He began formal training at the age of 9 where he studied at Norma's Academy of Dance under the direction of the late Norma B. Mitchell and her daughter Djana Bell. In 1984, Payne went to Northside School of the Arts, and studied under the direction of William G Densmore and performed in Atlanta's Showbiz Kids. He then joined the Harrison Dance company under the direction of Gary Harrison before moving to Los Angeles where he soon met longtime personal idols Kenny Ortega, Michael Peters, Debbie Allen, and Paula Abdul.
He began formal training at the age of 9 where he studied at Norma's Academy of Dance under the direction of the late Norma B. Mitchell and her daughter Djana Bell.
nsubj
Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs
he
He
PRON
PRP
root
Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin
begin
began
VERB
VBD
amod
Degree=Pos
formal
formal
ADJ
JJ
obj
Number=Sing
training
training
NOUN
NN
case
at
at
ADP
IN
det
Definite=Def|PronType=Art
the
the
DET
DT
obl
Number=Sing
age
age
NOUN
NN
case
of
of
ADP
IN
nmod
NumForm=Digit|NumType=Card
9
9
NUM
CD
advmod
PronType=Rel
where
where
ADV
WRB
nsubj
Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs
he
he
PRON
PRP
acl:relcl
Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin
study
studied
VERB
VBD
case
at
at
ADP
IN
nmod:poss
Number=Sing
Norma
Norma
PROPN
NNP
case
's
's
PART
POS
obl
Number=Sing
Academy
Academy
PROPN
NNP
case
of
of
ADP
IN
nmod
Number=Sing
Dance
Dance
PROPN
NNP
case
under
under
ADP
IN
det
Definite=Def|PronType=Art
the
the
DET
DT
obl
Number=Sing
direction
direction
NOUN
NN
case
of
of
ADP
IN
det
Definite=Def|PronType=Art
the
the
DET
DT
amod
Degree=Pos
late
late
ADJ
JJ
nmod
Number=Sing
Norma
Norma
PROPN
NNP
flat
Number=Sing
B.
B.
PROPN
NNP
flat
Number=Sing
Mitchell
Mitchell
PROPN
NNP
cc
and
and
CCONJ
CC
nmod:poss
Case=Gen|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs
her
her
PRON
PRP$
conj
Number=Sing
daughter
daughter
NOUN
NN
appos
Number=Sing
Djana
Djana
PROPN
NNP
flat
Number=Sing
Bell
Bell
PROPN
NNP
punct
.
.
PUNCT
.
In 1984, Payne went to Northside School of the Arts, and studied under the direction of William G Densmore and performed in Atlanta's Showbiz Kids.
case
in
In
ADP
IN
obl
NumForm=Digit|NumType=Card
1984
1984
NUM
CD
punct
,
,
PUNCT
,
nsubj
Number=Sing
Payne
Payne
PROPN
NNP
root
Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin
go
went
VERB
VBD
case
to
to
ADP
IN
compound
Number=Sing
Northside
Northside
PROPN
NNP
obl
Number=Sing
School
School
PROPN
NNP
case
of
of
ADP
IN
det
Definite=Def|PronType=Art
the
the
DET
DT
nmod
Number=Plur
Art
Arts
PROPN
NNPS
punct
,
,
PUNCT
,
cc
and
and
CCONJ
CC
conj
Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin
study
studied
VERB
VBD
case
under
under
ADP
IN
det
Definite=Def|PronType=Art
the
the
DET
DT
obl
Number=Sing
direction
direction
NOUN
NN
case
of
of
ADP
IN
nmod
Number=Sing
William
William
PROPN
NNP
flat
Number=Sing
G
G
PROPN
NNP
flat
Number=Sing
Densmore
Densmore
PROPN
NNP
cc
and
and
CCONJ
CC
conj
Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin
perform
performed
VERB
VBD
case
in
in
ADP
IN
nmod:poss
Number=Sing
Atlanta
Atlanta
PROPN
NNP
case
's
's
PART
POS
compound
Number=Sing
Showbiz
Showbiz
PROPN
NNP
obl
Number=Plur
Kid
Kids
PROPN
NNPS
punct
.
.
PUNCT
.
He then joined the Harrison Dance company under the direction of Gary Harrison before moving to Los Angeles where he soon met longtime personal idols Kenny Ortega, Michael Peters, Debbie Allen, and Paula Abdul.
nsubj
Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs
he
He
PRON
PRP
advmod
PronType=Dem
then
then
ADV
RB
root
Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin
join
joined
VERB
VBD
det
Definite=Def|PronType=Art
the
the
DET
DT
compound
Number=Sing
Harrison
Harrison
PROPN
NNP
compound
Number=Sing
Dance
Dance
PROPN
NNP
obj
Number=Sing
company
company
NOUN
NN
case
under
under
ADP
IN
det
Definite=Def|PronType=Art
the
the
DET
DT
obl
Number=Sing
direction
direction
NOUN
NN
case
of
of
ADP
IN
nmod
Number=Sing
Gary
Gary
PROPN
NNP
flat
Number=Sing
Harrison
Harrison
PROPN
NNP
mark
before
before
SCONJ
IN
advcl
VerbForm=Ger
move
moving
VERB
VBG
case
to
to
ADP
IN
obl
Number=Sing
Los
Los
PROPN
NNP
flat
Number=Sing
Angeles
Angeles
PROPN
NNP
advmod
PronType=Rel
where
where
ADV
WRB
nsubj
Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs
he
he
PRON
PRP
advmod
Degree=Pos
soon
soon
ADV
RB
acl:relcl
Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin
meet
met
VERB
VBD
amod
Degree=Pos
longtime
longtime
ADJ
JJ
amod
Degree=Pos
personal
personal
ADJ
JJ
obj
Number=Plur
idol
idols
NOUN
NNS
appos
Number=Sing
Kenny
Kenny
PROPN
NNP
flat
Number=Sing
Ortega
Ortega
PROPN
NNP
punct
,
,
PUNCT
,
conj
Number=Sing
Michael
Michael
PROPN
NNP
flat
Number=Sing
Peters
Peters
PROPN
NNP
punct
,
,
PUNCT
,
conj
Number=Sing
Debbie
Debbie
PROPN
NNP
flat
Number=Sing
Allen
Allen
PROPN
NNP
punct
,
,
PUNCT
,
cc
and
and
CCONJ
CC
conj
Number=Sing
Paula
Paula
PROPN
NNP
flat
Number=Sing
Abdul
Abdul
PROPN
NNP
punct
.
.
PUNCT
.