Today we’d like to introduce you to Raven Jackson.
Hi Raven, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstories.
Hi! I am a Nashville native. I started my training seriously at a young age as a ballerina and trained at Nashville Ballet. I traveled and danced and of course, fell in love with New York City while training at Alvin Ailey!
Nashville was such a small city then and I was instantly enamored by the nightlife. I’m happy to see the city growing now! My dreams of becoming a ballerina never made it to fruition but the thought of being a performer and entertainer never fled.
The running joke now is that I’ve traded in my pointe shoes for something a little more tantalizing and now I am a burlesque dancer in the heart of Downtown Nashville.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
The road has never been smooth for me, I’ve worked hard and endured many sleepless and tearful nights. Starting out as a black ballerina in the south sounds like a horror movie! I am the eldest of three raised by a strong single mother that did everything in her power to never let us realize we were poor.
I did have a fabulous black dance teacher from South Africa as my teacher, Robert Philander may he Rest In Peace. He believed in me and pushed me to great lengths and I soared under his watchful eye.
Now as a burlesque dancer I’ve had to overcome blatant racism as a black performer to predominately white crowds and losing gigs to my ever problematic health. The road most definitely hasn’t been easy but it has made me who I am today and for that I am grateful.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
The lack of diversity in my scene has led me to a home base. A fremily: a chosen friend group that I view as family.
We are a group of extremely talented black performers (aerial, pole, film, writers, musicians, dancers) and we’ve named ourselves Back to Black Burlesque. They have become my rock in moving through a scene that isn’t always kind to black bodies.
Learning, loving, and creating with these magical beings have been getting me through this pandemic and introduced me to many great talented black artists locally and afar, including the world’s number 1 burlesque performer two years in a row, Jeez Loueez!
Are there any important lessons you’ve learned that you can share with us?
I’ve learned so many lessons along this roller coaster called life… Stand tall, I’m 5’8! No need to shrink me to make anyone feel more comfortable.
Head held high. Remain strong in the face of adversity. Make memories for yourself and not always on social media. Always be kind. Love hard. Laugh often and loud!
Eat the cheese danish! Life is to be lived… and I plan on doing that to the fullest! And when the day comes when I must bid this world goodbye I want to leave with no regrets. And leaving a piece of me with everyone I’ve encountered!
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/raviejae?r=nametag
Image Credits:
Emily Allen Photography
