The Dive Podcast
8: How To Survive Post-Contract with Lauren Turner
When it comes down to survival as a performing artist, we all live in a world where we need the basics to survive. However, performing on the road is one of the most challenging yet fulfilling things you can do as an artist.
In today's episode, we have Lauren Turner with us in the studio as we discuss the ins and outs of life post-contract. Lauren who has just come back from performing in the Moulin Rouge in Paris tells us how to look after yourself in a way that works for you.
With her extending knowledge form being a Personal Trainer, Lauren really helps everyone see that looking after yourself is of the highest of priority and how embracing the uniqueness of you is CRUCIAL to your longevity as an artist!
So get ready as we dive into today's episode and be sure to check out our resources below.
INCLUDING a Blog Post that lists out exactly "How To Set Up A Post-Contract Routine"
Where else to find us? 👀
✨Website: www.thedive.com.au
✨ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCZCa8R_MP5CIk-v9jV6lI7w
✨ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thedive.com.au/
✨ Facebook Support Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/893483165382333
Here Are Your Next Steps 👇🏻
Step One: 🫂 Join Free Facebook Support Group
Step Two: 👀 Check out the Momentum Program for aspiring MT performers looking to become professional
Step Three: 📝Get your FREE Audition Prep Workbook
Step Four: 🎥 Watch our MOST DOWNLOADED Podcast Episode with Luca Dinardo
When it comes down to survival as a performing artist, we all live in a world where we need the basics to survive. However, performing on the road is one of the most challenging yet fulfilling things you can do as an artist.
In today's episode, we have Lauren Turner with us in the studio as we discuss the ins and outs of life post-contract. Lauren who has just come back from performing in the Moulin Rouge in Paris tells us how to look after yourself in a way that works for you.
With her extending knowledge form being a Personal Trainer, Lauren really helps everyone see that looking after yourself is of the highest of priority and how embracing the uniqueness of you is CRUCIAL to your longevity as an artist!
So get ready as we dive into today's episode and be sure to check out our resources below.
INCLUDING a Blog Post that lists out exactly "How To Set Up A Post-Contract Routine"
Where else to find us? 👀
✨Website: www.thedive.com.au
✨ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCZCa8R_MP5CIk-v9jV6lI7w
✨ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thedive.com.au/
✨ Facebook Support Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/893483165382333
Here Are Your Next Steps 👇🏻
Step One: 🫂 Join Free Facebook Support Group
Step Two: 👀 Check out the Momentum Program for aspiring MT performers looking to become professional
Step Three: 📝Get your FREE Audition Prep Workbook
Step Four: 🎥 Watch our MOST DOWNLOADED Podcast Episode with Luca Dinardo
If you can keep a routine. I think that's very important because you can go from a contract of being I'm working six days a week, I'm with my favourite people, I'm doing the job I love, and then you come home. I just went through that in December, slash January, and I'm like what am I doing? What's going on? It's really hard. So I think if you find that routine, if you can get a job to keep you going, that is flexible with auditions amazing. But I think looking after your health should be your number one.
Speaker 2:Our relationship to the food we eat sometimes is up and down. What has your relationship with food been over the years and any advice on nutrition for performers?
Speaker 1:Yes, and nutrition is a hard one, because I think performers in general think of food and a lot of certain foods as bad, and I can't say this enough. Also, even at the gym, I say constantly to people at the gym but performers especially, because your body is your job, because when you're on stage with thousands of people watching you and you're not wearing a lot of clothing, you can be very self-conscious. There's also mirrors everywhere. You're always comparing yourself to other people and I know that people say don't compare yourself.
Speaker 2:Welcome to the Dive Podcast, where each week, we interview professional performing artists as we discuss their stories and dive deeper into learning how to navigate the challenges we face as artists. I'm your host, taylor Scanlon, and today we have Lauren Turner in the studio with us Through this episode. Both of us are just smiling so much because we actually trained together at Patrick's School of the Arts and haven't seen each other for almost 10 years. Lauren has just come back from performing in the Moulin Rouge over in France, paris, and has just a wealth of knowledge to do with the industry. Lauren is also a personal trainer, and we'll talk on topics on nutrition and how to look after yourself post-contract in terms of fitness, and as well as hear about her brand new fitness brand, physique, the Label, which is a dancewear brand that herself and her friend, who's also performer, has created. So, without further ado, let's get into the episode. Thank you so much for being here.
