Today we’d like to introduce you to Megan Atkinson.
Megan, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I was born and raised in Prince Georges County, MD. Dance has been my passion since age 4. I started dance in the church and continued training throughout my entire school career. I attended arts focused schools from 6th-8th grade at Thomas G. Pullen and 9th-12th grade at Suitland High School. I then continued my dance career in college as a Dance Major at Towson University. During my time there as a full-time student, I worked with many artists and companies and explored all options as a professional dancer. I had amazing opportunities to perform on many stages, travel/tour, local and abroad and make sufficient income as a freelance artist. However, in 2013 my life changed and I found out I was pregnant, so I knew that lifestyle would not be stable enough. From that moment on I vowed to “alter my life with my child”, I knew that giving up on dance and performance opportunities was not an option. Dance is in me, Dance is with me. Dance is me. So I did my very best to create a lifestyle that consisted around me being the best mother I could be while still chasing my dream. In 2017 I created a platform and company for like-minded artists that are professionals yet truly engulfed in their spirituality to keep God in the center of it all. The company is approaching year 5 in November and we are extremely excited about all that God has in store.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
The biggest obstacle was finding myself again. When you become a mother that title unknowingly becomes your identity.”. So my work and focus was on and has been on staying true to MYSELF. Making sure I am happy. making sure I am checking things off of my bucket list that I want to complete or explore. I find the more fulfilled I am with my focus and intention behind everything I do, the better mom I can be for my daughter, the better daughter I can be for my mother, The better sister I can be, etc.
The biggest challenge is finding moments of rest/stillness. It is very important to maintain the same “balance & boundaries” that I coach my clients on for myself. Substantial rest is equally as important as the work that is being done and/pr created.
As you know, we’re big fans of The Collectif Project. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
The Collectif Project is a faith-based collective of professional dancers and choreographers. The company was established in 2017 as an environment for professional dancers and choreographers in the DMV that are engulfed in their spiritual paths just as well as their technical facets of the art form. We are an outlet company that has interchanging members for different performances including solo, group, and collaborative projects. We are more than just a dance company we are a refuge place. We are more than just performers. We are a ministry. We are rooted in liturgical dance but there is no specific technique that we follow, rather we have created a style by combining the many different techniques we all have been immersed in. Our ministry is our physical expression of our acknowledgment of God. We are restoring and expanding the stereotypes of liturgical dance
The Collectifs mission is tri-fold:
— We provide an environment for professional dancers and choreographers to work as a group, using each member’s individual, distinctive style to create and perform new works.
— We connect with local and international arts communities through collaborations with other artists, guest residencies and performance projects to enrich and empower involvement in the arts and spirituality.
— To promote dance as an art form and provide opportunities for artists to develop their own artistry and create
What are your plans for the future?
EXPANSION and Opportunity
My future plan is for The Collectif Project to have yearly International Missionary trips.
Contact Info:
- Email: thecollectifproject@gmail.com
- Website: https://www.thecollectifproject.com
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/ceomegan_?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thecollectifproject/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCN-aEweADKemi9YWJpB0M7Q
Image Credits
Instagram: @ibykephotography https://instagram.com/ibykephotography?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=
