#FFB: Cortney Wolfson
Cortney may look familiar! I recently featured her and her fiancé, Curtis, who shared their secrets for motivating each other in their fitness and health journeys. #powercouple (read their feature HERE) Cortney and I were introduced to each other through Body Conceptions (my favorite dance cardio in the city!) Cortney and I relate in that we both don't have extensive dance backgrounds, which is probably why we're so drawn to the positive, non-competitive vibe in BoCo. Her advice for integrating fitness into her career is all about feeling inspired and strong! *applause* Cortney proves you don't have to be a professional dancer to be FIT FOR BROADWAY!
Read Cortney's BIO HERE!
5 Fun Facts about Cortney...
1. I have two dogs named Tiffany & Emma.
2.I hand-crafted 1700 paper heart flags for my wedding while backstage at Kinky Boots.
3. My favorite foods are Cookies, Ice Cream, and Dirty Martinis.
4. I'm known by all my college friends as "Corns"
5. I have a Jesus Fish Tattoo on my Foot
Q: Cortney! This is officially Part II of you and your hubby’s FFB features! :) Ok, first we have to talk about how we met! BOCO! :) Has fitness always been a compliment to your Broadway career and how is Body Conceptions intertwined?
A: I started getting into fitness my senior year of college at The University of Michigan. Showcase was approaching and I knew that in order to start my career in NYC, I needed to get serious. I started reading and researching and going the gym and I saw results so fast that I became a huge supporter of everything fitness. I get bored pretty easily, but luckily living in NYC makes it easy to mix it up. I love to run, but it's pretty hard on my hips and knees so I checked out Body Conceptions. I used to hate group classes because it reminded me of dance class. I hated dance class because I didn't really start dancing until college. When surrounded by some of the most beautiful, talented women in the world, I was definitely intimated in a brand-new leotard and un-scuffed ballet slippers! I was insecure about my abilities and that turned into a distaste for the class scenario. Now, however, I don't care how I look to other people in class! In fact, BoCo is so intense, there is really no time to look around the room. Now I find that classes like that with awesome women inspire me to be better, rather than intimidate.
“Practice. If you sing, sing every day.
Make your craft part of your everyday life.”
Q: You mentioned your introduction to performance was through pageants. How did it lead you to Broadway?
A: I did a pageant (or "Scholarship Competition" as they say) called America's Junior Miss. Despite everything you may have heard or may think about pageants, it was a RAD experience. I met these beautiful, unbelievably smart, driven, talented women. I was got to sing live on national television. And I won $20,000 in scholarship! I loved every second. I also, however, knew that I didn't want to keep doing pageants for the rest of my life, so I had to figure out how that translated to a real job. I knew I loved to be onstage, and Junior Miss made me realize that I could maybe actually make some money while up there.
Q: Can we play What I Ate Yesterday?
A: What I Ate...
Breakfast- 2 fried eggs, a small red potato and some pineapple.
Lunch- An arugula salad with olives and a small bowl of homemade chicken curry soup from the crockpot!
Dinner- Kale Salad and some baked chicken from Green Symphony in Hell's Kitchen.
Snacks- Banana w/ almond butter
Extras- sipped some tequila after the show with a castmate!
Q: Have you ever had any obstacles in your career? How did you overcome them?
A: Ha!! Yes! Everyday! My biggest obstacle has been my inside voice. I have to remind myself all the time that I am deserving of success. We have to be our own biggest supporters in this industry, and that is a very hard position to be in. That's an obstacle that I don't necessarily think is overcome-able. It's just part of life. Luckily, I also have one other HUGE supporter- Curtis, so he carries some of the load for me!
Q: How do you keep your voice healthy?
A: Allergy Meds- Oral and Nasal Spray. Reflux Meds, Sinus Rinses, and an un-Godly amount of water. I also HAVE to sleep. If I have a couple of nights without an 8-hour rest period, I start to lose it. I rely on naps to keep rested and healthy!
Q: If you could go back in time and tell yourself one thing before your first big audition, what would it be?
A: You deserve to be here! It goes back to all of the self-promoting in my own brain stuff. I felt like a fish out of water when I first started auditioning for college, because I was from Indiana, had never been to New York, and didn't know anyone's name on Broadway. I thought I didn't belong. But I came to realize that everything I focused on meant nothing. All that matters is hard work and a little bit of talent.
Q: Who or what inspires you?
A: My Mom really inspires me. She raised two kids and never once complained about being tired. She made us feel special, beautiful, and talented and she's one of the hardest working, most lovable people in the world. I hope that I can be half as good and as selfless when I become a Mom.
Q: What is your advice for aspiring performers who want a career on Broadway?
A: Practice. If you sing, sing every day. Make your craft part of your everyday life. I would also say go to college. Curtis didn't and it worked out for him. Everyone's path is different, but I NEEDED those four years to mature as a performer and as a human. And lastly, just know that there are going to be good days and bad days. It's a tough career but it can also be very rewarding. Don't be afraid to admit that it's scary and ask for help when things get hard, whether that means taking a voice lesson, or going through therapy. Actors are full of life and with that comes a great deal of emotion. And that's okay.
