Conversations with Zooey Kraemer

Today we’d like to introduce you to Zooey Kraemer.

Hi Zooey, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
Originally from Grand Rapids, Michigan, I began dancing at the age of three at a competitive dance studio (tap, contemporary, lyrical, jazz, and other styles). Around the age of ten, I made the decision to dedicate myself exclusively to ballet. Performing had always been my greatest passion, and I was drawn to ballet because of its performance-focused career path and artistic depth.
I trained at Grand Rapids Ballet until I was sixteen, when I moved to Nashville to join the Nashville Ballet. After one season, I accepted a contract with Cincinnati Ballet. Throughout my training, I also attended summer intensives at Miami City Ballet, the School of American Ballet, Joffrey Ballet School, and Joffrey Ballet.
Following my season with Cincinnati Ballet, I moved to Los Angeles at eighteen to join American Contemporary Ballet. Midway through the season, I made the decision to leave the company because it became clear they didn’t align with my personal values.
Directly after leaving, I began working as a freelance dancer and have been fortunate to perform works by choreographer Bruce McCormick, as well as with companies including Realm, Ballet Project OC, KW Dance Project, The Grand Academy of Ballet, and others.

From a very young age, I have been painting and creating artwork. Although I have never received formal training through an art school, my mother was an artist who introduced me to the fundamentals of drawing, including proportion and color theory.
Around the age of sixteen, I developed a deep fascination with the human form, which continues to be the central focus of my work today. I primarily work with oil pastels, acrylic paint, and occasionally charcoal to create figurative works that showcase the individuality and natural beauty of the human form without over sexualization, often drawing visual connections between the body and other organic elements. I intentionally omit the heads of the figures to shift attention away from facial identity and the quick judgments often tied to appearance. By presenting the unclothed human form without recognizable features, my work removes individuality in a way that encourages viewers to engage with the body more openly and without preconceived bias.
While art was initially a personal passion, relocating to Los Angeles inspired me to pursue it professionally and I began working toward a solo exhibition. Within just two weeks of attempting to introduce my work to the art market, several of my pieces were accepted into the Spectrum Gestalt 2026 group exhibition at BG Gallery, located at the Bergamot Station Arts Center. This opportunity has further motivated me to continue developing my practice and establishing myself within the Los Angeles art scene.

Acting and modeling have been longstanding interests of mine, but I made the decision to pursue both in 2024 when I signed with an agency in Michigan. During that time, I starred in a nonprofit documentary promoting mental health awareness and worked on a variety of runway and modeling projects.
After relocating to Los Angeles, I began representing myself independently and have worked diligently to continue building my career in both acting and modeling. I have appeared in series like Dhar Mann and have modeled for prominent ballet photographers like Oliver Endahl, in addition to commercial and editorial projects.
In August 2025, I auditioned for a position with Armored MMA and was selected as their on-camera interviewer. Since then, I have served as their primary post-fight interviewer, traveling across the country one to two times each month to cover live events.
Armored MMA has an audience of more than 700,000 followers on Instagram and reaches millions of viewers through its fight broadcasts. My role involves conducting unscripted post-fight interviews with the fighters, as well as occasional fan interviews.

No matter the medium, all I create is rooted in the same purpose: authentic expression and a commitment to continuous growth through my work. Whether I am performing on stage, creating visual art, or working in front of the camera, I strive to bring discipline, curiosity, and intention to everything I do. I believe each creative pursuit strengthens the others, allowing me to approach every opportunity with a unique perspective and a deep appreciation for the power of art to connect, challenge, and inspire. As I continue building my career in Los Angeles, I look forward to expanding my work across these disciplines and embracing new opportunities to create meaningful and lasting impact.

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?
One of the hardest parts of being a professional ballerina is constantly moving in pursuit of better opportunities. Each move means leaving behind the people you’ve grown close to, as well as the comfort and security of a place that has become home. When I moved away at sixteen, it felt manageable because I had the unwavering support of my family, and we all understood it was a necessary step in pursuing my career.

Moving from Cincinnati to California, however, was entirely different. For the first time, I was thousands of miles away from every support system I had ever known. Arriving somewhere new and feeling like I had to prove my worth every day knowing the only people who cared about me were across the country was hard. Every day I was attempting to be worthy of a director’s time, worthy of a friendship, worthy of belonging. When you’re building a life from nothing, it can be easy to lose your purpose and motivation to keep working towards your goals.

Pursuing a creative career requires an extraordinary amount of resilience. Rejection is inevitable, and often it has little to do with your talent. In ballet, I’ve been told my ability was strong enough for a contract, but my height made me undesirable. As an artist, I’ve been turned away because I lacked publications or an established reputation. In modeling and acting, I’ve been rejected simply because someone didn’t connect with me in an audition or interview.

As creatives, we’re expected to accept those setbacks, learn from them, and continue moving forward. When you’re navigating constant rejection while building a life in a new city without a support system, it can feel overwhelming. It demands a strong sense of self and an unwavering belief that your value exists independently of anyone else’s approval. I’m grateful for every rejection because it’s an opportunity to remember that.

Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I am a multidisciplinary artist working across ballet, visual art, acting, and modeling. Whether I’m performing on stage, creating figurative artwork, or working in front of the camera, I strive to create work that is intentional, impactful, and emotionally engaging.

Professionally, I specialize in ballet and have dedicated my life to the art form since I was ten years old. My career has taken me across the country, performing with companies including Nashville Ballet, Cincinnati Ballet, and now as a freelance artist in Los Angeles. Alongside dance, I create figurative artwork using oil pastels, acrylics, and charcoal, exploring themes of identity, vulnerability, and the human form. I have expanded into acting and modeling, appearing in productions such as Dhar Mann and working with commercial brands and photographers. I am also the primary interview girl for Armored MMA and travel around the country for their live events.

What I am most proud of is the career I have built by continually choosing growth over comfort. Moving away from home at sixteen, relocating across the country alone, leaving opportunities that no longer aligned with my values, and starting over in Los Angeles have all required resilience. Rather than limiting myself to one creative path, I have embraced multiple disciplines and allowed each to strengthen the others.

I believe what sets me apart is my willingness to take risks and my ability to adapt. I am constantly learning, creating, and seeking new challenges. Every rejection has reinforced my belief that success comes from persistence, authenticity, a genuine love for the creative process, and a strong sense of self.

What matters most to you? Why?
I think what matters most to me is continuing to push myself forward toward the things I love, even when doing so is uncomfortable. Growth rarely happens in places that feel easy or familiar, and I believe some of the most meaningful moments in life come from stepping into uncertainty and choosing to keep going anyway. I never want fear, comfort, or the possibility of failure to be the reason I stop pursuing something that genuinely excites me.

Performance is also deeply important to me. Whether I’m dancing, acting, speaking to an audience, or creating art, I’m drawn to the feeling of connecting with people in a way that is honest, vulnerable, and human. There is something powerful about sharing emotion, energy, and vulnerability through creative work, and that connection is what makes all of the effort worthwhile.

At the heart of it, I want to keep learning, keep creating, and keep becoming a stronger version of myself. Success, to me, is not arriving at a final destination—it is having the courage to continue growing, challenging myself, and doing work that feels meaningful and alive.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://zooeykraemer.squarespace.com
• Instagram: zooey_kraemer

Image Credits
Jasonsin Garayer
Hiromi Platt
Ellis Au
Jeri Tidwell
Karl Rothenberger