SA: What would you say about how much time you spend offline doing something someone online will see for 30 seconds? How much work goes into that?
GK: So much work! It’s a lot just showing up on social media. I do self-work all the time to show up positively. As a leader, I think it’s your job to be strong, willing to listen, and take on people’s emotions. I think people don’t talk about that often. A lot of the time you don’t really get asked, “How are you?” You know what I mean? Being in this position at such a young age comes with a lot of self-work and a lot of alone time to process my feelings. Am I feeling this for someone else, or for myself? I’m very empathic, so I focus on self-work. I journal. I’ve been getting more into it lately. Now I’m interacting with more people [talking about] the movement I’m trying to make. So yeah, it’s a lot of things people don’t see.
SA: It’s inspiring to hear you understand how important your self-care is to actualise these dreams. I’m hearing you talk about the energy and the work you put in, all of the care that has to go into you for you to be able to deliver on these things that you want to see happen.
GK: The more experiences I can have, the better advice I can give. So it’s that too, trying to listen to everyone’s experiences or journeys and not judge, to listen to what they’re telling me. It’s not my decision to make for them, but I can offer them advice from my experiences.
SA: For the cousins and younger people in your community and your family, what do you want them to know right now when you’re at this point in your career looking at what’s next for you?
GK: One particular thing pops into my head. For me, it’s just being authentic. I’ve always just gone with what I wanted to do. I never got myself caught up in cliques or trends; what’s cool and what’s not. I’ve always been extremely authentic to myself, my path, and my journey. Maybe that’s why I’m so successful at 25, because I’ve never done what everyone else does. There’s this picture I’ve seen recently. It was like all the fish swimming one way, and one little fish swimming the other. It’s a visual representation of how I feel. Because I see people doing the same thing. I’m like, no, I’ve got a bigger purpose, so I’m going to go this way. Be authentic to your own path, and believe in yourself and your vision, because no one else will see it. You have to believe in it most to attract the people who will help you bring it to life.
SA: I can relate to the one fish swimming in the other direction. I’m from Texas. Texans don’t leave Texas; they stay in Texas forever. My family was initially like, “Where are you going? What on Earth are you doing?” I moved to New York City, then Chicago, then to Australia. Now, with what’s happening in the world, they’re like, “You were so smart to have your own plan all those years ago.” So, you’re right. You have to have a vision. When we started chatting, you gave examples of why you don’t see people telling stories that reflect where they’re from here in Australia. How do we change this moving forward?
GK: In the entertainment industry, I don’t know if fake is the right word, but people feel like there’s like an easy way and a hard way. The easy way is to agree with what people say, attend their classes or whatever the situation is, become friends with them, and put aside your own morals and beliefs to get a job. That happens a lot, and I think that’s why the industry is so stagnant. I’ve always taken the hard route, and I knew that by doing this, I’d be on my own, wouldn’t book many jobs, and my career might not flourish as soon as I wanted it to, compared to someone else. The longevity of what I’m trying to do, and the reward from it, is much greater than just booking a couple of jobs with a few artists and not being myself. It really comes back to that authenticity. Create your own path. I can’t emphasise it enough.
SA: I am mesmerised by dancers. I tell people that when I watch dancers, it’s like every kind of art moving in front of you.
GK: I know, it’s one of those things. It honestly comes down to dance education. What you put on a stage wouldn’t go in a music video. What you put in a music video wouldn’t go in a dance class. Choreography changes with every project, and there’s a lot to consider. There’s, like, your body cleanliness, the song, the beats, how the artist is singing the song and how the movement can reciprocate. Then you have the mirror, the person next to you that’s hitting you. There’s the teacher talking. There’s so much going on. It’s like, people underestimate the energy, mental capacity and talent it takes to be a dancer.
SA: Look, I will never know because I struggle to keep up in Zumba class! I feel very proud of myself when I finally get those four counts and eight counts down.
GK: That’s why you have to start when you’re like, six. Most dancers start at that age.
SA: Who were you watching when you were six? Who made you want to dance?
GK: I didn’t dance consistently. My mum enrolled me in a class when I was younger, but I was in and out of athletics, swimming and cross country. I was doing karate at one point. Netball took a big part of my life. But by the end, my mum said, “You’ve got to choose one now.” So, I just sort of fell into it, and it’s always been natural for me. I’m spiritually guided to the next path because that’s how I see life. Whether the universe helped me get there or people say God, it feels meant to be. It’s like my path. I’m just walking.
SA: Who’s walking it with you?
GK: I pray, but not to, like, a God. I pray to my past family because in the times when I’m so lonely, I have people that are not physically with me.
SA: Ancestors?
GK: I never feel lonely because I have them. Sometimes I’ll drive for like an hour and a half because I live all the way out in the bush and just talk the whole time. I talk to my past granddads, my uncles, and everyone I know. It feels a bit safer for me, too. Sometimes I don’t want to tell my family things because I don’t want to cry in front of them, or I don’t want them to absorb that energy that day, so I talk to my past family because someone’s listening, but no one’s physically there. Like I pray nearly every day, if not multiple times a day. They’ve been there for me through a lot. People would say God, and for me, it’s them.
SA: Before we wrap up, what other creative outlets do you have? You’ve mentioned journalling as part of your practice. You have dance and choreography, plus a creative business. Do you have any other outlets and self-care routines?
GK: I do. I need to prioritise them all, but for me, it’s just time management. I like painting. I paint my merch as well, aux cords and other merchandise. I’m getting into dot painting as well. That’s been a big thing for me. Meditating. Because my life is so fast-paced, I gravitate toward hobbies that aren’t. Hot yoga, the gym, the sauna and meditating. Also, sleeping! You’ve got to get your sleep in.
SA: Absolutely. Running on an empty tank won’t get you very far.
GK: Sleep is everything. Make decisions after a good sleep. If it can wait, have a sleep and then make your decisions. Yeah, just maintaining the fast pace with the slow pace. Long walks in the bush, like I was saying, connect with nature, sit by a tree, all those things.
SA: Thanks so much, Georgia. I can’t wait to see what’s next for you.
GK: Thank you.
This article has been commissioned in partnership with Diversity Arts Australia’s Creative Pathways Parramatta project, supported by the City of Parramatta. Diversity Arts Australia receives core funding from Creative Australia and Create NSW.
