We were lucky to catch up with Katie Padgett Brown recently and have shared our conversation below.
Katie, first a big thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts and insights with us today. I’m sure many of our readers will benefit from your wisdom, and one of the areas where we think your insight might be most helpful is related to imposter syndrome. Imposter syndrome is holding so many people back from reaching their true and highest potential and so we’d love to hear about your journey and how you overcame imposter syndrome.
Overcoming imposter syndrome is absolutely a continual challenge for me. It is what keeps me on my toes as an artist and an educator. I firmly believe that the learning, the knowing, and the understanding & growth never stop. As such, I am constantly seeking out new opportunities to train with people in my field and am always trying to learn more about anything (and EVERYTHING!) I find relevant to how I am teaching and creating.
I count myself beyond lucky to have had the chance to train and study with the best of the best. Having faith and trust in the richness of the information, the compassion & humor in the stories, and the specificity and subtlety of the steps they are entrusting me with all keep me going on the hard days. Ray Brown once said, “The day I stop getting nervous is the day I quit music.” I would argue that most dancers have this same mindset. It keeps us working towards satisfaction & perfection, neither of which I will ever fully accomplish.
I remember a particularly challenging day, on the floor in the lobby of a dance studio during a tap dance festival. Tap festivals are my favorite events of all time. It’s a gathering of tap dancers, teachers, choreographers, performers, and tap dance supporters & champions, all in one place at the same time, sharing their love for the art form. There is an instant feeling of connected and acceptance. I felt this in Toronto too. (More on that later). In any case, this particular day, I was having a conversation with Dianne Walker and another well-known tap dancer in the field, about feeling somewhat lost and overwhelmed by trying to find my place in the tap dance world. Dianne reminded me of the importance of the legacy I left in the Washington, DC area after I moved to North Carolina, and the other master in our field encouraged me to reevaluate my WHY. I don’t think up to that point I had ever fully considered a deep examination of my why, despite having been tap dancing seriously for almost 30 years at this point. I was a blubbering, sweaty, red-faced, emotional wreck on the floor while I was on a break from dancing. I was surprised and moved by the number of folks who approached me to see what was going on and to ask if I was okay. I was reassured that not only do have a place in this world of tap dance, but also that my work and my presence up to that point weren’t going unnoticed. I think it was so easy for me to be lost in the slog of the day-to-day of getting through classes, rehearsals, competitions, and recitals, that I lost the forest for the trees. This was no doubt a watershed moment for me. At the time I was humbled and embarrassed by my breakdown and by drawing attention to what I considered a weakness. But looking back, I am grateful to those who listened and encouraged me for creating a safe space to be so vulnerable. It takes a special type of person to create and exist in that environment. I also continue to be oh-so-humbled.
Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?
I am a tap dance educator and curriculum director at a small, family-oriented dance studio in Johnston County, NC. We offer classes for ages 3 and up in many dance styles, including tap, jazz, ballet, lyrical, and contemporary. In addition to teaching weekly classes and choreographing routines for dancers of all skill levels, I supervise the curriculum across our entire studio. Outside my studio responsibilities, I am focused on developing myself as an artist and as a tap dance musician. I am working towards finding music connections and venues in my local area, where I can explore and share my love for music with other open-minded musicians.
This past March, I had the opportunity to study in Toronto with two well-known dancers: Heather Cornell and Dianne Walker. During this 2-week program, we did a deep dive into exploring our tap dance history, technique, music theory, and personal experiences. To be in the room with over 20 like-minded and focused tap dancers was incredibly validating, reassuring, and life-changing. The time I have spent studying with these masters has really shown me the value of personal connections and how critical it is that we share our legacy with those around us. How else can we pass on the history and not lose track of all those who have come before us?
With Dianne Walker in particular, I am hopeful I can be part of continuing her legacy in passing on the Leon Collins Routines, which are an incredibly rich and important part of her, and our history.
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?
1. I would say my exposure to multiple styles of music, across many decades (centuries even) have helped me develop a strong musical understanding and enjoyment. If my parents and my dance teachers growing up had not played everything from The Beatles & John Denver to music from classical Ballets, Vaudeville standards to contemporary musical theatre, or The Doobie Brothers and The Gipsy Kings, I am not sure my love for music would be as much a part of who I am as it is now. 2. I also think accepting that it’s okay to ask questions and that it’s more than okay to admit you don’t know everything have helped me tremendously. Having a hunger for always learning more, building more connections of facts, stories, and technical skills in your industry is how you grow. Ask the hard questions. Ask the silly questions. Ask the question you think you might already know the answer to. If you surround yourself with the right people, you’ll be a part of conversations and discussions that will enrich your understanding of the task or topic at hand.
Most likely, you’ll end up with more questions or points of discovery, but isn’t that the goal?
3. Along my journey, I have also discovered that it’s important for me to surround myself with the people who encourage and support me. It makes it easier to support and encourage them as well, but it also affords me more time to do the work I want to be doing. There’s less lost time and energy, and it’s okay to not want to involve everyone in your process.
For people who are early on in their journey, I would encourage humility and remind them to always pay attention to what’s happening around you on a small scale, but also on a broader scope in your industry. We can easily get so bogged down in the mire of the daily tasks and to-dos, that we lose sight of the bigger picture. I would add that if you feel comfortable, you’re probably getting stagnant, so maybe do some reflection on that and see if you’re still feeling growth and enrichment.
How can folks who want to work with you connect?
Yes. Yes. And yes! I would welcome the chance to collaborate with other dance artists, percussionists, or musicians. But real talk, I would love to connect with any artist who would like to explore and play with a tap dancer.
A tap dance friend and I once took a piece of choreography and worked out a way to do the entire phrase of material in reverse order. We nerded out for about 3 hours with a dry erase marker and a mirror, exploring, playing, laughing, and challenging each other and ourselves. It was more challenging than either of us expected, but it was beyond delightful. Those are the special moments, and I would love to connect with anyone who thinks that sounds like a fun way to spend a few hours.
If folks want to reach out, my instagram is @dancekatienc or I’m on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/katie-padgett-brown-3956a78a
Contact Info:
- Instagram: @dancekatienc
- Linkedin: linkedin.com/in/katie-padgett-brown-3956a78a
- Youtube: @katiebrown5430
- Other: Threads: @katie_p_brown
Image Credits
No credits needed.
