Jared Murillo Biography

I was born in Honolulu, Hawaii. I am the fourth of seven children  to Alex and Robin Murillo. At age 5, I began to sing in church. I sang so loud that my teacher told my parents that "someday Jared will be in show business!" The next year, I started taking dance lessons. By the time I was 8, I performed with Donny Osmond, in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat production. I was the youngest cast member of the show. After a 4-month run, it was over and I cried, because I had so much fun and I didn't want it to be over. Three years later, at age 11, I was chosen to perform at the famous Suzuka Race Curcuit in Nagoya, Japan. I sang and danced my way through all the excitement and thrills of speed racing. That was a blast!

  At this time in my life, I wanted to seriously compete in ballroom dancing and become a national champion. (I had been taking dance lessons in ballroom since age 6). My parents arranged to bring world-class instructors to teach me and my partner to compete. I soon achieved success on the dance floor and started to win at various events around the country. This caught the eye and the attention of world-class coach and choreographer, Buddy Schwimmer. He approached me and my parents to see if I could dance with his daughter, Lacey, in latin ballroom and west coast swing. This would require me to move and live with them. At age 14, I went to live for three years in Southern California. They shared their love with me and treated me like their own son, Benji. I will always love and respect them for their generosity and kindness and for all they taught me. With Buddy and Laurie Schwimmer's continued teaching and coaching, we quickly produced winning results against the finest dance couples in the United States.

  I achieved my goal of winning world and national titles when I captured with my partner, the World Swing, United States Swing and the United States Youth Latin Ballroom Championships and the AAU National DanceSport Championships. That was an amazing run. I was able to compete in Europe and many parts of the US. I met many wonderful people and made lots of friends along the way and will always cherish those moments.

  In 2002 the Winter Olympics came to Salt Lake City. My brother Joshua and my sister Alexandria and I performed as part of the Opening Ceremonies. It was there I met Kenny Ortega who choreographed the show. Not realizing at the time, just three years later we would meet up again as a principle dancer in Disney's High School Musical production. It was shortly thereafter I auditioned for the concert tour. And now here I am!!!

  All during my early years, I was able to do TV, media and model work for the following; Novell, USANA, Nordstrom and one where I went flying down the ski slopes when I was 7, for a volkswagon commercial! (I was a member of the Sundance Ski Team for 5 years)

  I want to thank my parents and my brothers and sisters. I love them very much for their continued support during all the good and difficult times! I want to reconginize the faculty and staff at CenterStage Performing Arts Studios in Orem, Utah who gave me constant encouragement to fulfill my dreams.