Quick Facts
| Category | Information |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Molly Long |
| Profession | Choreographer, Dance Teacher, Competition Director, Studio Founder |
| Category | Choreographer |
| Date of Birth | August 21, 1992 (reported by biographical databases; not independently confirmed by an official source) |
| Age | 33 years old as of August 2026, based on the reported birth date |
| Birthplace | California, United States |
| Nationality | American |
| Zodiac Sign | Leo, based on the reported August 21 birthday |
| Height | Not reliably documented in authoritative public sources |
| Career Start | Began dance training at age 3; began teaching at age 16 |
| Famous For | Competitive dance choreography, Project 21, viral dance routines, and dance education |
| Awards & Achievements | America’s Favorite Choreographer at the 2022 Industry Dance Awards; choreography awards including recognition for “Fever” and Best Jazz Piece at The Dance Awards |
| Relationship Status | Not publicly confirmed |
| Spouse/Partner | No publicly verified information |
| Children | No publicly verified information |
| Parents/Family | Her mother owned California Dance Academy; her aunt Leslie Kenfield was also involved in her dance training |
| Net Worth | No verified public estimate available |
| Income Sources | Choreography, dance instruction, workshops, conventions, Project 21, and related professional dance work |
| Businesses & Investments | Founder and owner of Project 21 |
| Social Media Presence | Active professional presence associated with Molly Long and Project 21 |
| Other Important Details | Founded Project 21 in 2015; its routines have appeared on television and become viral social-media dance trends |
Who Is Molly Long?
Molly Long is an American choreographer and dance educator best known for her work in competitive jazz dance and for founding Project 21, an elite dance training program in Orange County, California. She developed her reputation by creating technically demanding routines for young dancers and later became a prominent teacher, choreographer, and competition director.
Long’s career is unusual because her influence has extended beyond traditional dance competitions. Her choreography has appeared on television programs such as America’s Got Talent, Raising Asia, and Abby’s Ultimate Dance Competition. She has also taught workshops internationally and worked with dancers through major convention platforms.
In 2022, the Industry Dance Awards recognized her as America’s Favorite Choreographer, adding major industry recognition to a career already built around competitive dance and education.
More recently, Long and Project 21 gained renewed attention online when routines including “Pop Muzik” became viral dance trends on TikTok and other social platforms. The 2025 Industry Dance Awards listed “Pop Muzik” by Molly Long among its Favorite Viral Dance nominees and identified it as the winning entry.
Early Life and Background
Molly Long’s connection with dance began when she was only three years old. She grew up in a dance environment in Orange County, California, where her mother owned California Dance Academy. Her aunt, Leslie Kenfield, was also involved in her early training.
When Long was five, California Dance Academy merged with Dance Precisions. She continued training there until graduation, giving her an unusually long period of exposure to competitive dance and professional instruction.
Rather than treating dance simply as a childhood activity, Long gradually became interested in teaching and choreography. At 16, she began teaching younger dancers. This early teaching experience helped her develop an understanding of how children learn movement, technique, musicality, and performance skills.
Her own experiences as a dancer also influenced her later philosophy as an educator. Long has explained that she wanted to create a training environment based on principles she believed were important rather than simply joining an already established studio system. That philosophy eventually became one of the foundations of Project 21.
Career Journey
Beginning as a Teacher and Choreographer
Long began teaching professionally at 16 and quickly developed a reputation for choreography within the competitive dance community. Two early pieces that helped establish her name were “My Boyfriend’s Back” and “Single Ladies.”
“My Boyfriend’s Back,” featuring dancer Autumn Miller, became an important early milestone. The routine won national titles at Hall of Fame Nationals and Showbiz Nationals in 2009, demonstrating Long’s ability to create routines that combined technical precision with strong stage appeal.
Freelance Choreography and International Teaching
Between approximately 18 and 22, Long expanded beyond her home studio and began freelancing as a choreographer. She taught workshops and set choreography in the United States as well as Canada, Mexico, Australia, and New Zealand.
This period was important because it transformed her from a local competitive-dance instructor into a choreographer with an international teaching profile.
