Strong AF

affirm artist choreographers dance dance career dance industry emotional entertainment industry grateful life-changing pain powerful resilience strong Mar 24, 2022

Sometimes this blog is about sharing insights and inspiration, and other times it's almost like an open diary.

Today is one of those open diary days.

Now that I am out of the entertainment industry after 25 years, I am having various pings of revelations about my stint.

One thing that hit me super hard is realizing we are disposable. I know that sounds harsh, yet it's one of the reasons dancers have such a difficult time knowing their worth. There is this underlying, unspoken feeling that if we don't say "yes" to their parameters, we will not be able to experience our dreams.

The funny thing is that I didn't personally feel disposable during my career. There were times when I spoke up for other dancers because I knew the value we carried. And I was always proud of standing up for our rights by being on the Dancers Alliance Board and SAG-AFTRA Dance Committee. As a whole, we had some great wins.

And then there were times when I had to hold the line all by myself to get what I wanted in exchange for sharing my talents and likeness. On my own, I had some great wins.

Yet a few pivotal moments cut me deep to my core. And to be honest, I was never the same afterward. 

One of the most painfully life-changing moments was getting fired as Miley Cyrus's choreographer. I worked with her from the opening concert footage for Hannah Montana Season 1 until right BEFORE she danced on a pole for the Teen Choice Awards. That lasted about three incredible years. 

I was there from day one with Miley, not knowing how to hold a mic in her hand, to filling out arenas with screaming kids and parents too.

We were a tight niche bunch. Once a person joined the group, they were in for the long haul. 

Then we hit some turbulence, and things felt off, but I did my best to keep us intact and moving forward. I knew how special it was to work with one artist for that long. It was something I did not take for granted.

And then, one day, I got a call from a friend who was working in the wardrobe on the Hannah Montana set.

They said, "I don't know how to tell you this, but Miley said you're not her choreographer anymore."

It was like an uppercut to the liver.

Yes, rejection is always painful, but this was outright cruel.

Since her manager and mom didn't let me know what was going on, I wrote them an email letting them know what I had just found out and asked if it was true.

Two weeks go by without a single response. Two weeks. Nothing.

Mind you, these were people I had talked to regularly for three years straight. And out of nowhere, they had fallen off the place of the earth.

The manager finally called me and gave some BS excuses about what was happening.

And that was my last interaction with the Miley camp.

I'm sharing this story because this is the part of the industry we don't talk about.

As dancers, we literally bend over backward to be a part of celebrities' projects just to be discarded like a used piece of (fill in the blank) at their whim. 

At least in the corporate world, people get a notice and have time to prepare for their exit.

But not in the entertainment industry.

There's a major gap in compassion, honesty, genuine concern, and sincere communication. And they love to praise you until they don't need you anymore.

At the time, I didn't know this about the industry. I thought celebrities and their teams really cared because I really cared. I thought I had established genuine relationships regardless of status because I was genuine.

And THAT'S why it hurt so much.

Now that I am out of the industry of needing a famous person's validation to feel successful, I can see how dysfunctional the entertainment industry is.

The great thing is knowing all of the incredible highs and disgusting lows brought me to THIS EXACT MOMENT. And I wouldn't trade it for the world.

I am so grateful for how resilient that make-believe world made me. I can honestly say I AM STRONG AF. #pow

With lots of LOVE,
Teresa

#plantingseeds #dreamsdocometrue #yourgreatnessiscalling #moveonpurpose

Subscribe to get tips and tricks to level up your skills.