We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Kiana “kiki” Rodriguez. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Kiana “kiki” below.
Kiana “kiki”, thanks so much for taking the time to share your insights and lessons with us today. We’re particularly interested in hearing about how you became such a resilient person. Where do you get your resilience from?
My resilience comes from seeing “failures” or “set backs” more like Falling and knowing that “GETTING BACK UP AGAIN” is the ONLY choice. Personally, that means learning, growing, and getting out of my comfort zone in some way each and every day or else how do we continue in becoming our best selves in order to show up for our desired future self and the world!?
Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?
Kiana is a performing artist!
Born and raised in a Puerto Rican household in Northern New Jersey, Kiana was surrounded by Salsa, Bachata, Merengue, Jazz, percussion, Reggaeton music, Latin social dances, and a family skilled in various instruments. A true theater kid since the age of 9 introduced to the Fosse technique and Tap by Broadway veteran Michael Blevins (Broadway: Little Me Revival, Original cast The Tap Dance Kid, Bring Back Birdie, A Chorus Line, Chaplin). He mentored her and she became part of Young Performers Workshop: A community theater program in Hackettstown, NJ. She would be part of 4 shows each season; By age 18 she had been in over 30 musicals. She instantly was mesmerized by movement in theater and how it contributes to storytelling! Meanwhile she attended a vocational high school majoring in Dance & Drama. Here she was introduced to concert dance: Ballet, Contemporary, and Modern. Throughout high school she made her way to New York City weekly to attend scholarship programs at NYU Tisch, BDC, Peridance, Steps on Broadway, and Koin & Co Dancers focusing on versatility: genres such as house, popping, Hiphop, Aftican, Latin, Jazz, musical theatre, & Vocal lessons. She had the opportunity to be scouted by Bloc Talent Agency and signed at age 17.
She didn’t know what the future would hold but her parents were adamant on allowing her to live her life through passion and to truly do the things they did not dare to: Go after their dreams! In Junior and Senior year of high school she took almost 6 ballet privates a week along with her intense dance schedule due to feeling as if she needed to play “catch up” since starting Ballet at a later age than others along with battling serious autoimmune health issues due to her chronic Lyme disease diagnosis at the age of 15 following in holistic and intravenous treatment. Kiana states that Dance and Theater are her saving grace; being at the theater, in a studio, or training, everyday because it’s what gave her a light at the end of the tunnel during those years of darkness. This is why her passion runs so deep and Main reason for her FEROCIOUS RELENTLESSNESS. Art completely changed her life, it was her therapy, outlet, voice at a time and age where everything concerning her health felt hopeless. 10 years since her diagnoses…she now shares her passion and journey in hopes of impacting someone to never give up no matter what obstacles come along their way; a reminder that everyone is going through something we know nothing about; To her, art is transformative in every aspect. She believes, if she did not have art during those years, she probably would not be here. Being able to wake up everyday on earth is a gift: its our duty to treat it as such and go after the things we desire and are most passionate about. Another day equals another opportunity so don’t chase that dream BECOME it. Remember “dreams don’t work unless you do”
She went on to attend Montclair State University, NJ with a BFA in Dance and Minor in Musical Theater.
She has since been seen in Off-Broadway: Safe Musical (BAM). National Tour: Camille A. Brown & Dancers. Regional Theater: In The Heights (Marriott Theatre), Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812 (PCLO), Frozen Musical, Elvis: A Musical Revolution (NSMT), West Side Story (Lyric Opera of Chicago) (Teatro Lirico Di Cagliari, Italy), Into the Woods, Oliver (NY City Center Encores Workshops). TV/FILM: “Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade”(NBC), “Marvelous Mrs. Maisel” (Amazon Prime Video), “Blue’s Big City Adventure” (Paramount Pictures) along with many more exciting work!
There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
1. Passion : its ignites the fire in us
2. Discipline : Without it theres no progress
3. Courage : if its scary and makes you nervous THAT’S GOOD!
4. Kindness : #1 always. No questions asked.
Advice that i too am always giving myself:
1. always be a student first, your potential and greatness derives from curiosity.
2. Take every opportunity that comes your way because thats the window that opens a door, and so on.
3. Work Hard & Work smart
4. Its okay to tell people your dreams, goals, what you want: close mouths don’t get fed. You might be talking to someone who can help you open that door at some point: even if its just your friend or classmate. That person could be the next director, choreographer, casting etc. life is COLLABORATIVE!
5. Find your people and do things that fill you up! We all go up together!
6. Lastly, There is only one YOU on this planet! That’s pretty magical And the world needs that magic YOU have. ALWAYS BE YOURSELF!
We’ve all got limited resources, time, energy, focus etc – so if you had to choose between going all in on your strengths or working on areas where you aren’t as strong, what would you choose?
Absolutely go all in on your strengths (perfect them, Get ridiculously good at them) Its what will become your thing and what will make you YOU!
On the other hand I find that being well rounded Is key! Its best to invest in skills that you want to attain or get better at! Especially as an artist, the more versatile the BETTER. This leads to more opportunities, work, deeper artistic development, creativity, and skillsets that enhance the strengths you already have! It’s important to have them in your toolbox incase you ever need it.
(YOU WILL)
Contact Info:
- Instagram: @ki.rodriguez
Image Credits
David Costa, Kelly Tunney, Todd Rosenberg, Andrew Cioffi, Jonah Enfinger, Irene Aviles,
so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
