NYC The Realization Of A Dream
I had just performed in NYC at the infamous venue, Sapphire! THIS was an axperience I’ve had on my all time bucket list as a feature entertainer. The Big Apple, along with Las Vegas, for me, are a performers dream and it didn’t disappoint. Sapphire is located in Manhattan and my accomodation was a swanky, boutique hotel just off of Park Avenue. I was giddy flying into the city and just as excited as my Uber driver was making his way throught the traffic to my hotel. Being in New York also stirred up so much memories and emotions from when I was teenager and an aspiring model.
Growing up in what was then, small town Fort McMurray, I had aspirations to model. Well, my main aspiration was to be a popstar lol But at 12, I had started doing local fashion shows and the odd modeling gig, like being the cover model for a local photography studio located in the mall. At 13, I started going to, ‘Young Ladies Modelling School’, which was the first and only school of its kind and founded and taught by Yvonne Deprees. I actually had to quit air cadets and basketball to go these classes, as they were all on the same days…which was a tough decision to make BUT with the modeling school, there was an opportunity to be one of girls selected to go to a modeling convention in New York City at the end of the year….THIS is what sealed the deal for me! I wanted New York City.
Myself and my best friend, Kara, who looked like Brooke Shields, attended the school together for the school year. She actually had the look and the height but I had the work ethic. And then it came down to the selections for N.Y. and it was a small list, I believe 7-8 models were choosen and I was one of them! However, my celebrating was cut short when one of the chaparones had to cancel, leaving not enough chaparones for the trip. Because I was the last girl selected, I would be the one cut from the group. I was DEVASTATED! My world just feel apart as you can imagine any teen girl’s dreams being broken. My parents felt terrible and asked Yvonne if there was anyway to make an exception and she said that if my mother came, that would be enough chaparones for the trip. My family didn’t have enough money to cover the expenses of having my mother come with me, so my dad reached out to a few family members with no avail and then decided to sell his truck so that we could afford for my mother to come with me. Even just remembering back to this moment as an adult, makes me emotional. It sure is a different type of gratitute. I didn’t fully comprehend back then just how much of a sacrifice he was making for me but I sure do now. Profound gratitude. This gesture though, wasn’t just about a parent making a huge sacrifice but aslo showing me how much they believed in me and my dreams and to never give up.
So, off to New York we went! And it was AMAZING! I got to dance in a talent search (dancing was my main passion) and wowed the judges, however, was still uncomfortable with my body, so wore a bulky t-shirt over top of my dancewear, which costed me marks, They said if I just wore my dance outfit, I would’ve won. But boobs were coming in! I wasn’t comfortable with the girls yet lol However, I was selected to do a Coke commercial and partake in high fashion, fashion show, which was a big deal because I’m short. No one was expecting me to get it but I had the perfect walk and presence. So many memories with my mom like, seeing the Statue Of Liberty, walking through Central Park and having people try to sell us watches out of suitcases! That was crazy to us small town folk!
As I was waiting for my limo to come pick me up from my hotel, I couldn’t help but feel so happy in that moment as now, here I am, as an adult, waiting for my limo, in my swanky hotel about to headline at a venue in Manhattan. Well dad, I’m not a millionaire…yet, ther’s still time lol buuuuut here I am living my dream that started with an aspiration as a young girl, with two parents that taught her to always follow her dreams and that she could be anything and do anything she ever wanted. No limits.
And Sapphire was absolutely outstanding! The staff was exceptional, the club itself and the audience were outstanding. I had a successful performance and was told on the spot they’d rebook me not only at that one venue again but also the other two that they have in N.Y. Bumblebee stole the show! They said they hadn’t seen a feature of my calibre of show in a long time. And quite honestly, I was worried about doing my transformer. Bumblebee is so over the top, that whenever I’m in a new venue, especially one as highly regarded as Sapphire, it concerns me that people won’t ‘Get it.’ They might be expecting something more burlesquey style. I then reminded myself that BROADWAY was just down the street and if anyone would appreciate this scale of a show, it would be the New Yorkers….and they did!!
I have a few videos from this trip up on my IG @diaryofashowgirl_janinejericho
When the Claws Come Out
“Instead of killing them with kindness, torture them with success” – David Goggins
Recently I’ve had 2 dancers who were dealing with negative, spiteful attitudes from other dancers within the industry, reach out to me for guidance on how to deal with these things. Both ladies are awesome entertainers with some successes under their belts, one in particular, is a rising star and slaying the Exotic dance scene. Very popular with audiences, winning awards and loved by some industry heavy weights. The bullying began once she started winning contests and was booked for her first feature week. In one instance, when she walked into a changeroom there was a comment written in permanent marker on the wall saying, “So and so is an escort and is sleeping with the agents.” She also had other people making degrading comments about her while she was within earshot in the changeroom…you know, HIGH SCHOOL SHIT! lol When we worked together, she said, “You know Janine, I try to be nice to everyone and treat everyone with kindness but it just doesn’t matter. Should I stop making such an effort to be kind? Is it always like this? Is it really this lonely at the top?”
