Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Renee Ritchie. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Renee , thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. What do you think it takes to be successful?
Defining success is a complex task, as it varies greatly from person to person. It’s crucial to begin by understanding what success means to you personally. This prevents you from pursuing someone else’s version of success. Achieving success, in essence, involves a straightforward formula: dedicated effort (directed towards the right endeavors), consistent repetition, ongoing learning, and the ability to adapt intelligently in your chosen field. It’s important not to be disheartened by mistakes; instead, use them as stepping stones to keep moving forward. Persistence is key. When your passion aligns with a sense of purpose and you apply these principles, your path to success becomes attainable.
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
I serve as the Co-Founder and Director of Tasmanian Dance Expo, working alongside Lockhart Brownlie. Our dance convention is a prominent event in Australia, featuring our main event in the State of Tasmania and a regional event in Perth, Western Australia. This incredible three-day extravaganza encompasses dance competitions, workshops, a captivating galaxy gala showcase, and a theatrical exhibition hall that unfolds over the course of three days. Over the past three years, we have witnessed remarkable growth, welcoming 2,000 attendees through our doors over a week, and our expansion continues.
Expanding the Tasmanian Dance Expo brand to the United States, we now offer a remarkable 10-day dance travel tour to Los Angeles. “Hollywood Dance Tours”. This tour is tailored for dance studio groups across Australia seeking a hassle-free dance studio trip. We meticulously handle all aspects of the 10-day adventure, including flights, accommodations, transportation, and exciting activities such as a Disneyland adventure, a visit to Universal City, and, of course, dance-related experiences. Participants get to partake in a full industry dance day with LA’s finest choreographers, we film a captivating 2-minute dance video in the heart of Los Angeles, and choose from classes at esteemed studios like Millennium, Playground, and ML. Additionally, scenic tours to Beverly Hills, Hollywood, and Santa Monica are part of the itinerary.
Furthermore, we offer an eight-week Mentorship Program tailored for Australian dancers aged 20 and above. “Hollywood Dance Mentorship” This program is designed to cater to pre-professional and professional dancers from Australia who aspire to train with the very best and gain a comprehensive dance experience in Los Angeles. With both my business partner and I having dance careers in Australia and nearly a decade of professional work in Los Angeles, we have curated an extraordinary eight-weekprogram that offers a fast track to understanding the nuances of becoming an international dance professional.
We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.
One of the biggest hurdles I’ve faced in recent years has been navigating the complexities of securing O-1 visas and, eventually, my Green Card in the United States. It’s been quite a journey, to say the least. Over the past decade, I’ve poured around $40,000 USD into lawyer fees and USCIS expenses, all in pursuit of the dream to live and work in the USA.
The Green Card application process alone has stretched on for more than two years, with its fair share of challenges along the way. The sheer resilience it took to not only come up with the necessary funds but also build a compelling case for these work visas has been nothing short of incredible.
Yet, through it all, I’ve learned an invaluable lesson – never give up. Life has a way of throwing curveballs, but you’ve got to keep pushing forward. If things don’t go as planned, you’ve got to be willing to pivot and adapt, always striving for your dreams. This journey has shown me that with determination and a can-do attitude, anything is possible.
We’d love to hear about how you met your business partner.
I’ve known my business partner for countless years – our friendship goes way back to when we were just 12 years old, dancing our hearts out together. Fast forward to when we were 17, and we made the bold move to Sydney, both hungry to make it in the industry. Our individual careers took us down different paths, but our connection endured throughout the years.
What truly brought us back together, though, was a dream – quite literally. One night, my business partner, Lockhart, had a dream that felt so vivid and real. It wasn’t the first time this had happened to him, and those previous dreams had actually come true. This particular dream, though, was about us creating something incredible: the Tasmanian Dance Expo.
And guess what? Five years down the road, that dream became our reality – we birthed the Tasmanian Dance Expo into existence.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.tasmaniandanceexpo.com
- Instagram: @reneeritch
- Youtube: @tasmaniandanceexpo6932
Image Credits
Pointe Shoot Love @pointeshootlove