Speaker 1:Thank you for having me. I'm so excited.
Speaker 2:We met. I don't even know how old were we we were 15. 15 years old, so long ago, and we actually have been seeing each other for probably 10 years.
Speaker 1:That's really weird. I don't like it. I know I don't like it. No.
Speaker 2:We trained together at Patrick's School of the Arts and that just feels like so long ago and if you're watching you can see our smiles are just like so wide because there's so much history and so much love that we have for each other, and I'm really excited that you're here.
Speaker 2:Before we get into the juicy topics, as always, I'd love to ask you where it all started for you. You were just in the Moulin Rouge and now you're back in here in Australia. There's just a plethora of knowledge I know that you have. But before we get into all of that, where did it all start for you?
Speaker 1:Well, it all started with you actually. Yeah, we were 15 and we did part time, like while we were at high school, so we did three years of that, which was amazing, and I feel like I learnt so much from doing the elite program. I think that was where we got all that information and learnt everything. I started off, and I remember people used to call me a drunk baby giraffe because I was so lanky and I didn't know what to do with my limbs, and then, I don't know, I just learnt really quickly there, which was so good, and then two years of full time after that, and then very lucky after that got my first overseas gig, so worked on a cruise ship, which was amazing, and got to travel the whole of Europe and get paid for it and had the best time ever.
Speaker 1:And then, from there, it just kept rolling on and I got some shows in Germany, and then I would come back and forth doing couple months of back home, couple months overseas, and then I'd come back. And then I got my first gig in France, which was incredible, loved every second of it, met some amazing people, worked really hard to get there, though, and then just had the greatest time, and from there then worked at Moulin Rouge and this was back in 2018, so a while ago, worked there for a little bit and then I came home and then was home for a few years, obviously, when everything shut down and then went back. So I've just had a bit of a crazy time, but it's been really good, absolutely amazing and yeah.
Speaker 2:Did you always know you wanted to be a performer?
Speaker 1:Yes, to be honest, yes, during school I always wanted to be a schoolteacher, which I've just a third uni actually now for doing. I've done three years of school teaching as well. But I always knew that I wanted to. But I knew that we have something else on the side. So, just in case it didn't work out or if there was ever an injury or something, I had another path to go down. But I always did want to be a dancer. So I always knew, and I was never like naturally talented, like a lot of people. So I feel like I worked really hard. I had a goal. I actually had a list of jobs I wanted to achieve and I've achieved all of them on it, so I'm very happy to say that I'm good, done my little jobs and yeah, so it's been good.
Speaker 2:That's amazing, just like taking it all in.
Speaker 1:I like so much.
Speaker 2:Yes, it's so good, and through when you did your training and went on to work pretty much straight away. Was there any show that you've loved the most or that you know?
Speaker 1:See I think a lot of people, because I'm really tall, growing up, everyone's like you have to be a show girl. I had no idea what that was no idea when I got told when I was 15. You got long legs, you're really tall, you're gonna kick your leg. I'm like what is this? So I was going home and I was googling all this, what is a show? What is a show girl? This, that that everything was coming up with big feathers and sequins and I was like no, surely not, because I love hip hop, so this is not good for me. No, I can't change what I love and over time I just slowly evolved into that show girl, as you would say. But I think I like it too, because I am different as well. I still like the other side of things as well. So it's kind of a bit of a mixed job. But yeah, I just. Everyone knows the Mooran Rouge and everyone says oh, the Mooran Rouge, you have to go there. I had no idea what it was.
Speaker 1:Then I Googled it and I watched videos and saw it over time. I worked with people. So when I was 17, I worked with my first people who used to be in the Mooran Rouge, but they were in their late 20s or 30s, sure, and then I got to know about it because they would tell me everything. So that kind of gave me the spark to want to be there.
Speaker 2:And what was it like the first time you went to? Because was it the second time you were in?
Speaker 1:Yeah, so I went there with another job which was owned by Mooran Rouge, so half of it was owned by Mooran Rouge at this stage, and you did it to watch Mooran Rouge.
