Today we’d like to introduce you to Nancy Rumagit.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Nancy. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
I’ve always grown up around art, even though I didn’t realize it. I started off with ballet and piano because my mom encouraged me to. When I turned 11, I started reading a lot of books, and not long after, I started writing as well. By this point, I had quit ballet because of the enormous pressure I found along with it, but I still kept dancing, though admittedly I wasn’t that good at it. Still, it was fun to do. I didn’t get into acting until I was 17 and took a short course at New York Film Academy in the summer. It was right about then that I realized art has always been what I wanted to do with my life, and that I should do something about it. I started applying to performing art schools around the States, which was either very courageous or foolish, as I had little to no experience at all. I stumbled upon Stella Adler by chance and immediately fell in love with the school. It’s been a year of ups and downs and doubts and breaking numerous walls within myself, I couldn’t be prouder of who I am as a person today, and even more excited about who I’m still becoming.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
Before Stella Adler, I got accepted into another college in Virginia. The only college that accepted me amongst the other 6 I applied to. So I was very excited. But due to financial issues, my parents told me that they weren’t able to afford it. The thing with my parents is, they always support me in every way they can, even with the impossibles and even with things they don’t understand, like performing arts. I didn’t come from money, and neither did they, but they never let it get in the way of my dreams, or my brother’s. So I knew telling me, “No,” to pursuing my love for acting was harder for them than it was for me. I was about to give up and let that dream go until I received an email from Stella Adler–sort of like an advertisement, mailing list, kind of thing–and my dad told me to just go for it. That was always his thing, “Just go for it. Who knows?” My mother calls him a madman. I’m still very much surprised that I got accepted, and that I received a scholarship as well, which helped my family a lot. I wouldn’t be where I am if it wasn’t for their support, so it feels great that I can give back, in a way.
We’d love to hear more about your business.
Stella Adler is an acting school, founded by Stella herself. Pretty much a given. We are a school full of crazy storytellers with fascinating imaginations, which is more or less the core of Stella’s acting technique: imagination. Two of my favorite quotes of hers are, “Life beats you down and crushes the soul, and art reminds you that you have one,” and, upon hearing one of her students say that he was “just like Hamlet,” she said, “Hamlet is the king of Denmark. You don’t have a pot to piss in and throw out the window,” which, yes, was hilarious, but also, taught me a lot to always be humble and act not because it’s a way to be loved or seen but to tell stories.
What were you like growing up?
I was very shy growing up. I think I didn’t talk in public until I was 8. I went to a Catholic kindergarten, and all of us had to take turns leading the morning prayers. I remember when it was my turn, I just stood in silence in front of the class, too shy to talk, till my teacher just finally sat me back down after what felt like forever. I didn’t have a lot of friends as a kid due to the shyness. I don’t actually remember when it was I shook it out and became more extroverted and sometimes overly friendly with people, but now whenever I tell my friends I was very shy growing up, they don’t believe me at all.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nantjj/
Image Credit:
Lilian Aragāo, Brandon Figueroa and Maud Guerard
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