We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Ava Sali. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Ava below.

Ava, appreciate you joining us today. Are you happy as a creative professional? Do you sometimes wonder what it would be like to work for someone else?

Pursuing a career in the arts comes with a lot of sacrifice. A sacrifice of normalcy, time, money, social life, and the perception of “success” according to some. Despite all of the turbulence I have experienced on my journey to where I am today, there has not been a single moment that I have wished for something else. While another career may have come with security and the approval of others, I am positive that without dance I would never feel like me. Regardless of the pressure and countless opinions that were voiced about my choices, I came to the conclusion that if this is the one life I am given, I am going to do what I love to do. I knew that I made the right choice when even after a 12 hour day of training, shooting, rehearsing, or performing, covered in bruises and blisters, exhausted out of my mind, I still am filled with the utmost gratitude and happiness. My love for this art form is so personal that I can never imagine it being any other way.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

I have always loved to move. I began my training as a competitive gymnast, but as I grew up I developed a deep fascination for film, theater, and dance. I started dancing intensively at around 13 years old, and eventually went on to dance in a pre-professional company as well as a competitive high school dance team. I then moved to New York City at 18 years old for college, something that has been a dream of mine for as long as I can remember. I began auditioning and working my first week in NYC, which came so fast and was so surreal. Since then, I have worked with some of the most incredible choreographers bicoastally and performed in spaces I never could have ever imagined performing at. Two of my favorite memories from this year were performing Melinda Matticoli’s work at Choreographer’s Carnival Los Angeles and choreographing my first stage piece, “Free”, for The Collective at Pace, a process that I loved so dearly. I am now pursuing my BFA in dance at The Joffrey Ballet School in NYC, starting the NYU Tisch Performing Arts Industry Certificate Program, and continuing to work towards my BA in Business. While my next few years will still be heavily education and training oriented, I have some exciting creative projects in the works that I am beyond excited to share. My younger sister Hana is a singer/songwriter, and in honor of our older sister Mia, we have begun to develop an organization that is centered around mental health advocacy through the arts. I am looking forward to talking more about that soon. As I continue my dance education and career as a performer, I am hoping to start working on the creative side more and bring some of my visions to life through conceptual videos, stage works, and teaching. My primary goal right now is to continue dipping my toes into other areas of the performing arts industry, such as film and directing, and to further discover what my mission is.

Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?

Over the past two years, I have been trying to rebuild my relationship with dance, following a period spent in an unhealthy and damaging environment. Through my own experiences and hearing those of others, I have come to understand how many aspiring dancers have had their dreams diminished by unethical educators. I cannot stress enough how important it is to foster spaces where all dancers are valued, respected, empowered, and taught to be an individual. The thing that drives me most is that I am proving so many people wrong, including my younger self. My biggest goal is for the world to see me dance, but I also will do everything I can to make sure the next generation of dancers grow up in inclusive and dedicated spaces, so that they feel like they can achieve their dreams too.

In your view, what can society to do to best support artists, creatives and a thriving creative ecosystem?

Society must recognize that art is a necessity. It plays a significant role in social progress, cultural development, and emotional health. We must shift the narrative that the arts are somehow less valuable than “practical careers”. This means investing in the arts and advocating for fair compensation. Artists making a living is followed by quality art, which is followed by an enriched and diverse society. To be a positive influence on the creative ecosystem, donate to organizations or independent creators, go see live theater and dance, and spread the word.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: avabsali

Image Credits

Jaqlin Medlock, Elijah Segers, Kiki Roca, Andrej Sali