Speaker 1:I watched it so many times. It was ridiculous. So I'm one of the few that actually watched a show before they got a job there. And over the years I wanted to audition so many times, but every time I was in a different country, I was doing something, I couldn't make the audition. So I thought you know what this is meant to be for a reason. So after I'd finished my first job in Paris, I nagged them a little bit and being like hey, are you doing private auditions, are you doing this? And they would just say, dead right, no. So I kept going. So for six months while I was there, I would email, I would go and see the show, I would do whatever I could. And I think it was our closing night. They watched the head office, the show, wow. And I had a meeting two days later and I got the job.
Speaker 2:There you go. Yeah, it was really so. You were emailing, you were going to the show, you were just persistent. For what? Six months, six months, yeah, so that just shows you.
Speaker 1:If you hear a no, it's not the end. It's so not the end. Just keep going, because you never know if that person who's reading emails had a bad day, or they're not feeling it, or they just had an audition and they just can't be bothered dealing with it. So you just got to keep going, not annoy them too much, and you never know what's coming up.
Speaker 2:As a performer, people drop here and there for a various different reason. So having that determination going forward, you definitely you know, obviously secured it in the end.
Speaker 1:Absolutely yeah. I think that's a good thing to remember. It's never a no and just keep going, because everyone else that hears a no, they normally go okay, well, it's not for me, I won't do it anymore, and then they stop and they do something different, whereas the people that keep going like generally have a better shot at getting the job Was Mom Rouge, your favorite place to work.
Speaker 1:It's really hard to say, because I love everywhere. I've worked for a different reason, but because of the iconicness about it and the costumes and the people that I worked with, I would definitely have to say yes, I've made lifelong friends and the costumes are worth over like 10 million euros, so it's wild to have that on you and the crystals and the diamonds.
Speaker 2:Or once in a lifetime maybe, yeah absolutely.
Speaker 1:I just had the best time and soaked it all in, because you know what? It doesn't last forever. So every day there was something I'm like okay, I'm so lucky to be here and I worked so hard to get it. So I thought you know what I'm going to enjoy every day, and just yeah, what was the schedule?
Speaker 1:like Six days a week. It was hard. I'm not going to say it was easy, it was very hard. We worked six days and we did two shows a night, so it was tough, and especially during the camp. Every night the camp goes for nine minutes or something, by memory. But yeah, that's twice a night and it's a lot, a lot of costume changes, like backstage mayhem and yeah, but it is fun, it's really good.
Speaker 2:And what was your life in Paris?
Speaker 1:So it's like super different because you're like nocturnal, because you work at night. So I get to work about 7.30 ish, eight o'clock maybe, if I was pushing a bit, and then I'd go to the gym, do a warmup, get ready and then have a quick shower, do my face I literally do my makeup in less than 10 minutes. I got very good at it and then, yeah, like then you're ready to go, you chuck your first costume on. The first show was at 9 pm 9 pm, yeah. So it was the first one, and the next one was 11.30 pm. So how?
Speaker 2:long did the shows?
Speaker 1:go for Like an hour and a half, so it is a long show. And sometimes you're on one line, so you're just doing the dancer side things. Then the other time you're on the nude line so you're doing the topless side of the show, but then sometimes you do both. So there'd be nights where you'd hardly go upset because you'd be down and quick change and then you'd be back on stage for each time. So it was. Yeah, it was good fun.
Speaker 2:Was there any funny moments that happened that have stuck with you?
Speaker 1:Oh my gosh, yeah, I'm going to have to get you to like post this video, like attach it to this, because I fell down the stairs in front of we have like 900 something people watch a night each show, so times that by two. So I decided I was a bit tired this day I hadn't slept very much and I fell down the stairs. My ankles went both of them. I literally went all the way down, fell down all these stairs, tried not to hit the poor guy in front of me, the roller skater, who's like the star of the show. I was like I can't touch him. So, yeah, the whole audience gasped and then everyone proceeded to point at me for the next two minutes and I should have gone off stage. I could have, but I panicked and I stayed on and I'll never lift that down.
Speaker 2:Well, if you're watching on YouTube, we can post this video.
Speaker 1:Yeah, it's legendary. I would say I'm so glad I got on film too. It's amazing.
Speaker 2:Oh, that's so good. And you said you did some cruise ships as well. What was that experience like for you?
