season with the Los Angeles Lakers. Performing energetic dance routines at every home game and participating in charity and promotional events, Sandra enjoyed one of the best courtside views in the arena. While in Los Angeles, she also danced in a Nike commercial, Macy’s Passport 2002, and the 2003 MTV Movie Awards.
In the fall of 2003, Sandra founded Original Girl, LLC, which launched OG Magazine in February 2004. She has taught dance and resource classes at the University of Washington, North Seattle Community College, Dance Premier, All That Dance, Definitive Dance, and choreographs for the University of Oregon’s Dance and Cheerleading Teams. Currently based in Los Angeles, Sandra recently finished as one of the Top 16 finalists on Fox’s dance competition show So You Think You Can Dance. Promoting her debut album, Just Dance, she continues to perform in showcases and is preparing to launch her online magazine, Original Girl (OG), and a clothing line under the same name in fall 2007. Sandra believes that with dedication and perseverance, nothing can prevent you from reaching your goals.
