Today we’d like to introduce you to Reilly Wiggins
Hi Reilly, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Growing up, I always had a deep connection to dance. Some of my earliest memories are of me rewinding old VHS tapes and DVDs of my favorite movies just so I could dance along to the songs. I even remember moments passing by a local ballet studio in my hometown and being in awe as I watched the girls dancing inside. Even with this innate fascination I had with dance, it still would take quite some time before I ever stepped foot in an actual studio. For years, I ended up just sampling pretty much every other extra-curricular activity you could think of for a kid (soccer, karate, Girl Scouts, etc.). It wouldn’t be until I was nearly 12 years old before I got to take my first-ever ballet class, and when I got there, it was everything that I had hoped for. At the end of class, I distinctly remember feeling like what I can only describe as a light switch turning on inside of me. Something had finally clicked and the satisfaction this internal sensation brought me in that moment confirmed that I was finally where I needed to be. Once I officially enrolled at my studio, it wouldn’t take long before it would become my second home. I spent hundreds of hours throughout my adolescence dedicated to training and rehearsing at that studio and once I finished high school, I went off to college to study Dance and graduated with my BFA. Ever since then, I’ve been able to work professionally locally and abroad and I am so extremely blessed to be able to do so.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
It’s interesting because, on one hand, I can think back to many different chapters of my life when I was struggling and felt so discouraged that all I could do was ask myself, “How am I going to get through this?” And, on the other hand, as I take a step back to reflect on these moments and all of the beautiful ones in between, I can’t help but feel immense gratitude for all of these experiences and how they string together to make up the story of my life. I can now look back on all the hardest moments of life with appreciation as they were the genesis of some of my most extraordinary seasons of growth. I feel like periods of self-doubt and imposter syndrome are almost inevitable in the life of an artist, but whenever I am faced with these feelings I find that it prompts me to go back and ask myself why I started in the first place. Ever since the beginning, I knew that dance was where I felt the most aligned, and if I wasted my time getting caught up in the perception of others I would never be able to step into my fullest potential. I am a firm believer that “whatever is meant for you is meant for you” and the only way to access what is truly meant for you comes from learning what it means to truly “be yourself”. Once I adopted that mindset and decided to commit to fully loving my unique self, not only did my internal world change but the world around me changed tremendously as well.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
For the last few years, I have been working primarily as a performer and dance instructor, but recently I’ve been able to work on some really exciting choreographic projects as well. Last year, I was one of six choreographers accepted into DanceLab NYC’s Broadway Choreography Intensive where we got to spend a week getting personalized training on the ins and outs of what it means to be a choreographer in the theatre industry. A few months later, I was asked to choreograph my first-ever musical production called, “The Guy Who Didn’t Like Musicals”, which was performed here in Houston at MATCH. Then at the end of 2024, I got to perform at Wortham Theater Center for the second year in a row for the Black Angels Collective’s annual dance concert entitled “Heaven & Earth.” When I graduated college in 2022, I had to start navigating the professional dance world on my own. As much as I was looking forward to it, I was so anxious about how and when I would ever find my footing in this industry. It feels so surreal now to know that I’ve been able to experience all of this and more in just the last three years. I know I’m just getting started, and there’s still plenty more that I want to achieve in the years to come, but I’d have to say that above all else, I am most proud of myself for putting in the work for all these years and carrying myself through to become the person I am today.
Overall, I’d say what sets me apart from others is that I think it’s kind of hard to really pin me down as one “type” of person. When I was younger, this used to bother me a lot as I had so many things that I was interested in but felt like I was never really great at any of them. Over time, I’ve begun to learn to embrace this “jack of all trades” side of myself. I am a naturally very curious and passionate individual. I love to learn and explore new things and when something intrigues me I can’t help but completely dive into it. Despite my frustrations around it, this adventurous spirit I possess has opened up doors to some incredible opportunities that I wouldn’t have had if I hadn’t learned to appreciate this part of myself.
Do you have recommendations for books, apps, blogs, etc?
Therapy for Black Girls by Dr. Joy Hardin Bradford is probably my favorite wellness-related podcast. I feel like she does a great job of trying to put out episodes that cover all aspects of life like, “Cultivating Friendships In Adulthood” or “Navigating Career Growth,” and even more niche topics like, “Black Girls In Gaming”.
I found her podcast on Spotify a few years ago in college, and after checking it out I’ve been a regular listener ever since. I also am a person of faith, so each week I try to be intentional about starting off with some sort of spiritual work. Usually, when I’m doing my chores I’ll find a sermon on YouTube to listen to and afterward, I’ll take some time for journaling and prayer. I find that these practices really help to keep me feeling grounded, especially during turbulent times.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: reillysdancediaries
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@reillywiggins3597
Image Credits
Angeline Abrera
Rachel Redding
