Hi friends,
In today’s episode, Broadway performer Chantelle Good shares her journey to becoming a swing, the importance of setting boundaries in performance spaces, and learning to use your voice.
Chantelle and Jess discuss the unfortunate prevalence of body image issues in the performing arts community and practice navigating conversations about the topic.
This episode is for you if you're questioning how to advocate for yourself in professional settings or looking to reclaim your individuality in an industry that hasn't always felt like it was for you.
*This episode includes a conversation about body image that may be triggering for some. If this is a sensitive topic for you, feel free to pause around 26 minutes in and come back for part two next week*.
Listen to the full episode on Apple Podcasts & Spotify!
Keep scrolling for time stamps & topics, an episode preview, and full bio for Chantelle. Thank you for being here.
Love,
Jess
🎧 Check out the episode if you’re interested in hearing about any of the following topics!
Timestamps & Topics
00:00 Chantelle's Human Bio
02:00 Chantelle's Journey to Broadway
04:10 Life as a Swing on Broadway
05:58 Unexpected Career Paths
09:24 Audition Experiences and Sleep No More
11:23 Setting Boundaries in Performance
12:35 Evolving as an Artist
14:53 Navigating Body Image and Self-Expression
18:23 Mission Statement as an Artist
19:47 Balancing Commercial Work and Artistic Integrity
22:28 Unlearning and Embracing Individuality
26:11 Experiences with Nudity in Performance
32:12 The Importance of Community
34:46 Challenging Body Talk in the Arts
Come back from Part 2!
🔎 Episode Preview — remaining true to yourself in the musical theater & commercial industries
Jessica Altchiler
You have to be very careful how you speak to other people about your body, about their bodies. First of all, just don't talk to anyone about their bodies, period. Never, not positive, not saying something positive even because that, let me break it down.
Chantelle Good
Right. Ever. Ever. No. No.
Jessica Altchiler
If you say to somebody, wow, like you look really good, meaning maybe implying perhaps they lost some weight or whatever it is. First of all, it's showing that you think good is equivalent to losing weight or being skinnier. And second of all, you have no idea what that person is going through.
They could be doing really harmful things to their bodies in that moment. And you could just be reinforcing those actions and adding fuel to the fire by being, look, it's working. Whatever these actions I'm taking, it's working. So even a seemingly positive comment about someone's appearance can be very detrimental. So just avoid it at all costs.
There are so many ways you can compliment people without talking about their appearance, whether it's in your day-to-day life or in a specific dance or performing arts world. There are so many ways that you can connect with people and share how you feel about people and lift people up without commenting on that.
Chantelle Good
Yes, thank you for saying that. It is so, so important. Unfortunately, it's so prevalent in the dance and theater community still, you know, it will be, I think, just because of people's backgrounds and, know, what they were taught and, you know, we're all at different places, but yeah, it's just so important to name and say, you know, like, let's not do that.
Jessica Altchiler
Yeah, I want to put us both on the spot and challenge both of us for a second. So let's do a little activity. Okay, I'm going to make a comment to somebody next to you in your dressing room. And let's think about what you might say. I'm going to say, girl, you're looking so good. I can see that six pack.
Chantelle Good
I would say, Jess, we can't talk about people's bodies like that. Because we just can't.
Jessica Altchiler
Why? I'm giving a compliment.
Chantelle Good
Yes, to you it's a compliment, but you really do not know how that is coming across. You are saying that a six pack is fierce and great, but everyone's bodies are great. So maybe let's not put those two things together.
Jessica Altchiler
Love. Okay. Challenge me. It's on.
Chantelle Good
Okay, okay, I am seeing a friend I haven't seen in a long time and she comes up and I say, oh my gosh, you look so snatched. Like, wow, your body looks amazing.
Jessica Altchiler
Hi, dear friend. I appreciate what you're saying because I know you mean it as a compliment, but I'd love to just explain to you that for me, and I think for a lot of people, it's actually harmful. Personally, I have struggled with my weight and I know a lot of people have as well. So sometimes to hear even something seemingly positive like that can reinforce negative behaviors that I already have. And also even if I'm not actively in a negative behavior spiral, it's kind of implying that skinnier is better and leaner is better and things like that. And I'm working really hard to get out of that kind of head space.
Chantelle Good
Thanks for calling me out.
Jessica Altchiler
You're so welcome.
Chantelle Good
I mean, you would hope that that is the response. But I know that sometimes I've, at least upon receiving that, I have gotten like, it's not that deep. People don't wanna hear that history or how it's affecting you. They're like, what do you mean? It's a compliment.
But like you're saying, most cases it is from a place of love. It's like, I am complimenting you. This is something that should make you feel good. But I think exactly like what you just said, naming the thing of while it's actually doing harm. I think that is so important.
Jessica Altchiler
Yeah, definitely. And just remember that one little conversation can really impact many other people, many other conversations because, okay, we just had this conversation and now as a fake situation, you're more informed. So now you walk into the dressing room and you hear someone else saying something and you're thinking, I just had this conversation, let's see what I can do to make this a better environment for everybody. so you can slowly plant these seeds. And also you can become someone who people know not to say that kind of thing in front of. And that's powerful too.
Chantelle Good
Exactly.
Jessica Altchiler
So I want to encourage everybody to have a little moment of self-reflection and it can be really helpful to have some phrases on the tip of your tongue like on the bench and storage…ready to be said in this kind of situation. So you're not just like, don't know, because that happens a lot for me at least when an important conversation will come up or someone will say something and I'm like, oh, now is the time to use my voice. My voice, now is the time to use my voice and advocate for something. But my words are a little bit jumbled. So this is about bodies. This is about also kind of any issue you care about, write some things down, just have things ready to be said to those around you.
Chantelle Good
Yeah, I think that is great advice because it's true. Sometimes in the moment you are maybe caught off guard even. Like sometimes for me when I hear that or someone is that kind of blatant to a friend of mine or something, I want to defend them and come in. And I'm just so shocked at the kind of like the way that something was said, you know? And so I think that's something that I'm gonna do now, you know, like think about my responses more just to kind of have them loaded, I'm going to say. Yeah, I think that's a great thing to do.
Listen to the full episode on Apple Podcasts & Spotify!
About Chantelle:
Chantelle Good is a performer, choreographer, and teaching artist who is currently performing in MJ The Musical on Broadway.
Based in Brooklyn, New York, her performance credits include Punchdrunk's Sleep No More and Freddie Falls in Love at the Joyce Theater. She has also danced for artists including JLo, Snoop Dogg, and H.E.R., as well as companies including Still Motion, Loni Landon Dance Project, and The Forest of Arden.
Chantelle also works in the non-profit sector as the Co-Artistic Director of TOES FOR DANCE and the Programs Director of Share The Movement.
She also enjoys sharing her knowledge and passion for dance as a teaching artist and guest choreographer for institutions and programs across North America. She continues to deepen her learning around decolonizing teaching practices, in order to foster inclusive environments for her students and cultivate community whenever possible.
Final Notes
Learn more about The Story Project and Jessica Altchiler
Work with Jess 1:1 on dance, musical theater, yoga, and more
Book a masterclass or workshop with Jess for your studio or school
And most importantly…
Support Palestinian families through the World Central Kitchen, Action Aid, and/or the International Rescue Committee
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