We recently connected with Aubrielle Whitis and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Aubrielle, thank you so much for opening up with us about some important, but sometimes personal topics. One that really matters to us is overcoming Imposter Syndrome because we’ve seen how so many people are held back in life because of this and so we’d really appreciate hearing about how you overcame Imposter Syndrome.
Imposter syndrome is an ongoing battle for me. However, over the years I have developed coping skills and found ways to support myself through it. When I feel my imposter syndrome getting loud, I talk to it. I acknowledge that it is likely not my voice telling me I’m not deserving of an opportunity. It is more likely a voice that developed after years of being criticized as a child. Including the voice of teachers who thought I couldn’t make a career as a dancer. Little did they know, that being doubted was motivating to me. After acknowledging that this doubting voice is not my own, I take some deep breaths and reassure myself that my hard work is paying off. I remind myself that I have been training my whole life as a dancer, that I graduated from high school early to pursue ballet full-time at 17 years old, that I’ve been on tour twice with a leading US ballet company, and other achievements that are proof I do deserve the opportunities I am receiving. Someone once told me, “If you weren’t ready, you wouldn’t have the opportunity.” That has stuck with me and pulled me out of the imposter syndrome loop many times. Unfortunately, I find that imposter syndrome doesn’t go away. As I have gained success it has gotten louder at times. I find that therapy and a daily meditation practice help soothe that voice. Resilience is a muscle that I have to work every day to keep my imposter syndrome from winning.
Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?
I grew up in Dublin, OH where I was fortunate to participate in dance classes, gymnastics, and other sports. Once I got to middle school I shifted my focus solely to dance. By high school, I was taking 3-4 ballet classes a week, a jazz class, and a modern/contemporary class. Plus we often had rehearsals as well. The studio and program I grew up in were pretty rigorous. Additionally, at 14 I began going to summer dance intensives. I would be away from home for 4-6 weeks and training like a professional dancer. I went to Houston Ballet, Alonzo King LINES Ballet in San Fransisco, Milwaukee Ballet, and others.
My ballet career began sort of by accident. I was at an audition for BalletMet’s summer intensive (in Columbus, OH) and happened to check a box that stated I was also interested in the trainee program. My mom and I didn’t really know what it was but she taught me to always aim big and see what happens. At the end of the audition me and two other people were kept to discuss the trainee program. I learned that it was a year-long program that would involve training from 9am-6pm most days with the opportunity to work with the main company as well. Trainee programs are common for dancers to participate in to gain professional experience and build their careers. I was a junior in high school, so I talked to my guidance counselor about the opportunity and she told me I only had 2 credits left to graduate. She found an online program for me so that I could complete those while I began training full-time. I finished in the first semester and was fully committed to making a career as a dancer.
I spent three seasons dancing and training with BalletMet. My second and third year I was selected for various company roles like Snowflakes and Flowers in The Nutcracker, Nymphs in Sleeping Beauty, and other roles. I was also fortunate to be selected to tour with the company twice to Detroit and perform The Nutcracker. After my time there I was accepted into another trainee program (now called Studio Company) at Louisville Ballet. I spent two seasons with them where I continued performing corps de ballet roles and was also selected for many contemporary pieces. I even assisted Adam Hougland in the choreography of his Romeo & Juliet my second season.
Unfortunately, I was not asked to return after two seasons and also had not landed a company contract anywhere else. I planned to continue training and did a few auditions in Jan. 2020 before things shut down. During the height of COVID restrictions I accepted that ballet was probably not a career I could make happen anymore. I hung up my pointe shoes and was left to find something else.