Speaker 1:Yeah, completely different. I think I thrive better in a way where I'm on land, because I can have that like during the day I could do whatever I wanted. I studied, I would go to coffee with friends, and it was just different because you are limited to what you do but then you can't really put a price on waking up in a different country every day. So I was younger, I was 21. So I think it was perfect for the age and what I wanted to do with that stage in my life. So it was great to start my career off doing that. So, yeah, I had an absolute ball, it was so good.
Speaker 2:And then you came home and now you're a PTE still a performer, but now, what made you want to become a personal trainer?
Speaker 1:Yeah, well, I did the course years and years ago and I have been in between being a dancer. I've worked at gyms always. So whenever I come home it's always that hard thing of like not knowing what to do. So I realized I loved learning about nutrition and fitness and health and all of that. That also goes with dancing and I think a lot of people separate them, but they're actually very close together. So, yeah, I absolutely loved it.
Speaker 1:And then every time I come home I would pretty much work at the same gym. I'd say, hey, I'm coming back and I work again and it worked. So I've done that for, I reckon, six, seven years. I've just keep going back and forth from overseas to gyms and it's good because it gets you back into it, you're meeting people and it keeps me driven as well while I'm at home waiting for the next audition or contract or whatever dance class. It keeps you fit. So I think it's very important also for dancers to know that side of the fitness and the health industry and how important it is to learn about it to then go into your performance as well.
Speaker 2:And how to look after yourself. Absolutely.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:People that are finishing a contract and where they are stuck with knowing how to look after themselves. What's your advice on that?
Speaker 1:I think if you can keep a routine, I think that's very important because you can go from a contract of being I'm working six days a week, I'm with my favourite people, I'm doing the job I love, and then you come home I just went through that in December, slash January, and I'm like what am I doing? What's going on? It's really hard. So I think if you find that routine, if you can get a job to keep you going, that is flexible with auditions amazing. But I think looking after your health should be your number one, and that may mean going to a gym, and I know it can be so scary because I'm even afraid to go to gym sometimes. I've got a lot of friends who own gyms and I'll go and I don't even know the owner and I'm still like, oh, I don't know where anything is. It's a bit daunting you, they're in you.
Speaker 1:Yes, if you can keep a fitness routine up, I think that's super important and I think the best way to do it is group fitness. It's very similar to going to a dance class. We love going to a dance class for the music, seeing friends, having a chat at the same time and also getting your endorphins going and feeling good like you've done a workout. I think group fitness is the best way, because you go in, you don't have to think about anything. The trainers tell you what to do you've got people, it's all set.
Speaker 1:It's all set for you Great music, great atmosphere. I personally think if you're frightened to go also, it's like a cheaper way to do it too. You can pay one fee for the week, go as many times as you want, and then you've got that structure to have a personal trainer walking around and can show you with form and can teach you little things on the way and just yeah, rather than going to say one-on-one gym where it's like $100 a session it's better to do it this way.
Speaker 2:That's fantastic. So you're a performer and you're wanting to get into the gym. A really great way is group fitness.
Speaker 1:Yeah, and there's heaps Like there are so many out there now. It's wild.
Speaker 2:Is there specific gyms that do it or most?
Speaker 1:gyms do it now. Yeah, most gyms do it now, but I think specific group fitness gyms are the best ones because they specialize in it. So I worked at F45 for years, which absolutely loved, made some amazing friends, connections, and I had such a good community there. But I then moved on to it's called BFT, so body fit training. I think that, personally, is better.
Speaker 1:If you want to go into strength training, which that opens a whole nother can of words of strength training is so important, not just cardio, so trying to teach people that strength training is so important, just for performers, but also the everyday people.
Speaker 1:That's what I like to call them, the muggles. And yeah, just for, like, prevention of injury and to help with your training, to help with a lifelong career, because I couldn't tell you, I really had an injury in 10 years. I think I cricked my neck like two years ago and that was just being stupid. I'm like, why am I out for three days for this neck? But yeah, I think even dancers trying to learn to do strength training like a massive benefit. And the way I think about it is, if you kick your leg and you kick back down, people are very flexible, so your leg just naturally goes there. But if you do strength training and work all the muscles around, say your hamstring and your quad, you can then kick and then you can have the resistance to come down. Therefore, the control and yeah, your legs will thank you for it in the future as well and yeah, it'll help you prevent injury, because that's a massive one that's scary for all performers.
