Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Alexandra Garcia. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Hi Alexandra, thanks for joining us today. Do you wish you had waited to pursue your creative career or do you wish you had started sooner?

Up until last year, I thought I wanted to be a full time visual artist and illustrator. However, it wasn’t one of those tingling feelings you get when you know you were meant to do something. It was more like, “Well, this is what I’m really good at, and I’ve made some money doing it, so I guess this is what’s in the cards for me.” This surprises people in my life because I wasn’t only trying to convince them; I was trying to convince myself. Nobody is able to see what’s happening on the inside, and this is perhaps why I’ve met so much resistance during this shift in my life. People who barely know me tell me that art is who I am only because I’ve done such a good job at putting on this persona. Or maybe it’s because they think it’s a waste that I haven’t made beautiful paintings in a long time. Thankfully I’ve learned that life isn’t about what others think of you; it’s about what you think of yourself.

Since childhood I’ve always been athletic, and even though I was really shy, performing really excited me. The stage was a special place where I could be in front of a crowd, but also be in my own bubble at the same time. My parents always put me in classes like gymnastics, swimming, tennis, acting, singing, and dance for example. Moving my body was a giant part of my life, but inevitably, whenever I improved in sports so much that the instructor suggested competing, I shut down. I was so afraid of losing that I didn’t even want to try. My shyness got in the way of a lot of opportunities, and I was too young to realize it. This was the beginning of shutting down my true self in the favor of safety. I went from sports to chorus to art, quieter and quieter as the years went by.

In July of 2021, my best friend suggested we take pole dancing classes to shake things up after that seriously depressing pandemic. There was a Groupon for Aerial Fitness Miami at the time for 1 month unlimited classes. I thought “why not?” and purchased the pass. Little did I know that within 2 and a half years of stepping foot in that studio, I would be performing at studio showcases and other venues, and training for my very first pole competition where I brought home a gold medal in August. Now THIS gives me that tingly feeling I previously mentioned, except multiply it times 100. This is what I wish I had been brave enough to do before. I wish I would have let go of that fear of competition as a child and just went for it full throttle in sports. However, I’m a full believer that things happen for a reason, and maybe if I had gone for it in sports as a child I would have never been introduced to pole. I wish I would have realized all these things earlier in life, but it’s never too late to go after what you really want.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I’m Alexandra Garcia, a Pole Dance Athlete and Visual Artist. Pole dance/pole sport was something I got into completely by chance, or maybe it was fate. Maybe it was the Universe telling me “Open your eyes and take a chance! This is what you have been missing!” Either way, I’m eternally grateful for this shift in my life. In a previous interview, I had said that I was an illustrator AND pole dancer. This isn’t untrue; if someone approaches me with an illustration or graphic design project I would take it on depending on what it is. I am still very confident in my craft as an illustrator and graphic designer. Visual art still brings me joy and new connections into my life. However, the real truth is I was trying desperately to combine the two of them so I could stay “professional.” I’ve been allowing the perception of others to dictate my own definition of professionalism, when in reality there are many ways to be professional. I was saying to others, “I’m an illustrator… and by the way I also pole dance… you know, for fun and strength training.” I was inviting shame into it. After some growth, now I say “I am a pole dancer and athlete who also does illustration and graphic design.” It comes off differently, right?

Now, my priorities are more in the realm of performance! I’ve had the opportunity to perform at several venues and private events during the last year, and I competed in pole for the first time in August 2023. I have some performances coming up as well and another competition in 2024! I remember my very first public performance was with an organization called RAW Artists at a show in Savage Labs Wynwood. My friend and pole colleague/instructor Julie and I came up with an amazing pole doubles performance to share and represent our home studio. As soon as I saw that I could earn money doing what I loved, I was sold. I thought, “I can actually do this for real.” In August, the Aerial Fitness Miami competition team and I went to Orlando to compete in the Pole Sport Organization’s National Championship Competition. This was my very first time competing, and going into Level 3, I was very nervous. After I won, that gut feeling that I could really do this with my life was validated even more.

My goals at this moment are more about getting stronger physically and mentally, and competing and performing more. They are internal goals rather than external goals. If I inspire others in the process to try new things and live their truths, that’s definitely a win for me. I want others to watch me perform and feel like they can shed their shame and insecurities. I want others to let go of the voices in their heads that tell them they are not good enough, or that they shouldn’t go after what they truly want in life.

What can society do to ensure an environment that’s helpful to artists and creatives?

Something that I’ve consistently seen in the visual and performing arts world is using exposure as payment. Exposure is not a valid form of payment for our time and services. It depends on the situation, but sometimes “exposing” a creative artist in a public event is not even a guaranteed way to help them become successful. Yes, there are times where a friend or someone close to me is planning an event and I’ve done an art piece or a performance as a favor. Most creatives have. However, I feel that it’s about time that society realized that just because creatives enjoy what they do, does not mean it isn’t hard work. It doesn’t mean that it isn’t difficult. Creatives spend years mastering their crafts, and we deserve to be paid for it. Exposure does not buy food, utilities, studio rent, art supplies, costumes, a computer, a tablet, internet service, etc. There seems to be an unspoken societal norm that you have to be miserable in order to be paid for something.

The best way to support artists is to actually hire them and pay them for what they do. Instead of getting AI to make a logo for your business, hire a graphic designer! Do you want a beautiful portrait of your pet or your baby? Commission a local painter! Put trust into an actual human’s hands instead of a computer program. Instead of us constantly beating around the bush about money, we should be direct and honest about it with each other. That’s the only way everybody wins. Unfortunately, money is an uncomfortable topic for most people, myself included! However, it’s the reality of the world we live in. We all need money to survive, and there is nothing greedy about wanting to be paid what we are worth. If creatives are not paid, they will inevitably put their energy into other things that do pay them out of necessity, and their craft will suffer for it. Who wants to live in a world without the arts?

Do you think there is something that non-creatives might struggle to understand about your journey as a creative? Maybe you can shed some light?

In general, visual and performing artists are a sensitive and introspective bunch. This might be more true of the visual artists, but I am a performing artist who is very quiet and introverted, and I know other performers who are like this as well. Since we tend to look inward, it’s a safe assumption that we know ourselves pretty well. Because we know ourselves well, we tend to change our minds a lot, especially when it comes to what we do. We explore many ways to do art and live creatively, and this can cause many shifts and evolutions in our practice. For instance, as I’ve mentioned before, to the outside world my transition from visual art to pole dance was very sudden and unexpected. However, for me, it wasn’t. Everything in one’s journey is related.

For me, I was my true authentic self as a child. I was always moving my body, creatively dancing, and performing for family and friends. Something happened along the way that made me shy and self conscious. I shifted to music and singing, and then to visual art. They took up less space, and maybe in a strange way they provided me with some emotional shelter. I’m not sure how to explain it. These things are all connected; this I know for sure. All forms of art are connected because they come from the same intimate, emotional space in all of us. They all come from the soul. My journey back to movement was something necessary for me to go through.

So, if an artist that you love goes through a change, just know that it isn’t sudden at all. They are looking within and finding themselves. All they need is some support and understanding. For a lot of artists (especially on social media) it can be scary to show a shift in their practice because they don’t know how their fans/followers/loved ones will react. They are afraid of losing support because of their shift. If you really love this artist, or you’ve been following their work over the years, show them some encouragement during this change. I assure you it will be much appreciated!

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.aquaticalex.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aquaticalex_aerial/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCw6xz4RacjQsdmsT5xjii1Q

Image Credits
Main personal photo: Gaby Martinez Other photos: Jayden @solidvibez, Kat Rose Blume, and photographers from Pole Sport Organization