Her work also reached television. Choreography associated with Long has been featured on America’s Got Talent, Raising Asia, and Abby’s Ultimate Dance Competition.
Professional Life and Achievements
Founding Project 21
One of Molly Long’s most significant professional accomplishments is the creation of Project 21 in 2015. The program was established in Orange County as an elite training environment for young dancers. Project 21’s official site describes the program as serving dancers approximately ages 7 to 18 and emphasizing hard work, perseverance, dedication, teamwork, technique, and artistic development.
The program initially consisted of about 20 dancers and operated within the McCoy Rigby Conservatory of the Arts. After several seasons, Project 21 moved into its own facility in October 2019.
Long serves not only as the founder and owner but also as Project 21’s competition director and jazz choreographer. Her responsibilities include preparing soloists and group pieces, teaching technique and combinations, and helping dancers improve their ability to learn choreography.
Awards and Recognition
Long’s choreography has received recognition throughout the competitive dance industry. She has received an Industry Dance Award for her jazz work “Fever” and recognition for Best Jazz Piece at The Dance Awards.
One of her most significant honors came in 2022, when the Industry Dance Awards named her America’s Favorite Choreographer.
Her influence has also been demonstrated through the success of Project 21 dancers. The program has produced national champions and dancers who have received recognition at major competitive dance events.
Television and Dance Media
Project 21 has appeared in major dance media, including World of Dance. Dance Informa reported that the group originated in 2015 under Long’s direction and described her as its teacher and choreographer.
Long’s work has also been featured by dance publications such as Dance Spirit and Dance Teacher, reflecting her status within the professional dance-education community.
Molly Long and Viral Dance Trends
Long’s work received another major wave of public attention through social media.
A Project 21 routine choreographed by Long to M’s 1979 song “Pop Muzik” circulated widely online after appearing in the program’s 10th season. The routine became especially popular on TikTok, where viewers and dancers began recreating the choreography.
The Industry Dance Awards later recognized “Pop Muzik” as its Favorite Viral Dance winner in the 2025 Dancers Choice Awards. The awards organization specifically described the viral dance as originating from Long’s choreography for Project 21.
Another Project 21 routine, choreographed by Long to Frankie Smith’s “Double Dutch Bus,” also attracted significant attention on TikTok. This demonstrated how Long’s competitive-dance choreography could move beyond the traditional competition circuit and become part of mainstream social-media culture.
Personal Life
Molly Long generally keeps her personal life separate from her professional career. Publicly available sources focus overwhelmingly on her work as a choreographer, teacher, and founder of Project 21 rather than her romantic relationships or family life.
Her strongest publicly documented family connection is her upbringing in a dance-oriented household. Her mother owned California Dance Academy, while her aunt Leslie Kenfield was involved in her dance education.
There is no sufficiently reliable public information confirming a spouse, long-term partner, or children. Because those details have not been consistently documented by authoritative sources, claims about Long’s relationship status should be treated cautiously.
Similarly, online databases sometimes publish specific biographical details such as her exact birth date, but these details are not consistently confirmed through Long’s official professional profiles. For that reason, the reported August 21, 1992 birthday should be considered a database-reported detail rather than an independently verified fact.
Net Worth and Income Sources
There is no reliable, publicly verified figure for Molly Long’s net worth. Unlike entertainers whose contracts, salaries, or business holdings are routinely reported by financial publications, Long’s finances are private.
Consequently, assigning a specific dollar amount to her net worth would be speculative.
Her professional income is likely connected to several established areas of her career, including choreography, dance instruction, workshops, convention teaching, and her work as the founder and owner of Project 21. Her professional biography confirms that she has taught for dance conventions such as Jump and Revel and has continued freelancing as a choreographer while running Project 21.
Project 21 itself is a significant part of her professional career. However, the company’s private revenue, operating costs, ownership structure beyond Long’s founder/owner role, and personal compensation are not publicly disclosed.
For E-E-A-T purposes, it is more accurate to state that Molly Long’s net worth is not publicly verified than to repeat unsupported celebrity-net-worth estimates.