Speaker 2:Let's demystify a little bit on both men and women, but I've seen a lot of women be scared to go into the gym because I think they're going to put on this muscle, and same with some guys that are. However, you identify, not wanting to come into the gym to build a certain way that you think is going to happen from lifting weights. What is your take on that?
Speaker 1:That's like a daily conversation I have with people in the gym. A lot of people, especially when they're first starting out to. They come in and they go. I don't want to put on muscle. I don't want to look like some bulky, super jacked person. I'm like, well, that person's probably not doing that. Naturally that will not be you. But yeah, it's hard to try and teach that to people and also everyone's body type is super different. So some people do put on muscle a little bit easier.
Speaker 1:But generally for women it is hard to put on muscle and the women that want to put on muscle they eat so strictly and excessively to then train really hard to then do that. So if you go to a group training session, you're not going to get that. You're going to lift weights safely and correctly and you can obviously lift quite heavy there too. But I guarantee you are not going to end up like some crazy fit person that has like muscles out here. So I've been listening to lifting weights for years, and quite heavy too. I just showed you these noodle arms have not got bulky and yeah, I'm the proof.
Speaker 2:That's awesome. Now going on to nutrition and food All of us performers love a bit of food. But, our relationship to the food we eat sometimes is up and down. What has your relationship with food been over the years and any advice on nutrition for performers?
Speaker 1:Yes, and nutrition is a hard one, because I think performers in general think of food and a lot of certain foods as bad, and I can't say this enough. Also, even at the gym, I say constantly to people at the gym but performers especially because your body is your job and when you're on stage with thousands of people watching you and you're not wearing a lot of clothing, you can be very self-conscious. There's also mirrors everywhere. You're always comparing yourself to other people and I know that people say don't compare yourself, but when you are in that industry it is really hard not to. So nutrition is so important. It is literally what fuels you and a lot of what you eat daily goes towards just being awake. You're burning calories daily even if you're a sedentary person sitting at a computer all day long and when you sleep as well, burning.
Speaker 1:Exactly, exactly, and then you realize that. So nutrition is like your fuel If you don't put good fuel in your car or enough fuel in your car, it won't last. So if you're planning on training and you're planning on going to an audition and you have to learn all this choreography and you have to learn this song, and you have to do this, your body cannot perform, but your brain can also not perform as well because it's not getting the nutrition and the fuel it needs to then do well. So if you're not doing well in auditions, if you are going to the gym and you can't lift as heavy as you'd like to, or you're always constantly tired or not getting enough sleep, have a look at your nutrition. I also do suggest going to see a nutritionist. They are so wonderful and they can literally break it down and they have seen everyone. They understand.
Speaker 2:Yes.
Speaker 1:Everyone's different eating habits and a lot of people are allergic to different foods now. But it's important to have that friendly relationship with it because I've seen it over the years, it can be a negative effect and you just can't be the performer that you want to be or be a sustainable performer, and I think relationship with food has obviously changed. But I've never been a. You can't have carbs and you can't do this and you can't do that Like I eat chocolate every single day. I'm lactose intolerant. Probably shouldn't.
Speaker 2:I do wonder where this whole carbs thing came from. It must have come from somewhere, but I myself done a small certificate in nutrition and carbs is literally like the main source of energy that your body needs, and people like no pasta, no, and you're like why it's the best food in the world.
Speaker 1:So it's so odd that people generalize it and think you can't have it and they put this thing around. Oh, that's bad foods and that's good foods and I need to only be in good foods. But don't deprive yourself, because then you can. If you go to someone's house and they're giving you some chocolates, you'll be like, oh, I can't have that. But then you can go into like binge eating and there's so many different areas you can go down and just keeping like in the five food groups. If you can eat all of the five food groups, incredible, have a range of food and give your body what it needs to survive, but also, like perform in our industry For sure.
Speaker 2:I strongly recommend I wouldn't say a food journal, not a diary. Something about a diary feels a little bit more strict, but a journal really has helped me personally and that's basically where you even can do it for three days or seven days, just writing out what you eat and what you consume. This can also be mentally, the people that you surround yourself with working on social media, what you're, watching your environment and noting down how you feel after it.
