I recently read a New York Times piece about tennis player Amanda Anisimova’s inspiring grace in defeat at Wimbledon. As an arts educator, I was struck by how well these same lessons translate to the performing artists—particularly the idea of “failing well.”
But what most stayed with me was a lesson I read between the lines -- about the steadfast presence of her mother, Olga. I took it as a reminder that developing talent and resilience takes time and deep, consistent commitment.
At Creative Stage Collective, we’ve built our programs around this very idea: Excellence takes time. Resilience takes trust. And both require long-term, caring relationships.
That’s why we never hold auditions—and we never cut kids from our Collective. Instead, we get to know prospective new troupe members over time through free quarterly workshops. These workshops allow us to observe new young artists in action, build relationships, and invite them into the troupe when the time feels right. When a young person joins our multigenerational ensemble, they’re in the family for the long haul.
Yes, we work toward public performances, which means setting high expectations. But we also know that artistic growth isn’t linear. So young person’s contributions might shift from season to season—they may take the spotlight one year, and then play an ensemble role the next. What matters is that each child has the space to develop with confidence, knowing their place in the troupe is secure—even if the way they participate evolves over time.
The strength we so admired in Amanda Anisimova at Wimbledon was the result of years of steady support from her mother, Olga. As teaching artists and mentors, we should ask ourselves, do we offer the same to the young artists we work with? Are we nurturing talent with the patience that is required?
We'll know we're successful as mentors when the young artists we work with trust us enough to, yes...fail.