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Speaker 1: Your uniqueness of strength. The qualities that you possess that

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Speaker 1: you feel are different, that you want to turn down,

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Speaker 1: are actually the ones that you should turn up.

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Speaker 2: What is going on Hurdler's Emily a body here with

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Speaker 2: episode two hundred and eleven of Hurdle, a wellness focused podcast,

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Speaker 2: reconnected with everyone from your favorite athletes to top experts

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Speaker 2: in industry CEOs about their highest ties, toughest moments, and.

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Speaker 3: Everything in between.

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Speaker 2: We all go through hurdles in life, and my goal

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Speaker 2: through these discussions is to empower you to better navigate

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Speaker 2: yours and move with intention so that you can stride

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Speaker 2: towards your own big potential and of course have some

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Speaker 2: fun along the way.

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Speaker 3: Man.

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Speaker 2: I hope everyone had an excellent holiday week again. I

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Speaker 2: myself enjoyed some time here at home prepping to head

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Speaker 2: out soon to the World A Track.

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Speaker 3: And Field Championships out in Eugene, Oregon.

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Speaker 2: I have some details coming about hurdler meetups hangings. If

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Speaker 2: anyone's going to be in town, I hope to see

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Speaker 2: you there. I am going to be doing some hosting

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Speaker 2: for a six on the ground and I could not

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Speaker 2: be more amped.

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Speaker 3: I am also amped.

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Speaker 2: About today's conversation, I am chatting with the one, the only,

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Speaker 2: Harper Waters. Harper Waters and unbelievable dancer, a first soloist

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Speaker 2: for the Houston Ballet, and I absolutely loved the opportunity

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Speaker 2: to sit down with Harper because as a gay African

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Speaker 2: American ballet dancer, he is making waves.

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Speaker 3: That is such an understatement.

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Speaker 2: In today's episode, he talks about how he's truly hoping

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Speaker 2: to open doors for the next generation and inspire them

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Speaker 2: to try whatever it is that lights them on fire.

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Speaker 2: We chat about his journey, detailing everything from coming out

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Speaker 2: to his family at fourteen to working his butt off

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Speaker 2: to get to where he is in the Houston Ballet,

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Speaker 2: what it was like for him as a performer to

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Speaker 2: navigate the last few years in a pandemic, and how

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Speaker 2: he used that time to level up on social media,

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Speaker 2: amassing hundreds of thousands of followers across Instagram and TikTok,

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Speaker 2: doing things that he loves, like casually walking on a

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Speaker 2: treadmill in heels. Yeah, I'll link that, I'll time in

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Speaker 2: the show notes today. There are so many really great

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Speaker 2: takeaways in this conversation, but what I really really love

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Speaker 2: is this throat line of feeling the fear.

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Speaker 3: And doing it anyway.

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Speaker 2: I love what Harper says about if you're scared to

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Speaker 2: face something head on and so often. I mean, that's

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Speaker 2: something that we all feel, right, if you're scared, it's

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Speaker 2: not something to run from because that fear can be

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Speaker 2: your teacher. I'm telling you, great episode, great combo. A

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Speaker 2: huge thank you to Harper for your time, as you'll

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Speaker 2: fear at the top end of this. We did record

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Speaker 2: this in June, so naturally we had to touch on

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Speaker 2: all things pride. Make sure you're following along with the

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Speaker 2: show over on social It is at Hurdle Podcast. I

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Speaker 2: am over at Emily a Body And if you're listening

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Speaker 2: to this and you haven't ready and reviewed the show yet,

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Speaker 2: I don't know what you are waiting for.

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Speaker 3: Seriously, go do it. Give it five stars. Tell the

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Speaker 3: people why you love.

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Speaker 2: Hurdle and what keeps you coming back week after week,

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Speaker 2: and for that I am so so thankful with that.

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Speaker 3: Let's get to hurdling today. I am sitting down with

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Speaker 3: Harper Waters. He is the.

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Speaker 2: First soloist for the Houston Ballet. How you doing today,

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Speaker 2: I'm doing so well. Thank you so much for having me.

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Speaker 3: I am so excited to have you here today.

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Speaker 2: I feel like I was looking for a dose of

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Speaker 2: sunshine and I know that you're here to bring.

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Speaker 3: It for me.

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Speaker 1: Yes, I'm bringing the Houston sunshine, which means it's bright

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Speaker 1: and hot hot.

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Speaker 3: What temperature are you working with down there right now?

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Speaker 1: I think we're working with a cool ninety plus.

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Speaker 2: I think we are ninety plus because we are also

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Speaker 2: in June.

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Speaker 3: June also Pride month. Are you celebrating? What are you doing?

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Speaker 3: Tell me about your plans?

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Speaker 1: Yeah, you know, it's funny. I think that it's I

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Speaker 1: definitely am going to celebrate. We are busy here working

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Speaker 1: at the Vallet. We have shows here through June twenty sixth,

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Speaker 1: but so we're you know, we're busy. But I I

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Speaker 1: tend to celebrate pride year round. It's an act of lifestyle,

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Speaker 1: and but I think that pride is a wonderful reminder

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Speaker 1: of where we've come from and what we need to

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Speaker 1: acknowledge about how we've you know, whose shoulders we stand on,

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Speaker 1: and so to have a month to do that, I

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Speaker 1: think it's really important. But Pride is definitely something that

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Speaker 1: I rely on year round, not just for my identity

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Speaker 1: and just who I am as a person, but who

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Speaker 1: I am as a as an artist when it comes

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Speaker 1: to being the best dancer that I can be.

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Speaker 2: And I know that one of the things that initially

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Speaker 2: drew you to getting involved in dance was just how

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Speaker 2: accepting that ballet.

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Speaker 3: Was when it came to LBGTQ.

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Speaker 2: So for you now, being such an outspoken advocate for

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Speaker 2: so many things, of course inclusivity being one of them,

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Speaker 2: how does it feel for you to like be that

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Speaker 2: representation now, to be the person at the forefront that

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Speaker 2: is standing up.

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Speaker 1: Oh gosh, you know, It's been an interesting journey. It's

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Speaker 1: one that I'm still on And like you were saying,

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Speaker 1: my introduction to dance was more I was more seeking

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Speaker 1: the community aspect of it. I was more seeking that

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Speaker 1: sensation where because in the studio it was like I

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Speaker 1: could turn the volume of to ten on who I was,

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Speaker 1: there was a sense of security and then there was

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Speaker 1: and when I was outside of the studio, I didn't

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Speaker 1: really have that. Figuring that out and learning to find

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Speaker 1: that and bring that into my work has been an

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Speaker 1: act of advocating for myself. I had to advocate for

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Speaker 1: my talent and my identity and my sexual orientation. And

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Speaker 1: by doing that, I somehow have cultivated this community and

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Speaker 1: been a representative for just living your best life and

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Speaker 1: living it, you know, living it authentically. And so I

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Speaker 1: am so honored and proud that it resonates with people.

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Speaker 1: But it's like, selfishly, I had to do it for

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Speaker 1: myself because in order for me to be the best

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Speaker 1: version of myself, the best dancer, the best human, I

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Speaker 1: had to advocate for myself. And so in doing so,

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Speaker 1: living prideful and living a wholesome well life is what

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Speaker 1: is what that required?

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Speaker 3: How old were you when you came out?

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Speaker 1: I was fourteen, and I remember vividly it was me

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Speaker 1: watching America's Next Top Model and I saw Miss Jay,

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Speaker 1: the runway coach, and I was like, that is me.

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Speaker 1: And I knew that there was some sort of confidence

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Speaker 1: and there was some sort of free spirit that Miss

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Speaker 1: Jay possessed. And so I turned off the TV and

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Speaker 1: casually strutted my way down the stairs and said, mom, Dad,

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Speaker 1: this is who I am and this is what I love.

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Speaker 1: And yeah, it was of course I had to make

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Speaker 1: some sort of event and moment out of it, like

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Speaker 1: I do everything, so but it was Yeah.

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Speaker 2: Would you say that it was kind of like you

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Speaker 2: were on autopilot at that moment, or did you have

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Speaker 2: like anxiety and nerves to go down there and have

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Speaker 2: that conversation.

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Speaker 1: Yeah, So it was very surreal. It was like I

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Speaker 1: felt like I was walking on a cloud. It was

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Speaker 1: like the cloud took me to my parents. I just

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Speaker 1: felt overcome with this sense of purpose. The anxiety and

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Speaker 1: fear came more after after I came out. I was

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Speaker 1: petrified to go back to school. I was I was

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Speaker 1: creating these scenarios of you know, being bullied or being

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Speaker 1: not accepted, and looking back, I really think that's because

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Speaker 1: of how the media portrayed gay people and it was

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Speaker 1: there was never these success stories. It was these acts

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Speaker 1: of fear or bullying and being different. And it's somehow

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Speaker 1: I've created this environment on through social media and the

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Speaker 1: content I've created and being a dancer where you can

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Speaker 1: accept who you are, accept what you love, and you

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Speaker 1: can do it successful, be successful at what your passions are.

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Speaker 1: And so I try to be the visibility that I

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Speaker 1: that I needed when I was fourteen, and so that

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Speaker 1: it's not this fear induced scenario that you're creating for

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Speaker 1: yourself at fourteen when you come out.

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Speaker 2: Yeah, you standing up then, I mean, it's beautiful that

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Speaker 2: you're willing to put yourself out in front, but that

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Speaker 2: visibility comes with its fair share of criticism. The stuff

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Speaker 2: that you were so scared of is you know, what

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Speaker 2: you deal with regularly. Now I've seen like some of

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Speaker 2: the posts that you've put up on social and all

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Speaker 2: of this critique and like horrible, horrible humans that have horrible,

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Speaker 2: horrible things to say. How have you learned to navigate

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Speaker 2: that part of being an advocate?

