We recently connected with Billy Mustapha and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Billy, thanks for joining us today. Earning a full time living from one’s creative career can be incredibly difficult. Have you been able to do so and if so, can you share some of the key parts of your journey and any important advice or lessons that might help creatives who haven’t been able to yet?

I am so grateful to say that I have been able to earn a full-time living from creative work. When I first moved away from home to pursue dance professionally, I knew that I wanted to be dancing all of the time so I asked myself how can I find a consistent stream of income that is dance related. I have always loved teaching and choreographing so I found a studio and began teaching one day a week. I made sure that the one day would be a long day so I could clock many hours and still have the rest of my week to train, make connections, and work industry jobs as they presented themselves. Designing a life where my work time and play time were both dance related really did enhance my abilities and artistry. Now that I am working consistently in the professional industry, I am grateful for the opportunities where studios bring me in to teach master classes or set choreography on their dancers.

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?

I started dancing in Calgary, Alberta, Canada at Dance Spectrum with a musical theatre class at age 7 and from that first class on, dance has been my passion. I trained in every style available at the studio while taking additional classes at conventions and other programs around the city. After graduating I moved to Vancouver, BC and took part in the Intensive Training Program at Harbour Dance Centre where I was immersed into the industry by learning from some of the top choreographers and instructors in a wide range of genres. The extensive training hours paved the way for me to evolve into a versatile dancer. It’s this adaptability and readiness to embrace any challenge that keeps me engaged in the kinds of projects my childhood self aspired to. After accomplishing many of my wildest dreams in Vancouver, Canada, I applied for my O-1 artist visa and have been working in Los Angeles for the past 5 years.
I believe my love for storytelling through movement and choreography has been an integral piece of what sets me apart from other dancers. I am so grateful to be living the life I have always dreamed of.

What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?

When I was in high school, an industry professional came to Calgary to choreograph a solo for me. I jumped at the opportunity to pick the brain of this successful dancer/choreographer. I knew that I had many dance goals, one of which was to dance with leading music artists. This individual did give me lots of amazing advice but one piece stuck with me for a while and I am now aware that it wasn’t entirely true. They told me that if I wanted to dance alongside major music artists, I would need to grow and put on a lot of muscle. I do think that could have been more true years ago but from my experience in the industry, I have seen many people of all shapes and sizes dancing with major artists. Learning that I can achieve my dreams without having to become something or look a certain way allows me to focus on my physique in a functional manner that optimizes my health and range of motion. Not prioritizing how I look allows me more time to focus on my dancing and artistry.

Are there any books, videos or other content that you feel have meaningfully impacted your thinking?

A book that has resonated with me for many years is “Big Magic” by Elizabeth Gilbert. She provides a unique perspective on creativity and suggests the notion that ideas are constantly floating around us and as artists, we can collaborate with these ideas at any time. This ideology helped me release a sense of ego and judgement while creating because of the belief that these ideas did not belong to me or come from me, I am just a creative vessel allowing the idea to come to life. I found it liberating when I brought this concept into my creative process and it allowed me to create more quickly. Her approach encourages us to let go of the paralyzing fear and self-doubt that often hinder creative endeavours and instead invites us to pursue our passions with curiosity and enthusiasm. Her book inspires me to approach my creative pursuits with a sense of wonder and playfulness, reminding me that the act of creating is a gift in itself. “Big Magic” reminds me that creativity is not a destination but a journey, and art is created every step of the way.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://instagram.com/billymustapha
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/billy.mustapha/
• Youtube: https://youtube.com/@billymustapha556?si=gM09Add-_R9CLeM1

Image Credits
Richie Libation Studio CREATEV STUDIO Julian Hunt Photography