Today we’d like to introduce you to Kristin Farina.
Kristin, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
I’ve always believed that if you want something in life, YOU have to be the one to make it happen. And that mindset is the reason that I am who I am today. Here’s a story of self-made success. I’m Kristin Farina. I am a professional dancer, choreographer, actress, model, and social media personality – just to name a few. I never was one to put myself in a box, so I do “everything”. I grew up in a very small town in Wisconsin… so small it was actually considered a village. Everything you could need was on the same block, except for the thing most important to me – my dance studio. I learned dedication very early because I had to drive over an hour each way to get the dance training I needed. I missed out on a lot of things growing up including school dances (never went to prom), football games, parties, after-school sports, friends…. but it was worth it to me because I loved to dance. I had the perfect plan to attend college where I would double major in dance and business. As most of us know, sometimes life takes a turn and you’re unable to follow the path you were intending on taking.
My entire life fell apart spring of 2016 due to some family matters. I had nothing… except a choice to either stay in Wisconsin and sit in despair or take a risk and pursue my dream. College was no longer an option, so I packed up three suitcases of the little I owned and bought a one-way ticket to Los Angeles, CA. A lost 18 year old in a brand new city having no job, close friends, family, money, or a plan – it wasn’t easy. I was taught resilience and had to grow up real quick. I did everything I knew I could in attempt to become a professional dancer. I was constantly taking class, trying to meet new people, working for free to get my name out, and staying up all night studying to better myself. Still no payoff. A year went by and I didn’t book a real, legit dancing job. I gave up a little hope and decided to get a “normal person” job on top of all the side hustle work I was putting in. I did that job for a year and a half until I started getting depressed again. Yes, I was making money, but I wasn’t doing what I came out here to do. So I quit. And a funny thing happens when you take risk and follow your heart. The day I quit my regular job I received a phone call saying I was booked for an Under Armour commercial. I BOOKED MY FIRST LEGIT DANCE JOB. It took 2.5 years, but I did it and my hope resurfaced. This was the first domino to the chain reaction of success.
My talent didn’t change, but my mindset did and I truly believe that it attracted an abundance of opportunity. In just six months I’ve worked with artists such as Jennifer Lopez, Chris Brown, and Blackbear. Not only dancing in live shows and music videos but also choreographing for artists. I was in commercials for major companies such as Under Armour, Toyota, Razor, and Honda. I got to compete on season 3 World of Dance with Radiance. These opportunities are still surreal for me and this is just the beginning. I am so humbled and ready to hustle for more. Another part of dancing that I love is teaching and I’ve been so grateful to be able to teach all over the country as well as internationally. I love passing down knowledge and inspiring the younger generation. Since my career in dance started taking off, I had some extra time to learn new things. I recently began acting and found a new passion. Either it was luck, or it was meant to be, but I’ve already been featured in three movies. It is most definitely a work in progress, but I am excited for the future.
Another endeavorer I took on was social media. I got contracted with a bunch of apps to create content for them. I mix my personality alongside dancing to create 15-30 videos. I was surprised at how quickly my following grew. In just a few months, I have over 500k followers between my platforms. I don’t care too much about how many followers I do or don’t have, but I love that these platforms have provided me opportunity to get my face out there and show the world what I do. I also love the amount of people I’ve been able to connect with because of it. Yes, I do a lot of things and I can’t wait to do a lot more in my life. If you believe in yourself and your purpose, mix that with hard work, you will achieve anything you pull your mind to. You have to take risks and let go of fear. It’s not an easy process, but it is worth it.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
The path to success is never going to be an easy road. No truly successful individual has achieved what they wanted without putting in the hard work. That is why very few are successful. They do what the 99% of people aren’t willing to do. This is what motivates me during the tough times because I know it’s going to teach me valuable lessons and get me to the place I need to be. I mentioned most of my struggles on the previous page. The hardest obstacle I faced in my life ended up being one of the best things to happen for me. If I never had the family struggles when I was 18 I never would have moved out to Los Angeles and pursued a career in dance.
