Check Out Sariena Val-Lin’s Story

Today we’d like to introduce you to Sariena Val-Lin.

Hi Sariena, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I grew up in the small town of Ellwood City, PA, and I actually started dancing because of cheerleading. I wanted to get better at cheer, but I ended up falling in love with dance and eventually joined the competition team at Diamond Dance Academy, where I continued dancing throughout high school. By the time I graduated, I knew I wanted to keep pursuing performing in some capacity.

I graduated high school at the start of COVID, so I wasn’t completely sure what direction I wanted to go in. I decided to take a chance and pursue my dream of dancing professionally. Luckily, I received an offer from AMDA College of the Performing Arts, where I earned my BFA in Performing Arts Dance Theatre after attending both the NYC and LA campuses. That experience really helped me grow as an artist, make connections that have benefited me in my career, and figure out what I wanted to pursue within the industry.

After graduating, I joined Lume Collective, which gave me the opportunity to keep performing, work with new artists and explore different styles of dance, and continue building my experience. Most recently, I signed with Briizy Talent Agency, which has been another exciting step in my journey and has opened the door to new opportunities in both dance and acting.

Over the past few months, I’ve been able to accomplish so many of the goals I set for myself after college, including dancing in a live show behind an artist, being featured in music videos, and working as an extra on a new Netflix series. I’m still growing and setting new goals for myself along the way, but it’s really cool to look back and see how far I’ve come—from starting dance in a small town to now building a career in an industry I genuinely love.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
I don’t think anyone can really say that pursuing their dreams is a smooth road. I grew up as a kid with health issues, so I had to navigate a lot of challenges from a young age. There were times when it was difficult to do everything I wanted to do, but I learned how to push through and keep working toward where I wanted to be. I also learned how to listen to my body and become a stronger version of myself because of it. I had to learn how to fight and advocate for myself in more ways than one to get the right care and health plan that ultimately allowed me to get to where I am today.

In a lot of ways, I think that’s part of what made dance so meaningful to me. Dance gave me something to work toward and a place where I could challenge myself physically and creatively. It became an outlet for me and something that made me feel strong and capable, even when my health sometimes made me feel like my body was working against me. It wasn’t always easy, but having dance in my life gave me something to keep pushing toward and, in many ways, became a positive part of my health journey.

Another big challenge was simply taking the leap to pursue this career. I grew up in a small town where moving across the country to pursue a career in the performing arts wasn’t exactly the typical path. Moving away from everything I knew and my entire family, first to New York and eventually to Los Angeles, was a huge step outside of my comfort zone. Not having my support system with me was definitely a struggle at first. There was a lot of uncertainty that came with it, but I knew that if I wanted to see how far I could take dance, I had to be willing to take that chance on myself.

Then, graduating high school at the start of COVID added another layer of uncertainty. I knew I wanted to pursue dance professionally, but I wasn’t completely sure what that path was going to look like. Choosing to go to AMDA and pursue my BFA was a big leap, but it ended up being an incredibly important step in my journey.

Since graduating, there have still been plenty of ups and downs. The performing industry comes with a lot of rejection and uncertainty, and it can be difficult when you’re constantly putting yourself out there without knowing when the next opportunity will come. But I think my journey so far has taught me a lot about resilience, independence, and perseverance.

Dance has always been something I’ve had to work for, but that’s also what makes it so meaningful to me. I’ve learned that the road doesn’t have to be perfectly smooth for you to make progress, and I’m really proud of how far I’ve come.

Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I’m a professional dancer and actress, with dance being the foundation of my training and career. I received my BFA in Dance Theatre from AMDA, attending both the New York and Los Angeles campuses. My training includes ballet, jazz, modern, contemporary, heels, hip-hop, acting, and musical theatre.

Since graduating, I’ve been building experience across both live performance and film. I’ve performed with Lume Collective, in showcases, and on film, as well as danced in productions including Carnival Choreographer’s Ball. I’ve also worked on films as a dancer, actor, producer, assistant director, and extra, which has allowed me to experience different sides of the creative process.

I think one of the things that makes me unique is that I’m not interested in limiting myself to one type of performer. I really enjoy being able to move between dance, acting, and different styles of performance. My background in tumbling and cheer has given me a strong physical foundation, while my dance theatre training has taught me to approach performance as storytelling and not just movement.

I also currently teach competitive gymnastics and am a certified yoga instructor, which has given me an entirely different perspective on movement and performance. Being both a performer and a coach has taught me a lot about discipline, body awareness, technique, and how to communicate movement to other people.

I’m probably most proud of what I’ve been able to accomplish since graduating. I was able to check off several of the goals I had set for myself after college. I’ve danced in a live show behind an artist, performed in music videos, and worked as an extra on a new Netflix series. I also joined Lume Collective and, most recently, signed with Briizy Talent Agency, which has opened the door to opportunities in both dance and acting.

What makes those accomplishments especially meaningful to me is that they were all things I had hoped to do when I graduated, but wasn’t sure when or how they would happen. Being able to see those goals become real has given me the confidence to set bigger ones for myself moving forward.

Ultimately, I think my versatility, physicality, and willingness to keep learning are some of my biggest strengths. I can bring a strong technical and athletic background into a performance, but I also care deeply about the artistic and storytelling side. I want to be someone who can walk into a room and bring something unique to a project while still being adaptable, collaborative, and excited to learn from the people around me.

Do you have any advice for those looking to network or find a mentor?
For me, I feel like I didn’t necessarily find a mentor as much as mentors have found me. I’ve had different mentors at different points in my life, and each one has helped me in a different way. I would say to find someone who may come from a similar background as you, someone who is doing the kind of work you want to pursue, or even someone whose class you love taking and who you really respect. Sometimes those relationships develop naturally over time, and you don’t necessarily have to force them.

I think networking is pretty similar. The best advice I can give is to put your face out there. It’s good to become recognizable in a room, whether that’s by consistently taking a choreographer’s class, auditioning for the same people multiple times, or simply showing up and putting in the work. It shows that you’re committed, you’re interested, and you’re willing to keep trying.

Personally, I like to be consistent. If there’s a specific space or choreographer I really want to work with, I’ll continue taking their class and putting myself in those spaces. I also make a point to introduce myself and talk to people in the room, including other dancers. You never know when you’re going to run into someone again, and it never hurts to be a friendly face in this industry.

That has actually led to a lot of opportunities for me. I’ve made friends at auditions and on projects, and later those same people have reached out and asked me to work with them on something else. I think being genuine, consistent, and willing to put yourself out there can go a really long way. You never know which connection is going to turn into a friendship, a mentorship, or your next opportunity.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://sarienaval-lin.mypixieset.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_sariena_/
• Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/@sarienaval-lin

Image Credits
Lindsay Rosenberg
Kylee Surike