Fast froward to 2022. I was sitting at Bean, a local coffee shop and my place of work at the time, with my friend Trevin Little (a very talented saxophone player and touring career musician). I had just gone through a breakup with a long-term partner and was feeling pretty lost. The only thing I knew was that I wanted to dance and perform again. I told Trevin this and we started envisioning a project we could create together. Along with his wife and my friend, Sarah Hawkins, we created “MOVE. — an immersive improv experience”. It is a show that is created entirely through improvisation choreographically, musically, and visually. It is what relaunched my career as a dancer and artist. We have performed several times locally. A stand-out performance was our collaboration with local band Choir Siren at Louisville Orchestra’s Creators Fest.
MOVE. not only gave me a platform to create my own opportunities but also helped rebuild my confidence after a long break from dancing. I have now performed with local bands, and burlesque troupes, and choreographed for local dance companies as well.
My focus is now as a freelance dancer and choreographer. I have also revisited teaching dance to youth and adults. My goals are to travel with my work and establish a contemporary dance company. I am eternally grateful that I found my way back to dance. It is what I am supposed to be doing and I am making it happen. I think what is most special about what I do is that I am building a life that I feel is authentic. I hope that my project MOVE. and other performances touch the audience in a way that reminds them we are all human at the end of the day. We all have struggles, feelings, and things worth celebrating. The human experience is vastly complex and overwhelming, but I strongly believe that art and community are what will get us through.
You can find out more about MOVE. on Instagram @move.immersive and about me as an artist @aubvious_
There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
Passion, discipline, and resilience are the three qualities that have been most impactful on my journey.
My passion for dance is something I was born with. It is hard to put into words, but I just have to dance. Without it I am out of alignment and don’t feel my best. It was my first love.
My discipline has allowed me to stay on track. I must take care of my body, which requires discipline. I have to cross-train, take dance classes, and eat and sleep adequately. I also have to be disciplined in promoting my work as a freelancer, budgeting my time, attending auditions, and keeping up with my finances.
My resilience is what has kept me going. I have been rejected more than I have been accepted. This is common in most careers, but especially as an artist. Sometimes I don’t know how I get back up, but I always do. I also allow myself to feel the rejection. I process it in therapy or through meditation. If I were to just run away from it, it would catch up and swallow me whole.
The best advice I can give is to follow your heart, find genuine and supportive people, stay humble, and stay the course. Following your heart will keep you in alignment. This even includes taking breaks when you need to. Finding genuine and supportive people can be intimidating, but these will be the people who pick you back up when you don’t have the strength to do it yourself. They will also be your collaborators, and establishing that trust is super important. You can’t do it all alone, no matter how much you want to. Staying humble will keep you realistic and approachable. You are never too good to go back to the basics or learn something new. I still take beginner-level contemporary classes. It allows me to slow down enough to fine-tune my technique. Pushing yourself all the time will burn you out and again you are never too good. The most important is staying the course. It is going to be rough. You are going to want to give up. You must stay the course to see what is possible. Your opportunities immediately end the moment you stop. There are going to be distractions, excuses, and reasons that take you off course. As long as you keep coming back, you will have new opportunities.
Okay, so before we go we always love to ask if you are looking for folks to partner or collaborate with?
I am always looking for new collaborators. As I get closer to forming my own contemporary dance company, I am also looking to partner with folks. For collaborators, I am looking for all artists. Primarily other dancers and musicians, with MOVE. dance and music is the core of what we do. However, incorporating other artists who can provide visual projections is essential too. We are also open to other mediums and possibilities. Part of our mission is to foster multidisciplinary work. For both collaborators and partners, I am looking for individuals who are passionate about what they do, open-minded, and accepting of others. As a queer non-binary person, it is important to keep me and my collaborators safe. I have a zero-tolerance policy for hate of any kind. To discuss working together you can email me at [email protected] or [email protected]
You can also find examples of my work @aubvious_ and @move.immersive on Instagram.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: @aubvious_ @move.immersive
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100093523148587
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@aubvious_
Image Credits
“Personal Photo” is by O’Neil Arnold
“Additional Photos”
1-4 by O’Neil Arnold
5 by Erin Quinlan
6-7 by Corey Smith
8 by Ummagumma Photography
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