We were lucky to catch up with Aisling Christina Ryan recently and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Aisling Christina thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. So let’s jump to your mission – what’s the backstory behind how you developed the mission that drives your brand?

My mission is to Follow my Dreams. When i was younger, i felt i lacked focus and interest in a lot of subjects in school except for one, which wasn’t even on the curriculum. That subject was Drama. From a young age, i had an interest in performance. I remember feeling joy from entertaining family members at parties or directing my cousins in a story that we would later perform for friends and family. It felt, fun natural and passionate. Il oved seeing ideas turn from thoughts into a reality.

This passion stayed with me. When i was 16, i ran into drama again in my fourth year production. I never felt i had any respect from my teachers until i performed as Miss Adelaide in Guys and Dolls in 2012, It was then i knew, maybe, just maybe. I could have a career in this.

When it came to the Leaving Cert year and choosing what i would dedicate four years of my life too, i thought drama but career guidance councilors thought it was not promising. So i choose to be a Secondary School Teacher. After three months of Lectures that did nothing but bore me. I dropped out and got a waitress job in a hotel. After three months as a waitress, i realized that it wasn’t the career i wanted either. I began to pray that i would find a more suitable way. It was August 2015, I served a table of Three, i will never forget their order, one nasi gorang and two tiger king prawns. It wasn’t the food that was significant, it was the badge the man handed me that entitled the table to a 10% discount. it said ” Drama Department- Mary Immaculate College” This was the college i had dropped out of 3 months prior to this encounter. I replied to the man “What, if i knew there was a drama department in the college, i would have stayed in college!”. He then told me that the course was knew and because i was a past pupil, if i was interested, i could come back next week and begin the course with them.

It felt like faith. i went back. I also did an Erasmus year in Chester University in England. During my time in England, i auditioned in London for Stella Adler Acting Academy in New York. I auditioned with the intention of building my resilience up against rejection but i got in and had the Summer of a life time. When i returned, i finished my degree and started teaching Drama Part time whilst also working a part time waitress job. The waitress hours started to increase and the drama hours remained at four hours a week. I thought something has to give. I began thinking about all the people who would benefit if i followed my dreams. So eventually, i quit my job, became a sole trader and started an Acting Academy that works with people of all abilities ages 6- 90. I also still perform and follow any little dream that comes into my head. Life is not a dress rehearsal afterall….

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

So i am a freelance Artist/ Entrepreneur, I feel that is the best way to put it. Every year looks a little different for me. I have many different hats that i enjoy wearing. I got into the industry because of passion and Self- belief. Right now, i am the Artistic Dirctor of my company Class Act Performance Academy, i am a singer, a director, a writing, a drama faciliator. I work in Schools, Youth theatres, Theatres while also freelancing as an Actor/Voice Actor/Singer/Writer.

When it comes to the problems i solve, i believe amongst my students the common factor is lack of confidence. I create a safe space that allows them to reach their full potential and enjoy it. When it comes to Writing, i believe i can solve my readers inner conflicts by addressing common issues through my writing. When i comes to acting, i can bring characters off the pages into a reality and singing… well that’s just a release for me and for the people who enjoy my voice, i guess it can help them connect with their emotions.

How do you keep your team’s morale high?

Value your staff. Care about your staff. Ask them for feedback. Always be fair and remind them how valuable they are. Be approachable. If they want to travel the world, let them. If they need time off , give it. If they ask for a raise, consider it and see if it’s possible. Keep and honest relationship with them. Teamwork makes the dream work. You might be running the business but i don’t believe in a hierarcy. We are all human with different skillsets and we are all equally as valuable to the bigger picture.

We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.

I don’t see rejection as failure. This is how i am resilient in what i do.
I see rejection as a redirection. This mindset keeps me excited about what is to come!

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/class_act_acting_academy/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ClassActActingAcademy
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCd7X9P6YtesltJ1zOek7CNQ
• Other: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100026461516863

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