HOW HAVE YOU GROWN FROM PAST FAILURES

I’m still failing if that makes sense It's always a process I have to be patient with myself If you audition or go to a class and you don’t get picked you can start to get in your head and start freaking out Start crying and throwing all your dance stuff out and talking crazy about how you’re just going to quit and get a nine-to-five! Learning how to take failure is a step towards growth

If you're not failing you're not growing Another thing is not to compare yourself to other people and as a dancer, it can be hard seeing people that got picked over you Sometimes I have to delete my apps because sometimes I can just start comparing myself and saying I wish that was me Everyone's timing is different and it's a balance As a dancer or artist in general you are always going to be a student Make sure you are still training and taking in as much as you’re giving.

How Have You Grown From Past Failures

I always wanted to bring something back to St. Louis when I returned from Atlanta and I was contemplating what that would exactly be but I knew I wanted it to involve dance. I always wanted to open a studio, so I did. I am so blessed to have had it open for a year and serve so many different people. We had a lot of navigating to do as far as regulations in dance studios when COVID-19 happened. I think I learned a lot not only on the business side of things.

Next Moves For The 314 Movement Lab

I didn’t want to let go of this idea and concept of the 314 movement Lab even though I wouldn’t have an actual space anymore. I actually got the idea from Anthony Redd William. We had a conversation about being over having a studio and he just encouraged me to keep my website and my page. Long story short I plan to transform the page to a platform specifically for St. Louis dance-related content. People teaching classes, workshops, intensives, and visuals, all of which will be centered around St. Louis dancers and artists that live here. So people can see who is in their own backyard. That is the number one thing that everyone asks me when I closed my door. So this is the place to go to keep up with all dancerelated content in St. Louis. For different dance styles and it will have all the information you need to be your one-stop shop for dance.

Mj In 2025

Fulfilling more of my role as choreographer/creative director I love educating and I love teaching. Right now I love teaching my college students because they already have this hunger and I don’t have to pull it out of them as I do with my younger kids but I want to get into my creative directing. Music videos, directing, lighting, and being a part of the music experience Particularly with music videos