Life, Values & Legacy: Our Chat with Susan Vishmid of Los Angeles

Susan Vishmid shared their story and experiences with us recently and you can find our conversation below.

Susan, so good to connect and we’re excited to share your story and insights with our audience. There’s a ton to learn from your story, but let’s start with a warm up before we get into the heart of the interview. What is something outside of work that is bringing you joy lately?
My new doggie Baxter. I adopted Baxter in October 2025 and he is a very smart boy! Super fun to train and a very responsive and quick learner. It has been almost like therapy going to training sessions with Baxter and the dog park.

Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I am a professional ballet dancer in Los Angeles. After many years of freelance work I started my own company called Freaks With Lines, because dancers are really just a bunch of freaks who make lines with their bodies. Freaks With Lines is more than just a dance company; it is a laboratory where professional dancers can create on each other and begin to really take agency over the entire creative process from the production to the choreography to the dissemination and distribution of our beloved art. We are indeed consumers of our own craft. Freaks In Training (F.I.T.), the training component spinoff Freaks With Lines is gaining recognition and is well on its way to making its mark among the tightly knit dance community here in Los Angeles as an effective ballet program mainly focusing on adult ballet dancers, many of whom are total beginners. F.I.T. offers personalized and constructive feedback, which is based on a strong understanding of biomechanics. Instruction is delivered in a in a friendly, witty yet concise manner in an environment that emphasizes placement and clean technique, which perfect for any dancer to thrive from the recreational dancer to professional dancer.

Amazing, so let’s take a moment to go back in time. Who saw you clearly before you could see yourself?
My parents! My folks immigrated to the United States from the Soviet Union where my mother was an opera singer with a major theatre company in Moscow and where my father was a professional volleyball player. Perhaps I was destined to become a dancer as dancers are not only artists but are also highly trained athletes.

What’s something you changed your mind about after failing hard?
I recently had a business opportunity go seriously wrong. This situation has taken up the better part of 2025 and severely impaired the expansion of my business. I learned that it is imperative to do a background check on EVERYONE prior to entering into ANY agreement! Everything must be explicitly written into a contract. There is no trusting anyone unfortunately, especially in business.

Next, maybe we can discuss some of your foundational philosophies and views? What are the biggest lies your industry tells itself?
The dance industry preys upon young artists and their unbridled passion for their craft. The opportunities are so far and few in between and there are so many talented dancers out there that the idea of booking a gig without pay or very little pay is somehow considered “still good” or “good enough.” I can’t think of any other industry where working just for “content,” or “the experience” is utterly disgusting. Professional dancers, much like professional athletes, train their entire lives and even at the highest of levels dancer compensation isn’t even remotely in the same ballpark as pro athletes; it isn’t even in the same parking lot as the ballpark or on the same street on the way to the ballpark!

Thank you so much for all of your openness so far. Maybe we can close with a future oriented question. What will you regret not doing? 
Not taking the time to travel. There are many places I want to visit in my lifetime and I want to make sure I at least save some time and resources to enjoy these travel destinations while I am young, fit and healthy.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.freakswithlines.com
• Instagram: @freakswithlines
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/freakswithlines-susanvishmid/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/svishmid
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@freakswithlines5042

Image Credits
Photo #5 – Ginger Sole Photography
Photo #8 – Pete Black Photography