it’s what happens backstage that counts most.

How you show up in the spotlight is 90% about what happens backstage. #accordingtome

Backstage in this context means both in the wings right before showtime AND throughout all the prep and process leading up to that moment. Your entire life, really.

Sure, your current mood and whether or not you have your period and who’s in the audience and “will I mess up” all play a factor in how you’ll feel as you perform, but it’s not JUST about those things.

The product is only as strong as the process behind it.

My latest story about this -

In our final session of the You Can Dance Again program on Monday, just 2 days post showcase, I asked each woman to share her most memorable moment of the show night.

One said:

“Performing on stage for the first time ever was huge for me, but honestly, it was the time backstage that was most meaningful and memorable. I felt such a connection to the women who were there with me - even the ones who I just met. We talked and laughed and it felt like such a safe space to be me. By the time I was ready to walk on stage for my solo, I felt ready. And it was because of all that happened before.”

I know that not every show will automatically come with that level of support backstage, but it is possible for you to create it. To be it. To enjoy YOUR process so much that it’s contagious to those around you.

A few things you can do backstage to get in the zone:

• Get bodied. In your body. Out of your head. (#dancebreak, anyone?)

• Connect. To yourself, to others, to spirit/universe/the muses/whatever inspires you.

• Breathe. Remember you always have your breath. Tap into it.

Remember that the moments on stage are so fleeting. Live for something more than just that short moment. Make the whole process an experience you love and live for.

Do you crave being on stage, even though it might terrify you?

Want to free up your inner dancer and let her loose?

I can help. There are openings in both my private coaching practice and the next round of You Can Dance Again, and I would love to talk with YOU to see if either speaks to your soul. Contact me now and tell me a bit about your dance story and I’ll reply back asap.

with backstage hugs and a loving nudge,

Jess

the times we remember most are these...

Let's face it. We don't REALLY want to go see the dance shows, music shows, and plays that our friends are doing. Sure, the good intention is there and we theoretically want to see them. But. We are tired after work. There are other obligations to attend to. In NYC especially, life is busy and we need to hustle. It's so tempting to skip plans and indulge in a night home alone.  

Art can take the back seat.

We click "interested" on the facebook event but don't follow through with the ticket purchase.

We do the hustle - or the crash - instead.

I'll admit I've done this many times.

And I've also shown up many times.

Those are the times I remember most. The feeling of unity with the audience members around you. The gift of seeing someone shine in their authentic expression on stage. The inspiration that comes through for my own artistic process, just by witnessing others in theirs.

It's magical. And memorable. And something I strive to do way more of.

So this Friday is just a simple reminder to go out and see art in any capacity. Risk the slight inconvenience of less sleep or missing an episode of New Girl and expose yourself to something outside your normal routine.

You’re not only “supporting” artists, but you’re supporting yourself and your own artistic process.

(How can we expect to produce and put things out into the world if we are not taking things in for inspiration?)

If you happen to be in the NYC area today, come out to our dance show tonight and make some new artistic memories with me.

If you didn’t already hear, I'm hosting and performing in a dance show tonight with some of my favorite people on the planet: the women of my You Can Dance Again program and performing company and my dance partner Ben Weston.

After what's been a long and tough year for many of us, this show is a celebration of life, of art, of self-expression, of the fact that we CAN dance again - no matter what crap life throws at us.

Some of the women who are getting on that stage are doing so for the first time in YEARS and they been preparing dances that express their transformation and true dance voices in their journey back to themselves. It's going to be exhilarating and inspiring, to say the least.

Come share it with us. I guarantee you will leave feeling a lot lighter, more inspired, and more connected to your true self than you have in awhile.

Get your ticket here.

to the art in you,

Jess

the bold act of being messy

In a world that demands perfection, it’s a bold act to let yourself be messy. To let yourself express something authentic, versus what you think everyone else wants to see.

I could end the post right there, but I’ll share a little story to back it up.

In the studio with a private dance client yesterday, I was helping her develop a solo dance piece for our show next week. She had lots of ideas of what she wanted it to look like - there were props, costume pieces, and steps set to the music. But every time she went to dance it, she would stop and think. Something wasn’t flowing.

I asked her to think back to a recent dance video she had made - one in which she was moving freely and so like herself.

“What compelled you to make that dance video?” I asked.

“I was feeling all this sadness and didn’t know where it was coming from... I was craving a space to call home and didn’t know how to find it… so I danced.”