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Speaker 1: Well, you know, I'm not sure if it's a blessing

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Speaker 1: in disguise, but being a dancer I think has created

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Speaker 1: a tough skin for me. And it is just part

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Speaker 1: of our job to be critiqued and to have corrections

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Speaker 1: and to take people's opinions and from our coaches and

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Speaker 1: how to do things. And I stare at myself in

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Speaker 1: front of a mirror for you know, seven plus hours

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Speaker 1: a day trying to be better and trying to identify

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Speaker 1: ways that I can improve, And somehow that has built

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Speaker 1: a tough skin. So by putting myself out there, it's

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Speaker 1: a really difficult thing to put yourself out there in

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Speaker 1: a studio and to dance and to be you know,

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Speaker 1: just not judged, but seen by people. I look at

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Speaker 1: posting things on social media in a similar way, and

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Speaker 1: so when I get these critiques and you know, really

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Speaker 1: vile things, I have a confidence and I have a

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Speaker 1: strength that allows me to deal with it. But I'm

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Speaker 1: really aware that not everybody has that. You know, I

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Speaker 1: had two parents that were super supportive and super loving

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Speaker 1: of me, and I have managed to join a company

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Speaker 1: that is sixty plus dancers that are like family to me,

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Speaker 1: and that's not the case for everybody. There are people

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Speaker 1: who are isolated, there are people who are who don't

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Speaker 1: have that family dynamic, and so I just buy, like

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Speaker 1: I was saying, by advocating for myself, by doing well

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Speaker 1: for me, by taking care of who I am, I

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Speaker 1: hope that I show people that you have community out

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Speaker 1: there and that there are people and the chosen family

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Speaker 1: is just as strong as the you know, you're born

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Speaker 1: in family. And so, yeah, navigating it is tough. I

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Speaker 1: want to read people all the time. I wish that

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Speaker 1: I didn't take such grace with it, you know, and

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Speaker 1: block people's user names out when I post them. You know,

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Speaker 1: I really would like to drag them through the mud,

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Speaker 1: but giving them the attention I just don't think is

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Speaker 1: I don't think they deserve it. That's a hard lesson

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Speaker 1: to learn, totally, totally.

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Speaker 2: You mentioned standing in front of a mirror for seven

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Speaker 2: plus hours a day. For some that literally sounds like

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Speaker 2: their own version of personal hell. Not because I'm sure

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Speaker 2: for you, standing in front of a mirror for seven

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Speaker 2: hours a day is a lot of movement and activity

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Speaker 2: and athleticism, which we'll get to in a little bit,

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Speaker 2: but also because I'd be damned if I didn't say

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Speaker 2: that opens you up to a lot of self critique.

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Speaker 2: Can you talk to me about what your relationship has

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Speaker 2: been like with your body as you have progressed as

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Speaker 2: a dancer.

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Speaker 1: It comes down to really that what the art form

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Speaker 1: of ballet is very antiquated, and the ideals that it's

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Speaker 1: built on the physical image of it is just it's

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Speaker 1: outdated and looking at the top of what successful dancers

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Speaker 1: looked like and have been. I knew that I didn't

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Speaker 1: fit that, and I knew that I didn't possess a

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Speaker 1: lot of qualities that those dancers possessed, skin color, sexual orientation. MABOUTI,

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Speaker 1: you know, like it's like I'm a black dancer, so

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Speaker 1: it's having curves, and so at the age of fourteen fifteen,

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Speaker 1: in making the decision to pursue this as a career,

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Speaker 1: I really thought that I had to hide those things,

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Speaker 1: and I had to apologize for those things, and I

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Speaker 1: had to show up to work and try and be

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Speaker 1: something that I physically was not. And that created a

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Speaker 1: real issue in my dancing because it was like the

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Speaker 1: standstill of saying nothing and doing nothing because I was

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Speaker 1: working so hard to not be who I was. And

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Speaker 1: it really wasn't until I you know, it actually really

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Speaker 1: wasn't until I started doing social media and found this

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Speaker 1: way of authentically sharing my passions that made me happy

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Speaker 1: outside of the studio and brought me joy and brought

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Speaker 1: a response from people that I had never met before.

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Speaker 1: I was reaching people that had no idea what it

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Speaker 1: was to be a valid dancer and had no idea

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Speaker 1: that I was a dancer, and pulling from that and

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Speaker 1: bringing that into the studio gave me a lot of

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Speaker 1: motivation and inspiration to try to be or just to

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Speaker 1: accept who I was and to start putting elements of

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Speaker 1: that into my dancing. And I started liking what I

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Speaker 1: saw more in the mirror. I saw Yeah, it just

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Speaker 1: there's this I feel like, there's this indescribable feeling of

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Speaker 1: when you just know something is right. And my dancing

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Speaker 1: started to feel like that and it was a really

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Speaker 1: beautiful thing. It was a scary thing, it was it

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Speaker 1: wasn't an easy thing, but learning to implement more of

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Speaker 1: Harper into my dancing was ultimately the push I needed

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Speaker 1: to be on the path that I'm on now.

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Speaker 2: And your note about feeling as though you didn't necessarily

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Speaker 2: feel comfortable walking out and like being in your own skin,

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Speaker 2: a lot of people feel like that all the time,

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Speaker 2: whether or not they're standing in front of a mirror

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Speaker 2: for seven plus hours.

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Speaker 3: You had to learn these lessons in your own way.

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Speaker 2: But if you had to offer advice to anyone who

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Speaker 2: may just be feeling unsettled, what would you tell them?

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Speaker 1: You know? So, I'm adopted and I come from a

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Speaker 1: biracial family. Both my parents are white and Caucasian, and

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Speaker 1: I struggled with this idea of being different and standing out.

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Speaker 1: I was super super aware of when like waiters at

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Speaker 1: restaurants would be like are you together? Like are you know?

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Speaker 1: Like when they would seed us, and it was this real,

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Speaker 1: this thing of overcoming this idea of standing out and

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Speaker 1: being different and learning to use that as a powerful

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Speaker 1: thing that now that I stand out, or if I

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Speaker 1: stand out, I'm going to use that to my advantage.

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Speaker 1: I have your attention. Now, I'm going to show you

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Speaker 1: my work and I'm going to show you what I'm

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Speaker 1: about and using the your uniqueness, your that is strength,

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Speaker 1: That is power. It's not something that it's like I

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Speaker 1: can do at the you know, snap of a finger,

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Speaker 1: but just reminding myself that your uniqueness is strength, your

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Speaker 1: in the qualities that you possess, that you feel are different,

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Speaker 1: that you want to turn down, are actually the ones

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Speaker 1: that you should turn up. Because you know, my teacher here,

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Speaker 1: my boss, he said, you're never going to get the

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Speaker 1: perfect wave. It's about riding the wave you're given. And

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Speaker 1: it's like you're never it's never going to be perfect.

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Speaker 1: You're never going to be perfect. And so I try

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Speaker 1: to with my dancing understand that I might fall out

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Speaker 1: of a turn, i might look a little weird at

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Speaker 1: that moment, but if I'm saying something intentional behind my dancing,

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Speaker 1: then that's what's important. And so intention behind your ownership

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Speaker 1: of self is really really important.

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Speaker 2: Super important we've mentioned a few times or referenced a

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Speaker 2: few times or your social media, So just so everyone's

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Speaker 2: on the same page here, You've got something near two

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Speaker 2: hundred and fifty thousand followers over on Instagram.

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Speaker 3: You've also got a following on TikTok.

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Speaker 2: So before we dive back into your backstory, give us

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Speaker 2: a little insight as to how growing on that platform

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Speaker 2: has been for you. It's seemingly a positive experience. You

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Speaker 2: talk about the community that you've cultivated over there, and

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Speaker 2: it really empowering you to come out into your own

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Speaker 2: So when did social media become a really big part

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Speaker 2: of the game for you?

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Speaker 1: Oh my goodness. I first joined Instagram, I believe in

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Speaker 1: like twenty fourteen, twenty fifteen, and I was one of

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Speaker 1: those who like thought that it was just purely to

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Speaker 1: like show what you were eating and you know, put

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Speaker 1: like a real heavy filter on it and call it

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Speaker 1: a day, you know. And then what it was is

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Speaker 1: I looked at it as a way to showcase my company.

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Speaker 1: I was surrounded by so many talented people, and I

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Speaker 1: would show us dancing and starting to have people that

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Speaker 1: I never met or you know, who I knew comment

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Speaker 1: and like what I was doing. It inspired me to

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Speaker 1: post more. But I created a video where I was

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Speaker 1: running on a treadmill and pink heels with my best

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Speaker 1: friend and that went At the time, it went viral,

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Speaker 1: and I considered myself a full blown celebrity. I was like,

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Speaker 1: I've made it. You know, this is give the people

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Speaker 1: what they want. And so I started posting a lot

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Speaker 1: more videos of us doing crazy things on treadmills. But

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Speaker 1: it quickly became something that I was aware of that

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Speaker 1: I was like, do I want to be known as

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Speaker 1: the high heeled treadmill running person when I feel like

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Speaker 1: there is so much more to who I am, And

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Speaker 1: so I feel like what I did is I because

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Speaker 1: it's got a lot of views. I would take those

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Speaker 1: videos and I would post one, and then the next

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Speaker 1: post I would share me at work, or I would

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Speaker 1: talk about being a black dancer, or I would incorporate

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Speaker 1: something with fashion. And I really built this community. We

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Speaker 1: have this saying and dance where it's quality over quantity,

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Speaker 1: and I was really just aware of not building something

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Speaker 1: that was purely based on numbers, but it was based

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Speaker 1: off of the quality of people that was trusted in

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Speaker 1: what I did and in continuing to do that. I

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Speaker 1: saw responses from brands and from businesses that wanted to

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Speaker 1: work with me, and it was like, really surreal moving

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Speaker 1: here to Houston at sixteen years old on my own,

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Speaker 1: pursuing ballet, and here I am, you know, traveling to

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Speaker 1: New York to shoot a Pride campaign with Ralph Lauren.

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Speaker 1: It was very, very you know, surreal, and so I

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Speaker 1: just trusted my instinct. I trusted my gut and continued

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Speaker 1: to do that. I don't know if you knew, but

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Speaker 1: the past two years we've been in a pandemic. Don't

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Speaker 1: know if you knew that.

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Speaker 3: I don't know if you're familiar.

