PERFORMANCE TIP — Be the Artist Who Reaches Back

Be the Artist Who Reaches Back

In the performing arts world, we’re often told to keep pushing forward — to train harder, chase the next role, perfect the next routine, and keep our eyes firmly on our goals. And while that drive is a big part of becoming a successful performer, it’s just as important to take moments to slow down, look around, and look back.

Behind you is the next generation — young, eager, wide-eyed performers who are watching, learning, and dreaming. They’re in the room with you, observing how you warm up, how you treat your teachers and classmates, how you handle pressure, and how you bounce back from a mistake. Whether you realise it or not, you are someone’s example of what a great artist looks like.

So here’s the challenge: don’t just run ahead with your eyes fixed on your own finish line. Be the kind of artist who reaches back to lift others with you.

Take a moment to help someone who’s struggling with the choreography. Offer encouragement to a younger performer who looks nervous before going on stage. Celebrate someone else’s progress, even if it’s quiet or unseen. Share your own story — the hard parts, not just the highlights — because that’s what makes the path feel possible for someone else.

When you were younger, maybe you had someone who did this for you — who made you feel seen, included, and capable. Or maybe you didn’t, and you know how valuable that support would have been. Either way, you now have the power to be that person for someone else.

This mindset doesn't just build better performers — it builds better humans. It creates safe, supportive creative spaces where everyone can grow. It reminds us that the arts aren’t a race, but a shared journey.

Your success doesn’t lose value by making room for others — in fact, it becomes more meaningful. So keep striving, keep showing up, and keep growing — but never be too busy or too focused to look around and offer a hand to someone else on their way up.

Legacy isn’t just about what you achieve — it’s about the impact you leave behind. And often, the greatest performers are remembered not just for what they did on stage, but for how they made others feel off it. 💫