Speaker 2:Yeah, so that when you so it's not just on oh, I've got to eat this to be this certain way. Notice what your energy does when you eat that specific thing or drink that specific thing. If your anxiety rises or if you feel calm, if you feel good energy. It's a really cool way to start to tap into what your body's actually needing and how to survive the best.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I think that's a really smart way to do it, without being like obsessive of what you are consuming. It's just a good way of how you feel, because essentially that's if you feel good with your body and then you're happy with the outside of it as well. Who cares what anyone else thinks? That's it it's. Don't let a director or an audition panel tell you oh no, we're actually looking for someone who's this size or looks like this, because there's a lot of that. Don't take that on board. There's no point.
Speaker 2:Is there any other advice on nutrition that you would like to give?
Speaker 1:I think it's if you can just eat a range of things and do what's good for you. I think that's the main thing, and just don't let it consume your life, because I've seen it happen and it's there's no point. Food is fuel and you need it, and that's just the bottom line. You need food, so don't restrict yourself from anything. Unless you're allergic, then you have to. I wouldn't recommend, but yeah, it should make you feel happy. You shouldn't think about, if someone's inviting you out for lunch, either Stress about what you're going to eat or what you're going to do. Just yeah, do what's right for you at the time.
Speaker 2:I was reading a book actually yesterday and they did this 12 week study on people who have depression and they didn't really specifically hit food groups or whether it's vegan, carnivorous or whatever, but what they focused on was food timing and you got fed at the same time every day, like three meals, and what they found over the 12 week survey or the review that they did that people's depression basically declined.
Speaker 2:Yeah so they actually became a lot happier because they were regularly eating. And so when you are in a state, not necessarily you have to have depression, but I find myself when you get hangry. Generally a lot of the time it's because your body's not being fueled, and something that I learned recently with the same book. I can't. It's lost me what the book is, I'll put it in the show notes.
Speaker 1:That's all right, I'll put it in the show notes anyway.
Speaker 2:But basically what happens is your, our minds consciously know. For example, right now we're filming a podcast. I know if I'm not really hungry now, but let's say I'm hungry. I know in my mind that I've got a job to do, I'm doing a podcast and I know that in an hour or however long, I know I can feed my body, it's fine. But what happens with your body? Your body actually doesn't know the difference and when it starts to get hungry and you don't feed it, it starts to go well, there's something wrong. There's no food, there's starvation, like I'm going to die, like basically panic yeah.
Speaker 2:And having this tool of maybe even starting now writing out regular times to eat throughout the day and just starting with that, that can also be a really cool tool. It definitely has helped me and I think they suggest anywhere between, like every three to four hours, or four hours.
Speaker 1:Yeah, because then you're not starving and by the time you get to say lunch or dinner and yeah, yeah, feeling your brain.
Speaker 2:It's the same thing when you know in your mind you have a food, a fridge full of food at home.
Speaker 1:You just more relaxed and you know that it's all set, but then you want to eat all of it at once, like what do I eat now? So true.
Speaker 2:Moving now to your brand new somewhat brand new, yes Brand of clothing. I would love to talk about that, because the dive is all about sharing and celebrating people within the arts with any business that they have, and we have some exciting news coming up with your brand.
Speaker 1:We do. We'll leave it to you until the end.
Speaker 2:But please, let's talk about your brand, but it'll start.
Speaker 1:Probably nearly about two years ago now. Probably it started Maybe a year and a half. So me and this other girl in Paris we met and headed off straight away. She also has the same colour hair as me and blue eyes, so it's kind of creepy. We look like twins. She actually looks more like me than I look like my sister. It's really weird.
Speaker 1:So I've always wanted to do something more. I've always had a side thing, which is also something else as well as a performer. I think it's important to have not a side hustle but like a hobby that you enjoy, because dancing started as a hobby for me, like a lot of people. It then becomes your career and then it's your job and you always love it. But at the end of the day it is something you're getting paid for, so it is a job, and you have this like weird relationship with dancing, like I don't know where I stand with it now because I do it every day and sometimes I'm exhausted and I hate it, but you still love it. So it's really odd.