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Speaker 1: I don't know if you're familiar. And I succumbed to

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Speaker 1: this little app called TikTok. It gave me every bit

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Speaker 1: of energy I needed during my you know, living on

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Speaker 1: my own with my dog, and I was like, am

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Speaker 1: I going to be a dancer again? Well, if I'm not,

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Speaker 1: I'm going to dance to this audio of Cardi b

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Speaker 1: saying coronavirus. And so I discovered TikTok over the pandemic,

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Speaker 1: and again it was this freedom of sharing and I

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Speaker 1: connected to the music and the audio and it was

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Speaker 1: it just was kind of like another step based off

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Speaker 1: of Instagram. And so I'm so happy that I have it,

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Speaker 1: because I think social media has a bad rep sometimes

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Speaker 1: that it's this you know, in authentic, fake world, which

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Speaker 1: sure I can see people who you know participate in that,

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Speaker 1: but I really felt like it was a platform of

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Speaker 1: for me, if you do it insightfully and authentically, of

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Speaker 1: creating a world that was allowing people to see who

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Speaker 1: you are. And so I view my social media like that,

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Speaker 1: and if it resonates with people, thank you.

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Speaker 2: I want to go back to your beginnings as a

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Speaker 2: dancer and talk a little bit about your exposure and

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Speaker 2: how you got started.

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Speaker 3: So I know, young age, but take us from there.

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Speaker 1: So, like I said, I was I was adopted. I

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Speaker 1: was born in Atlanta, Georgia, and I was adopted at

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Speaker 1: two weeks and both my parents are former English professors

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Speaker 1: and my dad is currently a state Senator of New Hampshire.

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Speaker 1: But there was this, and I know that there was

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Speaker 1: this understanding of an appreciation for the arts, and I'm

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Speaker 1: very grateful for that because as an only child who

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Speaker 1: was obsessed with movement and rhythm, I constantly was putting

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Speaker 1: on shows and seeking the attention of my parents, and

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Speaker 1: they succumbed to that. My dad built me, you know,

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Speaker 1: my own balance beam so I could be like Dominique

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Speaker 1: Dawes because I was obsessed with seeing her in the Olympics,

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Speaker 1: and I would put on my own shows of you know,

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Speaker 1: one person Nutcrackers in my living room and it was

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Speaker 1: I mean, my parents knew that there was some sort

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Speaker 1: of performance element arts related world that I was going

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Speaker 1: to be a part of. And like I said, when

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Speaker 1: I came out when I was fourteen, I was going

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Speaker 1: to private school. Whether I was lucky to have dance

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Speaker 1: as an elective there, and I knew that I could dance,

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Speaker 1: but more importantly, I was like I watched TV. I

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Speaker 1: watched the real world. I watched you know, Queerie for

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Speaker 1: the straight guy. I knew there were gay people in

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Speaker 1: the arts. And there was a performing arts high school,

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Speaker 1: the Walnut Hill School for the Performing Arts in Natick, Massachusetts,

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Speaker 1: that was about an hour and a half away, and

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Speaker 1: I forced my parents to let me audition there. And

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Speaker 1: so the summer before my sophomore year of high school,

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Speaker 1: I auditioned and I was accepted, and it was like

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Speaker 1: gay utopia for me. I was like, this is where

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Speaker 1: I'm supposed to be. You know, I had no idea

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Speaker 1: that arts in a ballet career was a sustainable job.

401
00:23:53,960 --> 00:23:58,080
Speaker 1: I was more going for. I was like, I'll go

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Speaker 1: to college and major in dance, which is completely fine

403
00:24:03,240 --> 00:24:08,199
Speaker 1: in an amazing career, But this performance in working as

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Speaker 1: a professional dancer, I didn't really understand until I was there.

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Speaker 1: And I was sent on a summer intensive in two

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Speaker 1: thousand and nine to come to Houston. And that's when

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Speaker 1: I was sixteen years old, and I actually auditioned for

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Speaker 1: the Second Company here without telling my parents during that

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Speaker 1: summer program, and I was accepted. And when I joined

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Speaker 1: the Second Company here, and you know, even when I

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Speaker 1: got into performing Arts high school, when I got into

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00:24:38,359 --> 00:24:42,480
Speaker 1: the summer intensive here, every moment has felt like I

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Speaker 1: had a foot in the door and to make the

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Speaker 1: most of that opportunity because it felt like, you know,

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Speaker 1: life was giving me this once in a lifetime moment

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00:24:52,520 --> 00:24:55,119
Speaker 1: that I had to make the most of. And so

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Speaker 1: I really turned up the volume on my work ethic

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Speaker 1: and really really focused because it just felt like where

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Speaker 1: who I was and where I was coming from, that

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Speaker 1: this moment wouldn't really happen again or as frequently as

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00:25:09,640 --> 00:25:14,200
Speaker 1: I would hope, And after doing two years in the

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Speaker 1: second company, I was offered a job in the main

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00:25:16,200 --> 00:25:19,399
Speaker 1: company in twenty eleven when I was eighteen, and so

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Speaker 1: I joined Houston Ballet, which is the fourth largest ballet

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Speaker 1: company in the US. In twenty twelve, I was promoted

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Speaker 1: to the quart of Ballet, which is like the largest

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Speaker 1: section in the company where you start out. In twenty sixteen,

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Speaker 1: I was promoted to demi soloist. Twenty seventeen, I was

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00:25:36,680 --> 00:25:40,320
Speaker 1: promoted to soloist, and in December of twenty twenty one,

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Speaker 1: I was promoted to the rank of first soloist, which

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Speaker 1: I'm the highest ranked black queer dancer for the Houston Ballet.

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Speaker 3: No big deal, So much to unpack here.

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Speaker 2: We have to double click on the fact that your

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00:25:55,760 --> 00:25:58,960
Speaker 2: father works in politics. Has that ever been something that

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00:25:59,560 --> 00:26:02,720
Speaker 2: makes you anxious or do you ever feel the need

436
00:26:02,920 --> 00:26:06,080
Speaker 2: to reevaluate maybe how you're showing up there or how

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00:26:06,119 --> 00:26:07,080
Speaker 2: does that impact you.

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Speaker 1: Both my parents are, you know, my biggest inspirations. My

439
00:26:12,520 --> 00:26:16,480
Speaker 1: dad's career in politics. Before becoming a state senator, he

440
00:26:16,520 --> 00:26:19,560
Speaker 1: was a state representative and he worked on the campaigns

441
00:26:19,600 --> 00:26:24,560
Speaker 1: of Carrie and Gore and Obama, and my mother has

442
00:26:24,640 --> 00:26:28,199
Speaker 1: been although she has not had an official title, she

443
00:26:28,240 --> 00:26:34,119
Speaker 1: has been an outspoken, opinionated, you know, focal point for

444
00:26:34,280 --> 00:26:38,399
Speaker 1: my father. And it's so funny. One of the things

445
00:26:38,440 --> 00:26:41,639
Speaker 1: that embarrassed me most about my mom growing up was

446
00:26:41,680 --> 00:26:46,200
Speaker 1: her outspokenness, and at events with my dad, she would

447
00:26:46,280 --> 00:26:49,119
Speaker 1: ask I remember her raising her hand and asking Hillary

448
00:26:49,119 --> 00:26:52,359
Speaker 1: Clinton a question that was sort of controversial, and I

449
00:26:52,400 --> 00:26:58,679
Speaker 1: was mortified. And she continues to this day to do that.

450
00:26:59,200 --> 00:27:03,280
Speaker 1: But what was so embarrassing about her has been what

451
00:27:03,359 --> 00:27:05,639
Speaker 1: I admire most about her now and what I try

452
00:27:05,680 --> 00:27:11,560
Speaker 1: to carry with me in my advocacy work. And being

453
00:27:12,320 --> 00:27:19,159
Speaker 1: able to call out and identify god behavior or you know,

454
00:27:19,240 --> 00:27:21,480
Speaker 1: in my dad, how he stands up for his community

455
00:27:21,600 --> 00:27:25,080
Speaker 1: is also really inspiring to me. It's also really interesting

456
00:27:25,119 --> 00:27:31,640
Speaker 1: because my cousin is currently the leading nightline Fox News correspondent,

457
00:27:32,760 --> 00:27:36,600
Speaker 1: and so we live a life of contrasting political views

458
00:27:36,600 --> 00:27:40,720
Speaker 1: in this family. Just trying to find ways to unify

459
00:27:40,960 --> 00:27:44,680
Speaker 1: is really important in our family and something that has

460
00:27:44,840 --> 00:27:48,120
Speaker 1: brought me a challenge, but also something that I try

461
00:27:48,160 --> 00:27:51,280
Speaker 1: to do in my work as well, trying to identify

462
00:27:51,320 --> 00:27:54,320
Speaker 1: ways that we can all unite over something despite having

463
00:27:54,320 --> 00:27:56,760
Speaker 1: opposing ideas on other things.

464
00:27:57,320 --> 00:27:59,600
Speaker 3: Yeah, I really feel this deeply.

465
00:27:59,720 --> 00:28:02,680
Speaker 2: My you know, parts of my family also don't share

466
00:28:02,720 --> 00:28:05,919
Speaker 2: the same political beliefs as me, and I come to

467
00:28:06,119 --> 00:28:08,520
Speaker 2: every conversation with the mindset that you and I don't

468
00:28:08,560 --> 00:28:10,560
Speaker 2: have to agree on something, but that doesn't mean that

469
00:28:10,600 --> 00:28:13,160
Speaker 2: we can't be good to one another, we can't move

470
00:28:13,200 --> 00:28:16,560
Speaker 2: forward together, And so I love where you're coming from

471
00:28:16,960 --> 00:28:20,240
Speaker 2: with that. It's just so important to have grace and

472
00:28:20,240 --> 00:28:23,639
Speaker 2: compassion for everyone. Just because they don't stand on the

473
00:28:23,640 --> 00:28:25,439
Speaker 2: same side of an issue doesn't mean that.

474
00:28:25,440 --> 00:28:27,240
Speaker 3: They're not a good human total.

