We recently connected with Erika Rogers and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Erika, thanks for joining us today. Have you been able to earn a full-time living from your creative work? If so, can you walk us through your journey and how you made it happen? Was it like that from day one? If not, what were some of the major steps and milestones and do you think you could have sped up the process somehow knowing what you know now?
Growing up a creative, it was always my biggest goal to figure out how to make an art-focused lifestyle sustainable and reliable enough to become my full time focus and career. I reached that goal pretty early on in my journey at the age of 20 and have been blessed enough to keep it as my full time career! I believe it’s really crucial to understand your goal and VITAL to understand the steps to reach it, early on. For me, I knew I didn’t want to rely on different waves of income from jobs that didn’t provide for me emotionally, physically, and mentally like dance does. I wanted dance to be my primary focus. So, I created a plan, expanded my network and really focused on building a product within myself that was desirable by clients (Studios, programs, etc). I focused on building my resume from personal experience and training, which made it easier to network with the correct clientele. This is also something that I still do daily! Continuing to build my resume, knowledge, and training constantly and consistently so that I can offer even more. It’s all about consistently building an authentic product that is desirable and beneficial to the client.
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
I’m Erika Rogers, I’m 26 years old, and I’m a professional dancer and dance educator from Cleveland, Ohio. Growing up, dance has always been my biggest passion. I started at the age of 4 and quickly broke into small commercial dance gigs here and there around the age of 17. When I was 20 years old, I decided to audition for a cruise ship that would soon open up my world to the full time lifestyle of being a professional artist! I toured the world for about 5 months until covid hit in 2020. This ultimately led me back home to begin my career as a dance educator and choreographer. Nowadays, I am still active in the professional dance world with many different gigs while also being a full time instructor and traveling choreographer. I believe one thing that has always set me apart is my work ethic and my drive to continue to grow as an individual inside of my own work. Remaining a student first has always been one of my biggest mottos in life. I am better for the dancers I educate because I make it a priority to never stop learning! I am very proud of the life I’ve built and the person I’ve become throughout the process. I strive to be a great example and role model of what it’s like to create a career off of something you love while building, inspiring, and uplifting the people around me to be the best version of themselves that they can be. I wouldn’t be anywhere without my core people who provided those same elements for me. Therefore, it’s my mission to pay that forward and be that person for everyone that I get to cross paths with!
We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.
I believe that this industry can come with a lot of challenges, unforeseen twists and turns, and burdens at times. This isn’t to say that the positive doesn’t out weigh the negative. However, everything good comes with some bad and you have to be prepared to combat that. Dance has led me to some of the greatest moments and people of my life! But, it has also placed me in rooms with people and in situations that have altered my course of life and tested my resilience. I have been that person that received a handful of “No’s” at auditions, worked for companies that only took from me and never gave, built relationships that soon become only one sided and were toxic, gave way too much when I shouldn’t have, made my own poor decisions while trying to fit in, lacked self confidence, and truly believed it was never going to be “my turn”. It was up to me to take a step back and remember my “WHY”. “What Heals You?” One of my greatest teachers and friend, Howard Washington, taught me the meaning of that. I did not choose this career for approval of others. I chose this career because dance is just in me! It runs through my veins in every which way. To express, to share, to create, to help, to inspire – that is why I do it. That is why I chose it! There are always going to be obstacles. It is how you choose to remember your WHY and refocus your intentions on what deeply roots you in this passion and world – That’s when you will make the biggest impact on those around you.
What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?
One of the most rewarding aspect of this career is seeing those that I coach and work with, grow into the greatest versions of themselves. Whether that be in dance or just their own personal lives. Nothing beats that hug that you get when you watch your student or friend complete that goal that you’ve watched them aim to get for days, months, years, etc. Being apart of the process is a blessing in itself, but watching them complete it to the finish line is the greatest of all! On top of that, dance is a nonverbal form of communication. From a performer aspect, If I can make you feel something by what I create, thats the prize! Connection, understanding, inspiration, emotion. That is my goal throughout this entire thing. To connect with my audience in a deeper way than just surface level.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: erika.rogers_
- Facebook: Erika Rogers
Image Credits
Headshot: Chou Visuals