We recently connected with Kirsten Smits and have shared our conversation below.

Kirsten, 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?

I find that happiness in this career choice ebbs and flows, but what I do feel often is a profound sense of joy and freedom. When I wake up and know that I get to offer my unique artistic and healing gifts to the world in my own way- I feel unstoppable. Those feelings can turn quite dark very quickly in moments of physical or financial hardship. There are many times when I wish I had a “regular” 9-5pm job. I felt this the most when I had a severe back injury that forced me to be completely still- and unemployed/unable to do my work for over 9 months. I ruptured one of my lumbar discs while teaching a dance class and I had never experienced that level of chronic pain or disability in my life. Most people with a corporate job would have received some sort of paid sick leave to take the time to heal and recover, but I simply had to trust that I would make it through that season of my life and that I would be able to rebuild my dance career and pivot into a new era of my journey. Thankfully I had insurance through NY state, but even with that- the level and timeliness of my medical care was subpar. Great employee insurance in that moment would have been amazing. But alas- that was not my journey and I wouldn’t trade in my passions for that stability. This did teach me valuable lessons on staying financially ready for roadblocks and in times of crisis. It also led me to pursue an education in Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine as these practices brought me back to my fullest health, and it is a passion I can pursue without physically exhausting my body and my already arthritic back! So in the end, I am grateful for this experience as challenging as it was.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

I am a multi-faceted artist and practitioner that wears many hats in this current phase of my life. Dance will always be at the core of who I am and what I offer to the world. Even when I look back, as a child I had two dreams: to be a performer and a nurse or doctor. Two seemingly very different things, but as I see my life now, these two dreams are intertwined and amplify one another. I have been dancing since I could walk, studying and practicing all the way through college when I received my BFA in dance and choreography. Before moving to NYC, I was teaching dance in Beijing, where I was first introduced to eastern philosophy and holistic medicine. I was intrigued, but didn’t realize at the time this would become one of my greatest passions.

When I moved to NYC in 2019, I was a bit of a mess. I was struggling with my mental health and turned to psychoanalysis and Reiki to help me heal and move out of the severe depression, anxiety, and the chronic PTSD I was moving through. I fell in love with Reiki and the way it was transforming my life, so I decided to study it under my mentor Dr. Vanessa Caskey. I am now a certified Reiki Master and offer sessions through my practice, Bodied by Keeks, that I created in 2021. The practice and my offerings have grown, hosting sessions rooted in Reiki and also movement coaching- where I use my studies in dance, yoga, and qi gong to help my clients better their posture, breathe properly, deepen their flexibility and build strength where their bodies may be weakened from past physical and emotional traumas. I love integrating the energy work deeper into the physical vessel- connecting mind, body and spirit on the 3D plane of existence. Recently I added sound baths to my offerings and spent time this summer doing group events at ModernHaus Soho, NoMo SoHo, the Mach 3 convention, and private gatherings for my clients. Sound baths are incredible because it is an energy medicine that is very accessible and easy to participate in for beginners. I find that it connects the group of clients in the space, grounds people in the present, and deepen their connection in to their bodies with gentleness.

Through my years of practice, I have found a need in my clients to move more emotional energy through their physical organs. I noticed how different diseases or symptoms were showing up from chronic stress and trauma, and I saw a need for a medicine to clear this from the depths of the body. This, and my own back injury, brought me to the wisdom of Acupuncture and Chinese medicine. I am currently studying to receive my Master’s degree at Pacific College of Health and Science to practice Acupuncture and add this potent medicine to my practice to help people heal their bodies on every level.

I have had the privilege of being a FORWARD__Space instructor since 2020, dancing and coaching at the studio space with the guidance of CEO and founder, Kristin Sudeikis. I am also a freelance dancer and choreographer here in NYC, performing on live stages, immersive experiences, film and modeling for various brands. My styles of dance are contemporary, jazz, hip hop and heels. I have always loved exploring different styles and embodying very different characters and energies. Recently, I have been developing a new movement workshop offering based in heels dance as a way to help women unlock their sensual and sexual expressions through the power of movement, and will start hosting these classes this fall.

I will never fit into one container. I am an artist, a creator, a healer, a teacher, a coach, a mentor, and a friend to those willing to trust me as their guide towards authentic expression and optimum health.

Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?

I think something we have to unlearn together is dismantling this story of the “starving artist”. This is something I have had to face on an individual level. When I was first getting started in NYC I was juggling about 4 jobs to make ends meet and support my continued dance training, this left me burnt out and I didn’t even have the energy to be the artist I wanted to be because I was working crazy hours doing things that left me exhausted and drained. When I started to invest in my other passions that were bringing in abundance, like my holistic practice, I found myself in a much better place mentally, physically and spiritually. It takes a lot of energy to “survive”. I think it is very okay to take a pause and see where you can put some focus on other passions or interests to build more financial stability in your life. Artists can be multi faceted and very abundant from their own creations and from outside sources, there is no one right way. However, money is energy and with a lack of money comes a lack of energy and mental strain. Now that I have built my business and have other sources of income, my dancing and artistry have expanded in a way it hasn’t before.

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

When I think about the through line of my work, my goal is to liberate people from their pain through dance, movement and energy medicine. We all deserve to live a full life of passion and freedom. When I am dancing, I feel the most free and it gives me a vehicle to express my stories. Even when I teach, I do not look for perfection or highly trained technique- it is about expression and moving energy at one’s fullest capacity. When I am giving a treatment, it is about releasing the past and creating more space to experience the present. Life will always throw curve balls and things get messy, it is about how we dance with the mess that is so beautiful to me.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.bodiedbykeeks.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bodiedbykeekss/

Image Credits

Theik Smith
Rayna Tharani