For The Salvation Army – Los Angeles, CA
Namita Nayyar:
You won the season title of Junior Dance Grand Champion in 1993. That was thirty years ago. Share the memories that you hold close to your heart of those times.
Taryn T. Francis:
This was such a dream come true. I had watched the show at home for as long as I could remember and would pray & dream about being on the show myself someday. I had recently booked an agent in LA and began auditioning. One day, that call did come thru. I landed an audition!! This was a feat in itself because dance solosists had never been selected prior, and the rest is history.
I remember everything from my audition day to the call of being chosen, my endless hours of training in preparation, to my flight out to Orlando, FL for filming. I was a ball of nerves backstage, but once I took the stage to perform, I beamed like a bright light and performed my little heart out! Finally meeting Ed McMahon in person, working alongside such a wonderful crew & other talent, dancing on the Star Search stage, captivating the judges & audiences around the world, and being so grateful for the entire experience will forever be one of my fondest & most cherished memories. I have received numerous messages from people around the world sharing the fact that I inspired them to become a dancer/performer from watching me on the show… to me, that is such a true gift.
Los Angeles, CA
Namita Nayyar:
You have worked with some of the biggest names in Hollywood such as Michael Jackson, Paula Abdul, Bob Hope, Mc Hammer, Ed McMahon, Rey Lozano, Wade Robson, Kenny Ortega, and Vince Patterson. Your Film & Television credits include work for Disney, ABC, Pepsi, Panasonic, Hawaiian Punch, Glee, Criminal Minds, Super 8 & Saving Mr. Banks to name a few. Congratulations!For that incredible journey! How was your experience working with these stars? Were they instrumental in your growth? According to you what are the key factors to achieve success?
Taryn T. Francis:
Thank you so much… I am forever grateful for the journey in my career spanning from childhood into adulthood. I set goals for myself, worked extremely hard, and set out to achieve them. Each of my successes inspired me to pursue more… I admired the talent of those I was fortunate to work with, and I strived to gain personal growth from every experience.
Looking back, so much of my life has been a whirlwind. At the moment, you live your life with one thing leading to another & another, but when you reflect on a large chunk of your life, it’s almost tough to take it all in. With great success, comes great challenges… and I endured a great deal of that as well. It’s crucial to note that my highs as well as my lows have shaped my journey & the person I am today.
Through my years as a top nationally ranked gymnast and professional dancer, I was taught that my mindset was just as powerful if not more than the physical. My hard-working parents did their best, yet we struggled. I faced ridicule and bullying amongst my peers growing up because I was different. I routinely felt rejection in my field based on my petite height, body type, appearance, status, etc. My industry path was full of discerning judgment, abusive environments, sexism, & criticism, with high pressure & levels of rejection. Despite all of this, I gained my motivation & perseverance through my faith in prayer, visualization, and a strong & positive mindset while always leading with a grateful heart – never “expecting” anything.
Ajja DeShayne – Maui, HI
Namita Nayyar:
How did you go about balancing your personal &professional life along with taking good care of your health? Share more input about your diet & fitness routine.
Taryn T. Francis:
Most of my life was devoted to my training & professional career until I grew closer to adulthood. Though still heavily focused on my goals and career, I began to carve out a better balance of my personal & professional life. This meant weaving in time for fun with friends, and quality time with family while taking care of myself.
By my mid-late twenties, I decided to also create more time to find a quality life partner to share the rest of my life with. Thankfully, I found the love of my life to enter my next chapter. Together, we share a goal of achieving a healthy balance of life through wellness, balancing our personal & professional endeavors, valuing quality family time, eating wholesome quality foods, getting in regular healthy movement, & enjoying nature walks.
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