What was your dream job growing up? Your dream hobby? The one thing you wanted people to know you as when you were younger? For us, our story starts with different backgrounds, dreams, and so much more. But do you know the best part about community? To us, it’s the things that are brought together for the greater good.
During the pandemic, dance was extremely hard. It was a major switch from being in class filled with friends to looking at people behind a screen dancing alone in your room. Training was discouraging at times until I found a program that pushed me to create what is now called “Vessel, Inc.”
In 2021, a year after I graduated from college, I joined an online dance training and mentorship program run by Andye J., an internationally known choreographer. Being able to get one-on-one advice from a black woman business owner and artist was extremely inspiring and it’s an experience that I am beyond grateful for. This program gave me the tools and more importantly the confidence to start my own business.
Vessel, Inc. also known as The Vessel Experience is something that I am very appreciative of having created and will always be a place where I and many others can always call home. Vessel is a way for me to continue my passion for dance while also providing opportunities for the people in my community.
Although having something that I created for the community is so amazing, building a business is not for the weak.
During our workshops, most people who come to our events might see us put up our banner, set up speakers and checking dancers in. But behind the scenes it takes a lot to put these programs and events together. It takes a lot of time to get in contact with the talent we want, creating contracts, securing venues, lodging and transportation. All while doing this, we still aim to keep our prices for classes affordable for people. Because of that we don't always profit huge amounts unless we get big turnouts from our community. So sometimes it can be a double edged sword.
At the end of the day, providing affordable classes is more important than making huge amounts of money off of people so it is always worth it to me.
I love Vessel and can’t wait for our community to know more about us.
Signed, Tulani Janae.
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