To everyone entering the professional field of dance

Congratulations on all you have achieved and experienced so far and I wish you well in all that you set out to do/find/explore/attain. Here are a few thoughts that I have found useful and important for my transition into the professional field of dance.

 Follow what interests and inspires you.

If you are lost for what you want to do and where you want to go, make a list of the things that interest and excite you/people you would like to work with/things you would like to learn and go from there in mapping out where you want to go on your journey.

Remember that your happiness and wellbeing is a focal factor in the career you wish to build.

Set your own pace.

Have a hobby/a practice/activity that isn’t related to your working/training life.
 In my experience it provides a sense of grounding/release when things are stressful in your work life/further training.

Ask for support/help/advise when you need it. You don’t have to struggle alone.

Breathe, breathe, breathe.

Allow yourself time and space to switch off and disconnect when you need to.

Look after yourself.

Breathe, breathe, breathe

Remember you’re doing this because it makes you happy and if it doesn’t make you happy at any point its okay to not do it, you don’t have to force yourself to carry on.

You don’t have to prove yourself to anyone.

Remember that you are more than your career.

Who you work with and the environment you’re in is just as important as the work you’re doing.

Stress, anxiety and pressure are probably the main things I tend to leave out of my bio.
 I would say these are some of the biggest hurdles when transitioning into the professional field.

Pressure to achieve something, to prove your worth and importance, to show to others that you’ve made it, pressure on yourself to make it and the anxiety of not making it.
These stresses can sometimes become a driving force behind your journey. They can often overtake our happiness and love for what we do, clouding our interests, which in turn limits the possibilities of where we can go.

We get lost to these external pressures and the focus on how we are doing compared to others.
 It clouds us to such a degree that we can lose sense of our internal compass of where we are going.

It is this internal compass that we need to try and look to. In doing so it allows us to let go of those external pressures that suffocate and blindside us on our journeys.

Of course this doesn’t mean going at it completely solo and only looking out for number one, but quite the opposite, it means we can have a sense of grounding and direction in ourselves, which then allows us to enjoy the journey (where we are going/what we are doing/who we meet along the way) whatever that may be for each of us. Then we can enjoy the external factors that benefit and help us, such as finding the sense of community and support within the industry.

It is these things that help us to make the journey better for ourselves and others.
Sharing opportunities, promoting and showcasing each other, sharing experiences and knowledge, supporting one another and building a better wider community.
I guess this is my hope for the future of dance going forward, that we can become and develop a better fully inclusive, diverse and supportive community where we can build up together.

Best wishes, good luck with whatever you’re doing next and stay inspired.
Folu Odimayo, a freelance dance artist from London.