475
00:28:28,640 --> 00:28:33,840
Speaker 2: Yeah, okay, so you have this long standing love affair

476
00:28:33,920 --> 00:28:37,120
Speaker 2: with dance and rise through the rinks. I would argue,

477
00:28:37,280 --> 00:28:40,680
Speaker 2: like fairly quickly over in Houston. You know, it's interesting

478
00:28:40,840 --> 00:28:45,240
Speaker 2: that you were like the top you know, black LGBTQ

479
00:28:45,800 --> 00:28:49,560
Speaker 2: dancer at the Houston Bala. But it's no secret diversity

480
00:28:49,720 --> 00:28:51,040
Speaker 2: in ballet as a whole.

481
00:28:51,360 --> 00:28:55,160
Speaker 3: There's still a wide way for us to go.

482
00:28:55,520 --> 00:29:01,280
Speaker 2: So for you, have you found it to be exciting

483
00:29:01,360 --> 00:29:04,360
Speaker 2: to be paving the way forward here or does it

484
00:29:04,400 --> 00:29:07,720
Speaker 2: feel intimidating? You know, you mentioned the people that inspire

485
00:29:07,800 --> 00:29:10,920
Speaker 2: you when we were talking about your inspirations growing up,

486
00:29:10,960 --> 00:29:13,760
Speaker 2: you said, Miss Jay, you were talking about dominic dawes

487
00:29:13,880 --> 00:29:16,560
Speaker 2: like so much goodness and sometimes in order to be it,

488
00:29:16,600 --> 00:29:18,840
Speaker 2: you have to see it. And now people are seeing

489
00:29:18,880 --> 00:29:22,600
Speaker 2: you and you're that for them. So just talk to

490
00:29:22,720 --> 00:29:24,040
Speaker 2: us a little bit about what that's like.

491
00:29:24,760 --> 00:29:29,280
Speaker 1: Yes, so, yes, it was and is and will continue

492
00:29:29,280 --> 00:29:34,280
Speaker 1: to be intimidating, you know, off of this summer, you know,

493
00:29:34,320 --> 00:29:37,560
Speaker 1: dealing with a pandemic, but also a huge you know,

494
00:29:38,360 --> 00:29:41,800
Speaker 1: the Black Lives Matter movement was huge, and I felt

495
00:29:41,800 --> 00:29:45,320
Speaker 1: this huge responsibility for being one of few in an

496
00:29:45,400 --> 00:29:49,000
Speaker 1: art form of many that I had to do a lot,

497
00:29:49,120 --> 00:29:50,520
Speaker 1: I had to say a lot, I had to be

498
00:29:50,600 --> 00:29:55,680
Speaker 1: present for a lot. And it was this overwhelming responsibility

499
00:29:55,760 --> 00:30:01,640
Speaker 1: because navigating people at the top who are not in

500
00:30:01,640 --> 00:30:06,320
Speaker 1: your shoes and don't live your lifestyle and their opinions

501
00:30:06,400 --> 00:30:12,280
Speaker 1: and having tough conversations where the power dynamic is different

502
00:30:12,320 --> 00:30:16,920
Speaker 1: when I'm a dancer to now being just a human

503
00:30:17,080 --> 00:30:20,000
Speaker 1: being and a and a and a person with them.

504
00:30:20,400 --> 00:30:23,920
Speaker 1: It was. It was difficult and I did really over

505
00:30:24,240 --> 00:30:29,360
Speaker 1: extend myself and it was too much for me. And uh,

506
00:30:30,200 --> 00:30:32,600
Speaker 1: what I was doing in the studio as an artist

507
00:30:32,640 --> 00:30:36,080
Speaker 1: by really taking care of my dancing and who I was,

508
00:30:36,600 --> 00:30:38,440
Speaker 1: you know, as a person, and taking care of my

509
00:30:38,520 --> 00:30:41,520
Speaker 1: body and really putting a lot of work and attention

510
00:30:41,760 --> 00:30:47,600
Speaker 1: into my dancing. I thought and understood that that in

511
00:30:47,640 --> 00:30:53,720
Speaker 1: itself is doing the work as well and being present

512
00:30:53,960 --> 00:30:57,600
Speaker 1: and taking care of my job and wanting to be

513
00:30:57,680 --> 00:31:00,480
Speaker 1: the best dnswer I could be in it self is

514
00:31:00,520 --> 00:31:06,120
Speaker 1: a form of activism and representation that I didn't I

515
00:31:06,160 --> 00:31:11,120
Speaker 1: didn't think it was until I got promoted and someone

516
00:31:11,160 --> 00:31:14,479
Speaker 1: said you're now the first, and that is activism. And

517
00:31:14,520 --> 00:31:19,800
Speaker 1: so instead of over exerting myself in areas that brought

518
00:31:19,840 --> 00:31:23,800
Speaker 1: me stress and felt that I had to do work

519
00:31:23,800 --> 00:31:26,960
Speaker 1: that in fact I didn't actually have to do and

520
00:31:27,120 --> 00:31:29,880
Speaker 1: wasn't required of me and shouldn't have been required of me.

521
00:31:30,520 --> 00:31:33,040
Speaker 1: My work is meant to be the dancer and meant

522
00:31:33,080 --> 00:31:35,920
Speaker 1: to be the artist and meant to be harper uh.

523
00:31:36,200 --> 00:31:41,400
Speaker 1: And learning that that was activism in itself was a

524
00:31:41,400 --> 00:31:43,600
Speaker 1: real pivotal point in my career.

525
00:31:49,160 --> 00:31:51,760
Speaker 2: Taking a break from today's episode to talk to you

526
00:31:51,920 --> 00:31:53,280
Speaker 2: about my sponsors.

527
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Speaker 3: First up inside Tracker.

528
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529
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536
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Speaker 2: diet and lifestyle changes. It has been so helpful for me.

537
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Speaker 2: I literally just scheduled my next ultimate test. I am

538
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Speaker 2: amped to do a little bit of investigating to see

539
00:32:37,800 --> 00:32:40,920
Speaker 2: where my body is at as I go into this

540
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Speaker 2: next marathon build up. I want to prioritize my health.

541
00:32:45,200 --> 00:32:47,720
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544
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545
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547
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548
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549
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550
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551
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553
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554
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555
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556
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557
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558
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560
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561
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562
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563
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564
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565
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566
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567
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569
00:34:35,960 --> 00:34:39,080
Speaker 2: drink element dot com slash hurdle to get a free

570
00:34:39,280 --> 00:34:52,120
Speaker 2: sample pack with purchase. That concept of feeling as though

571
00:34:52,400 --> 00:34:55,799
Speaker 2: you need to say something, but being unsure of what

572
00:34:55,840 --> 00:34:58,400
Speaker 2: you want to say or if you want to say

573
00:34:58,480 --> 00:35:01,560
Speaker 2: anything at all. And sometimes it's not the if you

574
00:35:01,640 --> 00:35:04,720
Speaker 2: want to say something, but also the pressure to feel

575
00:35:04,800 --> 00:35:08,440
Speaker 2: as though what you're saying is quote unquote the right thing.

576
00:35:08,960 --> 00:35:11,000
Speaker 3: It's just so complicated.

577
00:35:10,719 --> 00:35:14,760
Speaker 1: Totally for me. One of the biggest things I learned

578
00:35:14,920 --> 00:35:17,360
Speaker 1: over the past few years was just being able to

579
00:35:17,480 --> 00:35:21,200
Speaker 1: identify when something makes you uncomfortable and that that shouldn't

580
00:35:21,360 --> 00:35:25,239
Speaker 1: be something that you accept. But when it comes to

581
00:35:26,200 --> 00:35:30,840
Speaker 1: real change and real work that is implemented into these organizations,

582
00:35:30,840 --> 00:35:34,120
Speaker 1: not just a ballet company, but big brands and big companies,

583
00:35:35,000 --> 00:35:37,960
Speaker 1: there are people that have devoted their life to this

584
00:35:38,080 --> 00:35:40,400
Speaker 1: work and we should turn to them and we should

585
00:35:40,440 --> 00:35:45,399
Speaker 1: listen to them. And you know, I was trying to

586
00:35:45,480 --> 00:35:49,000
Speaker 1: take on a lot and be a lot for people.

587
00:35:49,120 --> 00:35:53,479
Speaker 1: That was too much for me. But there are young

588
00:35:53,600 --> 00:35:59,360
Speaker 1: Black dancers, they are young Asian, they're young Latin X

589
00:35:59,440 --> 00:36:02,719
Speaker 1: dancers who are joining the company and being a resource

590
00:36:02,760 --> 00:36:08,040
Speaker 1: for them and being an ally for them is where

591
00:36:08,040 --> 00:36:12,319
Speaker 1: I can lend myself and my work in how I

592
00:36:12,360 --> 00:36:16,400
Speaker 1: approach my work is you know, trying to be the

593
00:36:16,440 --> 00:36:19,759
Speaker 1: best dancer I can be for myself by inspiring them.

594
00:36:20,160 --> 00:36:22,719
Speaker 1: That is activism, That is work, and so I look

595
00:36:22,760 --> 00:36:23,319
Speaker 1: at it like that.

596
00:36:24,440 --> 00:36:27,600
Speaker 2: Can we talk a little bit about the athleticism that

597
00:36:27,719 --> 00:36:32,319
Speaker 2: goes into your profession, because it's not like you just

598
00:36:32,360 --> 00:36:34,600
Speaker 2: show up and all you do is dance all the time.

599
00:36:34,680 --> 00:36:35,520
Speaker 3: There's more than that.

600
00:36:35,680 --> 00:36:39,680
Speaker 2: So can you shed some light on what your week

601
00:36:39,840 --> 00:36:41,239
Speaker 2: of movement might look like?

602
00:36:41,840 --> 00:36:45,400
Speaker 1: Yes? So, well, like I said, I'm thirty now, so

603
00:36:45,440 --> 00:36:47,839
Speaker 1: it looks a little different than when I started, you know.

