June 20, 2018

Meet Kristina Guede and Tony Schott of The Off Centered Project

Local Stories

Today we’d like to introduce you to Kristina Guede and Tony Schott.

Kristina and Tony, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
It started long, long ago. Our parents had us in all sorts of various sports and extracurricular activities.

I (Kristina) have been in dance since I can remember. My mom, and everyone, always talks about how much energy I had (still do) and how they could never get me to sit still. They put me in dance classes around 3 and it stuck. I fell in love immediately. I spent more time in a dance studio/on stage than anything else. In high school I was diving into ballet so seriously I began a homeschool program so I could be in the studio with the professionals more.

I am from a small town in Illinois and at 18 I moved to Atlanta to see what opportunities would open up for me. I started training in partner acrobatics and eventually found my way into the circus, opening new doors of movement and exploration. It was in circus arts that I flourished more creatively. This is where I met Tony and began a performance partnership that has continued on for nearly 7 years now!

And I (Tony) was very much an active kid, dabbling in a wide range of sports and activities. While playing outside with friends, my mom often caught us doing flips off of a small ledge. She decided that gymnastics was the best way to deal with the daredevil-ish antics as well as the best way to keep me safe. Needless to say, I absolutely fell in love with gymnastics and jumped in head first without looking back! Before I knew it, I was advancing and found myself in a competition setting. With nearly a decade of competition under my belt, it was my turn to give back to my sport, in the form of coaching.

I have both competed and coached gymnasts and cheerleaders to a number of State, National, and even World Championship titles. While coaching, I was invited by a friend to come to a local circus-acrobat practice. This is where a whole new world a creation was presented to me and my life took a forever-change. I met my now-partner, Kristina, in this group and we decided to collaborate on her ballet skills with my gymnastics skills to create what we do today.

After we freelanced around for a few years we decided we wanted to create something of our own that would continue to allow us to live our dreams all while setting ourselves up to have a continued outlet for years to come. This is how The Off-Centered Project was formed. We took our partnership and challenged ourselves even further. TheOCP specializes in custom performance designs for private events so we had to find a way to set ourselves apart. Tony creates all of our props in house. If we can’t make it, then we are hands on with design and outsource our products with local manufacturers and fellow Atlanta artists. Kristina’s hand makes the majority of our costuming, if not she’s designing or sourcing the ideal look we are trying to create.

5 years into our business and we have been blessed with amazing clients and awesome word of mouth recommendations that have allowed us to live our dreams. We are so thankful to all of our tribe who has endlessly supported us along the way. It hasn’t been easy, it’s been more fulfilling than we could have known, and when they say it takes a village, it does.

Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
We think the answer to this question is yes and no. We would be lying if we said it has been easy. Running a business consumes your life.

Creativity consumes your life. Add those two elements together and there is a challenge around every corner. It’s the lessons you learn that move you forward though. The first few years were hard. We quit our jobs and jumped in head first. Finding a way to balance the lack of funds was the hardest thing we encountered. But, we aren’t afraid to ask for help. We have had a lifeline of logical and creative minds to help give us advice along this journey. When we say it takes a village, we mean it.

The no part of this comes down to, we do what we love. That makes every challenge, every struggle worth it in the end. And on top of all of that, it’s for us. We work for ourselves, we are building something to retire on after we aren’t in a condition to perform anymore. There really is anything more rewarding in our opinion. This IS our child.

Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about The Off Centered Project – what should we know?
The Off Centered Project is a performance design company. We specialize in custom, custom, custom. We listen to our client’s theme, ideas, keywords, venue, inspiration boards and create entertainment to complete their atmosphere. Our costuming, props, placement and everything is custom to each event. Sure, common themes come up, but we try to utilize different elements to create something unique, each time.

Circus is our niche, but our range of performing artists reach far and wide. We collaborate with SPFX teams, makeup artists, hair teams, seamstresses, graphic designers, welders, and more to reach the end goal we are shooting for. We have won two Modern Luxury Diamond Awards for Best Interactive Element. We like to leave our client’s and their guests in awe.

What sets us apart is us. Our creativity is uniquely our own. Being able to create our own product from start to finish is what we pride ourselves in. Our business motto is… “the only limitation is your imagination.”

Any shoutouts? Who else deserves credit in this story – who has played a meaningful role?
Omg, so many people really. We have to start with our parents. Neither of us would be who we are without them. They, by far, have been our biggest and longest supporters and pushers of the bigger and better. From there… woah!!!

WM Events for being our first client to support us in creative freedom, collaborating on major events, and giving us advice we have needed, all from almost day one of TheOCP. Their team has been nothing short of amazing to us and we literally wouldn’t be in the place we are today, without them. Deisha Miller created our fabulous logo and invited us along on some beautiful public works of performance art. Christy Parry did our first professional (and absolutely beautiful) promo shots. Kat Stockton created multiple, beautiful ad layouts for us. Jennifer Johnston is a badass welder who created some of our best props to date. Casey Jones of the Stingray Allstars has allowed us a training facility unmatched to others.

Master Porch has been our acrobatic coach, financial/legal mentor, rigging expert, and just altogether our best cheerleader throughout the years. Stephanie Magaldi and her North Atlanta Dance Theater family are deeply cherished in our hearts. Throughout our time of working with NADA and Stephanie, we consider them nothing short of our own family and love the work they have brought to Atlanta and the surrounding areas.

Anyone who has shown up to an event followed us on social media, hired us repeatedly, listened to our cry, bitch or moan, lent a hand, we love you and thank you. Though our biggest success wouldn’t be had without our performing artists and BTS crew. We literally could not do it without their professionalism, helping to represent our company and keep us expanding and growing. THANK YOU!

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