We were lucky to catch up with Katia Diamond recently and have shared our conversation below.

Katia, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today When did you first know you wanted to pursue a creative/artistic path professionally?

I left my home and family at 11 years old to come to the United States to live with my uncle. My mother and stepfather got divorced and my mother didn’t have the means to care for both me and my younger sister. Being the older sister I volunteered to go since my sister was much younger than me and I knew she really still needed to be with my mom. Unfortunately life with my uncle was not what I had expected. He was demanding, incredibly restrictive and abusive so my expectations of a happy future quickly disappeared. The 10 years I lived with him brought me to the lowest point in my life and any dreams I had as a child started to fade. Then one day when I was a teenager, my uncle’s friend somehow convinced him to allow me to go see an Argentine Tango show with his daughter. The show was the famous Broadway hit “Forever Tango” and it was the moment in which my life changed forever!! I had so much fun watching the show that I forgot all about my problems for a few hours. I remember making a wish that came from very deep inside my heart and I asked the universe that if I could dance on a stage like that and make people dream and forget their problems just for a moment, just how I had forgotten all of mine during the show, I would be the happiest girl in the world!! Somehow one thing led to another and that is where I am today. I am now an Argentine Tango Dancer, Performer, Instructor, Competitor, Competition Coach, Adjudicator & Events Organizer.

Katia, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

My name is Katia Diamond. I am 35 years old and I am originally from Sucre, Bolivia. I currently live in beautiful San Diego with my husband Barry and my dog Jake.

I started dancing when I was 5 years old! My mom used to put me in lots of dance classes because she knew how much I loved music and started to dance and move to the beat of music before I could even walk. As a child, I used to perform in many theater shows in Bolivia performing different types of Bolivian folk music. Once I moved to the US I continued to dance at every school event I possibly could. I was part of the Salsa team in my High School so I got to perform at many school events as a teenager.

In my 20’s I decided to follow one of my biggest dreams and began studying and training in Argentine Tango. I loved it so much that soon after started traveling to Buenos Aires every time I possibly could to further my Argentine Tango education. At the same time I was also learning & competing in many Ballroom competitions throughout the US. After just a few years of dancing ballroom I became the 2015 American Rhythm Amateur Rising Star National & World Champion. I am very proud of this achievement and honestly owe much of my success today to my coaches and 3 Time World Champions Nazar Norov and Irina Kudryashova. Not only for their training, support and help with this accomplishment, but they were a big part or my development as a dancer. They made me the technical dancer that I am today and I continue to use their philosophy and attention to detail in my own teaching style to my students. From the bottom of my heart, Thank You Nazar and Irina!!

As much as I love all the dance styles I have trained and studied throughout my life, Argentine Tango has always been my favorite. Today after many years of exploring this beautiful dance I can proudly say that I am still living my passion & dream of being an Argentine Tango Dancer, Performer, Instructor, Competitor & Adjudicator. In addition I also work as a Model and Online Influencer to help people live a more fulfilled and happier life.

It’s crazy how magnetic we can become to others when we truly connect to our true self and radiate love to everyone around us. That is one of the things I feel most proud about myself! After all the years that I was told how weak of a person I was by some of my own family members, I can still stand strong, hold my head high and feel love for myself and everyone around me. My students think that I am the warmest person in the world but I think more people should be more like me and show affection towards one another more often. The world would be a better, happier place if we all did that!

At this moment in my life, one of the things I love the most is to perform because of the freedom I feel when I do. The freedom to express myself, to be myself and to accept myself as I am. I also love to inspire people through my performances so they will follow their dreams, whatever they are. I want them to feel joy and love through my dancing and hope that with every step, I make the world a better place. My other love is to host events because I love to see people happy dancing and enjoying life! It’s one of the things that makes me the happiest. I now have a Milonga (“Milonga Magnifica” an Argentine Tango dance party) that I host twice per month in San Diego. I am also working on some other bigger tango projects that are in the works right now and look forward to releasing them in the near future.

We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.

I have many stories that I can share! From unfortunate dancing injuries that have stopped me from dancing for periods of time, to having to move to a new state and trying to make it as a tango dancer in a cutthroat market while dealing with many personal family problems around me. Even in the face of adversity, I still managed to keep a smile on my face and share happiness and love to all the people in my life. I think of myself as a very resilient person since I have managed to get through many different life obstacles while helping many people become better dancers, happier people and follow their own dreams.

What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?

I feel what sets me apart from others is my desire and goal to motivate people through my love of dancing. I am often told I am always positive, encouraging and very supportive which makes my students very comfortable with me and anxious to learn and succeed. I love to inspire people to live a happier and more fulfilled lives. My gift to the world is to do this through dancing. I love to connect people through my events and to see them grow as dancers and as people. Nothing makes me happier than to see people happy and what better way to do that than to bring them together for a fun Argentine Tango Dance Event. The 1st and 3rd Saturdays of each month, I organize an extravagant Milonga and do my best to make sure everyone has an absolutely unforgettable time.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://katiadiamond.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/katiadiamond
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/katia.diamond.77
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/katiadiamond

Image Credits
Daniel Roffo, Alex Castro,