Success...Define it For Yourself

Success is often pre-defined by society as the attainment of wealth, position, or honors. 

I'd like to take a moment to say "SCREW YOU SOCIETY!" and define it for myself.

Success, to me, is ultimately a fulfilled life. 

A life that is always involved with the arts.

A life that consists of a professional dance career both nationally and internationally, not dependent on the size of the company but on the amount of growth I get out of it.

A life of travel and cultural exchange.

A life of constant learning about myself and others.

A life of giving.

A life of sharing dance with those who've never been exposed.

A life of love.

A life of  action.

A life of taking risks.

A life of acknowledging fear but never allowing it to hinder me.

A life of being beautiful but not afraid of being ugly.

A life of strong friendships.

A life of awareness.

A life of openness. 

A life of optimism.
A life of balance.

My life.

Writing this list, which I hope to keep adding to, has made me realize something that I just came to terms with senior year. There's only one Courtney Ashley Henry in the world and whatever "successes" are meant for me will be for me. Comparing my journey to someone else's is a waste of time and energy. I can only follow my own path by putting one foot in front of the other and having and open mind and heart.

"Success means having the courage, the determination, and the will to become the person you believe you were meant to be"-George Sheehan

Just Something to Think About

What talent or special skill do you wish you possessed?

When I was first met with this question it was in the context of a weekly RA report. It is the Resident Director's (aka my boss) respectable attempt to make this mundane task somewhat interesting by asking a "Question of the Week." Normally I answer these fairly quickly. Whatever pops in my head first  is usually what I put down and call it a day, but for some reason this one had me pondering. I wound up coming up with some bullshit answer just to get it turned in time but later in the day, on my own time, I really thought about it and came to a conclusion. As "dance-obsessed" as it may sound I decided, wouldn't it be great if I had the ability to pick up choreography instantaneously and with ease? As soon as I was taught it I would know it, giving me more time to concentrate on the artistic nuances as opposed to the steps. 

Being a dancer, I have to admit I've struggled with that over the years. Now that I'm aware of it I can pinpoint that it's actually a result of the way I was trained from 9 years old to high school. The steps and counts were literally handed to me on a platter so I never had to really rely on myself to pick up the steps quickly because I knew it would be reviewed again and again. 

And then came New York. School. The "real world." Where phrases, counts, and gestures, are being thrown at you a mile a minute and it's your responsibility to be quick and not only remember the steps but all the little details tat come with it.

While I must say I've improved tremendously over the past years I still need and want to be better at it. One thing that I must remember though is while I can "wish" that I possessed this talent it is in fact a tangible skill that I can acquire.  

Here is a valuable lesson I learned two summers ago at LINES Ballet that I plan on actively working on again in the studio, please feel free to try it out for yourself!

Don't learn individual steps!

The more complicated the movement is the harder it is to pick up this way. Instead try experimenting with varying ways of remembering. 

You could focus on the flow of the shapes.

Pattern of the feet/arms.

Individual counts.

Natural reaction of your body to the movement.

Either way you choose make sure it's a conscious decision. Simply identifying a method and being aware of how your brain is storing this information is the first step.

Also, connecting the movement and understanding the "flow" of the steps is a huge tip. As soon as you start compartmentalizing each step it makes it harder to remember and your dancing feels and looks disconnected.

Hope these tips help. Everyone's learning style is different, I still haven't completely figured out mine, but at least it's something to think about, and having a specific task while picking up choreography will allow you to build upon that "special skill" that we are all capable of having.

"rosee du matin" premiere

All I can say is SUCCESS!

After all the hard work, stress, tears just minutes before the show, it's done. And most importantly it was beautiful.

It was the strangest feeling sitting in the audience and watching my piece unfold on stage. So many emotions coursing through my veins as I sat next to my boyfriend, teachers, and fellow classmates, literally exposing myself to them all. My dancers did a beautiful job, despite the fact that I had a nervous breakdown after the dress rehearsal earlier that day because the socks they were wearing were way to slippery and caused them to dance safe.

If it's one thing I've learned in the dance world to be true is bad rehearsal means a good show and it was better than I ever thought it would be:)

My lovely Cast <3

Strength Within

"The obstacles that come to us are not to destroy us, but to say to us, do you know who you are? You are more powerful than you think." (Alonzo King )


In reading the NY Times I came across this article about a man with cerebral palsy who was kicked off a U.S. Airways flight because he was "too disabled to fly alone." He just happened to be a motivational speaker who missed his speaking engagement because of the flight cancellation and is shocked by the incident since he has spent his entire life being taught and teaching others that "though he has a disability, he should be strong enough to overcome life's challenges without any special treatment from others." 


Reading this article reminded me of a documentary I saw last summer of a dancer by the name of Homer Avila who had his leg amputated because of cancer. Despite this devastating disability in which everyone thought he would be confined to a wheelchair and crutches his entire life he defies expectations with beauty and strength and continues to dance. 


The article and documentary (its only 20 min.!) are interesting to compare, they make me realize how much I take my health and strength for granted. If these two men can persevere with grace, what right  do I have to complain?! 


Please take a moment to look at both of these mens stories, reflect, and comment!

Let's Get Personal

So now that you know I'm pregnant, this is my Art Baby. It will serve as my attempt to graduate from Fordham University/The Ailey School  in New York City and come out on top. I plan on sharing my successes, failures, fears, and aspirations as I transition from life long student to uber professional. Here's to pushing through!