Lifestyle, Hobbies, and Social Impact
Long’s professional lifestyle revolves heavily around dance. Running Project 21 while continuing freelance choreography and teaching requires substantial travel and ongoing involvement in training, rehearsals, competitions, workshops, and conventions.
Her most visible form of social impact is educational. Project 21 is designed to help young dancers develop technical ability, performance skills, discipline, and teamwork. The program’s official mission emphasizes developing dancers as technicians, expressive artists, and creative interpreters of movement.
Long’s influence is also visible in the careers of dancers she has trained. Through Project 21, she has worked with young performers over multiple years, helping them progress through competitive dance and prepare for future opportunities.
Her recent viral success illustrates another dimension of her influence: choreography created for competitive dancers can now reach millions of people through short-form video platforms.
Interesting Facts About Molly Long
- She started dancing at age three. Long’s dance education began in her mother’s California Dance Academy.
- She began teaching at 16. Her transition into teaching happened while she was still relatively young.
- She trained with Dance Precisions. California Dance Academy merged with Dance Precisions when Long was five, and she continued training there until graduation.
- “My Boyfriend’s Back” was an early breakthrough. The routine featuring Autumn Miller won national titles in 2009.
- Project 21 began with about 20 dancers. The program started at the McCoy Rigby Conservatory of the Arts before eventually moving into its own facility.
- She has taught internationally. Her freelance choreography and workshops have taken her to countries including Canada, Mexico, Australia, and New Zealand.
- Her choreography has reached television. Her work has appeared in programs including America’s Got Talent, Raising Asia, and Abby’s Ultimate Dance Competition.
- She was named America’s Favorite Choreographer in 2022. The honor came from the Industry Dance Awards.
- “Pop Muzik” became a viral dance. The Project 21 routine spread widely across TikTok and was later recognized as the Favorite Viral Dance winner by the Industry Dance Awards.
- Her primary professional role is broader than choreography. At Project 21, Long is simultaneously the founder, owner, competition director, and jazz choreographer.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Who is Molly Long?
Molly Long is an American choreographer, dance teacher, and founder of Project 21, an elite competitive dance training program in Orange County, California. She is particularly known for jazz choreography and training young competitive dancers.
How old is Molly Long?
Molly Long is 33 years old as of August 2026 if the August 21, 1992 birth date reported by biographical databases is accurate. Her exact birth date has not been independently confirmed by an official professional source.
What is Molly Long famous for?
She is best known for her competitive dance choreography, Project 21, and viral routines such as “Pop Muzik.” She was also named America’s Favorite Choreographer at the 2022 Industry Dance Awards.
When did Molly Long start dancing?
Long began dance training at age three. She later began teaching dance at age 16.
When did Molly Long start Project 21?
Molly Long founded Project 21 in 2015 in Orange County, California. The program began with approximately 20 dancers.
What awards has Molly Long won?
Her documented honors include an Industry Dance Award for her jazz piece “Fever,” Best Jazz Piece at The Dance Awards, and the 2022 Industry Dance Awards honor of America’s Favorite Choreographer.
Does Molly Long have a husband or children?
There is no sufficiently reliable public information confirming a husband, partner, or children. Long largely keeps her personal life private.
What is Molly Long’s net worth?
Her net worth has not been reliably disclosed. Although various websites may publish estimates, there is no authoritative public financial source confirming a specific figure, so an exact net-worth amount should not be presented as fact.
Summary
Molly Long has built a distinguished career in competitive dance through choreography, teaching, and mentorship. Starting dance training at three and teaching by 16, she developed from a young instructor into an internationally recognized choreographer.
Her biggest professional achievement is Project 21, the elite Orange County training program she founded in 2015. Through the program, Long has helped train competitive dancers while establishing a recognizable choreography style centered on technique, musicality, performance, and discipline.
Her achievements include industry awards, television appearances, international teaching, and the 2022 title of America’s Favorite Choreographer. More recently, viral Project 21 routines have introduced her choreography to a much wider social-media audience, with “Pop Muzik” becoming an award-winning viral dance.
While details about Molly Long’s private life and finances remain limited, her professional record provides a clear picture of her influence. She is not simply a choreographer; she is an educator, studio founder, mentor, and influential figure in modern competitive dance.
