Ode to Drama!
05/03/2011
Helllllo peeps! You may have noticed that there’s an inconsistency in regards to keeping my blogs updated, a huge time gap, this is only due to switching sites. I will now be blogging on a regular basis but I’ve decided to change the format in which I was blogging. Previously it was a week to week entry but I’ve decided to be freer with what I’m writing about as far as adventures go so my blogs will be stories and experiences from past and present. I have waaay too much juiciness to just limit my writing to a blog per week, and oh the stories to share!!! And even a little drama….
Ode to drama!! LOL Have to admit, it’s been quite a while since I’ve remembered what it was like to be 16, but was brought back to those memories recently. Now honestly, I can be a bit of hermit. What I mean by that is, I don’t hang out in the bar unless signing promo and chatting with customers and don’t ‘party’. I have a life that expands far beyond my dancing (fitness competitor so in the gym everyday, doing an online program, personal trainer/nutrition and my music-singer/songwriter) which keeps me quite busy.
When I’m at work I’m there to do my job. Meeting a few great friends along the way is an added bonus but I definitely don’t make a lifestyle out of my dancing career. I usually steer clear of the many dramas that happen within the industry (however do entertain myself with it all) but for the most part, keep to myself. SO that being said, It was unexpected for me to be sucked into a recent episode of dancer drama. And like sands of the hour glass…these are the plays of my life! Lol
So there was a contest a couple of weeks ago in Winnipeg. When I first heard of it I thought about doing it, I completely enjoy being able to put together a big show with props and pyro and bringing my best to the stage. However, with my busy touring schedule leaving my little time to create a show set up decided against it. It was a good title but I have my sights set on Miss Nude Canada, that’s the one I want. Well, two days before I was set to leave for Winnipeg my agent tells me he needs me to do this contest.
I adore my agent, he’s always been good to me so agreed to do it with his encouragement. “I don’t have anything prepared!” I said. His response, “Aren’t all your shows big shows..” Yes, but not contest caliber shows. The girls competing for this title are hungry for it so they’d be going all out, and they did. I hoped for the best but didn’t have any expectations. Don’t get me wrong, walking off stage with a trophy always feels great and if I’m gonna compete I’ll work with what I ‘ve got and always go for gold (whoever says they just do it for fun is a liar! Lol) but there are girls really striving for this one. And as it turns out, those girls were the ones who took the cake. And HUGE kudos to them! Some of my fave girls working their way up in the industry who really made an enormous effort with stage set up, backdrops and being original. Each one of them compleletly deserved their placings in my opinion. Sure, it would’ve been nice to receive something but not down n out like some ladies.
I don’t value these types of contests the same way as many girls do. I’m already an established and successful feature performer who has made a prominent mark in the industry with my performances and already am high in demand-booked for the rest of the year! After working 12 hr days in the ‘real world’ I wholeheartedly appreciate and am passionate about this job. Being at the top of my game is something I’ve worked hard for and am proud of so will humbely acknowledge that. To newer girls or the ladies who want to feature these titles are a huge stepping stone to getting there, so they understandibly will have a greater attachment to the outcome. There was some deep disappointments with some of the girls and I just told them to let this contest fuel their fire for the next one, not to indulge in the disappointment or look for reasons/judgements why they didn’t do better; the contest was fixed, someone sabotaged their show, etc. The girls who placed earned what they got.
The smartest thing you can do when you see someone who is successful or in a place you want to be is to shut your trap from the criticizing, judgements and ego that thinks you could do things better and LEARN from them. This is coming from my own experience. I used to be one of those girls until one day when I decided to sit down and watch a huge feature at that time’s show and then ask her questions about how she got to where she was. That was my A-HA moment. Watch and learn and BE successful.
Anyways, on to the week of post contest, pre-drama. I was booked in to Solid Gold (the club that hosted the comp and one of my faves to work) and started my week off without a hitch. Tuesday comes and my agent asked me to cover the feature shows at Lipstixx. Now Lipstixx is another one of my fave clubs to work, the audiences are amazing and so are the staff but it doubles my driver bill cost, so when I’m in Winnipeg for only two weeks, it’s usually not on my schedule. Only my three week bookings and longer. So I was surprised with the last minute switch but just went with it knowing it was just one night.
The next day I spoke with another dancer in the bathroom as we were both changing for shows and she told me she had an altercation with the manager the night before and we were being switched for the week. WELL, this didn’t sit well with me. I LOVE Lipstixx, just not the added driver expense and I was looking forward to my week at Solid Gold. I didn’t feel like I should have to pay for whatever issue happened with her and that club.
So when asked about switching with my agent he said nope, you’re staying at Solid Gold. WELL…seriously, I had no idea that this would be the cause of the gossip wheel going in full motion for the next week. That dancer was then sent to other out of town bookings because I was staying at Solid Gold and she was not happy about it. The story then moved into how she was supposed to work at Solid Gold and I didn’t want to be moved out of my booking, so she was left with jumping around to these out of town one nighters.
For the rest of the week I was confronted by dancer after dancer asking me what had happened, why I was there when ‘so and so’ was supposed to be there…my response each time, “I don’t know. I have nothing to say about it. I’m not going to engage in/be a part of any drama. It is what it is.” I didn’t realised I was going to be villianfied for working where I was booked 2 months previously. At one point, after the 4th girl was asking me about it I had told her (all in good humour-ok smart ass good humour) to take her pointer finger, gently place it on her thumb and rub them together. CONGRATULATIONS! You are now playing the world’s smallest violin! Seriously, it’s not my issue. And THAT became my tag line for the week when asked about it, cuz I was repeatedly asked. Guess she was telling everyone and anyone who’d listen. And then of course comes the, “She’s just jealous,” comment. You know, there’s a funny thing about that comment, and it goes for any situation. Of course when you’re a successful, confident person you’ll have some nay sayers along the way (and an immense THANK U to all of u for giving me more determination and fire to strive to succeed) but really, that is such an empty accusation and an extremely high form of self flattery. I’m quite happy being me, thanks!
Some people took a situation that had nothing to do with them and made it ALL about them. Welcome to the dancer world 😛
But regardless of the waves, I ended up having one of my best and most prosperous weeks. If there are gonna be waves might as well learn to surf! And really, at the end of the day it’s not about what ‘they’ do it’s about what ‘you’ do.
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