604
00:36:48,920 --> 00:36:51,840
Speaker 1: But we here at Houston Valley. We have a forty

605
00:36:51,880 --> 00:36:54,840
Speaker 1: four week contract. We have the longest contract in Valley,

606
00:36:54,880 --> 00:36:56,759
Speaker 1: which is very long, and we're very grateful to be

607
00:36:57,239 --> 00:37:01,319
Speaker 1: worked working that much work five days a week. We

608
00:37:01,360 --> 00:37:04,800
Speaker 1: work Tuesday to Saturday. We have a ten o'clock ballet class,

609
00:37:04,800 --> 00:37:06,720
Speaker 1: which is an hour and a half where we start

610
00:37:07,040 --> 00:37:09,960
Speaker 1: forty five minutes at the bar doing you know, basic

611
00:37:10,040 --> 00:37:12,400
Speaker 1: exercises to warm up, and then we move into center,

612
00:37:13,200 --> 00:37:16,640
Speaker 1: which is a bit more free form moving. Got a

613
00:37:16,680 --> 00:37:19,160
Speaker 1: fifteen minute break to you know, grab a protein bar,

614
00:37:19,280 --> 00:37:22,799
Speaker 1: maybe make a call do something, and then we jump

615
00:37:22,800 --> 00:37:27,759
Speaker 1: into rehearsals for six hours until six forty five, and

616
00:37:27,800 --> 00:37:30,520
Speaker 1: we do that five days a week. When we're in shows,

617
00:37:30,640 --> 00:37:32,400
Speaker 1: we have a little bit of a later start. We

618
00:37:32,440 --> 00:37:35,640
Speaker 1: start around twelve twelve thirty and we're in the theater

619
00:37:35,760 --> 00:37:38,040
Speaker 1: until ten thirty. And so for the past six weeks

620
00:37:38,080 --> 00:37:43,000
Speaker 1: here in Houston, we've been going NonStop because we have

621
00:37:43,160 --> 00:37:46,760
Speaker 1: you know, depending on the rep, we do two weekends,

622
00:37:46,760 --> 00:37:49,200
Speaker 1: three weekends, four weekends, but we're doing six weekends this

623
00:37:49,280 --> 00:37:54,240
Speaker 1: year of shows, which are a lot of rehearsals and

624
00:37:54,320 --> 00:38:00,279
Speaker 1: a lot of physically demanding movement and partnering and also

625
00:38:00,400 --> 00:38:06,040
Speaker 1: acting and character development, which is in itself exhausting as well.

626
00:38:06,120 --> 00:38:08,920
Speaker 1: But it's a really it's just such a unique thing

627
00:38:08,960 --> 00:38:11,279
Speaker 1: to call yourself a ballet dancer, and to be a

628
00:38:11,280 --> 00:38:15,960
Speaker 1: ballet dancer and to have this beautiful balance of athleticism

629
00:38:16,000 --> 00:38:20,239
Speaker 1: with artistry and to transform into characters and to tell

630
00:38:20,320 --> 00:38:23,400
Speaker 1: stories and to tell your own story through dancing and

631
00:38:23,520 --> 00:38:27,120
Speaker 1: movement is a really beautiful thing. So we do a lot.

632
00:38:27,760 --> 00:38:29,000
Speaker 1: We do a lot. We do a lot.

633
00:38:29,480 --> 00:38:30,320
Speaker 3: How do you recover?

634
00:38:31,480 --> 00:38:33,480
Speaker 1: Oh goodness, you know, it's so funny. I just posted

635
00:38:33,480 --> 00:38:35,480
Speaker 1: a story on my Instagram yesterday and I was like

636
00:38:35,520 --> 00:38:37,359
Speaker 1: watching the Housewives and I was like, you know, some

637
00:38:37,440 --> 00:38:41,160
Speaker 1: dancers do like ep, some salt, some do like ice,

638
00:38:41,200 --> 00:38:44,640
Speaker 1: and I'm like fully binging the Real Housewives of Atlanta. Now,

639
00:38:44,920 --> 00:38:49,040
Speaker 1: you know, my As you get older and or even if,

640
00:38:49,120 --> 00:38:51,840
Speaker 1: the more you dance, the more work is required for

641
00:38:51,920 --> 00:38:54,359
Speaker 1: you outside of the studio. You know, I used to

642
00:38:54,360 --> 00:38:57,239
Speaker 1: be able to sort of just stroll into class a

643
00:38:57,239 --> 00:39:03,480
Speaker 1: little bit later than I should. But now the recovery

644
00:39:03,680 --> 00:39:07,400
Speaker 1: process is just as important as the warming up process,

645
00:39:07,440 --> 00:39:10,400
Speaker 1: and just as important as the dancing that I'm you know,

646
00:39:10,480 --> 00:39:14,600
Speaker 1: doing in the studio. Nutrition and wellness has been a

647
00:39:14,719 --> 00:39:19,120
Speaker 1: huge resource for me and something that I rely on heavily.

648
00:39:20,320 --> 00:39:23,160
Speaker 1: You know, when you're in your twenties and late you know,

649
00:39:23,280 --> 00:39:25,480
Speaker 1: late teens, You're like, what I put into my body

650
00:39:25,520 --> 00:39:29,839
Speaker 1: doesn't matter because I have a fast metabolism and hangovers

651
00:39:29,920 --> 00:39:33,600
Speaker 1: don't exist. Now, you know, twenty five hit and it

652
00:39:33,640 --> 00:39:40,000
Speaker 1: was like lower back pain, financial stress, and you know, hangovers.

653
00:39:40,200 --> 00:39:45,480
Speaker 1: But but you know, in all seriousness, it really is

654
00:39:45,600 --> 00:39:47,799
Speaker 1: just like a full time a full time thing, and

655
00:39:47,880 --> 00:39:53,120
Speaker 1: so figuring out what works for my body and how

656
00:39:53,160 --> 00:39:57,239
Speaker 1: I can be set up best, so when I enter

657
00:39:57,320 --> 00:40:00,799
Speaker 1: the studio, I'm at my best. Has been really really

658
00:40:00,840 --> 00:40:01,400
Speaker 1: vital for me.

659
00:40:01,880 --> 00:40:06,240
Speaker 3: When you're not dancing, How are you spending your time

660
00:40:06,360 --> 00:40:08,680
Speaker 3: outside of watching the real housewise?

661
00:40:09,960 --> 00:40:15,480
Speaker 1: Well, I I'm a worker bee. I I don't know

662
00:40:15,480 --> 00:40:17,640
Speaker 1: if it's because I'm a Capricorn. I don't know if

663
00:40:17,640 --> 00:40:20,040
Speaker 1: it's because I'm an only child and I've always just

664
00:40:20,080 --> 00:40:24,799
Speaker 1: had to keep myself going. But I create a lot

665
00:40:24,840 --> 00:40:28,400
Speaker 1: of content. I'm you know, I'm trying to build something

666
00:40:28,960 --> 00:40:31,239
Speaker 1: off of what I've created because I'm well aware that

667
00:40:31,280 --> 00:40:33,400
Speaker 1: I'm not going to be, you know, a dancer forever,

668
00:40:33,880 --> 00:40:36,320
Speaker 1: and so I consider the work that I have on

669
00:40:36,400 --> 00:40:40,600
Speaker 1: my free time just as important. It also is, you know,

670
00:40:40,680 --> 00:40:44,399
Speaker 1: I do understand taking baths is really lovely. I love

671
00:40:45,040 --> 00:40:47,560
Speaker 1: I don't know why I started taking baths so late

672
00:40:47,600 --> 00:40:52,799
Speaker 1: in life, but like baths are it? Like it? I mean,

673
00:40:52,840 --> 00:40:56,160
Speaker 1: I put like I love an epsom salt bath. Yeah.

674
00:40:56,239 --> 00:40:58,840
Speaker 1: I would always hear the older dancers like saying I

675
00:40:58,840 --> 00:41:00,600
Speaker 1: can't wait home to go to take a bath, and

676
00:41:00,680 --> 00:41:02,400
Speaker 1: like get home and take a bath, and I was like,

677
00:41:02,400 --> 00:41:03,759
Speaker 1: why are you going to take a bath? Like you

678
00:41:03,760 --> 00:41:07,279
Speaker 1: should be like watching like TV or something. Now it's

679
00:41:07,320 --> 00:41:10,719
Speaker 1: like these like little rewards, but and just being with

680
00:41:10,800 --> 00:41:14,480
Speaker 1: friends and yeah, it's just it's little things that I

681
00:41:14,520 --> 00:41:17,040
Speaker 1: do on my free time. But really it is crazy

682
00:41:17,080 --> 00:41:21,000
Speaker 1: how much I try to create and do things on

683
00:41:21,120 --> 00:41:21,719
Speaker 1: my free time.

684
00:41:22,239 --> 00:41:27,000
Speaker 2: Do you think that as you have started to create

685
00:41:27,360 --> 00:41:32,440
Speaker 2: more frequently, it has been almost essential that you show

686
00:41:32,520 --> 00:41:38,360
Speaker 2: up even harder in your dancing because of maybe unsolicited

687
00:41:38,360 --> 00:41:41,240
Speaker 2: feedback or opinions on trying to do both.

688
00:41:42,520 --> 00:41:44,400
Speaker 1: You know, it's funny that you say that, because I

689
00:41:44,440 --> 00:41:47,120
Speaker 1: think that one of my biggest challenges. I think I

690
00:41:47,480 --> 00:41:50,120
Speaker 1: know that on face value and the content I create,

691
00:41:50,160 --> 00:41:54,640
Speaker 1: I have this persona of complete ownership of self and confidence.

692
00:41:54,800 --> 00:41:59,800
Speaker 1: And you know, Beyonce has her Sasha fears. I consider

693
00:41:59,840 --> 00:42:04,200
Speaker 1: my ulter ego Sachet fears. But it's one of the

694
00:42:04,200 --> 00:42:06,960
Speaker 1: biggest struggles that I've been having this year inside the

695
00:42:06,960 --> 00:42:10,600
Speaker 1: studio and outside of the studio is being told what

696
00:42:10,719 --> 00:42:15,359
Speaker 1: to do, that there's one way to do it, and

697
00:42:15,600 --> 00:42:18,960
Speaker 1: people's opinions of it's hard for me to navigate, you know,

698
00:42:19,040 --> 00:42:21,640
Speaker 1: and I under and when someone says this is how

699
00:42:21,640 --> 00:42:24,400
Speaker 1: you should do it, or that's not reading well, or

700
00:42:24,960 --> 00:42:29,319
Speaker 1: try it like this. I am struggling personally with how

701
00:42:29,360 --> 00:42:31,160
Speaker 1: do you know or why you know?

