Ridy sheikh information processing system

Movement Choreographer and Performing Dance Artist, Ridy Sheikh shares her take on content creation and the creator economy. Please tell us the story of how you got into content creation and the journey so far. I entered the realm of content creation quite unusually and unexpectedly.

Ridy was awarded for her extraordinary contributions in shining a global spotlight on Bangladeshi culture through her impeccable dance.

In , my mom opened a YouTube channel, which I use even today, and started publishing videos of my stage performances in Moscow. I started getting known for representing South Asian culture in Russia and CIS countries, and also gained appreciation from the Bangladeshi diaspora in Europe and Russia. After I came to Bangladesh, I observed the local content creation boom, which inspired me to focus on making dance content consistently.

The video was shared worldwide and gained a few million views in a very short time. Later, I was even approached by Zee Music India for making content with their newly released tracks. I was one of the first few independent Bangladeshi females in the entertainment sector who pursued content-making for social media which is a matter of pride for me.

Some monetisation challenges arose, mainly due to copyright issues, but I also came across opportunities for brand collaborations, which eventually became a significant revenue stream, transforming my passion into a viable career.

I'm not advocating for change of systems or anything like that; I'm saying it's been seven decades now.

How have you managed and maintained the growth and expansion of your follower base? Building and engaging with my audience is central to my approach. I prioritise consistency across all my social media platforms — Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, and YouTube, and value authenticity in all my audience interactions. Over the years, through regular dance content, free dance tutorials, dance challenges, and audience interactions, my fans and I have built a strong and loyal community.

I am receptive to all feedback, even negative; feedback fuels my growth. I attribute my success and substantial social media following to my genuine pursuit of positivity and appreciation rather than increasing follower counts or earning money.