Today we’d like to introduce you to Lauren Lutostanski.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Lauren. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
I’m a 24 year old dancer, model, and business owner living in Los Angeles, CA. I’m from a small town in Illinois, and I moved out to LA at the age of 18 to pursue my dreams. My mom put me into dance classes at the age of three, and I’ve been dancing ever since. Growing up, I also played softball, basketball, soccer, and one of my favorites, volleyball. Dance was my life, and I would leave school, go to dance team practice, then head to the studio until 10:30-11 at night, then do it all over again the next day. When it came to playing sports in high school, I ultimately had to decide between volleyball & dance. Clearly, I picked dance. It wasn’t something I was ready to let go of, and I had made a decision at that point to pursue it as my professional career. I would attend dance conventions and compete in dance competitions in the St. Louis area to make connections and receive feedback on my dancing. I did go through a phase in 8th grade where I wanted to quit dance. I was in a bad place and felt very overwhelmed trying to juggle volleyball, school, and dance. I ended up taking a break for a few months and decided to give it another try without overwhelming myself. I started off with just one technique class a week, but I fell in love with dance all over again, and ended up competing a solo and duet that year. I would go home and practice all night long. It got to the point that I would cancel plans with my friends so I could stay home and study dance videos. The biggest lesson I learned from that point in my life was sometimes you need to take a step away from something to realize how much you truly love it.
When the time came to choose which college I wanted to go to/what I wanted to study, I felt lost. I wanted to keep dancing but it was important to my parents that I get a degree. I had always dreamed of moving to CA but I was absolutely terrified of making the leap. I’m very close with my family and friends, and the thought of leaving them destroyed me. I searched online for performing arts colleges and found AMDA, which is located in Hollywood, CA. I saw they were having an audition in STL, so I decided to go, just to see what would happen. I hadn’t heard from them in a few months since my audition and the clock was ticking for me to make a decision. Feeling like it was a safer option, I decided I was going to attend Lindenwood University, try out for the dance team, and major in Business. The next day I received a phone call from AMDA notifying me that I had been accepted with a scholarship! Excitement overcame my body along with absolute fear. I knew I couldn’t pass up this opportunity. I flew to CA with my parents to visit the school and see where I would be living. The great thing about the college was I would receive my BFA in Dance Theatre. After I visited CA, I made the final decision that I would be attending AMDA.
Choosing to move to CA was easily one of the best decisions I have ever made. It forced me to grow up quickly, and I have learned more lessons than I knew possible. At AMDA, I trained with amazing faculty that helped mold me into the dancer/person I am today. The journey was not easy. I got many injuries during my time at school, the worst being a herniated disc in my L5-S1 vertebrae. I took five months off to recover and I was back at it again. After college, I signed with my dream talent agency, Clear Talent Group, and have gone on to work with people I have always dreamed of working with. In 2018, I participated in Amy Allens mentorship program and that was a game-changer for me.
My time in LA hasn’t been the easiest, from not having a car, to sleeping on my friend’s couch for a week, to working five jobs; however, I am very proud of how I overcame those issues. I now have a car and an apartment that I love. I cut down on my jobs, and I’ve created my own opportunities. Other than dance, I also run a small candle business, post on my blog, and create YouTube videos. I have always loved candles, and I wanted to create something that girls my age could relate to. I have done a few small modeling jobs and would love to get more into that world as well. I wouldn’t have gotten to where I am today without the support of my friends and family. I still have so much to accomplish and I’m excited to see where this life takes me.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
No, it most definitely has not been a smooth road. Anyone that knows me knows that I have the WORST luck. I have been screwed over more times than I can count; however, I wouldn’t change that. Those experiences made me so much stronger and I know if I can overcome those challenges, I can do anything. Being in the entertainment industry, you’re constantly being critiqued on your appearance. I found myself changing to fit the mold people wanted me to be instead of actually being myself. One of the biggest lessons I learned was to not take everything so personally. If I got cut from an audition, I would constantly question what I did wrong but eventually, I figured out that it was probably because I was too tall or had a hair color they weren’t looking for.
I will never forget when I auditioned for Paula Abdul. I absolutely killed the audition and when telling us whether we got cut or not, they normally don’t give an explanation, but they said, “She wanted to let you know you’re amazing, but you’re just too tall.” As I was walking out of the room, I looked over at the table to thank Paula and the choreographers. Paula yelled out to me that I was amazing and she would keep me if I wasn’t so tall, and that right there gave me so much confirmation. Instead of leaving auditions feeling defeated and like the worst dancer in the world, I learned to accept the job just wasn’t for me, and something even more amazing would come along.
We’d love to hear more about your work and what you are currently focused on. What else should we know?
I love to create content that will inspire other people. That is my ultimate goal. The views, sales, likes don’t matter to me. If I’m impacting one person for the better, then I have done my job. My main passions are dance, my candle business Xoxo Lo Candles, my blog Xoxo Lo, and my new YouTube Channel. My dream dance job is to tour with Beyonce as her backup dancer. I knew that was my dream the moment I watched her Half Time Performance during the Super Bowl in 2013. I’d also love to perform at awards shows, dance in music videos, and be a backup dancer in movie musicals. I specialize in heels, hip-hop, contemporary, and jazz.
My candle company is about empowering woman to be successful baddies. I wanted to create candles that would help motivate them in life and let them know they’re not alone in whatever they are feeling. My labels are very blunt and funny, at least that’s what I like to think.
My blogs purpose is to share experiences I’ve had in life that people wouldn’t normally share. I know it makes me feel 10x better hearing that someone I look up to feels the same way I do in certain situations, or even just to know I’m not the only one experiencing specific emotions.
My YouTube Channel is based on fashion, lifestyle, and beauty. I review products, vlog about my life, and share past experiences. I just released my first video last week and I’m excited to release more!
I think what sets me apart from others is I don’t find it hard to be vulnerable. As a person, I am very open and willing to share whatever you’d like to know about me. I’m willing to talk about the hard things I’ve been through in life, because I believe it could help other people. Nothing makes me happier than receiving a message from someone thanking me for sharing something personal because they can relate. That then can lead to an open discussion where I am able to give them advice on how to get through whatever they are dealing with. I’m very proud of everything I’ve created and I’m excited to see how my projects will continue to grow.
Has luck played a meaningful role in your life and business?
Like I said before, bad luck always follows me. As far as its role in my career, I have had the WORST luck with injuries. I constantly feel like I start to make progress and then something will happen to my body that takes me out for two weeks. After the two weeks, I can dance again, but I’m still not 100%, and it’s very frustrating. Honestly, it takes the joy out of dance for me. It’s hard to enjoy something when you’re constantly in pain.
Another thing that always happens to me is having an obligation back home with my family and missing a dream audition of mine. I will never forget, I flew home for Christmas one year and as soon as I landed (at 1am) I looked at my email and there was an audition for Beyoncé. My mom was frantically looking for flights to get me back for the audition at 9am. She even offered to drive me 6 hours to another airport (I know my mom is an angel). I knew I wouldn’t make it back in time so I accepted the fact that God had his reasoning for me not being there. It still haunts me to this day but I know there will be more opportunities.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.etsy.com/shop/XoxoLoCandles
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/laurenluto/
- Other: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCESriMnPBkJ1ylr0u-RN5JQ
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K5Rg1ifX4AI&feature=youtu.be
Image Credit:
Lindsay Rosenberg Photography, Jason Tieu Photography, Michael Higgins Photography
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