We recently connected with Raeya Cobb and have shared our conversation below.
Raeya, appreciate you making time for us and sharing your wisdom with the community. So many of us go through similar pain points throughout our journeys and so hearing about how others overcame obstacles can be helpful. One of those struggles is keeping creativity alive despite all the stresses, challenges and problems we might be dealing with. How do you keep your creativity alive?
To keep my creativity alive, I cultivate joy in my life. I make an effort to do things and interact with people that bring me joy. If I’m feeling bored or jaded with dance, that usually means I need to take a break to enjoy life outside of that passion or I just need to train in another genre of movement, or both. As a commercial dancer, I have moments where I miss being a concert dancer. I found that that also means I may need more structure in my routine because there’s a formula that’s followed in the concert dance world when it comes to training and preparing for a show.
I took a short break from dance to start training for my Pilates certification, so I’ve been really motivated about exploring how bodies work and Pilates allows me to do that because there’s modifications for everything and anyone can do it. It’s actually extremely creative and I’ve been enjoying it! I recently saw a local show and I reconnected with a few of my dance teachers from middle and high school there, so I’m about to be back on the ballet barre soon lol. One thing that I’ve been wanting to get back into is pottery (I haven’t been in an art class/studio since college) so I’m definitely being proactive when it comes to keeping my creativity alive. I believe that artists should take time away from their craft to see the world and tap into different mediums of art to stay inspired.
Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?
So, I do a lot of things. I am a dancer/movement artist, jewelry artist, and currently in teacher training for my Pilates certification. I also co-produce a podcast, The Yas Black Girl Series, with my best friend Kierra. I’m focusing on my Pilates certification because it’s a 500 hour comprehensive program and requires a lot of my energy. Every now and then I work as a theater technician, which I enjoy because I love seeing how shows come together behind the scenes. Sometimes I’m the only Black woman/person at tech jobs and I want more of us in this space. I also work with an event company (which is theater tech adjacent) so I also get to see up close how an event business is ran and it gives me insight on how so many things operate in that environment. A lot of people are used to seeing the final product of things and they may not think about what goes into it, so I enjoy having conversations about it.
I love that I get to do so many things and enjoy all of it! It teaches me how to manage my time well, as I appreciate having some structure in my routine. Especially being in an industry where schedules are constantly changing at the last minute. I will eventually become consistent in being a Movement Director for music artists and creatives with my dance and choreographic expertise. I received my BS in Broadcast Journalism and Radio from Bowie State University so I know my way in front and behind a camera.
As far as my jewelry art goes, I took a step back from that (it was an idea I had years ago and I was able to bring it to fruition during the 2020 shutdown) but since life is “open” now I haven’t made a lot of time for it. I’m always thinking of new ideas and looking for inspiration for it though. If someone asks me about ordering something, I’m always happy to fulfill that even though I haven’t actively promoted it lately. I’m very much a “I’ll do it when my heart tells me to” type of gworl, so once that phone rings, I’ll answer. I know what I do is energy work, so I have to make sure that my head and heart are in a space to create these type of products because they have an impact on those who purchase from me. It’s not even all about gettin’ to the bag when it comes to my business but it’s tight that I can.
My shop is Amulets + Alchemy Botanica, where I provide protective jewelry and healing herbal blends for da people! I’ve been studying herbalism for years now so outside of selling, I love offering different teas, tinctures, oxymels, and body butters for my friends and family for their different needs. Herbalism is SUCH a different world compared to commercial dance and theater. I love that it allows me to slow down, study plants, Black history, and move intuitively.
Fun fact: One of the dance companies I’m in, awarded me as “Most Elusive” and I was crackin’ up because I’m always out doing something, yet I still manage to show up and know most of what I need to know. My teammates are amazed that I arrive when I can and still make things look effortless. I’d like to attribute that to being an air sign too lol. I’m Carmen Sandiego (minus the thievery) IRL! The most exciting things about what I do is being able to travel, indulge in history (whether it be art, dance, or herbs), and meet new people.
Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
My mom taught me to always finish what I start. While sometimes it’s okay to finish/end something prematurely that you realize is no longer serving you (such as a commitment made to something or someone), I always try to remember this advice when I start feeling doubt creep in. Being an artist is an emotional rollercoaster but the work that we create will ALWAYS reach and inspire someone. I also realize that I have the ability to put something on pause and pick it back up later, after learning new information that will help me succeed the second time around. Two other things I can speak on is being in rooms and in community with people where they are smarter and more successful than you and remaining a student!
The best advice I have for always being open to learning new ideas is to check your ego when you’re learning. I don’t believe in fully dropping your ego, but having a working relationship with it. Ego is what drives artists to do what we do but it can also become our enemy if we let it rule us. Not everyone is in a position to teach either, so that’s where discernment comes in. Ask yourself: Is this person in a position that I aspire to be in? In what ways have they impacted their community? Is what they’re teaching resonating with me? Are they genuine with their approach or are they talking just to talk?
If someone is attempting to teach you something and it doesn’t resonate, you can thank them for sharing that idea with you and keep it moving OR share that you’re unsure about whatever they’re presenting, depending on what setting y’all are in.
One last thing is to always find a way to exercise and make sure that it fits your needs!
Awesome, really appreciate you opening up with us today and before we close maybe you can share a book recommendation with us. Has there been a book that’s been impactful in your growth and development?
I have two! Anything We Love Can Be Saved by Alice Walker and Shift Your Thinking For Success: 77 Ways to Win at Work and in Life by Dean Del Sesto.
Alice Walker’s book is composed of short stories that’s divided into 7 parts (which also happens to be my favorite number that’s associated with creativity and healing) and there’s SO much I can say about this book, but one thing that spoke to me most is in the introduction. Walker states: “My activism–cultural, political, spiritual–is rooted in my love of nature and my delight in human beings…When I am in the presence of other human beings I want to revel in their creative and intellectual fullness, their uninhibited social warmth…Everything I would like other people to be for me, I want to be for them.” AWLCBS is about the belief that the world can be saved, if only we will take action and move with love. It’s always refreshing to read something that’s not cynical in its approach.
An impactful nugget that Dean Del Sesto talks about in his book is how “Sleep is essential to energy. Energy is essential to your work and brand. Bedtime shouldn’t be your dread time.”
This stuck out to me because anyone who knows me personally, knows that I ALWAYS find time to take a nap or rest my eyes, it doesn’t matter where I am. As an adult I always wonder why naps stop being a consistent thing after a certain age. Also, as a woman, we have different phases in our cycle where rest is absolutely needed and you have to surrender to that. I hope the rest of the world catches up to that and I need for people to stop calling us “lazy” for listening to our bodies. Rest is essential because it helps us perform better and it aides in having a strong immune system. You have to give yourself permission to rest to wake up feeling brand new. It’s time to normalize siestas for everyone in America!
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theonlyraeya
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/raeya-cobb-8413a8142
- Other: Email for paid brand partnership inquiries: raeya.cobb@gmail OR handmadebyraeya@gmail Listen to me & my best friend’s podcast here: rss.com/podcasts/yasblackgirlseries
Image Credits
Tyler Ross, Mikael Malik, MTran Photography, Raeya Cobb
