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Conversations with Chrystola Luu

Today we’d like to introduce you to Chrystola Luu.

Hi Chrystola, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start, maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
Hello, and thank you for having me! My name is Chrystola Luu, but most people call me Chryssy… unless you’re my Nigerian father who calls me by my middle name, Ife, which means love in Yoruba. I was born in Atlanta; however, I spent most of my childhood in Louisiana, where I began my dance training at the age of three. My parents saw a passion in me from very early on and decided to enroll me in dance class as soon as they could. My mom jokes and says that before I could even walk, I loved to dance. It turns out my parents were right! Once I began my dance training, I never looked back. When I wasn’t at school, I was at the dance studio, learning as much as I could. I began by studying ballet, tap and tumbling, but as I grew older, I was introduced to new movement styles, including jazz, musical theater, aerial dance, and contemporary (my favorite). 

I graduated from the University of Georgia with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Dance and shortly afterwards began to dance professionally for contemporary dance companies in the Atlanta area. I am currently a company member with Staibdance and I also work with various independent artists in Atlanta. In addition to being a performer, in 2016, I started a company called Just Dance It!, which is a dance program for children in grades Pre-K-5th. We service schools all over the Metro Atlanta area, and our curriculum consists of ballet, tap and creative movement classes. I started Just Dance It! because I wanted to create more accessibility to the performing arts in schools. Many children do not realize their talent or potential simply because they’re not exposed to the art form. By bringing dance classes into the schools, I am able to share the gift of dance with so many more students, and it brings me so much joy! 

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Being in the performing arts industry is very challenging. You have to do this job because you absolutely love it; otherwise, you probably won’t make it very far. One of the hardest challenges I’ve faced is with my health. Throughout college and a lot of my 20’s, being in and out of the ER and urgent care was a normal occurrence for me. After being misdiagnosed for years, in 2017, I was diagnosed with Achalasia which finally helped explain a lot of the health issues I’d been battling. I had a procedure done to create more space in my esophagus and have completely changed my diet since then. I cook most meals at home now because going out to eat can be quite a challenge. Imagine asking the waiter/waitress if they have anything on the menu that is gluten-free, dairy-free, refined sugar free, beef-free, pork-free, preferably chicken-free, and oh, I really hate white sauces… yeah, I think you get the picture! 

Thankfully, I can say that I now feel stronger and better than ever, which in turn has had a very positive impact on my career, not to mention my cooking skills have improved a bit as well. At times I’ve also struggled with low confidence and self-esteem, discrimination for my body type and skin color, being severely underpaid, people questioning and doubting my career choice, and let’s not even get started about how Covid-19 has affected the industry. But with all that being said, I feel good with where I am in my career today, and at the ripe old age of 31, I feel like I’m just getting started! 

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I’m a professional dancer, choreographer, business owner and (most recently) certified yoga instructor! Yoga has been an excellent form of cross-training for me as a dancer, and I decided I wanted to share what I have learned throughout my years of study. I’m excited to introduce yoga concepts to my students and to begin teaching classes in the Atlanta community. Another form of cross-training that I absolutely love in CrossFit — partly because of the strength I’ve gained, but also because it’s an activity that I get to do with my husband. 

In terms of what I’m most proud of, I’d have to say it’s my perseverance. I’ve had some really amazing opportunities throughout my career – I’ve won awards, been on tv shows and music videos, toured amazing cities, choreographed for major brands, etc. But with all of the highs comes many, many lows. There have been lots of tears, doubt, rejection, and failure throughout my journey, but I haven’t given up… and I don’t plan on it! I choose this career every single day, and I feel so fortunate that I get to do what I love for a living and hopefully make a positive impact on the next generation of dancers in the process. 

What sets me apart from everyone else is that I am me. No one has my exact thoughts, talents, visions or experiences. My uniqueness is my advantage, and it’s also a reminder for me to bring more of my authentic self to my work and to care less about keeping up with others or being like anyone else. 

Are there any books, apps, podcasts, or blogs that help you do your best?
Taking care of your mental health, no matter what professional field you’re in, is super important. Needless to say, most of my recommendations are in the self help category. 😊😊

Books: Think Like a Monk by Jay Shetty, Empty Out the Negative by Joel Osteen, Year of Yes by Shonda Rhimes, Ballerina Body by Misty Copeland.

Podcasts: Oprah’s Super Soul Conversations, Therapy for Black Girls, The Happiness Lab, Optimal Living Daily and Optimal Health Daily, How I Built This. Secret Architecture: The process of process. 

Apps: Insight Timer, Headspace, Mindbody. 

Contact Info: 

Image Credits
Julia Fenner, www.leggybird.com Dat Luu

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