I have been writing this blog for 2 years this month. (Happy Anniversary to me.) The first 10 blogs I ever wrote I was certain that the only people who actually read them were a few of my friends and me. In fact, I don’t think I got more than 2 to 4 likes on my links for those first ten.
One day I was in a completely different state teaching at a studio and one of the teachers randomly came up to me and said “I love your blog. I read it out loud to my classes and we watch your videos. Keep it up.” It was my five seconds of fame and all I needed to hear to keep me writing. I have friends who have 10K plus followers on Insta and write blogs for a living. That was never my goal. I started this thing because I had stuff I wanted to share to people who wanted to hear it. I have been professionally dancing for over 20 years around the country and, as a regional director of a National Dance Competition, College Dance Professor, and Freelance Dance instructor and Choreographer, I felt I had some insight. I didn’t start writing it for fame. I write it because I am passionate about what I have to say no matter how many people read it.
Isn’t that the same with dancing? We shouldn’t ever be putting ourselves out there at an audition or on a stage for FAME and followers. We should be 100% completely passionate about what we are doing that we are going after it because we love it and we believe in ourselves and our talent.
You will not be for everybody. You will put yourself out there 100 times to get one call back. But don’t stop. It is worth it if means something to you. I still maybe get 10 likes on my blog. People may not be reading it. But the one person that sends me a message that tells me what I wrote meant something makes it all worth it.
If you have a talent that you want to share and something to show the world then be passionate about pursuing it. Be humble for what comes from it. Are you aiming for Broadway but get a community theater callback? You should love it just the same because you love what you do. It’s not FAME that you should crave. It’s being able to do what you love everyday and the ability to share that with the world that should ignite you.
Even if you think no one is noticing, they are. If you have the ability to touch one person then that’s all that matters. Whether you dance to an audience of 1 or 1000 you should be grateful for the chance to share your passion. You never know who is watching and who you are effecting and that’s all that matters. That is what makes you Famous. You will survive the performing arts world because you continued to pursue what you LOVE not for the “fame”.
Update, last week I wrote a blog and it had 18 likes and 2 shares. Yesterday I walked into a dance studio where a mom stood up, hugged me, and said “don’t ever stop writing that blog. I love it and I make my daughter read it and it means so much.”
That was my moment of Fame. Go out there and pursue your passion and you will find your Fame.
Liz