going Gaga

Just five month after tossing her mortarboard with the class of 2009, Lakeridge graduate Montana Efaw is living her dream on a world tour, dancing for Lady Gaga

By Linda Hundhammer

The Lake Oswego Review, Nov 28, 2009

SUBMITTED PHOTO

Montana Efaw, in costume, 18, graduate of Lakeridge High School, was selected as one of 11 hip-hop dancers to tour with the hottest performer in pop music, Lady Gaga. Efaw will start the Monster Ball Tour in Montreal on Saturday, and will be on the road with the “Haus of Gaga” until April.

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When Montana Efaw tossed her mortarboard with the Lakeridge class of ’09, she had stars in her eyes. This Jiminy Cricket-sized hip-hop dancer was heading to Hollywood – to see if dreams really do come true.

A short five months later, Efaw has made it – big time. She is one of 11 hip-hop dancers touring with pop sensation Lady Gaga on The Monster Ball world tour starting Saturday. Efaw and the “Haus of Gaga” will be showing in 50 cities in the U.S. and Canada and then heading to England and Ireland.

“When Montana called me to tell me about the Lady Gaga tour, I thought something was wrong she was so hysterical,” said Wendy Efaw, Montana’s mother. “Finally she got it out, ‘I booked the tour!’ It was unbelievable.”

“I was boarding a plane when my agent called to check my availability; I knew better than to get my hopes up,” said Montana. “I sat there for hours wondering if this was my make-or-break moment. When my agent finally called back and said ‘Congratulations, Lady Gaga wants you for the tour,’ I went crazy. Rehearsal started that afternoon – it was all so fast!”

Earning her spot

“While I feel like I am living the dream, I know that I’ve been preparing. I’ve put in a lot of hard work over a lot of years to get here,” said Montana.

At the ripe old age of 18, Montana has already been a commercial professional dancer for six years. She started with Radio Disney, as a dancer and choreographer, and the Junior Trailblazer Dancers.

“At 11, she was actually a late starter in the dance scene,” said Wendy. “She had tried tap and ballet and just hated them both. But then she saw hip-hop on T.V. and started making up her own routines – we knew right away that she might have something special.”

She started teaching hip-hop at the Dance Vision studio in Portland when she was just 12. At 15 she had an agent in Los Angeles, and was making her own money working jobs in video, television and on stage. She was doing choreography for Capezio Dance Wear Fashion Shows, college dance teams and for her home studio, Dance Vision’s pre-professional groups.

She became the youngest protégé ever to dance with The Pulse, a touring dance team with world-renowned choreographers. And last year, at 17, she was hired as a choreographer by the University of San Diego dance team, which ended in third place in their division.

“Montana missed a lot of school (about 33 days a year), and my husband David and I are now both MVP gold flyers thanks to all the travel. We went to workshops and conventions almost every week. It was really busy, but somehow Montana managed to maintain friendships, a social life, and a 3.6 grade point at Lakeridge. I did make her un-book a job on the day of her graduation. I wanted her to walk with her class.”

“It is hard to believe that last year she was dancing in an assembly in the Lakeridge gym, and now she is on stage with Lady Gaga,” said Steph Tarlow, friend and classmate of Montana’s from Lakeridge now at the University of Oregon.

“It is so awesome. I love telling people that my best friend is performing with the biggest pop star in the world. Keely Mohr and I just got tickets to fly to San Francisco to see her show.”

Haus of Gaga: Glamorous and gritty

Montana first entered the “Haus of Gaga” after she auditioned for this September’s Video Music Awards.

“Hundreds of us showed up for the Lady Gaga audition. We were all crammed into a hallway. After several cuts, they had it down to 20 of us – they were taking six girls and six guys. Dancing for a big event like the VMA’s – with everyone in the business there – was so huge.”

It also gave Lady Gaga’s choreographers a good look at Montana’s talent, and was likely her edge to being one of the only two girls and five boys originally selected to dance on The Monster Ball tour. (They since have added two more girls, and two more boys.)

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