We had the good fortune of connecting with Tanya Yvonne and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Tanya, do you have a budget?
Budgeting is super important and I am so grateful I had my family to help me figure out the best method for the way of life I wanted to live. Before taking a year off to travel, I was constantly writing down my daily expenses in my planner. I knew how much I wanted to save every month, so once bills were calculated with my monthly income, I knew how much wiggle room I had to spend on things just for me. Now, I stick to monthly budget and make a savings goal every year.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I am a dancer, instructor and choreographer. This is definitely not an easy path to be on. I have ran into creative slumps, loss of energy or faith at moments and considered how my life would look without dance involved. But with the help of my community, I was constantly reminded that nothing great happens over night – even over years sometimes. I kept at it and was fortunate enough to meet so many people with different looking paths. That helped me understand that there isn’t one way of getting to your version of success. Even though I don’t know exactly how the rest of my dance career will pan out, I am proud of myself for trying a lot of things that at first I was so afraid of. I traveled alone, went to auditions, contacted strangers for creative opportunities, quit my job. Many times those projects or ideas didn’t work out, but at least I don’t have to live with fantasizing about what I wish I did when I had the capacity. I will always advise anyone to ask lots questions and even if you’re scared, do it anyway.

Any great local spots you’d like to shoutout?
This question is funny because my best friend and I are very into finding new things to do in the city. I would imagine we start our days relatively early since we aren’t huge night owls. We would probably rent some bikes to go along the trails near downtown and the Heights casually stopping to take in the views. We would then fill our days with visiting local eateries, happy hours and some museums. Maybe come the weekend we would search for local dance club or cocktail bar but it wouldn’t take up much of our week.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
First and foremost, my family is my number one support system. Even when they don’t fully understand what I do sometimes or why I do it, they support me as long as it keeps me happy and healthy. Next are my best friends. Both of them are artists/entrepenuaers, so I seek out advice and guidance from them all the time. Last but not least, my dance coaches and colleagues. Throughout my life they have seen my potential even when I couldn’t see it in myself. They are constantly pushing me to go further. I owe these people so much! I don’t know where I would be without them.

Website: https://mydanceportal.com/profile/86960d07-bbb4-5a54-84df-bc7a56041f9e
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tanyayvonne/

Image Credits
@DarkRoom_Digital @Jorgemelovzla @Casu__