Today we’d like to introduce you to Tia Busby.
Tia, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
It all started when my family moved from Queens, New York to Atlanta when I was around seven years old. Once we got established into our new found home my mom placed me in ballet classes, and I loved them. It was one of the first times I realized that I was in love with movement, style, and coordination. Being able to express myself through dance was very therapeutic for me at the time, and helped me adjust to my new life in Atlanta. I grew up as a first-generation American from a West Indian household. More specifically, my entire family is from St. Lucia. It is an island located in the Lesser Antilles part of the Caribbean. They have always shown me the importance of self-expression and having confidence in yourself. Dance was one of the first things that made me feel my most confident, and I cherish it for that every day.
I was incredibly blessed to be able to travel to St. Lucia at a young age. It was one of the most beautiful experiences I had ever had. My family would always like to visit around the summertime when they would hold their annual Carnival Festival. In St. Lucia, and all over the Caribbean, it is one of the most cultural events of the islands. They are filled with a beautiful combination of dance, music, different DJs, and vibrant-feathered costume designs. It was the most freeing experience I had ever encountered in my life.
I began ballet a few years later after moving to Atlanta. I began to notice the importance of technique and style when it came to the dance community and wanted to contribute in the best way I could. Free expression is what gave me peace and a piece of mind. I dance all throughout my middle and high school careers, and also at my college, Clayton State University. In college, I also got into some modeling for carnival attire as well. I wanted my art to become a much larger part of my life because it helped me so much as a child.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
It is never easy for anyone to fight for their dreams. Especially in a society where people of color are not always favored. It has lead me to self-doubt and questioning myself about many things. However, the thing I always say is that you should not complain about the things that you do not have because there are always people with less. One of the things that keep me grounded in my journey is my family. They remind me every day that I have to be patient with myself and the keep a consistent pace throughout.
I started out working a part-time job as a restaurant waitress while attending school full time. I also began an internship with a local dance studio, called AREA which opened my eyes to a lot of important areas of what it meant to run a dance company. I then got another job as a dance teacher for a small local dance company called Creative Movement and Dance (CMD). In this company, I travelled around the city teaching kids from the ages 3-12 years of age the basic forms of technique for multiple genres of dance. Those including ballet, jazz, tap, and hip hop. I had quickly become one of my favorite things to do, and I knew that I wanted to continue. However, between school, working my two jobs, and my studio internship it became quite difficult at times to manage doing it all and driving everywhere. I would always remember throughout my journey to hold myself accountable for whatever it is. I choose to put out in the world and to put my best foot forward in everything I do every time.
We’d love to hear more about your work.
My hope is to provide a space where everyone could come and let go, work out their problems, be at peace with their minds, and love themselves wholeheartedly. I plan to do this through different forms of dance therapy which involves implementing different environments, sounds, and people to understand our own minds and bodies more clearly. My art, however, is limitless! I have been involved in not only dance, but modeling, photography, writing, and painting as well. So other than a dance studio, my goal is to provide a space where all art can thrive. I want my business to be as versatile as I am. Once I am able, my art studio will consist of a dance room, painter’s studio, music studio, photography room, and modeling and fashion room as well.
This will be so that everyone can grow and thrive together in one common space. Today I find it very difficult to find people who want to collaborate with on a professional level. My hopes are to make that process much easier for the art community. In today’s society, we are always taught that to be successful. We have to isolate and individualize our crafts to get ahead. And though it is important to know and love your art, it can also cause a lot of division in the art community. I find it very important to connect with the people and things that surround us in our environment.
I am proud that I have even gained the courage to take on the responsibility to bring Atlanta’s art community closer together and to truly fight for something I believe in.
Any shoutouts? Who else deserves credit in this story – who has played a meaningful role?
In the situation I am in, the thing I have been most grateful for are my friends and family. Most Importantly, my grandmother, that inspires me in so many ways. She has showed me that if you are willing to make a change in the world, then that means you have to take the time to love yourself first. She taught me that it is ok to be passionate about life, and more directly assertive when it comes to making things happen for myself. My mother, on the other hand, made me look at things throughout my life more realistically. She showed me how difficult the world can be at times. It has helped get through the more difficult parts of my life, and I am very thankful for that.
My friends have also played a huge role in my life. Being as supportive and caring as they are, they have taught me not only do you have to be smart in this world, but you also have to be authentic and true to yourself every single day. I thank God for my friends and family. They have been my mentors, supporters, advocates, teammates, clients, and so much more than a person could ask for.
Contact Info:
- Website: kabundakevin3218.myportfolio.com
- Phone: 6786292651
- Email: tia_busby40@yahoo.com
- Instagram: tia.bia
- Facebook: facebook.com/tiabia
- YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCbXaHfuhhp58AN9Jg4tRDIQ
Image Credit:
@mightykev
@hellokeyy
@ambo_lambo
@kanarielens
@madeyoulookatl
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