We cannot deny that social media has completely transformed the entertainment industry. All you need is a camera and access to the internet, and you are ready to showcase your talent to the world. We can certainly point out some globally outstanding talents whose stars shined brighter thanks to the power of social media.
Born in Oakland, CA, Eclipse is an internationally celebrated creative, influencer, and dancer. Eclipse, formally known as Jaylen Lundy, is a self-taught freestyle dancer who chose to drop his career in the airforce to pursue his childhood passion for dancing. He was intrigued by dance, which led to his passion for dance being reinvigorated in 2011. Eclipse drew inspiration from Stomp the Yard, a film from which he copied the moves. Through this newfound style, Eclipse showcased his skill in plays such as High School Musical and Camp Rock from 2013–2014. He decided to join hip-hop classes in high school, disobeying his mother’s wishes not to.
Through his unique dance skills, Eclipse has captured a fast-growing audience and a vibrant digital presence with over 50K followers on Instagram. He has also mastered the art of keeping his audience captivated with regular updates and unique and authentic content. Eclipse has also nurtured his niche as an author who’s written a few e-books, including Re-Invent Yourself, which he is profoundly proud of.
“My greatest accomplishments have been sticking to my word and achieving everything I said I would do like magic. I’ve taken myself from being absolutely no one to someone people consider to be very popular in my city and a model type,” says Eclipse.
But Eclipse also wants others to understand that success never comes easy. Dancing publicly and doing a backflip mid-performance wasn’t easy to do, especially in the early days. He has failed numerous times, including being involved in minor accidents that include landing on his finger and head. Additionally, dancing in public on its own is very scary, and you can understand how overwhelmed someone will feel when you couple that with the possibility of pain and embarrassment.
“The first time, I stood around for an hour before I could commit to doing it (the backflip). I told people months before I would do it, and I stuck to my word and got it done,” Eclipse adds.
But regardless, Eclipse remained focused, working hard every day. One of his greatest achievements was perfecting his backflip, and this journey is now his most viral video. The experience has also taught him the importance of giving yourself the option not to give up until it’s done. You can fail, and that’s fine, but you have to attempt it. Also, be hopeful, regardless of how cliché it might sound, as hope is essential in the quest for success.
According to Eclipse, opportunities are presented to everyone all the time, but they don’t want to put in the effort because it isn’t guaranteed. If you want to gain it all, you have to risk losing it all. Also, never pay attention to the naysayers. Instead, focus on your hustle and strive to become a better version of yourself every day.
A prolific dancer, Eclipse envisions himself growing his brand as a dancer and establishing the Eclipse dance studios. As an entrepreneur, Eclipse and his team have been working hard to launch his self-improvement app to help others become who they want to be. His long-term goal is to expand further to create a community full of hopeful and aspirational dancers. Eclipse will also launch an Eclipse fashion brand similar to his personality and unique style.
New York Times Mag 