Just wanted to share this video that I came across on YouTube by the LA Times. It's so nice to hear four different cases of breaking the dancer stereotype; Amanda LaCount, BFunk, Syncopated Ladies and Chelsie Hill. They've all used social networking platforms to become celebrities in their own right. Amanda LaCount and Chelsie Hill's stories really opened my eyes and made me realise the great extent that the internet can be used for self promotion.
Amanda LaCount first talks about her experience of not having the stereotypical dancers body and her experience at a studio where she was told to her face that they had a problem with what she looked like and her body type didn't fit in his vision. She always assumed it was going to be hard for her to make it in this industry because she didn't fit the look with what everyone assumed a dancer should be. Until she uploaded a video of her dancing on the street and it was quickly shared around the web and she gained numerous amounts of followers. "Stereotypes are made to be broken and the more you work for something, the more rewarding it is."
Chelsie Hill shares how she had such a passion for dancing until she was in a car accident which paralysed her. She then discovered a wheelchair dancer online and was so inspired by it and wanted to push herself but dealt with a lot of rejections "I started to turn that hurt that I felt, where I wasnt respected like every other dancer, into passion and fuel." She then built a community on social media for women in wheelchairs that just wanted to dance.
These ladies are so inspiring to people who don't fit in with the usual stereotype of a dancer and a how social media can be used in a positive way to build up communities and inspire others.
Hi Lucy,
ReplyDeleteThis is really interesting! I believe that social media is such a valuable platform for our industry. Having access to a space which provides insightful knowledge which could transform your practise. Both, Amanda's and Chelsie's stories are both inspiring and motivating and are great examples as to how Web 2.0 can aid self promotion.
Although, I think it's so important to recognise that the majority of users will only post positive aspects of their life, and not post negative experiences or feelings. Acknowledging, how authentic is Web 2.0? Whilst being a great medium for gathering new information on your discipline, could comparing yourself to other performers online each day (their success and talent) be detrimental to your practise and confidence.
Ellie x
Hello, Thank you so much for sharing this video! Videos and stories like these motivate me greatly. Negative body image amongst dancers is sadly very common and is an area of learning I've chosen to focus on. I hope that in the near future this is a topic that is more openly discussed not just by dancers but by the teachers and the teaching body's who are often the cause of such issues x
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