Speaker 1:So I have always found with the gym was my happy place, and then I thought what else can I do? That's really creative, because we are creative people and I thought about active wear, how you always struggle to find good active wear that lasts, that wash well, but also isn't just for the gym, it's also for the dance studio as well, because a lot of things are quite restrictive when you dance and they don't feel good. So I had this wild thought and I'm pretty sure now I think back it was over a wine with my friend Jess, as you do You're having?
Speaker 1:a cute little wine after work and I just thought I'm just going to tell it my dream is to always have active wear and she was very similar. So we connected on this level of we have bigger things that we want to do, yes, while working these crazy hours at the same time. So every day we'd catch up for coffee and we would brainstorm about what we want to do and kind of design things. So she is like the design mastermind of all. Amazing creative can draw. I can't draw. She laughs at my drawings and so she does all the designing and I do all like the business side of things.
Speaker 1:So we have this great collaboration of two different people coming together, but we just work like we're both opposites in that way. So it's been this idea that has just progressed over time. But we knew it couldn't really progress heaps until I'd move back to Australia, sure. So we'd set everything up and put a lot of time and energy into it and then we'd come back. So I'm very think about. I don't particularly like fast fashion. I try and go thrift shopping or at work. We used to have when people would leave or they would have a big sale, would call it like a lodge sale, so people bring their clothes in and then sell them for like two euro and you go crazy while buying other people's clothes.
Speaker 1:So that's how I actually got a lot of my clothing, because your fashion changes and whatever, and you share with friends. So I always thought about how could we do this in a sustainable way. So it took a really long time to find a manufacturer. That was who we stood for. And the ethical side of things yes, and we found our perfect people and they're just amazing, and so our products that we have created are made from recycled plastic bottles from the ocean and really ethically made. The women are paid correctly and we've had zoom calls with them. They're just so beautiful and kind and really care about our product just as much as we do. How special, so it's been amazing.
Speaker 1:So our brand is called PtL, so it stands for Physique Delabel. Yes, and it's done so well. Like we've had our first bulk. We've don't have our website yet because business takes a long time, so we're just slowly going through it, but the friends and family that I've bought off of us so far have just the feedback has been amazing. It makes my heart so happy. So, yeah, it's coming soon and the website will be up soon and big things are coming Big things are coming.
Speaker 2:I mean, we were just talking today and we've always wanted merch part of the dive, so maybe you'll see some Physique Delabel and the dive collaboration soon.
Speaker 1:Absolutely yes. We were so excited talking about this before I know so good.
Speaker 2:Awesome. Well, that's fantastic and that it's all ethical and that it's run by performers.
Speaker 1:Yes, and even like how we've created things like the men's are coming, but we've just got the crop tops and t-shirts like unisex t-shirts, and shorts and leggings and we've got like unitards coming and really fun things. But the thing is the way we've designed them is show girls like to show off long legs. Yes, so we've made sure that all the seeming is higher. We've got these at the front and these at the back to make the video look good.
Speaker 2:You are dancers, so you know what you want. Yeah, we want it to fit right.
Speaker 1:Absolutely, and what looks good on other people and other body types. So it's not just like we've had girls with all chest sizes tried on, so it makes sure it covers everything, wow, and they feel comfortable and so, yeah, it's been like a long time of trial and error, but we think we've got it so excited.
Speaker 2:So, yeah, that's wonderful. I'm so proud of you and excited for you. Oh, thank you, it's so exciting.
Speaker 1:Yeah, it's just like a love that's escalated into something and yeah, see where it goes.
Speaker 2:Absolutely. I love asking this question at the end of each episode, and that is, if you had to give yourself some advice for when you were starting your career, what would it be?
Speaker 1:Yeah, see, we were talking about this earlier because we grew up at the start without all this like crazy technology. Yes, so even when we would take class, we were what were you saying before about?
Speaker 2:like we were just crying you know emotional messes, but it was just in this safe bubble of class.
Speaker 1:And it was just us. There was no recording, there was no phones, there was no nothing. So, yeah, we took risks, a lot more, I think, and that's how we knew who we were as a performer, but also what our strengths and weaknesses were Like. I absolutely adore Kim Adam. Oh, my gosh, I saw her recently at Christmas, obsessed with her. But me and her class, we just didn't work, do we? You were crying about finding yourself. I was crying about how I couldn't get on the floor and up quick enough and you guys were in a back bend and I was like I can't do it. But that's how we found what our thing was and that's how we experimented.