At the time, that was the lowest point in my life, but without it, I wouldn’t have grown up as fast as I did. I had to learn how to be completely independent and fight my own battles. It taught me resilience and I had to find love in myself, instead of others. Now I know that I will be able to overcome any obstacle that faces me in this life. I’ve survived once – I can do it again. Besides major personal problems that people are going to face on the road to success, there are many other small bumps along the way. The dance/entertainment industry is especially hard. It’s so easy to get wrapped up in other peoples journeys. You can’t compare yourself to others. It will consume you. Understand that everyone is on their own journey and will find their own success on their own TIME.
You have to just keep putting in work and trust in yourself. Another struggle an artist will face (at first) is lack of money. But I chose not to focus my energy on money. Yes, I struggled and there was sacrifice. I slept on an air mattress for a year and a half and also shared apartments with more people than rooms. But that was necessary so I could save to have what I have now. Focus on doing something you love, get really good at it, and the money will follow. I don’t look at struggles as bad things because they help you get to the great things.
Alright – so let’s talk business. What should we know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I am my own business. My business is me, Kristin Farina. I provide service to others with my passion. It doesn’t get better than that. I am a professional dancer and choreographer. My purpose with dancing is to make my audience feel something. A lot of negative things happen in peoples lives and if I can affect them in any way and help them feel I’ve done my job. Even if it’s to simply entertain and take their mind off of what’s happening in the world. I am trained in all styles of dance, but people usually associate me as “that contemporary girl that can break dance”. This is very specific to me because there aren’t many dancers that can fuse these two specific styles together. I’m most knowledgable in contemporary, but when I started breaking, I knew I was on to something special. Both styles require advanced technique which is why they aren’t commonly seen together. I plan to keep evolving my style and hopefully inspire others to join me. My favorite way to share my craft is by creating visuals. Whenever a song really moves me or I have a concept I want to share, I will choreograph a piece and have it professionally filmed. From there I’ll release it on all social media platforms for the world to enjoy. As much as I love dancing, I also have a passion for choreographing. I like being the one in charge and having my ideas come to life. I am most proud of myself and how far I’ve come. Dance isn’t looked at as a sustainable career to most people, so the fact that I proved the world wrong is one of my biggest accomplishments. A lot of people chase after money and a stable job instead of their dreams. I’ve learned that if you love something enough, you will be able to pursue it professionally.
Any shoutouts? Who else deserves credit in this story – who has played a meaningful role?
There are way too many people that deserve credit. I would definitely not be where I am without the guidance of others. The places where I grew up dancing deserve a lot of credit. Young Dance Academy and Dance Arts Center were the studios that started it all. I’ve always had the mentality that if you want to master something you should go directly to the source and learn from a master themselves. I unintentionally followed this when I first moved to LA. One of the first dancers I met was Phillip Chbeeb and I had no clue who he was (a dance genius if you didn’t know!). I started working and learning from him which completely evolved my professional path. Phillip was a street dancer that liked collaborating with contemporary dancers. This opened up my mind to the possibilities of combining styles. He not only furthered my career with knowledge, but he has also trusted me to work jobs for him. Some other huge influencers in my life were the guys in Quest Crew. This crew was the reason I started learning how to break. I was and still am in awe of the concepts and visuals they make. This helped me level up in my dancing as well as changed my perspective as a choreographer. I wouldn’t be where I am without Quest Crew. Although there were some very impactful people in my life, the biggest supporter I found out all along was ME. I had to be my own cheerleader and create the life I wanted for myself. You can’t rely on others to help or do the work for you. So, thank your self for pushing me to get where I am!
Contact Info:
- Email: kristin.farina1@gmail.com
- Instagram: instagram.com/kristinfarina
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kristin.farina.9
- Twitter: twitter.com/kristinfarina
- Other: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCG1VcrkcTieMJOYZOCq1QPQ?view_as=subscriber
Image Credit:
Romeo Salazar, David Repola, Seila Tep, Elliott Ingham
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