Meet Jaslyn “Stormy” Harris | Entrepreneur & Dancer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Jaslyn “Stormy” Harris and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Jaslyn “Stormy”, what is the most important factor behind your success?
I believe that the most important factor behind my brand is acknowledging that this is a journey. I am constantly changing, shifting, and growing in relation to the things around me. The idea of being “successful” because I’ve “made it” or because I am the image of someone that “has it all together” would just be a facade. MyMovesMoveU blossomed from a variety of growing pains and imperfections. My mission has been inspired by giving my community a front row seat into my world; no matter the wins, the losses, the blessings or the lessons. By serving with this level of genuineness, I hope to inspire others to stay on their own unique paths of success.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I am a dancer! I absolutely love dance and music like you wouldn’t believe. As a young girl in middle and high school, I would spend hours on the computer watching dance videos by some of the most famous Atlanta choreographers like Mike Peele, Sean Bankhead and Kiki Ely, imagining what it would be like to dance for them. I’ve always dreamt of dancing behind artists like Beyonce, Usher, and Chris Brown, so from that point on, that’s where I put all of my focus. While in high school, I founded the dance team Platinum at Pebblebrook High School, I was a double dance major for our magnet performing arts program for two years, and during my senior year I was the captain of the Falconetts majorette team for our school’s marching band. And in addition to all of that, I still took classes in the city with my best friend! Now that I look back at it, I have no clue how I juggled all of that as a teenager.

What I still struggle with today, is accepting how my training began. I started my technical training at a later age than most, so my weaknesses were flexibility and strength. I struggled in ballet for a while, but as I grew older, I learned how to appreciate it much more. I used to compare myself to a lot of the dancers around me (sometimes I still do), but comparing myself to others only distracted me from my potential growth. As I entered the professional world as a performer, I quickly learned that not everyone you work with are genuine. I’ve been approached by people offering gig based opportunities with poor conditions, no compensation, disorganization, or worse. Working under these circumstances really affected my passion and motivation to pursue my art as a career. It became something I had to force myself to do, as opposed to something I’ve always dreamed of doing. After almost quitting dance completely, I’ve learned how to celebrate the small wins and never lose sight of my artistry. I soon realized that God gave me my passion and talent for dance for a reason. With that being said, I decided that I was going to use my gift and serve my community on my own terms. No more trying to seek validation from others! My focus shifted from my audience/potential job opportunities to how this gift can fulfill myself and those around me. And that alone, made me fall in love with dance all over again.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Oh wow, lol it’s funny you ask that, because I’m an Atlanta native and I still feel like I haven’t figured that out 100% yet for myself! There’s so much to do here in the city! If my best friend and I planned a date in the city, I would start with brunch! There are so many great brunch places in Atlanta, and you can never go wrong with bottomless mimosas! There’s a black owned restaurant called Milk and Honey on Cascade Road that is so good! We would definitely visit the Georgia Aquarium, Piedmont Park, and Six Flags over. Georgia. There are some really popular lounges for nightlife, and I would love to invite my best friend to a dance show in Atlanta. The hip hop community is amazing, and there’s no doubt they’ll put on a show.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I honestly have to shout out who I call My Village! I’ve suffered from depression for a couple of years after college, and just recognizing and acknowledging that I was depressed was a huge challenge for me. I didn’t recognize myself for a very long time, and I know I wasn’t there for my loved ones the way I should’ve been. My parents, my sister, my relatives, and my close friends have all been extremely loving and patient with me during such a hard and traumatic time in my life. Without their love, MyMovesMoveU LLC, would still simply be a legal entity written on paper. My mother invited me to join a 21 Day – Meditation challenge by Deepak Chopra, that has completely changed my life. This challenge helped me spiritually invest in my gifts and my worth. I began attracting a level of abundance that I have never experienced in my life, and because of that, I know that I’ve only scratched the surface.

Website: www.mymovesmoveu.com

Instagram: @mymovesmoveullc & @herecomes_thestorm

Linkedin: Jaslyn Harris

Facebook: Jaslyn Harris

Image Credits
Brandon Bridges, Daquan Williams and Drayton McJunkins