Speaker 1:So I think now, because obviously technology runs and it can be used, obviously for greatness, but also, at the same time, it's a harsh critic because you can see yourself from every angle now and every class you do. Someone is filming you, so you're scared and you're stressed. So I think, if you can just still try and be yourself, I know that there's now when you you go on social media, there's a big look for commercial dancers and there's a big look for contemporary dancers, and every category has a different look that you potentially need to look like or act like or dress like you don't. You really don't, and I think like if you put too much energy into that, you lose yourself. Know who you are first of all. Find out who you are.
Speaker 1:Go to Bali, go live your dreams and find yourself. And, yeah, do something crazy and like I know who you are first, because that's been the thing that has made my career for 10 years Plus is I know who I am and I know what I stand for and I'm not going into an audition, going I have to wear this crop top and these shorts and then I have to look like this and have my hair like this. I do what I want, I wear my makeup how I want and that's, I think, been the reason why I've got a lot of jobs, because you're not trying to be someone that you're not.
Speaker 2:It's really interesting about class and how everyone's trying to be similar to one another, but all the people that I work with and probably you work with are people that are standing out and that are authentically themselves, because when you're casting a show, you're looking for uniqueness. So that's kind of that secret sauce that you really do need is to not be afraid of what you have to present and take those risks, whether it's on camera or not. Remember that you're just performing, it's all fine.
Speaker 1:Yeah, and you do it because you love it too.
Speaker 2:Yes, and bringing that back. And if you haven't yet come and checked out our masterclass, I'll be running a dance masterclass in.
Speaker 1:February Do it. Do it If you listen to this beyond the masterclass.
Speaker 2:You can check out our website because we have many masterclasses on there coming up all around Australia to really help you find the love of performing again and build a space that is safe beyond the camera.
Speaker 1:Yeah, and all the teachers that you've spoken about, you've told me are very individual and have, like, their own type of flair on their dancing and have done so well in the industry because of that.
Speaker 1:You don't have to be the best at everything either. You don't have to be that front center person when you're in full time. My gosh, if I was that, I would have never worked a day in my life. I was center back with the boys. Yeah, I was like why not? Yeah, I'm six foot, like the boys, great. But it's so true Like don't let one person define you and I know that full time studios, like classes and stuff, can do that but don't let it just you or you do your thing If you're at the very back. I think I learned more being at the back than some people did at the front. So take what you can in and just work really hard, because it can get you places. That's it.
Speaker 2:Well, thank you so much for being on. It's been awesome, we've gone through many different things from working overseas and nutrition, and I know that you've just gotten a lot out of it. So if you have any questions for Lauren or myself, you can always email us at info at the divecomau, and please check out our website, full of free resources and all of the goodness at wwwthedivecomau.
Speaker 1:Do it. Yeah, yeah, so good, that's it.
Speaker 2:Yay, that was amazing.
Speaker 2:Thank you so much for listening to today's episode on the dive. If you have any questions, you can reach us at info at the divecomau, where you can email us, send through your questions or even share your highs and lows of the week. We cannot wait to hear from you. If you have liked this episode and found it that it resonated with you in any way, share it with a friend, as they may be needing this exact form of information Today to help them mentally, physically or emotionally. As always, if you haven't already, head to our website, wwwthedivecomau, where we have free resources for you, the performer specifically helping you with the challenges that you're currently facing through meditation, yoga practices and also workbooks and checkbooks that you can go ahead right now and benefit from.
Speaker 2:And lastly, if you haven't already signed up, we are running a dance master class at Patrick's School of the Arts in Peran, melbourne, australia, on the 23rd of February. So head to our website or head to our bio in our Instagram to sign up. It is going to be a wonderful dance master class with myself and Tiki, who also trained at Patrick's School of the Arts. It will be a two hour intensive, bringing you back to the love of dancing, creating a safe space for you to perform and for you to feel empowered again within your dance abilities. So many of things to go check out. I'm sending you so much love and I will see you on the next episode.