Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Oksi Govanovskaya. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Oksi, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Can you open up about a risk you’ve taken – what it was like taking that risk, why you took the risk and how it turned out?
Taking a risk, for me, meant leaving behind everything I had built and stepping into complete uncertainty in Los Angeles.
Back home, I had a life that made sense. I built dance studios, I had students, projects, a name — I knew who I was. But at the same time, I felt like I was outgrowing that version of myself. I knew that if I stayed, I would be safe… but I wouldn’t grow.
So I chose the unknown.
And the truth is — it was much harder than I expected.
I arrived in LA and suddenly everything I felt confident about disappeared. I didn’t know the system, I didn’t have connections, I didn’t fully speak the language, and I felt like I had to prove myself all over again. I went from being “someone” to feeling like nobody.
There were moments I felt completely lost.
Financial pressure, constant rejection, comparison, loneliness.
Watching people around me succeed faster, questioning if I was good enough, if I made the wrong decision.
There were days when I felt invisible.
Days when I doubted my talent.
Days when I wanted to quit.
But something in me refused to go back.
And that’s when everything shifted.
I realized that this wasn’t a sign that I didn’t belong — it was the process of becoming.
I started rebuilding myself — not just as a dancer, but as a creator, a leader, someone with a voice.
I stopped trying to fit in, and started creating my own lane.
This risk didn’t just change my environment — it changed who I am.
It taught me resilience, discipline, and belief in myself when there’s no external validation.
Now I don’t look for comfort — I look for expansion.
Because I know that every time I choose growth over fear, I get closer to the artist I’m meant to become.
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 background and context?
I’m a dancer, choreographer, and creative director based in Los Angeles, originally from Belarus.
I also run a small creative agency, which is truly my passion. Through my agency, I work with artists, singers, dancers, and brands — developing creative concepts, directing shoots, choreographing, producing content, and creating choreography and show productions with a strong idea and identity behind each project.
For me, every project is a personal story. I create tailored creative solutions that reflect each artist or brand and help them stand out in a real and authentic way.
In my work, I combine movement, visual storytelling, and modern technology, including artificial intelligence — using AI in video and creative processes to push ideas further and create something truly unique.
At the same time, I’m also a dance teacher and I’ve built my own dance community. I work with dancers of different levels, helping them grow, build confidence, and find their own style. I organize projects, shoot professional videos, and lead dance trips — and this is a big part of what I genuinely love.
I’m passionate about inspiring people and helping them unlock their potential.
As a dancer, I’m actively working in the industry — performing, working on music videos, participating in creative projects, and expressing myself through movement on different platforms and stages.
What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?
My mission is to create something meaningful and impactful for people — and to help them grow through what I build.
I’m not only a creative, I also have a strong business mindset. I hold an MBA and have experience in project management and leadership, which allows me to structure ideas, lead teams, and turn creative vision into real results.
I see myself as someone who connects creativity with strategy — building not just content, but systems, experiences, and opportunities for people to evolve.
We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?
One of the biggest lessons I had to unlearn was the need for approval.
For a long time, I was focused on doing things “the right way” — trying to meet expectations, be liked, and fit into what I thought people wanted to see. It worked to a certain point, but it also limited me.
When I moved to Los Angeles, that mindset completely broke. I realized that no one was waiting for me, and no one was going to define my path for me.
I had to let go of trying to be understood by everyone and start creating from a more honest place.
That shift changed everything.
I stopped chasing validation and started trusting my own taste, my own vision, and my own way of moving and creating.
Now I see that the more real you are, the more powerful your work becomes.
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Image Credits
Kirill Sulimov