702
00:42:31,280 --> 00:42:33,600
Speaker 3: And can you give me an example.

703
00:42:33,880 --> 00:42:36,200
Speaker 1: For example, there's this role that I did in a

704
00:42:36,239 --> 00:42:39,280
Speaker 1: ballet called Don Quixote, and it's a it's a Spanish ballet,

705
00:42:39,320 --> 00:42:43,440
Speaker 1: so lots of bravore movement and you know matadors, and

706
00:42:43,960 --> 00:42:46,960
Speaker 1: I did it with the lead matador and he has

707
00:42:47,000 --> 00:42:50,239
Speaker 1: this dance with a woman and our coach was she

708
00:42:50,440 --> 00:42:52,600
Speaker 1: was saying, you need to whisper these sexy things in

709
00:42:52,640 --> 00:42:55,560
Speaker 1: her ear and you need to make her swoon, and

710
00:42:56,000 --> 00:42:58,680
Speaker 1: but you're just smiling a little so and you're smiling

711
00:42:58,719 --> 00:43:02,720
Speaker 1: too much and it looks too well, I'm not allowed

712
00:43:02,760 --> 00:43:05,120
Speaker 1: to be friendly. This is how I'm this is this

713
00:43:05,160 --> 00:43:08,439
Speaker 1: is how I'm doing it. And you know, I would

714
00:43:08,480 --> 00:43:10,239
Speaker 1: every time I would do a run of the dance,

715
00:43:10,320 --> 00:43:11,920
Speaker 1: she would say, it's good, it's good, but you're just

716
00:43:11,960 --> 00:43:14,360
Speaker 1: doing it like this, and she goes, it's just a

717
00:43:14,400 --> 00:43:16,080
Speaker 1: little too much, and I was like, it's a little

718
00:43:16,120 --> 00:43:20,319
Speaker 1: too much what you know? And I kind of I

719
00:43:20,400 --> 00:43:25,480
Speaker 1: just knew what she was implying and navigating, you know,

720
00:43:25,560 --> 00:43:29,520
Speaker 1: figuring out that and and why does it have to

721
00:43:29,560 --> 00:43:32,640
Speaker 1: be one way? When you know, ballet is an art

722
00:43:32,640 --> 00:43:35,440
Speaker 1: form that's delivered and taught from the people who have

723
00:43:35,520 --> 00:43:40,400
Speaker 1: done it before us, and so being a part of

724
00:43:40,440 --> 00:43:45,319
Speaker 1: the change, I think, and in shifting the image of

725
00:43:45,320 --> 00:43:48,080
Speaker 1: what ballet looks like and how ballet is done and

726
00:43:50,680 --> 00:43:53,200
Speaker 1: is challenging, and that's one of the challenges where I

727
00:43:53,239 --> 00:43:56,960
Speaker 1: feel is most challenging.

728
00:43:58,520 --> 00:44:01,560
Speaker 2: Well, I also feel as though, like within ballet for

729
00:44:01,640 --> 00:44:06,280
Speaker 2: so long, you know, it has been this idea that

730
00:44:06,920 --> 00:44:10,680
Speaker 2: men are supposed to appear like hyper masculine, and so

731
00:44:10,840 --> 00:44:13,720
Speaker 2: for you to show up and be your authentic self.

732
00:44:14,000 --> 00:44:16,719
Speaker 2: I can understand why that can be a little bit stressful,

733
00:44:16,760 --> 00:44:20,439
Speaker 2: but it also, as we've kind of touched on thus far,

734
00:44:21,320 --> 00:44:24,680
Speaker 2: will be empowering and will continue to inspire others to

735
00:44:24,719 --> 00:44:26,560
Speaker 2: embrace their authentic selves.

736
00:44:27,000 --> 00:44:29,920
Speaker 1: Yeah, totally. And you know, the ballet Don Quixote is

737
00:44:29,960 --> 00:44:33,960
Speaker 1: an old ballet, and we have been fortunate enough recently

738
00:44:34,040 --> 00:44:37,799
Speaker 1: to have choreographers come in who are new choreographers and

739
00:44:38,040 --> 00:44:41,959
Speaker 1: are when they come in they ask us for they say,

740
00:44:42,560 --> 00:44:44,640
Speaker 1: bring more of who you are into this, you know,

741
00:44:44,800 --> 00:44:47,520
Speaker 1: and bring more of your identity and yourself into it.

742
00:44:47,840 --> 00:44:49,840
Speaker 1: And then when I do that, my dancing feels so

743
00:44:49,920 --> 00:44:54,040
Speaker 1: much better. It's when I am trying to be a

744
00:44:54,160 --> 00:44:59,719
Speaker 1: character or someone's idea of something. I feel super, super restricted,

745
00:45:00,320 --> 00:45:04,360
Speaker 1: and I think when I first started out, I would

746
00:45:04,400 --> 00:45:07,040
Speaker 1: take that as, Oh, you're right, I have to be

747
00:45:07,200 --> 00:45:11,839
Speaker 1: like this. Now it sort of infuriates me and next

748
00:45:11,880 --> 00:45:18,360
Speaker 1: to me frustrated because I am the dancer, I'm the artist.

749
00:45:18,400 --> 00:45:20,400
Speaker 1: I have to respect the people in the front of

750
00:45:20,440 --> 00:45:24,239
Speaker 1: the room. But it's sort of hard to respect what's

751
00:45:24,280 --> 00:45:26,360
Speaker 1: in the front of the room when I feel like

752
00:45:26,400 --> 00:45:32,439
Speaker 1: who I am is being disrespected. So figuring that out

753
00:45:32,520 --> 00:45:35,560
Speaker 1: has been has been a challenge. But again, I just

754
00:45:35,640 --> 00:45:38,439
Speaker 1: think just taking care of myself and continuing to show

755
00:45:38,560 --> 00:45:41,040
Speaker 1: up is part of the is part of the change,

756
00:45:41,040 --> 00:45:44,120
Speaker 1: and so I will continue to do that until I can.

757
00:45:45,239 --> 00:45:49,640
Speaker 2: Yeah, for you, what excites you right now, either in

758
00:45:49,800 --> 00:45:51,720
Speaker 2: work or outside of work.

759
00:45:54,719 --> 00:46:01,000
Speaker 1: People who uh the hustle. The hustle really inspires me.

760
00:46:02,000 --> 00:46:07,000
Speaker 1: I love social media and Instagram and TikTok because I

761
00:46:07,040 --> 00:46:10,759
Speaker 1: think of it as a perfect uh tool for discovery.

762
00:46:10,800 --> 00:46:15,120
Speaker 1: I've discovered so many creatives and watching their journey and

763
00:46:15,200 --> 00:46:19,000
Speaker 1: watching them flourish and watching them receive the flowers that

764
00:46:19,080 --> 00:46:22,520
Speaker 1: they deserve and achieve the things that they want. That's

765
00:46:22,560 --> 00:46:25,120
Speaker 1: inspiring to me. I look back at the roles that

766
00:46:25,200 --> 00:46:27,680
Speaker 1: I danced, and look at the roles that I've danced

767
00:46:27,800 --> 00:46:31,400
Speaker 1: now and that excites me. I've seen fashion designers like

768
00:46:31,520 --> 00:46:37,120
Speaker 1: Christian Christopher John Rogers who is just making the clothes

769
00:46:37,160 --> 00:46:42,279
Speaker 1: that he's envisioned, you know, on fashion Week and down

770
00:46:42,320 --> 00:46:48,000
Speaker 1: the runway of the biggest fashion stage, and that inspires me.

771
00:46:48,160 --> 00:46:53,120
Speaker 1: And the housewives inspire me, you know, media media inspires me.

772
00:46:53,719 --> 00:46:56,840
Speaker 1: Seeing my friends like one of my good friends, he

773
00:46:57,080 --> 00:47:01,080
Speaker 1: just booked the role of or his show as folks started,

774
00:47:01,440 --> 00:47:04,080
Speaker 1: and I know how much he's you know, gone to

775
00:47:04,160 --> 00:47:07,279
Speaker 1: auditions and put in the work and that you don't

776
00:47:07,280 --> 00:47:09,760
Speaker 1: really see and it looks like now all of a sudden,

777
00:47:09,800 --> 00:47:13,200
Speaker 1: it's just there and he's in. He's winning. And so

778
00:47:13,520 --> 00:47:20,000
Speaker 1: seeing artists and creatives and people flourish and achieve the

779
00:47:20,040 --> 00:47:23,560
Speaker 1: things that they want, that's exciting to me.

780
00:47:24,760 --> 00:47:25,400
Speaker 3: What do you want?

781
00:47:25,880 --> 00:47:30,680
Speaker 1: Oh? I will say this, I think I mentioned it earlier.

782
00:47:32,040 --> 00:47:37,280
Speaker 1: I moved here for ballet and being the best dancer

783
00:47:37,280 --> 00:47:39,160
Speaker 1: that I can be for myself has opened up so

784
00:47:39,200 --> 00:47:43,560
Speaker 1: many doors that I never thought were possible, like truly

785
00:47:43,640 --> 00:47:48,120
Speaker 1: never thought possible. And so I will continue being the

786
00:47:48,120 --> 00:47:51,920
Speaker 1: best dancer that I can be and if that perhaps

787
00:47:52,120 --> 00:47:57,560
Speaker 1: gives me my own talk show. I will welcome that.

