As a dancer, Kate Harpootlian went the distance in expressing herself during the 2015 season of SYTYCD. Joy, sizzle, sass, or burn.
Just name it. Kate took us there. We were mesmerized by her performances. As a blogger, she was equally at home with expressing herself. Her words, like her moves, compelled us to stick around for more. What else is she capable of expressing? She posted this essay on Facebook about ‘pursuing dreams.’ After reading it twice, I came to a decision: Kate’s writing is just as effective as her performing is. Have a read. You’ll probably agree with me. – GROVER DALE
Kate Harpootlian is a director, choreographer, and screenwriter whose sharp storytelling ranges from darkly comedic to beautifully heart-rending. Here are excerpts from an essay she shared with A4D filled with insights into her career and the wisdom she gained. You can read the full story in the link below:
‘The other day a friend and I had a discussion on dreams … not the type where my teeth fall out and I show up naked to school. But dreams and goals for our future. She asked me what mine were and I replied rather quickly that I didn’t have any.
But I came to a realization that perhaps I had been too hasty with my reply. The truth is, my dreams have never come true, but it’s probably the best thing to ever happen to me.
In my improv classes, I tell my students that many of my improvisational choices come from trying to recover from falling out of something. After failing to get the jobs I wanted in NYC and slowly sinking into a depressive state, I took action and moved to LA where I joined Shaping Sound. It was never my dream to dance with the company, but after touring the US with my best friends, I don’t see how it could have not been.
I guess the most important lesson is not to measure myself in a future I imagined, but to be rooted in the joy of the unimagined and unforeseen.
Do I still dream? Of course I do; it’s inherent in us. Only now, no matter if or how things materialize, I’ll be okay, because I know my self-worth is not caught up in my achievements on a self-created timeline, but to simply be my best self, which isn’t quite as simple as you would think, but I’m trying.
So yes, I have dreams for my future, but from what I’ve learned thus far, my life is going to pan out in ways I never could have imagined … although terribly frustrating at times, it’s going to be pretty exciting seeing exactly where all these twist and turns will take me on this journey I’ve chosen.’ – KATE H.
