Harper Watters
Harper Watters is a black, gay, ballet dancer.
These three things are important.
Harper was adopted when he was two weeks old by a white mom and dad. People stared at him because he was black and they were white. He couldn’t control their gaze but he learned to widen his and to navigate his way under the watchful eye of others.
Harper came out at 14. Because of stories he’d heard of gay kids being bullied and tormented, Harper transferred out of public school to a private dance school. His career had begun.
Harper always danced and he was good at it. Really good. He toured with a company at 17. He won an international competition in Switzerland at 18. And now he’s a soloist with the fourth largest dance company in the United States, The Houston Ballet.
And with 142,000 Instagram followers, Harper’s also an influencer.
Harper doesn’t shy away from people’s gaze anymore. He welcomes it. Because the more eyes on him, the more people know what’s possible: that there is space in the ballet world for a black, gay man.
Harper uses his difference to empower, inspire, and activate people to know that anything is possible and anyone can achieve it.
Some things we talk about…
- the moment Harper realized he was gay
- how everything changes when you bring all of you into what you do
- the video that went viral and catapulted his Instagram fame
- what it means to be an influencer
- going from small town great to big town nobody
- finding his way to the dance world and making his way within it
“You have to put yourself out there. How else are you going to do what you want to do if people can’t see that you want to do it?”
“Be fearless and know that when you feel doubt it’s okay. It’s not bad to be scared. It’s not bad to question yourself. It’s just part of the process. You’re going to be fabulous. You are going to be great.”
let’s connect.
letters from my heart about what’s on my mind. the business and the personal.