788
00:47:57,960 --> 00:48:00,400
Speaker 1: If that gives If that gives me a book deal,

789
00:48:01,200 --> 00:48:03,880
Speaker 1: why not. But if that, if that allows me to

790
00:48:04,880 --> 00:48:07,600
Speaker 1: inspire someone to step into a dance studio who never

791
00:48:07,640 --> 00:48:11,319
Speaker 1: thought that it was possible for them, that's what I

792
00:48:11,360 --> 00:48:15,080
Speaker 1: want as well. But I just want I think what

793
00:48:15,160 --> 00:48:18,799
Speaker 1: I will say is I want ballet and dance to

794
00:48:18,920 --> 00:48:24,200
Speaker 1: be appreciated mainstream as much as other art forms and

795
00:48:24,280 --> 00:48:33,160
Speaker 1: other you know, athletic jobs or opportunities. And that's not

796
00:48:33,239 --> 00:48:36,239
Speaker 1: a financial thing. That's not a monetary thing, but just

797
00:48:36,320 --> 00:48:39,640
Speaker 1: I want it to be appreciated, uh fully. And I

798
00:48:39,680 --> 00:48:41,279
Speaker 1: want the image of what it is to be a

799
00:48:41,320 --> 00:48:44,400
Speaker 1: ballet dancer, what a ballet dancer looks like, what a

800
00:48:44,440 --> 00:48:48,640
Speaker 1: ballet dancer does, who they love, who they are. I

801
00:48:48,680 --> 00:48:53,480
Speaker 1: want that image to be broadened. And I'm doing it

802
00:48:53,600 --> 00:48:56,239
Speaker 1: my way, and that there's there's others who are doing

803
00:48:56,239 --> 00:48:59,960
Speaker 1: a third way. We're all, you know, unique and independent

804
00:49:00,840 --> 00:49:03,680
Speaker 1: in our pursuit of this career, so I want that

805
00:49:03,800 --> 00:49:04,640
Speaker 1: to be broadened.

806
00:49:05,400 --> 00:49:06,000
Speaker 3: I love that.

807
00:49:06,560 --> 00:49:09,319
Speaker 2: Will you talk to us a little bit about what

808
00:49:09,360 --> 00:49:12,040
Speaker 2: it was like for you to return to the stage

809
00:49:12,440 --> 00:49:13,240
Speaker 2: last summer?

810
00:49:14,520 --> 00:49:17,880
Speaker 1: Wow, it was really nerve wracking, but it was also super,

811
00:49:17,880 --> 00:49:21,200
Speaker 1: super exciting. I put in a lot of work. I

812
00:49:21,239 --> 00:49:25,360
Speaker 1: really ramped up my physical regiment in the gym and

813
00:49:25,400 --> 00:49:28,200
Speaker 1: again with my nutrition and taking care of my body.

814
00:49:28,239 --> 00:49:35,719
Speaker 1: And because I had my routine as a dancer, professional

815
00:49:35,800 --> 00:49:37,800
Speaker 1: dancer stripped away from me for about a year and

816
00:49:37,840 --> 00:49:42,040
Speaker 1: a half, I was taking ballet class right here on

817
00:49:42,120 --> 00:49:46,600
Speaker 1: this stairwell, railing in my kitchen over zoom, trying to

818
00:49:46,760 --> 00:49:50,960
Speaker 1: maintain any sense of technique that I had. And so

819
00:49:52,440 --> 00:49:55,080
Speaker 1: my first performance was a tour with two other dancers

820
00:49:55,120 --> 00:49:58,399
Speaker 1: from Houston Ballet to Jacob's Pillow, which is a world

821
00:49:58,440 --> 00:50:01,640
Speaker 1: renowned ballet venue for companies, and I had to do

822
00:50:01,760 --> 00:50:05,720
Speaker 1: nine shows of five ballets in the evening. And I

823
00:50:05,800 --> 00:50:09,080
Speaker 1: was I wasn't so nervous about doing it once. I

824
00:50:09,120 --> 00:50:14,120
Speaker 1: was nervous about doing it nine times. And you know,

825
00:50:14,200 --> 00:50:18,440
Speaker 1: the physical element and the quality that I wanted to

826
00:50:18,480 --> 00:50:23,520
Speaker 1: be able to put out there, I was really nervous about.

827
00:50:23,920 --> 00:50:26,239
Speaker 1: But I also like we had been discussing. So much

828
00:50:26,239 --> 00:50:29,600
Speaker 1: had happened in those two years, and I felt like

829
00:50:29,800 --> 00:50:32,160
Speaker 1: I learned so much and discovered so much about who

830
00:50:32,160 --> 00:50:35,400
Speaker 1: I was, and that this was an incredible opportunity to

831
00:50:35,480 --> 00:50:38,200
Speaker 1: return to the stage and say something with my dancing,

832
00:50:39,280 --> 00:50:43,319
Speaker 1: and so I was, Yeah, I was excited, but I

833
00:50:43,400 --> 00:50:47,280
Speaker 1: was nervous, and I just was excited to show people

834
00:50:47,680 --> 00:50:51,920
Speaker 1: the work because I would I was doing pilates upstairs

835
00:50:51,960 --> 00:50:54,920
Speaker 1: in my room, in my bedroom every morning, and I

836
00:50:55,160 --> 00:50:58,920
Speaker 1: was eating right, and I was having my milk and coffee.

837
00:50:58,960 --> 00:51:01,360
Speaker 1: I was having my milk and my protein shakes. I

838
00:51:01,440 --> 00:51:04,480
Speaker 1: was doing that. I was clean eating. And so because

839
00:51:04,520 --> 00:51:09,400
Speaker 1: I did that so diligently, I wanted I wanted people

840
00:51:09,440 --> 00:51:10,920
Speaker 1: to see that I did it diligently.

841
00:51:12,400 --> 00:51:15,000
Speaker 2: When you say that you want people to see what

842
00:51:15,120 --> 00:51:17,600
Speaker 2: I have to say in my dancing, what would you

843
00:51:17,719 --> 00:51:20,720
Speaker 2: say that you are trying to convey.

844
00:51:21,840 --> 00:51:27,000
Speaker 1: Oh, I'm wanting people to see me and want to say,

845
00:51:27,160 --> 00:51:30,279
Speaker 1: who is who is that? What is that? What that was?

846
00:51:30,600 --> 00:51:34,000
Speaker 1: That was? I want to create a reaction. I just

847
00:51:34,000 --> 00:51:36,799
Speaker 1: don't want to be up there doing steps and I

848
00:51:36,800 --> 00:51:39,160
Speaker 1: want something. I want people to feel something. I want

849
00:51:39,160 --> 00:51:42,520
Speaker 1: people to understand something. I want people to perhaps be

850
00:51:42,600 --> 00:51:45,080
Speaker 1: taken on a journey. You could also maybe not like

851
00:51:45,160 --> 00:51:48,680
Speaker 1: what I'm saying. That's cool too, you know, like have

852
00:51:48,440 --> 00:51:53,000
Speaker 1: a have a reaction to something. No reaction I don't

853
00:51:53,000 --> 00:51:57,080
Speaker 1: think I did something. And you know, that was one

854
00:51:57,080 --> 00:51:59,800
Speaker 1: of my biggest challenges as a dancer joining the company,

855
00:51:59,800 --> 00:52:02,440
Speaker 1: And I had meetings with my boss where he would say,

856
00:52:02,719 --> 00:52:05,799
Speaker 1: you understand the choreography, you learn it really fast, but

857
00:52:05,840 --> 00:52:10,880
Speaker 1: you become a little bit complacent. And complacency is not

858
00:52:11,000 --> 00:52:13,200
Speaker 1: something that I or complacent is not something that I

859
00:52:13,320 --> 00:52:18,720
Speaker 1: like to be or want to be. And so yeah,

860
00:52:18,760 --> 00:52:21,640
Speaker 1: I want. I also want. I want people to view

861
00:52:21,640 --> 00:52:29,880
Speaker 1: me as a good dancer. And because I think and

862
00:52:30,000 --> 00:52:34,960
Speaker 1: well I know, I've encountered people who think that dancers

863
00:52:35,040 --> 00:52:38,240
Speaker 1: just share the good parts of what they're dancing on stage,

864
00:52:38,680 --> 00:52:40,759
Speaker 1: you know, on on social media, they only share the

865
00:52:40,800 --> 00:52:43,879
Speaker 1: good things, and then they're shocked about what they see

866
00:52:43,880 --> 00:52:46,439
Speaker 1: on stage. And I want people to know, no, no, no,

867
00:52:47,640 --> 00:52:49,759
Speaker 1: I'm good at what I do because I work really

868
00:52:49,760 --> 00:52:53,960
Speaker 1: hard at it and I can put on the pumps,

869
00:52:54,320 --> 00:52:57,840
Speaker 1: i can do the fashion, I can wash the housewives,

870
00:52:57,920 --> 00:53:00,560
Speaker 1: but I can still be really good at it at ballet.

871
00:53:02,600 --> 00:53:05,560
Speaker 2: Would you say what would you say has been perhaps

872
00:53:05,800 --> 00:53:10,200
Speaker 2: the most difficult part of this journey for you, any

873
00:53:10,239 --> 00:53:15,520
Speaker 2: specific event or time period outside of the pandemic.

874
00:53:15,640 --> 00:53:21,359
Speaker 1: Perhaps I think the toughest parts were always when I

875
00:53:21,400 --> 00:53:26,279
Speaker 1: didn't think that I belonged or that I wasn't, that

876
00:53:26,320 --> 00:53:29,960
Speaker 1: I that I wasn't right for something because of and

877
00:53:30,000 --> 00:53:33,040
Speaker 1: not because of of something that I could work on,

878
00:53:33,120 --> 00:53:36,960
Speaker 1: but something that I just ultimately could not change. Uh,

879
00:53:37,040 --> 00:53:42,920
Speaker 1: And that that is something that you know, being in

880
00:53:42,960 --> 00:53:45,399
Speaker 1: a space and trying to succeed in a space that

881
00:53:46,440 --> 00:53:51,440
Speaker 1: historically says that you cannot succeed in is what is

882
00:53:51,560 --> 00:53:57,160
Speaker 1: and was and is the biggest challenge, but also what

883
00:53:57,320 --> 00:54:01,359
Speaker 1: has brought the most reward and also the most gratification

884
00:54:01,600 --> 00:54:06,160
Speaker 1: in my success knowing that I that I did it,

885
00:54:07,040 --> 00:54:09,160
Speaker 1: and also knowing that I did it when I was

886
00:54:09,200 --> 00:54:13,680
Speaker 1: younger and felt like I couldn't do it. So that

887
00:54:14,200 --> 00:54:17,279
Speaker 1: probably has been the biggest challenge.

