Rian Wood is a professional dancer based in New York City and currently performing in the Medora Musical in Medora, North Dakota.

At just 25, Rian is wise and experienced beyond her years. We talk all about how Rian makes her freelance dance career work and how she’s finding artistic fulfillment and balance. We also chat about Rian’s experience in career mentorship and some of the hurdles she was able to overcome during our time working together. If you’ve ever been curious about pursuing a dance career in NYC, this is the episode for you!

Key Moments:

• Early training [1:34]
• Attending college for dance during a global pandemic [2:18]
• Moving to NYC to pursue dance as a fresh college grad [4:32]
• Finding balance between side gigs and dancing in the city [10:38]
• Rian’s first dance gig in NYC [12:23]
• How she ended up dancing in North Dakota for the summer [12:50]
• Rian’s experience dancing on cruise ships [18:16]
• What’s next for Rian and how she makes a freelance career work [22:15]
• Their biggest piece of advice for dancers who want to move to NYC and pursue a career [25:14]
• The power of community and asking for help in the dance world [28:20]

Connect with Rian:

INSTAGRAM: instagram.com/rian.wood

Links and Resources:

Get your copy of The Ultimate Audition Guide

1-1 Career Mentoring: book your complimentary career call

Let’s connect!

My WEBSITE: thebrainyballerina.com

INSTAGRAM: instagram.com/thebrainyballerina

Questions/comments? Email me at [email protected]