Meet Emily Pope

We were lucky to catch up with Emily Pope recently and have shared our conversation below.

Emily, so great to have you with us and we want to jump right into a really important question. In recent years, it’s become so clear that we’re living through a time where so many folks are lacking self-confidence and self-esteem. So, we’d love to hear about your journey and how you developed your self-confidence and self-esteem.

I think confidence is directly connected to one’s experiences and lessons, no matter how small. Every time you complete something that was challenging, or learn a new skill that enables a new neuro-pathway, you increase your own awareness of your “true” abilities.
My confidence has taken a life time to build, and I’m still growing and establishing a sense of confidence in myself. In my life, I have faced many challenging situations, including hardships, loss and abuse. I would say that my parents (and family in general) are at the root of my confidence. They have always supported me, encouraging me to never give up on myself, and to trust my own inner voice and instincts. Through that process of inner knowing combined with fate, I left home at age 13, to attend conservatory to study ballet as a high school student. In those 5 years of training (6-8 hours a day) in dance, rehearsing for performances, while taking advanced AP courses, I learned how to focus intently on each moment to the fullest. During this experience early in my life, I learned that focus and discipline are tools that can help build confidence.
There is inherently a connection between commitment or dedication and confidence, as well. When you start a project, and follow it through from the beginning to the end, that is another pathway towards building self confidence.
In reality, I am a shy person. I have spent a lot of my life hiding things that embarrassed or hurt me, as many abuse survivors must do, in order to navigate an often cruel world. Even though I still sometimes feel alone, I know that my passion for dance is what keeps me going. Throughout my dance career, I have met truly inspiring artists, and been fortunate to have opportunities to perform and travel to many remarkable places. Each place I have traveled has opened up another part of me, and forced me to grow outside of my comfort zone. In turn, I’ve gained a bigger perspective on the power of kindness, and ways I can continue to become a better person, towards others and myself.

Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?

As a performer, the stage is a safe space where I can truly be myself. I can be witnessed by an audience, without having to explain the multitudes of stories and thoughts that are being communicated. As I move, I am also healing deep wounds. Many memories can resurface and be released through movement. This catharsis is another path to confidence, through trusting the alchemy of this process, and ephemeral element of this art form. Dance itself feels like a best friend; it has been there for me when no one else has, or was able. I have come to trust my body’s knowledge and ability to transform pain into something beautiful. This has helped me to grow and sense my own worth. Dancing (and performing) is practice of self realization, and also a form of meditation on both gravity and physics. I’m reminded to enjoy just being alive in my body, to breathe into every moment, one step at a time. I can become one with the moment, flowing and feeling the space and the energy that surrounds me, while being grounded at the same time. I find there is confidence and power in that activation. The “body” is highly intelligent; it knows everything about you, even if you forget. So when I feel anxious or uncomfortable, I focus on my breath. I let my thoughts return to the home that is my body.

Currently I work as a free-lance dance artist, and I feel honored to be working with many different companies, choreographers, and directors. Each individual artist creates work according to their own way of thinking and their analysis of their visions. Each choreographer has their own special movement vocabulary and creative process that is always evolving. This allows me to learn many ways of making work, and face the challenges of developing the skills necessary for each specific project. I grow immensely every time I engage in a new rehearsal process. I have been fortunate to work with many dance/theater companies for a long time. It is more than a job for me, it’s about building relationships. I’ve been performing with the same artists for many years, some 15 years or more. It is a different kind of intimacy when you engage with the quality and legacy of the work itself. I feel that I am apart of something much bigger than just myself, and yet I’m also comfortable enough to source “my way” of working from a deep place. It is a fulfilling experience to help to build a piece from the beginning, to work hard to understand its meaning, and manifest it physically on stage. Another important aspect, is that as a dancer, you share the stage experience with others. There is a physical dialogue with the other dancers and with the audience. It requires both courage and vulnerability to perform in the theater and in public spaces.

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?

I have already mentioned focus, discipline and trust. These are very important in developing any skill. Meditation is a great way to practice those three areas of mental awareness. Mediation also provides a pathway to both deep healing and a sense of calm and control. The practice of meditation has become an important part of aiding my abilities in performance. It has helped me to focus my mind and body into one, and provide a constant relationship to the breath. It has enabled me to trust the decisions I am making while dancing, one moment or movement to the next, creating “presence”.
Another is play. I often feel lucky that I get to enjoy my work every day, because it is layered throughout with the practice of play. There is room within the creative environment to have humor, lightness and sensitivity. Play allows the mind to be free from judgement and remove tension from the body and the atmosphere. Laughter is good medicine when working on something intense or physically demanding, while within a group setting or in the rehearsal process. It is a way to recharge or re-energize, when you are experiencing physical fatigue, or are emotionally overwhelmed.

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?

When I was an undergraduate, one of the visiting artists who came to work within the dance department, was Irene Hultman. She had been a member of the Trisha Brown Company for many years, and at the time, was creating her own work on the student company. While she was a guest, she taught dance technique classes, and was sharing warm up exercises with us from a book called, “Zen Meridian Imagery Exercises” by Shizuto Masunaga. This book is out of print now, but I have often found copies at used book stores. In his book, Masunaga describes many great methods of using Shiatsu as a base for daily meditation exercises and self massage. Along with the exercise descriptions, are his techniques and philosophy on healing. He says, that in order to truly heal and transform, one must develop a daily practice. A new daily practice takes only three consecutive days of focus to build. Creating the necessary consistency of the practice, will deepen and strengthen your abilities. The improvements that come from the daily practice, manifest into a way of healing. This healing will transform you. In this way, the practice goes from practical to necessary, and from effective and efficient to powerful. This book is a part of my personal library, and I recommend it often to my students and colleagues.

Image Credits

In order:
Andrew Jordan
Luisa Muhr
Simon Courchel