By FARAH YASMEEN SHAIKH FINDING A FLOW THROUGH HEARTISTRY
Ironically, much like the projects and productions that start out as a glimmer of an idea, this too was that. Before the podcast could truly materialize, I had to consider all of those questions above, and I had to be clear with myself about my band- width and my intentions. WHAT & WHY? In the mix of the artist life hustle, I find myself going nonstop. I rarely take the time to engage with others to get a sense of what is working for them, hear of their challenges and suc- cesses, share my own, and go through what could be a collaborative reflec- tive process. Like many artists, I go from project to project, production to production, teaching one class to the next, grant to grant, practicing, choreo- graphing… you get it. I might attend an information session, or even a net- working event, but hardly ever take the time to just talk to someone without it being tied to a particular outcome.
and support one another in hearing each person’s experiences. But wait… As much as it excited me to create a platform for engaging artists from across the globe, the divide between artists and non-artists was also weigh- ing on me. Perhaps this podcast could contribute to bridging the gap between non-artists and artists and the assump- tions that we lead totally different lives. It could be a space where we can acknowledge that the pursuit of one’s passions can be equally inspiring and informative, regardless of what “indus- try” you are a part of. I also wanted to shine a light (in that blue light kind of way to expose the things that we often don’t want to see) on the fact that art- ists work tirelessly with often minimal financial remuneration, and are highly undervalued, especially in comparison to those in areas such as tech, medi- cine, law, and, dare I say it, “more tra- ditional” careers. These various thoughts and ideas began to coalesce, and in February of 2020, the Heartistry Talk Show was born. Heartistry is a podcast based on the idea that we are all artists—creating a choreography or masterpiece through our respective life paths— and the belief that when life is approached with heart, there is a form of artistry, or as we call it “ heartistry .” Through my journey of performing,
teaching and collaborating, I have had the opportunity to meet many incredible visionaries that inspire me. I had a deep desire to get to know them better, and I also wanted to find a way for others to be equally inspired by what they had to share. Now 50 episodes in, I have had the immense pleasure of welcom- ing guests from around the globe - each bringing a passion, com- passion and commitment to what they are doing, income generating or not. Conversations take place with dancers and artists of various genres, educators, entrepreneurs, activists, government officials, law- yers, and more - uncovering the lay- ers of how we each find an artistic flow with our heart leading the way. The podcast initially airs on Rukus Avenue Radio—an online radio station as part of the DASH Radio platform, with Rukus Ave- nue Radio being their “South Asian Radio Station.”Though not exclu- sively, many of the guests on Heartistry are from South Asia (India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Maldives, Bhutan); however, this too has been an unex- pected outcome: to communicate the diversity of South Asians who are often stereotyped as having par- ticular career paths and lifestyles.
Oh my, not another podcast.
Lightbulb moment . The idea was born.
With an infinite number of podcasts to listen to, why would I add another one to the list? Would anyone even listen to it, who would I speak with, what would we discuss? Pondering what would interest and motivate me had to be balanced with what would draw in guests and listeners alike. Before I get into this heart-filled gift that in so many ways created itself, I’ll first share the behind the scenes of how it all came to be.
Initially, I thought I would create a podcast based on the “business of being an artist.” This would be a great way to engage, with the hope that they would listen to each other’s episodes, and we could collectively learn from
62
in dance SPRING 2021 62
SPRING 2021 in dance 63
I
|
|
rs r
. r
In Dance | May 2014 | dancersgroup.org
u n i f y s t r e n g t h e n amp l i f y u n i f y s t r e n g t h e n a p l i f y
44 Gough Street, Suite 201 San Francisco, CA 94103 www.dancersgroup.org
Made with FlippingBook - Online Brochure Maker