I have been singing and dancing professionally for 20 years now. Although I DO many different things within the entertainment industry, when people ask me what I do for a living my usual response is "I'm a tap dancer." I say that because Tap was my first love in the world of dance, and it has always been my "in," or the thing that has distinguished me (and kept me working) throughout my career. Over these last almost two decades, very thankfully, I have been privileged enough to travel all over the world sharing my love and passion for dance with others. It has been a wild ride, and although there have been many peeks and valleys along the journey, I consider the fact that I get to do what I truly love to do and am passionate about EVERY DAY that I wake up to be one of the greatest blessings of my life; second now only to the birth of my daughter, who couldn't wait for her due date in May, and decided to make her debut the day after Valentine's Day this year, almost 12 weeks early.
The longest stint of my "life on the road" (during which time I lived primarily out of a suitcase) spanned 6 years, the last year of my teens and the first 5 years of my 20's, where I bounced from tour (Caution: Men @ Work TAP), to show (Mike in A Chorus Line), to another show (Danny in Grease), to another tour (Broadway's SWING!), which I left for yet another tour (Broadway's 42nd Street), to a small stint in LA at which time I began teaching at The EDGE Performing Arts Center (but that's another story), and finally to Branson, MO, where I met Carol Lawrence for the first time (again, another story, a really good one which I will certainly get to later). At 25, after having moved to New York, I gave up my last day job, a Starbucks Barista, to pursue a career as a performing artist full time. During the second half of my 20's and the first couple years of my 30's the time that I spent on the road changed, not necessarily in length of time, but in the frequency of the trips, which at times would be every weekend of the month, and other’s weeks at a time. My career and network naturally began to expand into numerous outlets and levels within the entertainment industry such as creating commercial and competitive choreography, teaching various styles of dance, adjudicating dance competitions and festivals, and producing shows and other events of my own with my now 2 companies, as well as performing, teaching and connecting with other artists in over a half dozen countries.
While traveling and working in 'the business of show,' as I like to call it, I have learned 2 things, well...I've learned a lot more than 2 things, I mean come on....but to just highlight 2 things that to write about in this blog, they would have to be these: 1. Without faith in God, and having something higher and greater than myself to focus on and model after, I simply would have become lost somewhere along the road and wouldn't have made it. And 2. if you work hard and keep that faith than there is nothing you can't do. Which leads me back to my daughter....
On February 15th 2015 my daughter, #preemiewarrior Aria Corinne Minniti, was delivered via emergency C-section weighing a whopping 1 lb. 15 oz. and measuring 13.5 inches from head to toe. The adjective immediately adopted to describe my daughter was "feisty," and God Bless her she was in the moment, and is to this day, completely healthy; and although quite petite at birth, she caught up to her growth curve with purpose, let’s just say. The various doctors and nurses who worked with her during her 10 week stay in the NICU (Neonatal Intensive Care Unit) were surprised time and time again by her strength and spirit. If I had to sum up my experience of my daughter being born so premature, I would say that it has brought me closer to understanding the phrase "God's perfect timing."
Like any parent will tell you, having your first child immediately puts what is truly important into perspective. For me, becoming the BEST version of myself that I can be so that I can provide a better life for my wife and daughter, and leaving something truly meaningful behind for my family, students, and art-form have become the only sights to focus on. This website is the beginning of me becoming THAT version. It is a place to document the wealth of knowledge and experience I have gained in my life and career, and to further develop my voice and notoriety so that I can create THAT change. Writing this blog is a part of that process.
Blogging, quite honestly, scares the crap out of me. What if no one reads it? What if people don’t like what it is that I have to say??? In fact, creating this whole website is something that I should have done YEARS ago, but I guess was too afraid to do so. SO, why now? Obviously, for my daughter. For my wife and family. For my students; the many dancers I have had the chance to work with and the many more that I will work with in the future. This running stream of consciousness, the stories and encouragements are for anyone whom might be looking to find inspiration, and even faith, in my words.
A wise man, and very good friend and spiritual guide in my life, named this blog. It was something he said almost off the cuff, totally off the top of his head while we were praying over this process. However, the weight of the phrase hit me like a ton of bricks. Faith it till you make it. Keep walking, He'll meet you there...
When I look back on my life, regardless of what at times hopeless situations I would find myself in, God ALWAYS meets me there, at the last moment, toward the very end when and where I'm least expecting it, when I'm counting to 10 and taking deep breaths trying not to worry about where the blessing is coming from and just trying to stay on my feet and keep walking. A walk with God is very similar to a Yoga practice, in that it is just that, a practice. Like similar to dancing with a partner, you have to practice being still and listening to The lead, and you have to practice following; walking on that faith without knowing exactly where you are walking to. I pray that someone, if only one person, who reads my words will be convicted with that same understanding and ultimately, faith. Don't worry, keep moving forward, and faith it 'til you make it. He'll meet you there.
#Introduction #MyReason #FaithIt #AriaCorinne #3DancingMinnitis