Today we’d like to introduce you to Jules Shelby.
Hi Jules, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
I grew up in Cuernavaca, placing me in Westlake at a time when it was (and might still be) less than 1% black. In a community that rewarded assimilation, towards an image I could never fully achieve, I became quite contrarian. I think that early instilled desire to do the opposite of everything I saw around me is at the root of everything I’ve accomplished thus far in my life.
While my peers were all polishing their Apply Texas profiles, I opted to get my bachelor’s degree at a private university in London. I attended Regent’s University from 2016 to 2020, studying acting and world theatre.
Also in London, I fell in love with pole dancing, first as a hobby and then also for work.
I brought my new skills back home in 2020, where I got deep into the local aerial scene. I have now been teaching pole and performing around town for 6 years. I still work as well with my acting training, collaborating with my friends in film to create true independent art. I’ve always been incredibly enamored with the artists of our city, so to be consider a part of that is such an honor.
But, I think what impresses people the most about me is something I consider such a causal part of my world. I work seasonally as a skipper, which is to say that I captain sailboats in the Mediterranean for a few months out of the year. No greater reason for pursuing that other than I wanted to and I could 🙂
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
I think I have an internal serenity that makes everything feel and appear very smooth. But, everything I do took, and continues to take, a lot of hard work. I graduated college straight into the pandemic, which is what brought me back to Austin. I had originally planned to stay in the UK indefinitely, so I already felt like I was failing by moving back home. Everything in my life stagnated for awhile. I passed the time working the cash booth at Barton Springs Pool, which might be my favorite job to date. Again, it was not where I planned to be in my early twenties but it’s the most connected to the city I’ve ever felt. But it was hard keeping up with work and auditioning/ pursuing acting, while also feeling suddenly so behind my peers. So, seeking more freedom, I transitioned into working as a stripper in clubs around town. This line of work came with it’s own challenges, as one can imagine. But it armed me with all of the skills I needed to persist through any obstacle.
I learned boundaries, I learned negotiation, I learned how to talk to anyone and be my own boss. All through my life I struggled with self believe and trusting myself, which are both so essential in the unconventional paths I’ve chosen. So much of that for me came through the club.
I think the greatest struggle I face now is balancing everything. I want to give my dance students as much of me as I can while still taking care of my own body and finding the energy to still train and develop my own personal pole practice. Finding that annual balance of time at home pursuing film and art vs at sea, sailing and exploring. It’s all very beautiful problems to have.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I most known, currently, for my pole work. If you have seen me perform at events like Punchline at the Pole or Whiplash, you’ll understand why people call me the fairy. First of all, I happen to be crazy strong (thank you pilates.) But I also just find so much joy and peace in dancing. I consider it a moving meditation. So, every inch of movement for me is very intentional, very embodied and it all flows together in a way that is very ethereal. I never set out to curate that movement quality. It’s just what my body loves the most, so I’m very grateful that people love to witness it.
If you’re curious, I do have a performance coming up on September 27th at the Vortex. The event is a fundraiser called Resistance: Turn Pain into Power, in which I will be expressing black joy as an act of resistance against systemic oppression and societal expectations to do less and assimilate more.
But, I’m most proud of the work I do as a dance teacher. It’s something I never set out to do. I was a long time student at Sofly Social and the owners, Joannie Wu and Luki Martino, recognized my dedication and invited me to join their team. Growing up in gymnastics and marching band, I’ve had a movement background full of harsh and hypercritical coaches. So, to be able to create a space for my students full of patience and support is very healing for my inner child.
What’s next?
I feel on the cusp of so much. In the last year or so, as I begin to fully transition out of the strip club, I’m coming back into my theatre and film roots. I starred in a feature length horror film and short neo western that are both set to release before the end of the year. I’m also writing. It’s been a long time coming but in the near future, I will begin putting out my own work that I intend to both direct and star in. I would consider my work a love letter to Austin, an ode to the strip club and a synthesis of all the living I’ve managed to fit into my twenties.
I do, of course, also intend to continue to teach and sail. I’m hoping to scale up my student base beyond Austin. I am in the process of curating a 4 week workshop on flow and mindful movement on the pole that I could then take on the road to studios all across the country, and perhaps beyond.
As for sailing, I plan to move up from offshore skippering to an open ocean license. This would open up opportunities for me to captain trans-Atlantic and Pacific voyages. Again, simply because I can and I think it would be a very rewarding challenge.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/juicetheefairy/
Image Credits
Elly Crope, Honey Spins, Sarah Karney
