Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Buffie Mclaskey. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Buffie, appreciate you 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 have been able to earn a full time living as a professional Dancer in Boston and NYC but my goal is to do that in Maine because I believe there is phenomenal talent in Maine and it’s the state that I was born in. As a Dance Instructor I’ve made a great living in Maine but not yet solely as a performer.
I have always made up dance routines since I can remember . I started teaching at 13 years old and performing professionally at 14. At 16 years old I went to a McDonald’s audition in Boston where I had to sing and dance and I knew that it wasn’t me. I wasn’t feeling it.. the song was so upbeat and happy . It’s not that I’m not happy but I’ve been through a lot personally and the upbeat is not my vibe.. I’m a down beat type of Dancer with a Bgyrl flare and the moves were not anything that would represent what I was about and at that moment I realized what my style was and who I was exactly as an artist. I bowed out of the audition and ended up getting an audition with two well known Hip-Hop companies in Boston the same day right on the sidewalk ‘Phunk Phenomenon and ‘ The FloorLords that I performed with for a few years. I later moved on to Dance in several companies in different styles ranging from Modern to Hip-Hop to African and traveled all over performing.
Years later I ended up belonging to both Dance Companies and Agencies
in NYC and performing all over the country for mostly Hip-Hop and Pop style events, concerts , and venues. Being in an agency had certain demands…. Like taking Ballet Dance classes with the NYC Ballet and taking classes and performing at venues I wouldn’t have normally but this formed me into a more well rounded dancer and performer . I eventually settled into a more comfortable life of performance ,rehearsals,and travel. I could pay all of my bills while living alone and had a good routine for myself. But I felt alone.. this girl from Maine wanted to share how to “make it as a Dancer” with other Dancers from Maine. I fought so hard to be somebody and I wanted others from Maine to have that. I knew I had to move back to Maine! I worked as a professional Dancer in NYC while I bought and started the first ever all Hip-Hop Dance Studio in Maine called Studio B Rockers.. this was in 2004 and the BBOYS that I used to dance with on the streets in NYC came with me. They actually stayed at my
dance studio and we taught Hip-Hop
and B-Boying to everyone that we could.
I still worked in NYC and had my connections so I used them! I flew back and forth from Maine to NYC and we performed for any and all Hip-Hop artists that came to Maine because of my connections. I believe this all sparked a big Hip-Hop Dance surge in my area. We worked night and day and we performed for anyone that would hire us. Some of our challenges have been and still are.. getting people
to believe that Dancers are worth paying and supporting and hiring dancers .

I was a working professional Dancer in
NYC and I relocated back to Maine to give back .. to teach others.. to spread love through movement and to help others build confidence. I have worked hard in the past 20 years to spread awareness and have literally given my dance shirt off my back to help other Dancers. I want my Dance Company and other Dancers and other performers to be appreciated and supported . I will not stop until my Dancers are able to make a living as performers because this is our job.. this is what we are born to do. We should not have to work a full time job like everyone else does and on top of that work a full time job as a Dancer where you do not get paid. It’s exhausting and most people cannot do it because they get burned out.

I’m not sure if I could have done things differently given my time and resources …. All I can say is that I have been very resourceful and that I have given every ounce of what and who I am to help grow and enrich others around me and if I didn’t do that I would feel incomplete.

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 teaching dance at the early age of 13. I had so much support from my first instructor ever Sharon Lux. She saw the light in me. Before that I had already been creating.. I’d say since 8 years old..I used to block my street off and perform and charge people to get by hahaha.
My first performance was in 3rd grade and I created a routine to the song ‘Stray cat strut’ . The other kids didn’t want to perform so I performed in a cat outfit that I had made by myself and I was really nervous and scared but when I finished and people clapped for me I felt so proud! This taught me that sometimes when things are scary and risky I just need to keep my head up and be strong and keep going and that’s where the reward comes in.
My Dance Company ‘Rebel PlayGround Dance Company’ who I run with my amazing partner Shannon O’Connor Randall offers dance classes, workshops, events, appearances, and performances in several styles ranging from Country to Hip-Hop and everything in between. We are trying to spread love through Dance and our goal is to be able to perform and be able to make a full time living doing so.
What sets myself and our Dance Company apart from others is the care. We truly care and we create choreography specific to each client and don’t just recycle routines that we already have. What sets me apart as an artist and leader and instructor is how
strong I am and my awareness of that. I always know that no matter what the challenge is that we’ve got this because
I have been through so much adversity in life and I know that if you move through it you get through it and there’s really good stuff on the other side. I’ve also worked so hard on my craft and I am confident and proud of it. I know how to help others get there. I’m passionate and motivated and I know that if you trust me I can help you reach your goals and help you gain more confidence.
I’m most proud of the choreography that I create.. sometimes one move can take hours or days to create and I could just recycle routines but that’s not inspiring to me. The music you are dancing to has its own message and vibe and I don’t ever want to disrespect that.
Our Dance Company is still small today… there’s just 3 of us , myself, Shannon, and Jennifer Beagle. That will not ever change unless someone special comes along with our same type of dedication and love and respect for each other and for the art because our focus is quality not quantity.

How can we best help foster a strong, supportive environment for artists and creatives?

Come to our shows and share our info on social media . Hire us for events, venues, classes, etc and care that we are creating art and a form of
escapism for you to have carefree happiness…. show us love and support for that

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

I have been told no my whole life.. from my experiences in Maine, once you graduate dance is not considered part of your future.it’s not considered practical or realistic.
Dance love and support in Maine stops at high school
and it’s all about recitals and competitions. After that you are considered old and told that you should get a real job. I have never accepted this. I have worked my whole life to go get things and then bring them back to Maine because I believe that I can make a difference. My resilience will always be present and I will always remember that scary first performance by myself as a third grade little girl where I felt not good enough and petrified and I ended up coming out on top and feeling happy and loved and that lesson will always
make me step off that cliff and build my
wings on the way down.

Contact Info:

• Website: rebelplaygrounddanceco@gmail.com
• Instagram: @REBEL_PLAYGROUND
• Facebook: Rebelplaygrounddanceco@gmail.com

Image Credits

Photo credits to Celeste Cannafarina and Sam Nappi