The Illusion of Fame

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Perhaps one of the most disturbing trends in today's street dance culture is the illusion of fame. Fame is a mark of Hollywood. It's a byproduct of the 24/7 media machine. Faster communication technology feeds our insatiable desire to find out more information. And it elevates the cult of celebrity. Now, anyone can be heard, seen, ogled, and worshipped. It's a strange phenomenon.
When you're part of an underground culture, there is an element of fame when you "get known" for your dancing skills. But prior to the rise of the Internet, "getting known" was mostly limited to your local scene. There would be a few high level dancers that everyone would know about through word-of-mouth and occasional appearances on television, film, and underground tapes and DVDs. Now, dancers can see each other through online videos regardless of the physical distance between them. Anyone can be discovered by uploading their own video on Youtube. "Getting known" can potentially happen at a much faster rate than ever before.
Fame can subtly change our expectations. It may infect our goals. For a younger generation, many of our new school dancers are subconsciously hoping to validate their investment in training by becoming "famous." Think that it isn't true? Well, then ask yourself this question: would you be satisfied if no one ever knew or applauded your skills as a dancer? Can you imagine still pursuing dance even if you never were recognized for it or gained any financial or social benefit? That's a tough question to answer. Suddenly, we realize that fame might be creeping into the goals that we've set for ourselves as dancers. Is fame a goal for you?
Why does fame taste so good? Because it feels good when others praise us. We feel like we matter. Suddenly, we exist and we have relevance because our existence is not only defined within our minds. We can be over-achievers who want to give meaning to our dance journey by adding the medal of fame to our credentials. It's a pretty one, isn't it?
But it never lasts. Fame is fleeting. It's fragile and breaks easily between your fingers. Brittle as it is, it haunts us. It becomes an addiction. We get that high when we're in the spotlight. And when we're no longer there, we feel like we need it. It's spellbinding. We need something to give us that addictive high again. Worse comes to worse when we turn to other self-destructive avenues to find that high.
Sounds familiar? Fame is a tricky, slippery animal that is rarely caught. And once you do get your hands on it, your whole paradigm changes. Who do you trust? How do you see yourself differently? How do your friends and family see you differently? What do you think you're entitled to? All the questions you ask suddenly become about you.
Those who receive fame are not necessarily doomed to self-delusion. There are people who use fame to better the situation for others whether it means drawing attention to volunteer causes or investing in the education of a younger generation. But we know that fame can draw darkness out of us. It doesn't inject something new and dark into us. It just brings out the flaws that were already there. And it magnifies them.