Life After Competition: Finding Your Path, Staying Creative & Growing as a Dancer - Episode 49

Life After Competition: Finding Your Path, Staying Creative & Growing as a Dancer

No Starving Artist Podcast — Episode Recap with McKenna Murdock

In this episode of the No Starving Artist Podcast, we sit down with dancer, choreographer, adjudicator, and content creator McKenna Murdock to talk about something many dancers face but rarely discuss openly: figuring out life after competition and learning how to keep dance in your life as you grow into adulthood.

From college dance programs and perfectionism to judging, content creation, and navigating a full-time job while staying creative, this conversation is an honest look at what it means to build a sustainable relationship with dance beyond the studio.

If you’re a dancer wondering “what’s next,” this episode is for you.

Meet McKenna Murdock

McKenna Murdock is a dancer, choreographer, dance judge, and recent graduate of Utah Valley University’s dance program. After years as a competitive dancer, she’s now exploring how to continue growing artistically while balancing adult responsibilities and a full-time job.

Her journey reflects what many dancers experience — a transition from structured training into a more self-directed creative life.

From Not Wanting College to Loving the Experience

McKenna didn’t initially want to go to college. Like many dancers, she wasn’t drawn to traditional academics and wasn’t sure what she wanted to study.

But after encouragement from a teacher, she decided to try a semester of dance classes — and quickly discovered how rewarding the experience could be.

College offered:

• Strong friendships and community

• Opportunities to explore creativity

• A supportive learning environment

• Exposure to new styles and perspectives

What started as a reluctant decision became one of the most meaningful parts of her dance journey.

How College Dance Differs from Competitive Dance

One of the biggest shifts McKenna experienced was moving from a competitive studio environment into a collaborative college setting.

Instead of focusing on placements and scores, the emphasis shifted to growth, exploration, and shared learning.

She describes the experience as healing — especially after years of perfectionism and pressure in competition dance.

Key difference:
College dance often prioritizes progress and artistry over comparison.

The Power of Diverse Dance Styles

A major highlight of McKenna’s college experience was exposure to styles she had never tried before, including:

• Ballroom

• Tap

• Capoeira

• African dance styles like Mafundala

Trying new styles helped her realize how much bigger the dance world is beyond the typical competition categories.

It also challenged the idea that mastering one style automatically translates to others — a humbling but valuable lesson.

Breaking Out of the “Ballet Is Everything” Mindset

Like many dancers, McKenna grew up believing ballet was the foundation of all movement.

But college exposed her to styles where ballet technique didn’t directly apply, helping her understand that each dance form has its own history, culture, and movement language.

This broadened perspective deepened her appreciation for dance as a whole and reinforced the importance of versatility.

How Judging Changed Her Perspective

McKenna began judging dance competitions to stay connected to the industry and continue learning.

Judging allows her to:

• See movement on many different bodies

• Gain new teaching insights

• Understand what reads on stage

• Learn from diverse choreography styles

This experience has helped shape her teaching approach and artistic perspective.

Starting a Content Creation Journey

McKenna began creating content as a way to build an online dance portfolio and share her experiences.

Over time, her content evolved to focus on:

• Positive mindset for dancers

• Judging insights

• Teaching perspectives

• Encouragement for young performers

Like many creators, she’s faced challenges with consistency, growth, and perfectionism — but continues to show up and share authentically.

Perfectionism & The Mindset Shift

McKenna describes herself as a lifelong perfectionist, especially during her competition years.

Everything changed during her senior year when she set a simple goal: have fun on stage.

That shift in mindset helped her:

• Perform with more confidence

• Enjoy the experience

• Let go of pressure

• Achieve stronger results

Lesson:
Joy often leads to better performance than pressure.

Navigating Dance as an Adult

One of the most relatable parts of the conversation is McKenna’s honesty about balancing dance with adult responsibilities.

Working a full-time job while maintaining creative pursuits can be challenging, but she emphasizes that there are still ways to stay involved.

Options include:

• Community or semi-professional companies

• Teaching or choreographing

• Judging competitions

• Creative projects

Dance doesn’t have to be your full-time career to remain a meaningful part of your life.

Embracing the Uncertainty

Like many young artists, McKenna is still figuring out what the future holds — and she’s learning to embrace that uncertainty.

Her goal is to continue judging, choreographing, creating content, and finding opportunities to stay connected to dance while enjoying the journey.

Reminder:
You don’t need to have everything figured out to keep moving forward.

Advice for Young Dancers

McKenna’s biggest message is simple but powerful: enjoy the process.

Dance can be challenging, frustrating, and emotional — but if you love it, the journey is worth it.

Showing up, staying present, and appreciating the experience can make all the difference.

Final Thoughts

This episode is a reminder that there’s no single path in dance.

Whether you pursue a professional career, teach, judge, create content, or simply dance for joy, there are countless ways to stay connected to the art form.

Growth doesn’t stop when competition ends — it just looks different.

Connect with McKenna

You can follow McKenna and her work online:

Instagram: @its.mckenna.murdock

She shares insights on judging, teaching, mindset, and staying positive as a dancer.