What Now?

So thanks to the trip I know I can reach the professional level, but there's still plenty of work to be done before I'll really ready to make the move. I have skills I need to sharpen, habits to establish, and tools of the trade to acquire. I'm set to graduate in May, but I can get started (and have started) many of these things while still a student. Let's break down my plans in greater detail:

-The biggest hole in my performance package is my dancing. It's the area I have by far the least formal training in and has been a stopper for a couple Twin Cities callbacks already. To improve this I'm looking into the Hennipen Center for the Arts to enroll in some beginning ballet and jazz dance lessons. I'm also looking to improve my fitness in general. I have been exercising 3 to 4 times a week since returning from NYC, and am hoping to move from 195lbs down to 185lbs. before the summer begins. In addition to the dance classes I'd like to get involved in a martial arts program upon returning to the Cities. I did two years of that in late Middle school, and I remember the level of flexibility, balance, discipline, and confidence it gives you. All useful things for dancing.

-My voice lesson with Claudia Catania was an incredible NYC experience. She gave me some valuable instruction and (equally valuable) encouragement. The techniques she helped me fix made me more open to the advice my current voice teacher (the wonderful Dr. Petillot) has been giving me all this time. This past month there has been some great progress made, but it is progress that is just as easily lost if I don't keep it fresh. I've been able to average 5 days a week at 45 minutes to an hour of voice practice since returning from NYC. That's much more than I used to put in, but still less than I need to do going forward. It needs to be a 7 days a week thing. I need to establish that as a habit now as I leave UWEC for a less structured atmosphere of life after college.

-Thanks to our pre-NYC meetings I have brushed up my resume and have a look for it that I am happy with. My headshots, although workable, will need to be updated shortly after I graduate. With these new materials I plan to submit headshots and resumes to multiple talent agencies around the Twin Cities area. If I can get representation from these agencies I may be able to make some extra income and credits from industrials.

These are just a few of the things I'm looking to improve on, but overall it's about developing the mentality that I am the CEO of my own business. No one is going to force me to practice or exercise, I just have to do it. The knowledge of what is possible is an encouraging thing, however. I think the memories and experience gained from our trip to NYC made my goals clear enough to pursue at full force.

-Evan