TEDx Talks - The Hidden Power of "Not Yet" | Katya Virshilas | TEDxTinHau Women
Katya Verilis, a professional ballroom dancer and founder of a children's dance company, shares her story of overcoming numerous rejections by viewing 'no' as 'not yet.' Her journey began at 13 when a dance teacher dismissed her potential, which fueled her determination to succeed. Despite personal and professional setbacks, including an abusive marriage and financial struggles, she persisted. Her resilience led to significant achievements, such as becoming a Canadian Champion and working with celebrities. Katya's story highlights the importance of persistence and creativity in overcoming obstacles. She emphasizes that every rejection can be a stepping stone to success, encouraging others to view 'no' as an opportunity to grow and push boundaries. Her experience in starting a dance program for children, despite initial rejections, demonstrates how passion and persistence can lead to impactful change.
Key Points:
- View 'no' as 'not yet' to maintain motivation.
- Persistence and passion can overcome circumstances.
- Rejections can fuel creativity and innovation.
- Every success story often starts with a rejection.
- Push boundaries and challenge the status quo.
Details:
1. 🎤 Introduction and Personal Background
- The introduction primarily consists of greetings and music, lacking specific actionable insights.
- To improve, the introduction could be divided into smaller, focused subsections that highlight key achievements and experiences of the speaker.
- Including more detailed insights into the speaker’s background would enhance understanding and provide context.
- Suggest incorporating specific metrics or examples of the speaker’s impact in their field to make the introduction more engaging and informative.
2. 🚪 Transforming 'No' into 'Not Yet' - Embracing Persistence
- Katya Verilis, a professional Ballroom dancer, actress, choreographer, and founder of a children's Dance Company, emphasizes the importance of persistence by viewing 'no' as 'not yet'.
- Her background as the daughter of immigrants who rebuilt their lives twice on different continents highlights resilience and determination.
- Katya's belief in her passions is so strong that she has no shame in asking for what she wants, aiming to change the world one dance class at a time.
- She encourages others to push boundaries in their fields and view rejection not as a setback but as a stepping stone.
3. 💔 Facing Challenges in Dance and Personal Life
- The speaker began dancing at age 13 despite discouragement from a dance teacher who claimed she was too old and untalented, demonstrating resilience by reinterpreting 'no' as 'not yet'.
- At age 18, the speaker partnered with a talented dancer, illustrating an opportunity-driven mindset, but faced a major setback when the partner received a deportation letter, leading to a hasty marriage decision.
- The speaker endured personal abuse, which severely impacted her passion for dance and mental health, highlighting the intersection of personal and professional challenges.
- Despite these hardships, the speaker achieved significant success, becoming a Canadian Champion and working with prominent figures like Richard Gere and Jennifer Lopez, showcasing the payoff of perseverance and resilience.
- The speaker's story emphasizes the importance of resilience in overcoming both personal and professional adversities, ultimately achieving success in the dance industry.
4. 💃 New Beginnings in Hong Kong and Building a Dance Company
- Hong Kong is recognized as the capital Ballroom of Asia, attracting top talent worldwide.
- Many of the world's top ballroom and Latin dancers reside in Hong Kong, enhancing its reputation.
- The speaker's husband is a coach for several top dancers in Hong Kong, linking personal experience to the professional scene.
- The speaker has a background in dance and aims to teach their sons, indicating a personal commitment to nurturing new talent.
- The speaker might be planning to leverage their experience and connections to build a dance company, contributing to the local dance community.
5. 👩👦 Overcoming Gender Stereotypes and Creating Opportunities
- A mother faced gender stereotyping when her son was left out in a ballet class themed for girls, lacking costume options and causing distress.
- This emphasizes the absence of inclusive environments for boys in traditionally feminine activities.
- Inspired by a friend's advice, 'build it if it doesn't exist,' she considered starting her own inclusive space despite having no business experience.
- This narrative highlights the entrepreneurial need to address gender inclusivity in children's activities, suggesting potential steps like market research and community engagement to create such spaces.
6. 👜 Building a Dance Business Against Odds
6.1. Challenges in Establishing a Dance Business
6.2. Creative Solutions and Success
7. 📚 TEDx Rejections and the Path to Success
- The speaker was inspired by TED talks and aimed to promote the positive impact of dance programs in schools on children's lives.
- Facing a TEDx rejection in 2022, the speaker persistently pursued their goal, sending hundreds of emails to schools, initially receiving rejections.
- The speaker highlights the challenge of sustaining and growing a business, emphasizing the necessity of passion and belief in one's ideas to endure rejections.
- Classes were conducted in various informal settings, refining the program and leading to a crucial introduction to a prestigious international school.
- This introduction was pivotal, resulting in the adoption of the dance program by dozens of schools by year's end, showcasing the power of perseverance and networking.
- Despite multiple TEDx rejections, the speaker used them as motivation, ultimately building a successful company from scratch.
- Rejections were reframed as opportunities for innovation and success, with the speaker's journey itself becoming a potential TEDx talk.
8. 💪 Persistence: Redefining 'Impossible' and Final Message
- Persistence and passion consistently overcome circumstances.
- Do not be deterred by 'no' or 'impossible' as every success story begins with rejection.
- Proactively revisit rejections and respond to them, as persistence can turn a 'no' into a 'not yet.'
- Encourage a mindset shift from 'not possible' to 'not yet,' fostering resilience and continued effort.