Inspiring Artists Stories
Today we'd like to introduce you to Hayleigh Murphy
Current Location: Orange County, CA
Hayleigh, thank you for taking the time to share your story. Could you start by telling us a little about yourself?
My journey in the arts began at Huntington Academy of Dance at the age of 3. I had been fully immersed in ballet, jazz, and tap for years when a musical theater class came to my studio's schedule around the time I was 7 years old. From then on I was hooked to all of it! Dancing, singing, and acting was my full time work- alongside school, of course- for the next nearly 20 years. I continued intensely intertwined to musical theater and dancing through elementary, middle, high school and college. I've performed in countless musicals and dance productions around California, with many of them being at the Rose Center Theater! I was hired at Disneyland at nineteen years old and spent 8 magical years of dancing in parades, hanging out with characters, performing at Tokyo Disneyland, and meeting my husband! Along with working at Disneyland, I've worked various jobs such as assisting the treasurer at Ballet Etudes, teaching dance with OC Dance Productions, and many years in the box office at the one and only Rose Center Theater! The past two years I have primarily worked as a Key Leader at lululemon. This has brought much joy and growth to my life, and has also allowed me to have the opportunity to continue performing on and off.
What's the best piece of advice you've received?
The best piece of advice I've been given wasn't really advice at all, but an acknowledgement and affirmation from my mother. She told me years ago during a now forgotten personal dilemma that I make good decisions. This struck me as powerful then, and continues to lead and guide me to this day. It may seem small or unimportant, but hearing that from someone I love and respect so intensely was greater than any personal advice she could have passed to me. It told me that she believes in me and trusts me. And, that she knows I will make the best decisions with or without advice, because I know what is meant for me. This truly instilled in me the power to trust my instincts and to listen to myself. I know that if I do, I will always choose what is right for me.
What inspires you? Can you tell us about something that maybe inspired you to pursue a life in the arts?
A life event that has inspired me was walking into an audition in 2014 for a contract with Tokyo Disneyland at the last second, because my friends were going. I told them there wasn't any point in going because I had a semester left of college and was really happy with my life in California, and that I wouldn't relocate to Japan even if I got an offer. Well, as fate, and luck, would have it, I did get an offer and that email changed the course of my life in an instant. After a day spent working through tears of shock and deliberation I took the offer. I deferred my last semester at CSUF, and relocated to Japan for 14 months. My experiences there shaped my life in more ways than I could ever explain! I returned a second time in 2018 because of the incredible impact it had on my life. This event in my life inspires me because it showed that you never have any idea what's to come in life. That was the first truly life changing chance I took on myself, and it has shaped the way I see the world and my life.
Image Credit:
Jordan Kubat Photography
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