Meet Erika Rogers

We were lucky to catch up with Erika Rogers recently and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Erika, thanks for sharing your insights with our community today. Part of your success, no doubt, is due to your work ethic and so we’d love if you could open up about where you got your work ethic from?

For me personally, I was really fortunate enough to grow up in a family full of hard workers. My parents did whatever they could to provide for my siblings and I. I’ve watched my parents go through their own trials and tribulations but still continued to persevere in order to give our family the life that we sought. My dad especially is a huge inspiration for me in regards to work ethic. I’ve watched him love jobs, hate jobs, lose jobs, find jobs, etc. But, I’ve never seen him quit. So when it comes to work ethic, I believe that I have that already instilled in me and have since I was young. I’m motivated first by the example of my parents, then by the people I keep close to me. My closest friends are some of the hardest workers I know. They motivate me to keep pushing alongside of them so we can rise together.

Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?

I’m Erika Rogers, I’m 26 years old, and I’m a professional dancer and dance educator from Cleveland, Ohio. Growing up, dance has always been my biggest passion. I started at the age of 4 and quickly broke into small commercial dance gigs here and there around the age of 17. When I was 20 years old, I decided to audition for a cruise ship that would soon open up my world to the full time lifestyle of being a professional artist! I toured the world for about 5 months until covid hit in 2020. This ultimately led me back home to begin my career as a dance educator and choreographer. Nowadays, I am still active in the professional dance world with many different gigs while also being a full time instructor and traveling choreographer. I believe one thing that has always set me apart is my work ethic and my drive to continue to grow as an individual inside of my own work. Remaining a student first has always been one of my biggest mottos in life. I am better for the dancers I educate because I make it a priority to never stop learning! I am very proud of the life I’ve built and the person I’ve become throughout the process. I strive to be a great example and role model of what it’s like to create a career off of something you love while building, inspiring, and uplifting the people around me to be the best version of themselves that they can be. I wouldn’t be anywhere without my core people who provided those same elements for me. Therefore, it’s my mission to pay that forward and be that person for everyone that I get to cross paths with!

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?

Time management, determination, and coach-ability. All 3 of these are HUGE for success in this industry. Always take the time to be prepared before walking in the room. Right on time is always late! Learn how to plan out your days and manage your time so that you are always early and always prepared. Over prepared will never hurt you, but under prepared will! You have to be so rooted in your determination and passion that giving up is never an option! Being determined on your goals will always help you push through the toughness. Being coachable is always crucial. We are always a student first. There is always more to learn. Be open and disciplined enough to the coaches around you and the knowledge they have to offer. That way, you can return the favor down the line to the next generation while taking in more and more information from those around you that have it.

To close, maybe we can chat about your parents and what they did that was particularly impactful for you?

One of the most impactful things my parents have done for me was instill a level of determination and grit in me to accomplish whatever goals I set for myself. I know when I originally expressed to them that I wanted to dance/teach full time instead of finish my college degree, they might have been a bit hesitant mainly because they want to make sure I’m safe and can provide for myself. It was also an unusual career path to choose following my older brother who became an engineer. However, they let me follow my passion despite their worries. That’s due to the fact that they were aware of the traits they had already instilled in me. They had to trust in their own teachings and ways of raising me all of those years. My dad always calls me a fighter in whatever I do. That fight never changes in me! So, their ability to find belief in me and my path, was the most impactful moment for me and still is!

Contact Info:

• Instagram: Erika.Rogers_
• Facebook: Erika Rogers

Image Credits

Headshot: Chou Visuals