I remember the first time I felt that I was sharing the stage

“I remember the first time I felt that I was sharing the stage with someone spectacular was dancing with Beyoncé. It was the dancers, the band, Beyoncé and me in front of thousands of people. That was sick. It was pretty amazing that I got to travel the world with someone like her.” Thus spoke Harry Shum, Jr., not merely recalling a memory, but proclaiming a truth about the nature of greatness, humility, and the privilege of standing in the presence of extraordinary souls. These words are not light; they are testimony to the human heart when it beholds spectacle, when the spirit recognizes that it has brushed against the divine fire of artistry.

When he speaks of sharing the stage, he does not mean simply standing side by side. He means entering into a communion of movement, rhythm, and light—an encounter where one’s own skill becomes part of a greater whole. In this moment, Shum was not diminished by Beyoncé’s brilliance. Rather, he was lifted, drawn into a radiance that magnified his own flame. The true greatness of another does not cast us into shadow—it calls us forth, urging us to shine brighter, to match the thunder with our own song.

This lesson is ancient. Think of Alexander the Great, who wept upon hearing of Achilles, not because Achilles’ light diminished him, but because he too longed to walk in the presence of immortality. Or recall the sculptors of the Renaissance, who worked in the company of masters. Michelangelo, though brilliant, sharpened his own genius while standing among the likes of Leonardo da Vinci. To walk beside greatness is to walk beside a mirror, one that reveals not only the brilliance of another, but also the untapped fire within oneself.

Harry Shum’s journey, dancing before thousands, reminds us that greatness is rarely a solitary flame. Even the brightest star shines within a constellation. Beyoncé’s voice, her movement, her vision, became a pillar—but around her stood the band, the dancers, the silent machinery of stage and sound. Together they wove a tapestry of wonder. Alone, each thread is beautiful, but together they form a spectacle that moves nations, that makes hearts tremble, that lingers in memory like the echo of thunder long after the storm.

We must learn this truth in our own lives: seek out those who elevate you, who inspire you, who demand more of your soul than you thought possible. Do not fear being overshadowed, for true spectacular presence does not smother—it ignites. Surround yourself with those whose excellence awakens your own. And when your moment comes to share the stage—be it in work, in art, or in love—stand with courage, and add your own light to the chorus.

Think of the soldier who marches beside his brothers, not for personal glory but for the strength of the formation. Think of the scientist who builds upon the discoveries of others, pushing the flame of knowledge further into the dark. Greatness is never solitary—it is always shared. As Harry Shum’s words remind us, the joy lies not only in what one does, but in who one does it with.

So let this lesson guide you: seek the stage of life where others shine, and step boldly upon it. Do not shrink, do not envy, but rise. For when you walk beside those who are extraordinary, you too become extraordinary. And when the world looks back upon your days, may it be said that you did not fear the light of others, but joined it, adding your own spark to the eternal flame of human greatness.

Therefore, honor those who inspire you. Cherish those who elevate you. And strive always to be the kind of soul who, when others share the stage with you, they too will say, “I stood beside someone spectacular.”