Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Janie Slash. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Hi Janie , so happy to have you with us today and there is so much we want to ask you about. So many of us go through similar pain points throughout our journeys and so hearing about how others developed certain skills or qualities that we are struggling with can be helpful. Along those lines, we’d love to hear from you about how you developed your ability to take risk?
I believe that in order to be successful you have to take risks to yield results. It was not easy at first because any time you take a risk there is always the potential for failure but there is also a potential for success. You will never know the result unless you try. The most complicated thing about taking a risk is when it does not pay off and you have to pick yourself up and dust yourself off and try again. I do not just leap blindly into things, I take more calculated risks. I like to know what I am potentially getting myself into if I succeed. One of the hardest things as a performer is to put yourself out there and apply to shows or trying a new skill on stage. Not everyone is going to necessarily like it or understand what you are trying to achieve. Art is often left open to interpretation and it does not always come across as the artist had anticipated. I had to realize and understand that people are entitled to their opinions and my performance style is not everyone’s cup of tea but those that enjoy it and get what I am doing really enjoy and support it. I am always striving to improve and learn new skills and take risks whether it is trying something new that maybe I am not 100% confident in yet, or traveling to a new place and joining a community of performers for a show or series of shows. Every risk I take no matter if it is successful or not, I learn and grow from and it makes me a stronger person and performer.
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 have several projects in the works at all times. I am a burlesque performer, sideshow and circus arts entertainer, an actress, a model, writer and paranormal investigator. I run a burlesque troupe based out of Dallas, TX called Deadly Sins Burlesque and Sideshow we are a neo burlesque troupe and my main goal is encouraging my performers to make the art that they feel proud of and giving them a safe space to present it. I love meeting other creatives and finding out about their art and what drives them to create it. I primarily do pinup and horror modeling, I have taken photos for the brand Sourpuss in the past and was featured on their website. I am a sideshow and circus arts performer which is anything from laying on a bed of nails, walking up a machete ladder, human blockhead to hula hooping and stilt walking for private and corporate events. I have also performed with the oldest traveling sideshow troupe in the United States. I have a tarot card reading business and am available for private consultations and/or events. I work for an amazing horror convention called Mad Monster and coordinate their showcase. I love working the horror circuit because I get to meet like minded individuals and share my love of horror with them through my art. I write movie reviews and short stories. I am an actress and my imdb is filled with fun horror movies that I have been fortunate enough to be apart of. I have worked with some amazing crews and also some less than stellar crews. I have a paranormal youtube channel called Ghost Babes with my best friend Matilda and we go out and spend hours if not the entire night in haunted locations hoping for a ghostly encounter. We may not always find credible evidence but we always have fun in the process. The thing that I love the most about my creative projects is that I get to do them with some of the best people, I truly adore the people that I get to work with. I have crossed paths with so many incredible people on my creative journey and honestly that is the most awarding experience.
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
I always believe in being nice to everyone you cross paths with, even if they are not being the nicest. The reason for this is because you never know who they are or what kind of day they are having or the experience they are going through. I do not agree that first impressions are everything, people can misrepresent themselves when having an off day. If a person is being rude or disagreeable I just move on from that interaction. I also try to represent myself as the most authentic version of myself that I can even if I am not sure that I am going to be that person’s cup of tea, it tends to lead to more authentic interactions. When I am tarot card reading I am constantly engaging with people and tending to all different personality types. I have done readings for people that want to insult me and no matter what I say or do they 100 percent set on the fact that I am wrong. Learning how to deal with difficult people and how to not let their words cut into you and create self doubt can be difficult sometimes. I have found it is best to continue down the path that makes you happy and ignore the naysayers. I am definitely a social butterfly and love meeting people which has greatly helped me further myself along in my business because networking is essential to what I do. Show support for the industry that you are wanting to work in and meet people in that industry and research and absorb as much knowledge about it that you can. When I had decided that I wanted to be a burlesque performer, I attended shows, met performers, took classes from performers and did whatever I could to support the industry. Immerse yourself in the community of your new found passion and always show respect to those that came before you. Putting yourself out there can be one of the scariest and most anxiety inducing things, but with the right interactions can help you progress quicker in your desired field.
How can folks who want to work with you connect?
I am always looking for people to collaborate with in my creative efforts. I am all about supporting others and learning for others and sharing my skills as well. I love meeting fellow friendly creatives they make the world so much brighter. I believe it helps grow the creative community. I love spreading and sharing knowledge, I also appreciate transparency from others. I think we should be more open about talking about business instead of operating secretively. I love meeting people at all stages of their creative career. I love hearing new performers goals and aspirations for what they want to achieve and I love hearing the more seasoned performers stories and about how they made it to where they are today and also their goals. I just overall enjoy positive and encouraging interactions.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: @janieslash
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JanieSlash
- Twitter: Janie Slash
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@ghostbabes/
Image Credits
Jim DeMain Erik Unleashed Photography Joseph Hernandez