888
00:54:18,000 --> 00:54:20,680
Speaker 2: When someone comes to your social media page now they

889
00:54:20,800 --> 00:54:26,239
Speaker 2: see this stunning human with two hundred and fifty thousand followers,

890
00:54:26,719 --> 00:54:29,840
Speaker 2: a ballet dancer. When you look in the mirror, what

891
00:54:30,000 --> 00:54:32,200
Speaker 2: is it that you see looking back at you?

892
00:54:34,520 --> 00:54:40,319
Speaker 1: I really see, Okay, I see someone fabulous. I see

893
00:54:40,360 --> 00:54:46,160
Speaker 1: someone flawless. I see someone flexible. But most importantly, I

894
00:54:46,200 --> 00:54:47,360
Speaker 1: see someone fearless.

895
00:54:48,960 --> 00:54:50,919
Speaker 3: Oh, fearless. Great word.

896
00:54:51,000 --> 00:54:53,080
Speaker 2: All the f's, Look at all those f's just like,

897
00:54:53,520 --> 00:54:55,680
Speaker 2: right on, que we love it.

898
00:54:56,280 --> 00:54:58,360
Speaker 3: Okay, we're winding down here.

899
00:54:58,760 --> 00:54:58,960
Speaker 1: Yeah.

900
00:54:59,040 --> 00:55:05,279
Speaker 2: Second to last question, reflecting on your impressive career right now,

901
00:55:05,320 --> 00:55:09,080
Speaker 2: would you say that there is a best piece of

902
00:55:09,120 --> 00:55:12,239
Speaker 2: advice that you have learned or been offered along the way.

903
00:55:13,880 --> 00:55:17,000
Speaker 1: Oh gosh, I think I mentioned the quote was you know,

904
00:55:17,040 --> 00:55:19,359
Speaker 1: you're never going to get the perfect wave. It's about

905
00:55:19,360 --> 00:55:22,600
Speaker 1: writing the wave you're given. And you know, when I

906
00:55:22,680 --> 00:55:25,520
Speaker 1: was told that I was chosen by my director to

907
00:55:25,719 --> 00:55:28,960
Speaker 1: represent the Houston Ballet in a ballet competition where you

908
00:55:29,000 --> 00:55:32,399
Speaker 1: had to film a few variations and dances and write

909
00:55:32,400 --> 00:55:35,200
Speaker 1: an essay. And one of the variations you had to

910
00:55:35,280 --> 00:55:38,920
Speaker 1: dance was a one take video recording, and so I

911
00:55:38,960 --> 00:55:40,880
Speaker 1: was very nervous about it. But I got time to

912
00:55:40,920 --> 00:55:43,319
Speaker 1: rehearse it and I was rehearsing with him and I

913
00:55:43,360 --> 00:55:46,279
Speaker 1: fell out of a turn and I stopped and I

914
00:55:46,280 --> 00:55:49,360
Speaker 1: didn't keep going, and he kind of looked at me

915
00:55:49,400 --> 00:55:51,120
Speaker 1: and like pause the music. And I was like, oh,

916
00:55:51,120 --> 00:55:53,239
Speaker 1: he's going to rip into me and be like why

917
00:55:53,239 --> 00:55:55,440
Speaker 1: did you stop? You know this is you know you

918
00:55:55,600 --> 00:55:58,040
Speaker 1: have to keep going, And that's when he said the quote,

919
00:55:58,080 --> 00:55:59,799
Speaker 1: You're never going to get the perfect wave. It's about

920
00:55:59,800 --> 00:56:02,520
Speaker 1: write the way you're given and it's just for me,

921
00:56:02,680 --> 00:56:06,280
Speaker 1: it meant something about it's so much more than the steps.

922
00:56:06,400 --> 00:56:09,239
Speaker 1: It's so much more than this physical thing. You know,

923
00:56:09,320 --> 00:56:12,520
Speaker 1: when you get into a company or when you get

924
00:56:12,520 --> 00:56:16,480
Speaker 1: to a really elite level of whatever career you're in,

925
00:56:16,880 --> 00:56:22,200
Speaker 1: it's less about the technical elements and more about what

926
00:56:22,239 --> 00:56:26,120
Speaker 1: you're saying and what you're doing. And that was a concept.

927
00:56:26,200 --> 00:56:27,560
Speaker 1: I thought I had to get my leg to my

928
00:56:27,600 --> 00:56:32,439
Speaker 1: face and do twenty pirouets. No I could. I could.

929
00:56:32,640 --> 00:56:36,040
Speaker 1: You know, it's it's saying something, it's having intention behind

930
00:56:36,080 --> 00:56:38,879
Speaker 1: the step, it's making people feel something. And so that

931
00:56:39,360 --> 00:56:41,600
Speaker 1: would be my best advice is to is you can

932
00:56:41,680 --> 00:56:45,400
Speaker 1: work for perfection. You could aim for perfection, you should

933
00:56:45,400 --> 00:56:48,920
Speaker 1: show up every day for perfection, but the quality of

934
00:56:48,960 --> 00:56:51,040
Speaker 1: what you're saying and doing is so much more important.

935
00:56:51,280 --> 00:56:51,760
Speaker 3: For sure.

936
00:56:52,400 --> 00:56:55,759
Speaker 2: Right now, Harper, you have an opportunity to offer yourself

937
00:56:55,840 --> 00:56:59,600
Speaker 2: a piece of advice. Looking back on the times where

938
00:56:59,680 --> 00:57:06,000
Speaker 2: you felt unaccepted as you are, what would you tell yourself?

939
00:57:07,120 --> 00:57:09,080
Speaker 1: Well, first, I would say keep all the crocs you

940
00:57:09,120 --> 00:57:13,799
Speaker 1: had because they will come back in style. One of

941
00:57:13,800 --> 00:57:17,640
Speaker 1: the biggest things that I struggle that happened to me

942
00:57:17,680 --> 00:57:19,640
Speaker 1: in my life was when I came out and I

943
00:57:19,720 --> 00:57:23,160
Speaker 1: left high school all right, and I went to performing

944
00:57:23,240 --> 00:57:30,120
Speaker 1: Arts high school, and it was that fear of returning

945
00:57:30,800 --> 00:57:34,560
Speaker 1: and I told myself that it wasn't right for me.

946
00:57:35,240 --> 00:57:37,040
Speaker 1: And I look back at that and it's always my

947
00:57:37,040 --> 00:57:39,680
Speaker 1: biggest what if moment, because I don't think that I

948
00:57:39,680 --> 00:57:42,200
Speaker 1: would tell someone now in that same position that you

949
00:57:42,280 --> 00:57:46,120
Speaker 1: have to run from the fear because there are people

950
00:57:46,160 --> 00:57:48,880
Speaker 1: there for you, and that you do have community and

951
00:57:49,040 --> 00:57:51,160
Speaker 1: that there will always be people for that, you know.

952
00:57:51,280 --> 00:57:54,520
Speaker 1: And I definitely let fear get the best of me

953
00:57:55,200 --> 00:57:59,200
Speaker 1: and so but I do also strongly believe in everything

954
00:57:59,240 --> 00:58:02,560
Speaker 1: happening for me, and I feel like it put me

955
00:58:02,680 --> 00:58:04,360
Speaker 1: in the place where I was meant to be and

956
00:58:04,480 --> 00:58:07,160
Speaker 1: that it was meant to happen so that I could,

957
00:58:07,200 --> 00:58:10,520
Speaker 1: you know, be sitting here today. So I guess what

958
00:58:10,560 --> 00:58:17,400
Speaker 1: I would say to myself is to fear and you know,

959
00:58:17,680 --> 00:58:21,440
Speaker 1: maybe anxiety or nerves, just it means that you're on

960
00:58:21,640 --> 00:58:26,000
Speaker 1: the brink of something great, You're about to discover something new,

961
00:58:26,040 --> 00:58:30,000
Speaker 1: you're about to learn something, you're about to have something

962
00:58:30,040 --> 00:58:33,320
Speaker 1: pivotal happen to you. Whatever you know, magnitude that is

963
00:58:34,280 --> 00:58:36,560
Speaker 1: and so if you're scared, to face it head on,

964
00:58:38,160 --> 00:58:42,840
Speaker 1: because you can do it, and that it's not something

965
00:58:42,880 --> 00:58:47,040
Speaker 1: to run from because you're going to learn something from it.

966
00:58:47,240 --> 00:58:48,560
Speaker 1: So that's what I would say.

967
00:58:48,440 --> 00:58:53,560
Speaker 2: To myself, Feel the fear and do it anyway hard

968
00:58:53,600 --> 00:58:56,160
Speaker 2: for I love it. I love it. Thank you so

969
00:58:56,280 --> 00:58:59,000
Speaker 2: much for sitting down with me today. Tell the hurdlers

970
00:58:59,200 --> 00:59:00,960
Speaker 2: how do they follow along with you? How do they

971
00:59:01,080 --> 00:59:03,720
Speaker 2: keep up with you? Give me your details.

972
00:59:04,520 --> 00:59:06,680
Speaker 1: I just tell people google Harbor Waters and I'm the

973
00:59:06,720 --> 00:59:07,479
Speaker 1: first one to come.

974
00:59:07,440 --> 00:59:13,880
Speaker 2: Up number one on the internet and in your hearts.

975
00:59:13,920 --> 00:59:17,080
Speaker 2: I'm over at Hurdle Podcast at Emily a Body, Another

976
00:59:17,120 --> 00:59:18,320
Speaker 2: hurdle conquered.

977
00:59:18,640 --> 00:59:19,840
Speaker 3: Catch you guys next time.