We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Camille Jones a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Camille, we’re so appreciative of you taking the time to share your nuggets of wisdom with our community. One of the topics we think is most important for folks looking to level up their lives is building up their self-confidence and self-esteem. Can you share how you developed your confidence?
Growing confidence and developing a secure self-esteem are lifelong efforts. There’s no mountaintop to reach that says, “You’ve made it! You’ve reached maximum confidence!” Everyone will experience highs and lows that may shake their confidence at times, especially as an artist where vulnerability is at the forefront of everything you do.
Like most people, I’ve experienced my battles with insecurity. Whether facing severe doubt concerning my abilities, questioning whether or not I belonged in a certain space or was deserving of a particular achievement, and even being plagued by feelings of inadequacy that led to a yearslong eating disorder, my work to build and maintain a strong self-confidence has been long, arduous, and ever-evolving.
What’s helped is always being able to lean into creative outlets such as dance and writing to express what may be difficult to communicate directly. Dance has allowed my body to find freedom during times when I felt imprisoned internally. Moreover, dance has helped me build a mastery of what my body is capable of, and what strength lives in each extension and turn of my limbs, all without my mind fixating on superficial flaws that are mere distractions.
Likewise, writing has been a freeing tool in helping me to articulate and examine the thoughts that run through my mind while helping me make sense of the things I experience, observe, and confront.
Together, both art forms have metamorphosed into a creative career that has expanded to unique collaborations as an event curator, a music video director, and a model—all forms of expression that I pray will grow into even more surprising and exciting opportunities.
Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?
As a dancer and writer, I’m always looking forward to presenting work on different platforms such as stages or through film work. This year, I’m excited to present more original works of choreography and poetry as live performances and as filmed projects with the help of friends and collaborators.
Along those lines, one of my primary focuses is helping grow the impact of (CA)^2 Dance Crew, a black-women-led dance troupe I helped co-found along with my sisters, Chenelle Jones and Anaya Ni’Kole.
(CA)^2 (pronounced cee-aye-squared) has hit the new year running with various performances and just wrapped a performance at the third annual Art Noire event at the Springfield Museum of Art. We are set to perform at the Taft Museum of Art as well as several local spots in Cincinnati. Be on the lookout!
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
Three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were impactful on my journey would be: Trust your creative instincts
Show kindness to everyone you meet
Learn to admit when you do not have the capacity to add more to your plate
Oftentimes, as artists, we create uninhibited with just a yearning to release whatever feelings, musings, and frustrations have built up within our hearts/minds. This act of release tends to produce some of our greatest work but the moment we share it with the world, we open the door for criticism, sometimes harsh and unforgiving.
With that in mind, an artist must learn to push past the noise and trust the instincts that moved your body to dance or your voice to sing in the first place. By doing so, an artist is equipped with the necessary armor to keep going even when things feel difficult.
Showing kindness is probably even more important than the former point as kindness breaks down social barriers. Even when it may feel hard to be kind to someone, demonstrating kindness is a virtue and leaves a path of positivity even when you think no one notices.
Learning to admit when I don’t have the capacity to do something was one of the hardest lessons I’ve had to learn along my creative career journey. Naturally, I want to say yes when asked to collaborate, perform, or create something new for a special event or personal request. But, juggling too much leads to burnout or a reduction in quality and has the potential to heighten feelings of anxiety.
When able to say, no, respectfully and honorably, you can walk away from opportunities knowing that you did what was best for your mental well-being. The best part is if you can honestly admit that to someone, you’ll learn that you are not alone. Everyone can relate to needing to decline an offer to avoid overextending or just needing a moment to recalibrate. You won’t miss out on a blessing and you won’t hurt anyone in the long run by being forthcoming and attentive to your well-being.
To close, maybe we can chat about your parents and what they did that was particularly impactful for you?
Growing up, it seemed like my mom’s favorite thing to say was “Figure it out”. It’s been my life’s mantra.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: @jones.camille
- Facebook: Camille Jones
- Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/camille-jones-b7a4931b9
- Other: Decadent Identities Spotlight: https://decadent-identities.webflow.io/artists/camille-dionne-jones
Image Credits
D’Juan Capell (cover photo, black and white photo, and Camille in a backbend) Monsta Audio and Visual Team (performance photo and Camille in a split pose)
