People often ask for advice when it comes to business. They ask how I made my brand, how I grew my school so quickly, and how I can accomplish so much. When I was younger, a friend would constantly complain that I was “so lucky.” Another friend still to this day complains to me about how talented I am, and how it isn’t fair. All of these things may or may not be true, but people also don’t see what actually goes on behind the scenes. People only see what I put on social media. They get to see my beautiful home, they get to see my beautiful school, my beautiful students, and my very beautiful life.

What they don’t see, and what they don’t like to hear about is what I do to make myself so successful.

On average, I sleep between 4-6 hours a night. I work constantly. I don’t have a personal life and have chosen not to date so I can solely focus on my work. I don’t see my family, and don’t even have time to talk to them or my closest friends. Luckily for me, that my best friends understand that I am completely dedicated and married to my work. So they are used to not hearing from me for months at a time. I do not have a social ife, and the social life I do have is for networking.

Everything about my life is scheduled, planned and carefully thought out. Well, at least the parts you see on social media. And that is fine too, because you don’t need to see my brushing my teeth in the morning, or me breaking my back trying to get these kids ballet ready.

While most of my friends, and colleagues have chosen to have families, my contemporaries in the LGBTQ community spend their time going to the gym and having drinks in their free time. I don’t have free time. I have work 24 hrs a day 7 days a week. This is the price I have had to pay to make my brand. And for me it works.

This life isn’t for everyone.

It works for me though. I am not married but I weekly date Petipa, Balanchine, Stravinsky and Chopin. I don’t have kids of my own, instead I am trusted with the futures of 32 very talented dancers. My family is my colleagues I am lucky enough to work with everyday. This is the life I have chosen to have. It isn’t lonely, but it is filled with art, passion, and vigor.

And while we each have our own paths, if you cross mine, I hope that it is filled with life, beauty and fond memories. But my path is mine alone, and I don’t expect anyone to go on it with me. Some will travel with me for a time, but this path, is my path… and this journey is my journey. I don’t know the final destination but I do know that my path is rigorous and dangerous, but also filled with beauty and. wonderlust.