We had the good fortune of connecting with Kate Newham and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Kate, have there been any changes in how you think about work-life balance?
I think we can all agree that since 2020 life has changed. And for me, my work life balance absolutely has. I have gone from hustle mode and running all over town from one thing to the next, to only saying yes to the work and things in my life that I believe truly serve me and make me happy. In saying that, balance of course is a tricky thing. I definitely still catch myself staying up late responding to emails that could be handled the next day or filling my day with meetings, catch ups and work to feel like I am getting the “most of out of day”. I don’t think there is just one magic answer here regarding balance. Balance looks different to each of us but when you have found your balance it’s definitely more of an intuition thing I’d say.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I think what sets me apart from other dancers is that I am a very ’rounded’ dancer. That means that I was lucky enough to be trained in all styles from Ballet, Jazz, Hip-Hop, Lyrical, Tap, Irish Tap, Contemporary, Musical Theatre and even Bollywood. On top of that I’m a fantastic dance teacher and know my students would 100% agree. I LOVE to teach and am very fortunate to teach at some fantastic LA dance studios teaching ages from 3 years to pre-professional students.

Well, nothing comes easy, but performing definitely did for me. Dance is just its own unique world. Any dancer will tell you that it’s a continuous wheel of taking class, training, learning, performing, teaching and so on. It’s a never ending cycle of trying to improve to become a better performer and artist every single day! It’s an ongoing labor of love and something I have truly dedicated myself to over the past 25+ years. Since 2020 my passion for dance has shifted more towards teaching. I have taught for many, many years prior to covid but that shift really put things into perspective for me. My teaching style changed for the better! I have also just passed my CA real estate exam and have fallen in love with all things Real Estate. It’s a new endeavour of mine and one I hope to pursue for many years to come.

There are so many lessons I’ve learned along the way, but I think the biggest and most important lesson for me is to enjoy each step of the way. Not to rush to the finish line. Another huge lesson I’ve learnt is that it is okay to pivot, meaning that if something is no longer serving you it’s okay to change directions, to pick a new career or side hustle.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
If I had an out of town friend or family member that had never been to Los Angeles before we would be making a weekend out of it for sure. There are so many things to do, places to see and restaurants to eat at in LA, it’s pretty amazing! My top favorite things to do are go to Malibu, eat fish and chips at the beach. Wonder through a farmers market. Go out for sunset rooftop drinks at the beach and see a concert at the Hollywood Bowl or the Greek.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
My family, mentors and friends for sure!

Website: https://www.katenewham.com

Instagram: @Kate.newham

Image Credits
Dima Otvertchenko Khali MacIntyre Boyd Brian Haller

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