Between classes, rehearsals and performances, students in the Point Park University Conservatory of Performing Arts can easily feel like their identity belongs to their art.
Even worse, many students are taught to bind themselves only to their craft, otherwise they may feel undeserving of the opportunities they earned.
While some may see this as being dedicated or passionate, the reality is that not knowing who you are outside of your art is extremely problematic. This mindset is damaging for various reasons.
When pursuing a career in the arts after college, persistence in the face of adversity is key to finding work.
Rejection, critiques and other setbacks can be difficult to recover from if you take them personally and associate your own self too closely with what you create. This will diminish your confidence in everything you do.
Even as students who are not yet in the professional field, it’s crucial to be more than what you are graded on.
By letting how others perceive your art define who you are as a human, you stunt your growth as a functioning individual in society. You will be left feeling unfulfilled and confused after social interactions that have nothing to do with your major.
So, how can one prioritize their humanity?
Picking up hobbies and researching personal interests is a great place to start. It can be frustrating at first, but the time you spend experimenting with new things is valid.
A dancer can love to hike, and the time they spend hiking instead of dancing does not undermine their talent.
By having other interests, you will learn to further love your art and appreciate the time spent doing it more.
If you diversify your schedule with new activities, the time spent in class will be more meaningful. Naturally you will begin to work harder and value your craft.
This may even expedite personal improvement.
Being a human first and an artist second will not just protect you from the harsh realities of the industry, but also open new doors for you.
Knowing who you are and what you love makes you more personable and enjoyable to be around.
This is appealing to future collaborators.
Going forward I encourage every artist to protect their humanity, because it is the foundation that allows their art to grow.
