A Perfect Bun is the Smoking Gun

In my industry, self presentation is key. Something as unimportant as the cleanliness of a dancer's bun can immediately send the wrong message to an instructor, choreographer, or artistic director. I feel as though this concept is true for every industry. I don't like that the world works this way, but it does. How we present ourselves matters; it sets the scene before we sit down for our interviews or set foot onto the stage. 

Self presentation is the smoking gun in any professional scenario. It is the one clue that your superior needs to figure you out. It is also something we have some control over. So, we want this smoking gun to make us and not break us. 

In order to do that, we have to care enough about ourselves and our careers to think about how we present ourselves to the world. What is my image? How will this image affect me? Can I create a positive image without compromising certain parts of who I am? These are questions I ask myself when I enter an audition, important rehearsal, or class. I never want to change myself or wear something I think others want to see. My goal is to just be the best version of me. 

The care we put into ourselves will seep its way into other areas of our lives. Most of the time, the last thing I want to do is spend half an hour trying to look polished for ballet class. Most of the time, when I don't, I soon regret my lack of effort. 

What I've said is just some food for thought. See how it tastes and see if you can avoid letting your smoking gun negatively affect you. Best of luck!