D ISCLAIMER: This article is written with no intention to denounce, devalue, or defame the work or life of any essential worker or the respective industry said worker provides service in. I am incredibly grateful and inspired by your service and fortitude. We would not be able to get through this pandemic without you, and I hope you receive every mode of compensation aptly. Dealing with the shutdown of many industries and organizations, many people who are stuck at home resort to their music archives, television and film streaming sites, comedic social media photos and videos, visual artwork, journals and blogs, culinary tutorials, and miscellaneous forms of artistic performances for entertainment. However, the entertainment serves for more than kicks and giggles; the outlet this artistic entertainment provides has proven to help the general public maintain a stable mental state in these quickly ever-changing days of the COVID-19 pandemic. From the overflow of TikTok dance chall...
In September 2017, I made my transition to becoming a full-time performing artist, leaving my job within an educational institution to focus on becoming a dance performer and choreographer. Since then, I have engaged in vital conversations about dance, art, and life with other members of the Chicago and Atlanta dance communities. With these articles, I hope to expose others to unheard yet valid perspectives of the lifestyle of dance artists and elevate the value of professional dance.