if a performer isn’t performing, how are they earning a living? The very-cliche thing to say is: waiting tables, teaching or being an usher or FOH (front of house staff). And during this time of COVID19, I’ve seen many friends come up with wonderful ways to earn a living like selling home-made baked goods, jewellery making, teaching yoga, remote customer service and working in supermarkets - just to name a few.
But an intriguing question came up during a recent conversation with a good friend: just how relevant would the skills of a performer be in the white collar world of business?
The immediate and obvious answer would be: not relevant at all.
Personally, I think that is a conditioned response that has more to do with the separation and hierarchy of “achievement” and “value” in modern society. It has more to do with the societal need to compartmentalize individuals into the way they contribute to society and are “successful”. So, it shouldn’t be possible for a successful business person to also find success as a performer. And vice versa. God forbid a dominantly right-brained individual find success in the logical, goal-oriented and financially driven corporate world.
The truth is, we ALL have the ability to access logic as equally as we do intuition. They are not mutually exclusive. They are just different sides of the same coin.
So this leads me back to the question - and it is particularly relevant during a time when performers do not have the option to wait tables, to work as ushers or FOH or do many of other side jobs they usually would find:
Do we have the skills to work in the white collar business world?
The resounding answer - based on my 20 years of experience in the corporate world - is a big, fat YES! So perhaps the more relevant questions are:
How do we understand the skills that a performer has and RE-FRAME it within the context of what the white collar business world can offer and also needs? How do we teach performers to market themselves and their skills within this context? How do we engage the business world for a win-win?
Watch this space.
Side bar - From the tens of thousands of people in the business world I have met, I can count with 2 hands - the people who would survive a week as a performer on “The King and I”.
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My name is Eu Jin. I am a professional actor, writer, educator and coach. This blog charts my inner journey and my personal Healthy Inner Life Practice. I am committed to supporting and nurturing performing arts education - specifically in the area of career sustainabilty through practical approaches to inner health. If you would like to engage in a conversation about a healthy inner life practice, please leave me a message on the "Contact" page of my website. Thank you.