I giggled and replied, “Welcome to the big girls club! You are now on a different playing field and are ruffling some feathers. Congratulations! This is not a bad thing. You are achieving success, and some people will feel threated by that but NEVER let that change you, being kind and a great performer is GOLD in this industry. Don’t allow them to make you jaded. It doesn’t matter how nice you are to everyone you will still be the villain in somebody’s story, so just be the hero in your own. Don’t stop being kind but don’t be afraid to create a boundary when one is needed. And NO, it’s not lonely at the top if you bring ‘your people’ with you. Your vibe attracts your tribe. Be clear with what kind of people you want to surround yourself with and you will connect with them. And sometimes, the toxic shitheads will maneuver their way into your circle-moths are attracted to light. But when the first red flag appears-LISTEN! And don’t ever beat yourself up for trusting the wrong the person and having rose colored glasses. Those qualities are tremendous and rare, just dust yourself off, cut the ties and move on.”
The best thing about success being the sweetest revenge, is that once you are having success, you are so damn happy that you don’t even give those negative Nancys a 2nd thought. They may have fueled your motivation in the beginning, giving you something to prove but then, are no longer are on your mind….but you are on theirs, as they watch your socials like a hawk. at one point, those haters might even start turning into your biggest fans. You won’t even be in a place where you spare a thought about them but there probably isn’t a day that goes by that they don’t think about you. How powerful is that. That’s why success is the sweetest revenge. And when I do hear the odd garbage talk about me by someone, my response is, “So what. Awesome! Good to know that they still think of me and I’m so relevant to them. Who are they again?” It has zero weight on how I feel and most certainly doesn’t penetrate my self worth or my ‘Awesomeness’ armor.
I have said more often then not, “I don’t get bitter, I get better and better then colossal!” For me, when someone is gossiping, I’m not really paying attention about who they are gossiping about but why and where are they on their journey to be spewing such stuff. Sometimes people need to feel popular, approved of, special or they just aren’t in a happy place. Happy, successful people don’t go around hating on others and trying to destroy them, they are too busy being happy and successful!
Online is such an easy place for cyber bullying to take place, I call them keyboard warriors. There was an incident where an entertainer I had adored and vouched for down here in the US, who used a lame excuse to create a hate train of online comments and bullying towards another dancer, that was completely unprovoked and unwarranted. As I watched this unfold, I was appalled and so disappointed. I decided to sleep on how I was going to deal with this episode. I really, REALLY wanted to stay out of the drama….but this dancer that was being ganged up on is someone I’ve mentored AND I just don’t agree with this bullshit behavior! As a mentor and veteran, I felt like I needed to lead by example and do something about this. It is fortunate that the dancer attacked is my girl and we’ve had many talks about dealing with people and situations like this and that she is so strong. If this were a woman who wasn’t so strong and/or struggled at all emotionally/mentally, the consequences to such bullying could be fatal. I myself, have gotten into it with people online and the one thing I’ve learned is that you can never argue with someone irrational and committed to their way of thinking about you. You can’t argue with crazy! Waste of time. So instead of jumping on the hate train newsfeed, where I’d probably just go back and forth with a lot of the minions of the attacker (there was an entertainer that did stick up and say something on that feed and that’s exactly what happened), I decided to post on my own social media my disdain for such acts and then went out of my way to help elevate that entertainer’s career by landing her an Australian Feature Tour, which isn’t easy to come by. Not going to engage with the peanut gallery and waste my valuable time, instead, I uplift and help elevate this dancer’s career even more. This entertainer went on to win a big award in the US after this. Yay, success!
In my interview with Peeled, the documentary, they asked me if since Vayda’s death, had I noticed a change within the industry. Vayda Kiss, was one of the most sweetest souls you’d ever meet and was an amazing entertainer. Though I don’t know her full story as to what lead her to take her own life, I do know that she dealt with some bullying from other dancers. Not saying it was the reason but I’m sure it didn’t ease the pain she clearly was going through. I actually hesitated for a minute. I had a flash of the ‘mean girls’ clique. But then thought of this industry 10-15 years ago, opposed to now and the truth is, the sisterhood is stronger and continuing to build and grow. When I look at the ladies in the industry right now, there are so many kindred spirits, so helpful, genuine. In my last few contests, you wouldn’t believe that we were competing against eachother because all the ladies are helping eachother with their shows. My answer to that question was, “Yes, there has been a change within the industry since her death. The sisterhood IS stronger and I believed that dancers such as myself, have been catalysts and leading by example” I do feel that I am continuously beating this drum of uniting women and building eachother up, not tearing eachother down. I even coined the hashtag #yesyouCANsitwithus demonstrating inclusion opposed to exclusion.
Yes, there are still going to be some ripples in the pond with people who don’t get along but it is way better now than when I first started dancing! Boy, the stories I have! And I will share! When I first started dancing, it was cut throat, it was a, “Fuck around and find out,” mentality.
I’ve also heard someone gossiping about another dancer, saying the same old same old: slept her way to the top. Bahaha! I think these types of things are often said about successful women. They need to sleep with someone to get ahead and/or some sort of accusation to discredit their character. Typical things said about women in hopes of destroying their reputation. I don’t take anyone’s word for it, ever. I need to see the video footage with my own eyeballs. Actually, with most accusations, I need to see it to believe it. There needs to be a, ‘For sure this person said or did this.’
