Today we’d like to introduce you to Sasha Maya Ada.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I like to say my first performance was in the back seat of my mom’s 2000 Mitsubishi while my grandfather was getting pulled over for a speeding ticket in downtown Charleston. I was singing “Part of Your World” which is extra funny given the whole Black mermaid debacle, but I suppose it keeps in trend with how things have aligned in my life. Truth is, I was that kid that could make pretend with anything ad nauseam. Sometimes it was an old crocheted blanket that would become the net that little spy Sasha had to escape (I loved the Spy Kids movies growing up) or a book about herbs written in French that I couldn’t read a lick of, so it became my spell book. From a young age, I loved finding the somethings in the nothings–which luckily translates well as a 28-year-old freelancing artist. So, that’s exciting! All of that play as a kid cultivated the imaginative impulses helpful for storytelling, but as I got older, the self-critique and judgement started to thrive a little too much. In the last several years, I have worked to counteract that with the artists I get to collaborate with by building a challenging and compassionate culture in the space. And finally, these last two months I’ve been able to afford myself that same kindness. I gotta say, it’s been transformative.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
I use to believe that few were lucky enough to have a smooth path, but these last couple of years have shifted my lens. While incredibly hard at times, the struggles have shaped me for the successes in my life–and for those, I am grateful.
I’ll start with the most recent discoveries: myself! Ha! My Self Worth. My Self Love. My Self Discovery. The artistic process is so work-centered and combined with rigorous training at a young age, that left very little room for me as me. So, I would make myself smaller, to (in theory) make my art deeper, bigger, etc. But that was exhausting to my spirit. And so those conditions created an unhealthy relationship with myself. Things like my mental and physical health took a back seat because the work was more important.
But now, we are gifting ourself the same love we have extended to others! Why? Because we are worth it. I am worth it–and just as worthy as the work I invest in.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I am a director, actor, and coach for theatre artists. I love centering collaboration in the development of powerful storytelling while moving through that process with joy and compassion. I want to marry the professional experience with the growth synonymous with educational spaces. Good enough is not good enough. It lacks the passion and excitement we should have for the work we do. When we can embrace alignment in passion and connection to the story we are telling, magic happens. I’ve seen it fundamentally shift people and I’m honored to have been a part of that growth.
I think I am known for getting stupidly excited in the rehearsal room, asking the actors many questions, and saying “let’s do it one more time” more than once. As a director, watching the actors and creatives piece moments together is my endorphin rush. That connective tissue is what makes the work personal and builds the artist’s ownership of their process. I don’t want to just say, stand here, cross here, sit there. It’s not my style. I want the work we develop to be made by us, so when a show opens, the artists are consistently looking for points to deepen the work. That’s what makes me the proudest. Seeing a show breathe and stretch because its DNA begs for it.
In terms of your work and the industry, what are some of the changes you are expecting to see over the next five to ten years?
Here’s where I hope it goes:
I hope it is unapologetically inclusive.
Desperately collaborative.
Playfully intrusive.
And kind.
I don’t think I can predict the nature or culture shift, but if these last couple of years have provided a hint, hopefully, the above is on the right track.
Pricing:
- Individual Coaching $45-$60/hr
- Student Pricing $30/hr
- Website Consulting $25-$50/hr
Contact Info:
- Website: sashamayaada.com
- Instagram: @sashamayaada
- Twitter: @sashamayaada
- Youtube: Sasha Maya Ada
Image Credits
Cam Frontain
Evan Michael Woods
Ciara Elle Byrant
