Meet Aolani Coban

Today we’d like to introduce you to Aolani Coban.

Hi Aolani, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
It’s been quite the journey for me as far as being a model and performing artist is concerned. I started at the age of seven with a competition dance. For the majority of my career, dancing has been the primary focus. I’ve trained in several styles, from jazz, tap, and ballet to traditional African, Caribbean, hip-hop, and even majorette styles. My consistent pursuit of dance has taken me to places nationally and internationally. It has put me in spaces with formidable industry personnel, as well as amazing local talents. 

It has also allowed me opportunities to perform on a variety of platforms, including television, tours, music videos, stage performances, and, more recently- musical theatre. 

I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
There have been struggles along the way. The biggest struggle was the fear of my mind. There have been so many opportunities that I ran away from due to a self-induced fear of my incompetence. A subconscious belief that I wasn’t good enough or prepared enough. I lacked trust in myself, and thus, I lacked trust in God. I believe overcoming my fears of inadequacy through fervent prayer and strengthening my Spirit has been the most beneficial to my career. I now carry a confidence and belief in myself that exudes on and off the stage. Whether I get the opportunity or not, I have unmitigated faith that all things are in alignment and so I have no fear of any outcome. I just go forward in life with the trust that my good faith, goodwill, good actions, and good energy will bring good unto me! 

Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
Hello everyone! My name is Aolani Coban. I am a model and performing artist! I specialize in and am most known for dance. My love for dance lies in lyrical jazz and African and Caribbean dance forms. I believe my versatility is what sets me apart from other movement artists. I have a true passion for learning and attaining knowledge, so not only do I put myself in places and spaces to learn and grow, but I thrive in those uncomfortable spaces. Any opportunity to grow is an opportunity that excites me. Recently, I’ve had the opportunity to grow as a performing artist by entering the musical theatre sphere! 

As a movement artist, our primary priority is the movement. Rarely are we given opportunities to flex our bones in acting and or singing on one platform. However, musical theatre is my favorite genre of art! My favorite film of all time is The Wiz, so I live for a good musical number! When I moved from Texas to South Carolina, I prayed to God and asked for a manifestation of opportunities to do what a young version of me has always wanted to do. Ten months into my move, I auditioned for an original show tunes piece called “Motown Magic: Sound from the Motor City,” written and directed by Ray Jones. It was in this production that I unlocked a new version of myself as a vocal artist. Being able to explore the expression of my love for music in this new venture as a vocalist is definitely something I am super proud of! 

Can you talk to us about how you think about risk?
Oh man, I am a surefire advocate for risk-taking! Nike should hire me as the embodiment of their logo “Just do it!” I believe that your deepest desires are on the other side of risks. Taking risks is an overcoming of fear. Taking risks has put me in rooms that I only dreamed of, opportunities that I didn’t think were accessible to me. It even got me this awesome interview with VoyageLA! 

Fear is a normal emotion that lets you know you are alive and still viable. But never let fear debilitate you. Move hand in hand with fear. When you find that you want to do something so much that it scares you, you should absolutely do it. That fear is a manifestation of knowing in your body that a shift is about to happen in your mind. You are about to triumph, overcome, trust, and believe! You are about to look at situations with more confidence and faith and move forward in life as opposed to being stagnant. Long as the risk is virtually harmless, I say go for it! 

Contact Info:

• Website: www.heavenlycloudandco.com
• Instagram: instagram.com/heavenlycloudandco

Image Credits
@kcb.photos
@cinemasav
@Wendymccartyphotography