Today we’d like to introduce you to Claire Liscinsky.
Hi Claire, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
I grew up in Maryland and have been dancing for almost as long as I can remember. After I graduated with my BFA in Dance and Choreography (and Marketing minor), I became a personal trainer full time. Movement was something that always kept me grounded and feeling good, even if everything else was not going as well. Before I even got accepted into my BFA program, I knew I wanted to move to California one day to explore commercial dance as I never saw myself being in a typical concert dance company. After being a personal trainer who worked essentially from 9am-9pm while still taking dance classes for myself for two years, my family I was living with decided to move and I had to decide where I was going to live next. With only one month’s notice to figure it out, I managed to find a roommate and sign a lease in california. I had to stay at a friend’s house while I finished out my two weeks at work! I packed up everything into my car – by myself- and drove across the country with my beautiful friend who would not let me go alone. My roommate who was already in California sent me pictures of our apartment, and in the picture, ROACHES! I wanted to turn back, but it was too late! I remember my first night eating pasta on a paper plate on my kitchen floor. Safe to say my story is not glamorous and only makes each small win sweeter. To rewind, I arrived in LA only to find myself crying my eyes out almost every day. I came here with no job thinking I could easily be a waitress. Talk about a rude awakening. I ended up at a job paying me way below what my new bills were, having to street park all the time, go to laundromats, my car even got shot in my neighborhood (like a bullet into my door), and just navigating a whole new life not knowing anybody or having much support. But that’s what I asked for right? I got accepted into Cameron Lee’s dance program and was doing my best to keep moving forward with pursuing dance. Except after dancing for years and years I found myself leaving class and sending my friend a voice memo saying “I think I want to quit dance”. Dance was no longer fun-like at all! I could walk into class and nobody might even smile or say hi. I felt I lost myself and a sense of community. I switched jobs again and kept asking myself-why am I in LA if I am spending all of my time doing a job I can do anywhere? For the first time I experienced that you can do all of the hustling and still not get what you want. Whilst at another job that left me depressed, I birthed my own heels class “The Sexy Seminar” March of 2024. A class to bring back community, joy, and confidence for not only my students, but myself. The Sexy Seminar is for anybody -all levels- that includes a cohesive warm-up, center technique, across the floor, and choreography. Each class I make sure everyone speaks and introduces themselves in some way because I think its important to feel included in the space. My goal is to curate a safe space for you to feel comfortable exploring what you have to share through dance. I think if you can dance in a heel, extra points for in front of a camera, you can do anything. You might wonder why I did not keep personal training? I did! I continued personal training but it was extremely hard to rebuild a clientele in a brand new state. After working in a commercial gym for two years in Maryland, I was ready to venture into entrepreneurship. To which “Creating Her by Claire” next came to life. Creating Her by Claire includes my personal training, nutritional coaching, and mindset coaching. But all around encompasses my personal journey of becoming “HER”, the woman I want to be & am. Aside from my actual services, Creating Her by Claire is the authentic realness of what my journey is requiring and teaching me and how other women can relate. (I am a NASM Certified Personal Trainer, NASM Certified Nutrition Coach, PPSC- pain free performance certification, PPSC programming certified, and CPR/AED certified). Creating Her by Claire and The Sexy Seminar are my two babies and I would not have been able to birth and nurture them if I was not able to let go of what I originally envisioned. I hope to continue building an honest and natural community whether it is one person or one million.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
As much as I wish it was a smooth road, every year somehow got tougher and felt like a new rock bottom. You know when you ask, how could it get any worse? AND IT DOES! Before I even moved and I started to let people know, SO many people were not excited for me. They questioned if it was a good idea and some even told me it was kind of a bad idea. Put that on top of the stress of moving by yourself across the country last minute and it might push you over the edge too. Once I had been in LA there were the normal struggles of finances and adjusting to somewhere new. But the biggest hurdle was facing the fact that I came here to dance and I was falling out of love with it. I ended up having to take a step away from dance for a new job, but it was a blessing in disguise allowing me to disconnect my worth from dance. To be able to pivot and let go because you can always come back to it. I had to ask in many circumstances, how much longer will you wake up to live a life you do not love? If you want to quit, 1. Have you done everything in your power to make it work and allow time? 2. If you truly no longer want to do it- you do not have to! While building my own businesses I have had multiple classes where nobody showed up to my Sexy Seminar heels class, and multiple times I have left a job but did not have a large enough personal training clientele to remain full time. The lesson in this was detaching my worth from the amount of people that recognized the value offered. I think as hard as it is to have so many personal struggles and work full time while trying to blossom other businesses that are more in your purpose- you learn such perseverance and resilience. I never take any client or student for granted whether I am fully booked or not. The beauty in showing real struggle instead of pretending it was all so easy.
As you know, we’re big fans of Creating Her by Claire & The Sexy Seminar . For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
Creating Her by Claire offers personal training, nutritional coaching, and mindset coaching. Creating Her by Claire is about becoming the woman or person you want to be. At the end of the day any goal whether it is physical or not starts from within. You have to have the will to do it, the belief you can do it, and keep showing up even when your reality has not changed yet. I am a NASM Certified Personal Trainer, NASM Certified Nutrition Coach, PPSC- Pain Free Performance Certification, PPSC programming certified, BFA in Dance & Choreography, and CPR/AED certified. Creating Her by Claire is different because it is stemming from my own journey of not only my unique education, but also personal life experience. From an educational standpoint I have been studying the body in motion for over 8 years through dance and personal training, as well as teaching how to safely move with any limitations you may have, and personalized habit changes. From my own journey and set of challenges I have faced, I am able to meet you where you are at and understand. We can change your body 100%, but it must also match your inner- your inner mind, confidence, and of course nutrition. I am proud to offer training that truly has my heart behind it and to play such a role in someone else’s journey. You can inquire about personal training through my social media (instagram @creatingherbyclaire).
The Sexy Seminar is my heels class that is open level and beginner friendly. The Sexy Seminar is about community, confidence, and stepping into who you are while learning heels technique. Class itself includes a cohesive warm-up, center technique, across the floor, and choreography. My goal was to curate a space that feels welcoming and safe for anybody, because I know what it is like to not feel good in class. Each class we introduce ourselves and share an answer to a prompt I choose. The Sexy Seminar is not about just looking sexy or getting the perfect video. To be sexy is to fully embrace yourself and not be afraid to show it, which is what we do in class. Dancing takes immense courage and I am truly blessed to have exchanged with so many beautiful spirited people through The Sexy Seminar. Class is available in person as well as through pre-recorded online tutorials. All class information is on my social media (instagram @thesexyseminar).
What was your favorite childhood memory?
My favorite childhood memory is doing the elementary talent show as a dance trio to Ciara’s “one two step” in bright pink jean shorts and a bright pink sparkly top.
Pricing:
- Personal Training (Varies by packaging/online/1:1)
- The Sexy Seminar $20-in person class
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.creatingherbyclaire.com/about AND https://thesexyseminar.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/creatingherbyclaire/ AND https://www.instagram.com/thesexyseminar/?hl=en
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@CreatingHerbyClaire
- Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@creatingherbyclaire?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pc AND https://www.tiktok.com/@thesexyseminar?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pc
Image Credits
Michael Antonio & @blissbycreative
