We recently connected with Elvina Raharja and have shared our conversation below.

Elvina, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. We’d love to hear about a project that you’ve worked on that’s meant a lot to you.

The recent project that is really meaningful to me was an immersive performance in Hamilton, Ontario. That performance gave me assurance and confidence about my artistry and life generally. It was truly the sign of divine timing that I got the job.

I got the job from a referral from a fellow movement artist that I met through a dance festival screening during lockdown. Both of our short films was in the same programme, we haven’t even met in real life. They just asked me if they can forward my contact for a dance job one day, and I didn’t even think anything of it. Fast forward few months later, my parents were visiting from Indonesia. I haven’t seen them in 5 years, and we were walking around downtown when I got the email from Mikaela, the creator of the show. They offered me a spot to dance in this immersive performance from a concept they had worked on for years. It was the biggest offer I ever gotten from dancing. My parents are quite conservative and still don’t quite see art as a viable job, so to receive that offer when I was with them was quite triumphant.

The project itself was special as it challenged me artistically. I didn’t know anyone in the casts or the choreographer, but they made me feel so welcomed. I didn’t come from a traditional Western technical dance background, so to be in a room with the talented casts from all backgrounds too was heartwarming. We were performing around this farm just outside of Hamilton. Honestly, the whole process was nothing like I have experienced before and I am forever grateful for the opportunity.

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 am an interdisciplinary artist currently working in dance, film, and fashion. I was born and raised in Indonesia and currently living in Toronto, ON. I am passionate about creating intentional, socially aware, story-driven production for live performances, moving, and printed media. I strive for authentic storytelling and honest expression in all of my endeavours.

I do many things right now, but they all follow my purpose to create and live authentically for my inner child. I have always loved the arts growing up, especially dance and performing. But I was discouraged to pursue them by my family and friends. I was raised in a pretty conservative culture; people see arts just as a hobby. On top of that, I never really fit into this societal standard of what a “woman” should look like. Things exist in binary back home, and I clearly didn’t fit into that limiting box. Moreover, I had never seen someone like me anywhere on the big screen or prints growing up. As someone who is not the Asian beauty standard, I have felt displaced for most of my life. When you never see yourself represented on media on top of the societal and familial pressure to be something else, it would be detrimental. All of these factors made me wonder if my existence is valid.

I knew I had to move away from my hometown, so when I had the opportunity to move to Vancouver, BC when I was 17, I immediately took it. I took my first dance class in Vancouver, and the rest is history. I joined a professional training program the year after and learned a lot about the commercial industry. At that time, I was also in college for fashion merchandising. After finishing the program, I worked as a visual merchandiser and still training at the same time. I would wake up at 6 AM to go to work, then take a nap and go to hours of dance class after. I kept my day quite busy and I felt like I was living my dream life. But behind all of that, I was still struggling with my mental health.

After living in Vancouver for 3 years, I had to go back to Indonesia. I saw that as an opportunity to start over and finally get my bachelor’s degree. I moved to Toronto in 2018 to get my BA at Toronto Metropolitan University. I actually wanted to go to their Acting program first, but I figured it was best for me to learn the business sides of the performing arts through their Creative Industries program. I was 22 deciding to go back to university, still figuring out my life and my mental health, all in a new city.

Then the pandemic happened in 2020 and everything shut down. Lockdowns were a blessing in disguise for me. It really forced me to face all the things I have tried to avoid all my life, which I never realized they actually prevent me to prosper in my arts. I joined a 8-weeks Mindfulness program to learn about all kinds of mindfulness practices, spirituality, and manifestation. During the program I decided what types of artist, and human, I want to be. I learned to be kind to myself, to release the pressure of perfection and embrace the unknown. I started going to counselling, officially getting diagnosed for my mental illness and getting medications. Suddenly I can see clearer and I create better. My mind, body, and soul were finally in alignment. Soon after, I received a grant to produce a dance film about body image from my school. A few months after that, I was commissioned by a wonderful organization to create another dance film, where I explored my journey of womanhood and self-acceptance as an Indonesian woman. It was truly a dream come true.

Now, I do a lot of things but it all follows my purpose to create and live authentically for my inner child. I currently work full-time in fashion, as a copywriter and product photographer. I am still dancing, currently in contemporary and dance theatre. Whenever I have the time, I would create content too, documenting the fits I wear to my job or sharing what I found in the thrift store as size 16. I have worked with wonderful brands that align with my values like Knix, Poshmark, and KOTN. Once in awhile, I do commercial modelling too! I know it seems like a lot of things at once, but they all complement each other. That’s why I said I am an interdisciplinary artist, as all these different discipline interconnect with each other.

Have I figure everything out? Not at all. But at least now, I welcome those uncertainty with open arms and curiosity. I am grateful for all the ebbs and flows, all the struggles, the triumphs, the heartbreaks, and the loves I have experienced. They all made who Elvina is today and that what sets me apart from other people. They can have similar stories as me, similar looks, and other things, but there is only one Elvina, and that’s me!

Is there mission driving your creative journey?

I always tell people that everything I’m doing now is for my younger self. She didn’t have the opportunity to be authentically her growing up, so now I’m doing it for her healing myself and my inner child. That’s my purpose and my reason “why” I do what I do! It’s like my true north star.

No matter what I end up doing, if I feel content and my younger self is happy, then that’s a success and I’ve done my job. I currently do a lot of different things and I like to learn different skillsets too! I believe that humans are multifaceted and that we shouldn’t be bind into only one thing for the rest of our lives. Currently I work in fashion e-commerce, I train in contemporary dance and started learning voguing, I crochet, and I make content on TikTok. That may seems a lot of things at once, but these things make me and my inner child happy. If you are not having fun, then what is the point?

How can we best help foster a strong, supportive environment for artists and creatives?

I find it ridiculous that some people would belittle artists, but in a moment of desperation, they would seek art to make themselves happy. I think society should support artists financially so we can have an thriving creative ecosystem. I can’t ignore the fact that we still live in a capitalistic society, and we sometimes still need to use our arts as a currency. But everyone deserves a living wage, everyone deserves to be paid properly for their work. No more “struggling artist” trope!

Contact Info:

• Website: www.elvinaraharja.com
• Instagram: instagram.com/elvinanr
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/elvinanr/
• Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@elvinanr.com

Image Credits
Personal Photo credit: Evie Maynes 1) Portrait by Pam Lau. 2) Portrait by Evie Maynes. 3) Hamilton cast picture by Elvina Raharja. 4) Film Still from PUAN by Phil Kim. 5) BTS Photo by Mal Khotsiphom. 6) Tech Picture by Near Far Projects.