And then I asked her to pick a new song, one that spoke to her soul, and to improvise to it from where she was right there in that moment.

What happened after was beautiful to watch, vulnerable, and authentic.

She decided to scrap the idea of the complicated dance piece because she realized it was mostly driven by her head: by what she THOUGHT would be funny, what she THOUGHT people would want to see.

It turns out, what her body and soul wanted to share and express are much different.

It takes courage to realize that and even more courage to follow through with it.

Because again, there’s so much perfection demanded of us - especially in the dance world. It’s safer to think up something and create calculated movements than it is to move from your truth in the moment, as messy as it might feel.

But really, don’t we all want to see what’s real?

I know I do.

If you do, too, and if you’re in NYC come out to our show next Friday.

And if you’re craving support in finding YOUR messy realness in the dance studio, contact me and let’s set up a time to talk to see how I could support you in bringing out your truest self, on and off the dance floor.

to the beauty in the mess,

Jess

don’t be afraid of empty space.

It’s so easy to push through. To power through work and life with brute force, doing one thing after the other. Forcing yourself to make it happen, in spite of fatigue.

Some call it discipline.

Some call it rigor.

Some call it the movie Rocky.

Some call it the only way they know how to survive.

For most of my life I called it all those things. [cue: Eye of the Tiger!]

I’m learning it’s more than that. And it’s not the only way.

The compulsion to do more, make more, and power through more, can also be a coping mechanism - a way we learned quite literally to survive through the storms of growing up, painful family dynamics, untouched emotions kept deep inside, etc.

And while this rigorous compulsion can serve to protect and propel us for a time, it’s not really sustainable. Because it’s tiring. And as fast moving as it might seem, it actually can keep us stuck. (Like being on a treadmill and wondering why you’re not going anywhere.)

Enter: the empty space.

Time to just be. To soften into nothing. To face the fear of the unknown. To be faced with your emotions, your thoughts, your heart’s calling.

The empty space is where the magic happens. It’s where you get in touch with your humanity. It’s not always pretty. It can be painful. Terrifying. Seemingly unending. (“Will I ever create anything again?! Will I ever want to get out of bed again?!”)

Until it’s not.

Until a switch happens where you learn to love that empty space. Where you embrace it because you embrace yourself. Where inspiration enters your being effortlessly - because you stopped trying to force it to happen.

Like magic. Things start to happen for you. Opportunities are created. There’s a current supporting your forward movement. No more fighting against the stream.

That’s the power of the empty space. And it can still exist alongside hard work. It’s simply about making time to pause and let go and let a greater power take over for awhile. Relief! You don’t have to do it all alone.

I wish that empty space for you this week. Anything as small as 10 minutes with your eyes closed, to an entire day laying under the clouds. For that time, take pressure off yourself to figure stuff out or do anything. Just be. Empty. Space.

If you must be rigorous, be rigorous in your effort to commune with this empty space and make time for it as much as possible.

I’d love to hear what comes through as a result.

to creating from peace, love, & solid ground under your dancing feet,

Jess

p.s. If this makes sense to you but you’re still wondering HOW do I actually get there? Or, if it doesn’t quite make sense but you really really want it to because you’re tired of being stuck in the same pushing patterns…. I encourage you to reach out to me. I’m taking on a small group of clients this fall for 1-1 and group coaching and one of the spots might be perfect for YOU. When you email me, I’ll send you a sample class full of really valuable takeaways and we can talk further about the options for working together.

Because together, we can let go, trust, and create more powerfully than when we are divided.

what I learned from the New York's Got Talent finals

I finished in 2nd place at the New York’s Got Talent finals on Tuesday night. And while I didn’t win the prize of a 6-week run of my own show at that particular Off Broadway theater, I couldn’t be more proud of myself and of the group of women who have been part of this process with me.

Because here’s the thing about competition shows -

While they provide an amazing platform to get your work out there, they don’t actually MAKE your career.

You do.

The blood sweat and tears you put into the process does.

The raw, unbridled passion being channeled into something does.

The persistent practice and dedication towards your vision does - especially in the face of all the doubts and fears that try to convince you to stop.

And even still, all of that won’t do it unless you connect to the humanity that will ultimately fuel it. The humanity in another person’s eyes when you tell them you believe in them. The humanity in being humble enough to ask for and receive help. The humanity that bands people together, despite all odds against them, to come together in community and serve a greater purpose.

