Recipe for Success

WHAT DOES IT TAKE TO BE SUCCESSFUL?

Collage Dance Collective Executive Director Marcellus Harper and Artistic Director Kevin Thomas were both tasked with answering this question and this is what they had to say:

Marcellus Harper: “The first piece of advice I would give to young dancers is to be prepared. You can never be too prepared! Really take advantage of your formative years to get as much training as possible. Your time is limited so you want to make sure you are using it to really hone your craft.”

“Ballet is a codified technique so it is what it is. But what we try to do as an organization is to impress upon students, especially students of color, that through the training of ballet they can bring their full selves to the practice. They do not have to suppress who they are as people or as artists. We want them to embrace who they are, while showing excellence in the art form at the same time.” Kevin Thomas: “Really use your discipline. Discipline is so important especially for dance but for other things as well. For dance you really need to start and see it through all the way to the end. Not matter how difficult something is, you have to show up.”