10 Personality Types of Musicians, Theatre Artists, and Dancers: Which Are You?
Human beings are complex organisms.
Every year, science endeavors to discover more and more about our biology and neurology. Meanwhile, philosophers, psychologists, and spiritual teachers have for millennia used archetypes (personality types) to delve deep into the human psyche - representing the different ways we ‘show up’ as individuals and examining our spiritual connection to the Universe.
Recently, there’s been growing awareness of and attention to archetypal psychology as millennials discover the Enneagram en masse and websites like archetypes.com and knowyourarchetypes.com continue to emerge on the internet.
Personally, what began as my whimsical (and mostly social) interest in personality tests has led to deep work with my core archetypes under the guidance of a teacher. That work has been the source of tremendous growth in nearly every aspect of my life, including my career and relationships.
In my nearly two decades of working with musicians, dancers, and theatre artists as a teacher, guide, colleague, and coach, I’ve picked up on the ways in which common archetypes are uniquely expressed in the performing arts industries.
Understanding your archetypes can help to illuminate the source of your creative energy and make you aware of how to optimize that energy through attention to your habits and environment.
First of all, what is an archetype, and how are archetypes connected to your creative energy?
There’s a lot of discussion about energy these days - and for a good reason. There’s an old saying that goes, “You don’t have anything if you don’t have your health”. The word ‘health’ could easily be replaced with the word ‘energy’. In fact, many professionals on the cutting edge of the health and wellness fields speak in terms of the energy exhibited by different organs and systems within the body; this represents a huge shift from a biochemistry paradigm to a biophysics paradigm (if this is interesting to you, you might enjoy my conversation with sound healer Gerald Savage on the ArtsBound Podcast).
Another old adage suggests that our most precious resource is time. However, in his book The Seven Levels of Intimacy, world-renowned speaker and author Matthew Kelly asserts that we all have the same amount of time in a day; it is our energy, however, that will dictate what we can do with the time we have.
Kelly is referring not to the energy in a specific body system, but rather a holistic, integrated Energy (spiritual, mental, emotional, and physical) that all humans experience. This is the energy we are discussing here. In this view, all energy we experience comes from a universal Divine Source. Like an electrical circuit, if we are optimally wired and connected to a power source, we will experience a flow of this Energy.
Just like how our energy dictates what we do with our time, our environment dictates what we can do with our energy. This is where archetypes come into play.
Archetypes are patterns of energetic expression. Your archetypal patterns are innate to who you are - they emerge from within your being (this is how they differ from stereotypes, which are external projections). They are like the different appliances we plug into a power source.
We can’t “see” an archetype, but we can recognize it in its various forms of expression. The King, for example, is a very common archetype in our stories; we see him in King Arthur, Moana’s father, and the Godfather.
Being aware of your archetypal patterns and attending to them in a constructive way is like maintaining the appliances you use day-in and day-out. Doing so keeps them in good working order and avoids malfunctioning. Developing self-honoring habits and maintaining a healthy environment are also important to nurturing your life-giving flow of Energy.
Archetypes in the performing arts
As you read about the types below, I encourage you to reflect on the motivations that underlie the behaviors indicative of each type. Also, since most people like to see themselves reflected in most any positive attribute they read about, pay particular attention to how the more challenging aspects of each type resonate with you.
THE ROCK STAR
The Rock Star brings an intense and powerful dose of energy to any situation in which they find themselves. They enjoy attention and are gifted with a great deal of self-confidence and charisma. The Rock Star archetype doesn’t have a problem with being self-promoting and they are who they are - love ‘em or hate ‘em.
Of course, this type can lean towards self-centeredness and can easily disregard how their agenda may have a negative impact on others. It’s an honest mistake, because the Rock Star thinks everyone should be as assertive and self-possessed as they are - if they’re not, “too bad for them”.
THE IDOL
The Idol also craves an audience but has more flexibility in their personality. They are an attractive type - the quintessential boy- or girl-next-door - and exude an innocence that we find refreshing. Their flexibility also allows them to bend their attractiveness towards what would appeal to those whom they are trying to impress. The Idol is naturally gifted and is eager to share that gift with others.
