Friend and fellow Butler alum Jess started The Whole Dancer as a resource for dancers at all stages of their career to help them cope with the inevitable struggles we all face in the profession. She focuses on health and body image, injury prevention, and mental wellness, providing invaluable help and information to dancers of all ages. She recently asked me if I would talk to her about my path as a freelance dancer so she could share my experiences with others.
My career certainly has not evolved the way I expected it to, and I have had to learn how to be a dancer without a long-term contract. While freelancing isn't what most of us plan to do when we dream of becoming a dancer, it is certainly possible to build a career in this way. I hope hearing about others who have done it will encourage dancers struggling to find the kind of work they'd imagined to be persistent and not give up on their performing dreams. In almost 8 years as a professional I've found that the best opportunities always come through the most unexpected places, and only by being determined to stick with this career have I been fortunate enough to have experiences I never could have imagined.