You can’t sleep with the public and in the entertainment industry, it’s all about cultivating a fan base. If a feature is successful, being booked consistently, winning contests in different organizations, has a high showprice, invited to headline events…that comes from HER. And if she has a connection with a man in our biz, who the f$%^ cares?!!! That’s their business. He is not going to make her career. Maaaaybe a dancer has won a contest or an award from being involved with the right man at the right time but that doesn’t guarantee a successful, sustainable, CAREER. That’s going to come from her. There are entertainers who have won titles and still weren’t booked.
So, for the ladies out there feeling the heat from the peanut gallery, move through it and then move up from it, flying so high those opinions have no weight with you. Allow them to fan your flames. Fly so high that when you do look down, they just look like ants. You can laugh and add onto those rumors about yourself, keep them focused on you. No such thing as bad publicity. Keep talking shit, you’re making me famous! When there was another entertainer slagging me on Instagram, my followers increased by 200! I didn;t care what she was saying, I thought it was awesome that her fans were becoming mine!
Keep reaching, keep focused, keep happy, keep kind, keep humble and keep believing in your dreams. You will be the one living them, just don’t get distracted by the haters, that’s exactly what they want.
Recap
Hi friends!
Long time! lol With the upsurge of maintaining my social media I have been quite distracted from writing my blog, but now I’m back! Where do I even begin?!! My last blog about, ‘Winding Down,’ is almost comical now. In my last interview I was asked about a cut off time, do I have one or just going to play it by ear….it seems my career has a mind of its own! So I am just going allow it to continue to soar as high as it can go and not be concerned with a cut off. Before I felt a bit rushed to hang up the stilettoes. I was ready to settle down with a man I had been involved with for 9 years, even started selling my shows {this is when you know a showgirl is for real about quitting-selling her shows} but things completely went sideways with that. That chapter of my life is book material, not blog material LOL But I can honestly say that this career has saved my soul from that experience.
As you read in my previous blog, momentum had completely picked up. I went down to Denver to compete in a contest I really wasn’t up for and ended up with huge success both on and off the stage. I was then offered a two week contract in Australia that rolled into a 3 month tour, came home from that tour and was invited to compete at the EDI’S, one of the most prestigious contests in the U.S. and walked away with 2nd place. Then was nominated for International Showgirl of the Year. I lost that one buuuuuut two American agents who always believed in me said that there was a place for me in the U.S. and to go for my visa. It was huge financial risk, that was my hesitation. I believe there is only one other dancer ever, who was approved to work in the US. The visa is very hard to obtain. Most people in the Canadian industry said not to try, I would never get it. But with the support of my agents and my lawyer, I decided what the heck?!! I’m going for it! And….I got it!! So now, I’ve been touring the U.S. for a year and a half and it has been the best part of my featuring career yet! This is what I’ve worked so hard for and exactly where I wanted to be. Example: On Friday I’m performing in New York City and then Saturday in Peoria, Illinois! Rockstar touring schedule with all of the perks!
I have also relocated to Florida and sometimes use South Carolina as a hub as well. I’m booked almost every weekend, so having Mon-Wed off leaves me options on where to spend it. I’m in full tour mode, so settle into quaint, little Airbnbs along the way has also given me the opportunity to see America, which in itself, has been amazing. I will eventually buy a place once I know where I want to be but my schedule isn’t slowing down yet and I am going to enjoy and fully utilize every experience touring gives me. Each week, new people, new venue, new energy…I love it! Some people might not adapt to living out of a suitcase but I do. Could be that I was settled in the civilian world for a while, so I now have a greater appreciation for this career now. My 2020 schedule is almost full with touring the US, going back to Australia for a second time, as I was just there to ring in the New Year and a few Canadian dates.
One of the best quotes I’ve heard was by Lady Gaga, “Some women choose to follow men, and some women choose to follow their dreams. If you’re wondering which way to go, remember that your career will never wake up and tell you that it doesn’t love you anymore.”
I feel so incredibly blessed with how things happened. There isn’t a day that goes by where I don’t feel honored to be here. I feel like I dodged a bullet. This career caught me when I was falling and then gave me wings to soar to heights I never could’ve imagine.
Wild Vixens Mag Followed My Shows At the Nightmoves Event
Hey Friends! You can check out my publication in Wild Vixens Magazine now! If you download a hard copy, I will personally autograph it for you whenever I’m in your city performing.
You can upload a digital version or order a hard copy here: https://www.magcloud.com/browse/issue/1732212?__r=444404
Interview Up in Strip Magazine!
Hot off the press!! I just had an interview with Rochelle Chetwynd, owner of Showgirls International and who writes for Strip Magazine!! I loved some of the questions she asked in this one
https://strip-magazine.com/featured-dancer/janine-jericho/?fbclid=IwAR2YkNN3HzCYxBzHYVtn0qesXN4TiqmZBMBdQu0NPAd-RyUtTvKP5dDlLUw
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