That humanity is the prize I won that night and my heart is full of joy because of it. I’ve never felt more in service of a greater purpose than I do now.

Before the show, I led a ritual with the 9 women who danced with me in this piece. Sitting in a circle in the corner of the theater’s lobby, I asked each of them to share an intention they had for themselves for our performance.

I was brought to tears (we all were) hearing what each woman shared: how this process has brought something back to life within them, how it’s helped them move through sorrow during the anniversary of a loved one’s passing, how it’s helped them reinvent their life after making a comeback from cancer, how they couldn’t have imagined a better way to get back on stage after 10 years away from it.

They set the intention to be present, to have fun, to soak up every moment of this experience. We uplifted each other. We believed in each other.

We spoke from our heart and souls, and then we danced from our heart and souls.

Not all of the judges "got it" -

In fact, one was pretty harsh with her comment of not getting it  -

But I'm grateful for that too, since it puts even more fuel in the fire.

Because many people did get it. And most importantly WE got it.

If you are not making art to satisfy something in yourself, then it's not going to do anyone any good. 

Keep creating, keep channeling your passion and expression through the unique vessel that only have.

I can't wait to see what YOU create next.

keep on dancin' on,

Jess

p.s. If you missed it, here's a video.

The evolution of the performance we did purposefully took each of our characters through a journey of self-discovery on that stage. From all the “shoulds” and costumes and rules and standards being thrown at us as women, to getting to a point where we have to look within, shed the layers, and dance to come back home to ourselves.

The kind of show I am making is about THAT. Because of that.

And it certainly won’t stop here.

I’m so grateful for this opportunity and this learning, for all of you who have so generously cheered me on, for the support I received, for the women who I danced with and for.

Thank you.

These words have never been more true:

You can dance again.

Jess Grippo | New York's Got Talent Final | 8-23-16 from Jess Grippo on Vimeo.

doubt & fear are real, but so is this.

Here’s what I shared on Facebook yesterday:

There are 27 tickets left for the New York’s Got Talent finals on Tuesday. I don’t really want you to come to the show because I’m terrified. I’m doubting my vision, scared of being criticized, and want to hide in a ditch.

But I’ve shared my creative work enough times to know that this is all part of the process.

I know that the intention behind what I’m creating is far more powerful than the doubts and fears that want me to stop.

I know that I have no control over people’s perceptions of my artwork, that I will be criticized, but I need to do it anyway (because there might be just one single person in the audience who will be inspired or touched by what I have to share.)

I know that my heart and soul speak much louder than the running tapes in my mind that tell me it’s all pointless and I suck.

And I know that if I don’t invite you to be there on Tuesday, I’ll regret it...

And here’s what else I’ll add -

The doubts and fears are so so real…. Here’s what’s been helping me stay true to my creative vision, despite them:

1. Taking inspiration from artists I admire, remembering that we ALL have doubts, even Beyonce. This video from Danielle LaPorte was key for me.

2. Staying connected to the PURPOSE and MESSAGE of my artwork. Remembering it’s about something much bigger than me.  i.e. the healing power of dance and creativity, transformation, discovering our true selves and authentic womanhood in a world with so many conflicting messages, bringing dance back into our lives in a unique and powerful way. Taking a stand for a world where women’s bodies and creativity are highly valued. Paving the way for future generations of dancers. (You get the point ;)

3. Seeking help; not doing it alone. This one took me a long time to learn - and I’m still learning it: It’s ok to ask for help. It’s actually quite necessary if you want to put your creative work out into the world in real ways. After a semi-meltdown, I reached out and brought on a director for the piece, as well as friends and colleagues who are supporting in various ways. Makes ALL the difference.

Hoping this reminds you to keep going through the doubts and stay true to whatever your creative visions may be.

I have no idea what’s going to happen on that stage or after on Tuesday evening, but that part is not in my control.

And what happens with your creative work after you share is not in your control either.

We have to trust, express, and release.

TRUST, EXPRESS, RELEASE, REPEAT.

Props to YOU and everyone out there who is taking a courageous leap and sharing your work in whatever capacity you choose.

We are all in this together.

As Chani Nicholas shared in this week’s full moon forecast:

“it takes great courage to follow the visions that we receive, especially when they lie outside of the realms of what tradition dictates.”

from my courageous heart to yours,

Jess

p.s. If you’d like to join me live for the show on Tuesday, here’s the link! http://jessgrippo.com/shows/

Either way, I’ll send an update in next week’s Creative Fridays about the outcome.