The issue for the Idol comes in the shape of giving too much of themselves away, or not developing a strong enough sense of self in the first place.
THE CEO
The CEO is the one behind the scenes who makes things happen for the performers. They are creative and organizing, influential and visionary. The CEO sees potential in a project and knows enough about the political dynamics of the industry to see it through. The CEO makes a great arts administrator or music business executive.
The shadow of the CEO is seen in their ability to be controlling, micro-managing, or even deceitful. Their challenge can be in staying open-handed and giving others a voice.
THE HUMANITARIAN
The Humanitarian is a compassionate type, eager to make a positive impact on others through their work in the arts. We see this archetype in teachers, folk musicians, and community-based artists. Their creative energy is infused with a true sense of heart and vision for a new, more peaceful world.
The Humanitarian can get caught, however, is a sense of grandiosity in their desire to do good. This type can also lean towards an unhealthy level of self-sacrifice in the name of their cause, which can ultimately leave them with nothing left to give.
THE ARISTOCRAT
The Aristocrat is at home in the refined world of high art. They have a deep appreciation for culture and a love of beauty that can be contagious. They also possess an undeniable sense of sophistication which, when used constructively, can help to elevate those around them.
The Aristocrat can seem out of touch, however, with their audience or others who do not ‘get’ what they do. They also must be careful not to allow a sense of ‘classiness’ to read as “better-than-thou-art” in the eyes of those who do not move as easily through their world of cocktail parties, symphony halls, and galas.
THE BOHEMIAN
The Bohemian is highly creative and innovative. They are the artsy singer-songwriters, the cutting edge choreographers, and the avant garde playwrights. They are romantic and non-conformist by nature, and they have a desire to be seen as unique, authentic, and different from the rest of the world.
The differentness that can fuel much of their creative output can also be alienating for the Bohemian, who like the Aristocrat, can be out of touch with other parts of the world - namely the mundane and conventional.
THE LOVER
The Lover is a classic archetype (think Romeo!) - devoted and passionate. In the context of the music, theatre, or dance, the Lover is intoxicated with their art. Their dedication leads them to be highly skilled and knowledgable. As a result, they possess great gifts to share with others.
These gifts are best shared with innocence and with no strings attached. The Lover must be cautious not to become over-bearing or prosthelytize out of their love and admiration for their art.
THE PROFESSOR
The Professor is a scholar, eager to acquire as much knowledge as possible in a quest to fully understand topics of interest. When they put this knowledge to practical use, they can provide rich context to the performance of historic works as well as contemporary pieces that seek to be socially relevant. The Professor can also provide important data analysis to guide decision-making in arts organizations and businesses.
As you could imagine, the challenge of the Professor is to make their knowledge actionable, finding impactful applications for their powerful analytical abilities rather than allowing it all to live in the storehouse of their mind.
THE WIZARD
The Wizard is a highly accomplished craftsperson - knowledgable, skilled, and generative. They ‘make magic happen’ as a result of abilities beyond what others can fathom. We see the Wizard in the guitar virtuoso, the elite dancer, the sound engineer, and the theatrical set designer. Wizardry can also be highly useful in relationships - establishing unlikely but highly beneficial collaborations, or negotiating a once-in-a-lifetime contract.
The shadow of the Wizard could be boastful and showy, or on the other hand manipulative and deceitful (having perhaps even greater capacity than the CEO for this last quality due to their remarkable skill).
THE PROVACOTEUR
The Provacoteur uses their art to stir up the pot. This type plays a crucial role in furthering the evolution of society by disrupting the status quo. The Provacoteur helps us see the world from a different perspective and can help shine a light on social injustice and bureaucratic absurdity.
Of course, the Provacoteur can also be a ‘rebel without a cause’. This isn’t always a bad thing, but it may lead them to act out against systems that are still useful and largely beneficial to those they serve.
As you might guess, all of us have a bit of each type is us (and there are more we could add to this list!). However, you will probably find that two or three of these will resonate with you most closely.
So, which are you?
I’d love to hear about which types you identify with and how that energy shows up in your life. Feel free to reach out via my contact form and tell me about it!