Today we’d like to introduce you to Polina Petukhova.
Polina, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
My name is Polina Petukhova, I am an artistic (synchronized) swimmer, show performer, and choreographer, as well as a life coach for athletes, artists, and performers globally. Originally, I am from Izhevsk, Russia, a small city 700 miles east of Moscow. My mother first brought me to the local swimming pool at the age of seven. There and then, I found my passion for the sport of synchronized swimming.
Throughout my athletic career, I have competed in and won a number of renowned tournaments amongst some of the greatest athletes. I was awarded the title of Master of Sport (MS) by the Ministry of Sport of the Russian Federation. My accomplishments include victories in the Russian National Championships, Finland Open, Slovakia Open, and Czech Republic Open Championships, I had a great run and retired from the stage of the competition at the age of 19.
After retiring, I felt completely lost. Synchronized swimming was all I knew, all I thought of. I simply did not know what else does the world has to offer. What else am I passionate about. Leaving professional sport felt like giving up my old identity before being able to build a new one. I was scared and alone. I met many professional athletes since then that felt the same way at the end of their careers.
A few months later, I got an interesting call from a former teammate. There was a production company in China that was looking for a synchronized swimmer to perform in their show at Hot Spring Resort outside of Beijing. I took a leap and accepted the contract. And with that, I discovered that I can use my skills in synchronized swimming to extend my athletic age by being a part of theatrical productions around the world.
In the last ten years since that first show, I built an exciting, rewarding, and fairly lucrative performing career. I began with shows in China, Hong Kong, and Russia. A couple of years later, I got an opportunity to work with Royal Caribbean Cruises sailing out of Miami, FL, first as a performer and later as a coach and choreographer. I was fortunate enough to be able to travel across Europe, USA, and the Caribbean Islands, all while performing ten shows a week in their 700 seats onboard Aqua Theater for passengers from all around the world. I also had a chance to be a part of four original show creations onboard their ships – invaluable experience for any performer and choreographer. I spent eight years with Royal Caribbean Cruises and attribute a good portion of my development as an artist to this time. And if this career advancement wasn’t enough, It was also during these years of sailing the sea that I met my husband Tariq.
Three years ago, Tariq and I decided to leave the ships behind and work exclusively on land. We rented an apartment in Miami’s up and coming Design District. We called it home base and set onto a new chapter of our lives together. It was wonderful! And yet there wasn’t a major theater production waiting for me here. So once the excitement settled, that familiar feeling of being lost crawled back into my life. I was once again on the search for a new passion, new purpose, and, quite frankly, a new job!
It took months of self-discovery and deep reflection before I was able to point out the direction in which to move next. I was equipped with two university degrees, a B.S. in Psychology, and another in Physical Education. I had my love for the arts and a long-time passion for health and fitness. With those in mind, I started my search, eventually stumbling upon the topic of health and wellness coaching. I found a certification program and decided to give it a go. A year later, what started as a passion project was shaping into a new career. Another year later, I am coaching private clients, mainly performers and athletes. I guess you can say I came a full circle.
During these last two years, I also realized that I did not want to nor have to give up one career for another. I continued the pursuit of performing opportunities, and had, without a doubt, the greatest year of my artistic career in 2019. I performed for crowds in venues across the United States. Miami Beach, Los Angeles, and Palm Springs, to name a few. I was featured in Season 3 of the Golden Globe and Emmy Primetime award-winning TV show “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel” on Amazon Prime Network. And at the end of 2019 landed my dream job as a synchronized swimmer in “Le Reve – The Dream,” a resident show at Wynn Resorts in Las Vegas, NV.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
It has been everything but a smooth ride, mentally or physically. There were long hours of exhausting training, tears, and pain. The emotional pressure of professional sport put on the shoulders of a teenager. The politics involved in the sport and the heartbreak that comes with it. There were rejections at the auditions. Missed birthdays, weddings, funerals, graduations. And all the bureaucratic complications I encountered while chasing my passions around the world.
But as hard as my path may have been, I wouldn’t change a thing! All the physical training I received, the life lessons I learned, the habits, character traits, and mental strength I adopted ultimately made me the person I am today. It allows me to push for success in every new venture I set my mind to and to accept an occasional defeat with my head held high.
We’d love to hear more about your work.
I am a professional life coach working with athletes, artists, and performers just like myself, who find themselves in the “I feel completely lost” space. I help them to rediscover their purpose during life or career transitions, manage the stress, overcome challenges, realize and fulfill their needs, all to create the best life experiences they can dream of.
It became evident early on in my coaching practice how much value our sessions have brought to my clients. I am very proud of the work I do, especially now, as COVID-19 has brought an entire entertainment industry to a halt, leaving millions of people unemployed. I feel privileged to be able to provide support and guidance that artists and performers need during these incredibly difficult times.
Any shoutouts? Who else deserves credit in this story – who has played a meaningful role?
I believe there isn’t a successful person who was able to achieve success alone. I’m lucky to have had a strong support system to make my accomplishments possible. My mother Olga was always there for me, even though the hardest of times. She was always giving and never asked for anything in return. My husband, Tariq, inspires me to continue to reach higher and dig deeper; his support is invaluable to my success.
My childhood coach Natalia Lekomceva helped me to take my first steps in the world of professional sport and taught me grace. My coach Ninel Kozhedub pushed me to work harder and believed in me even when I didn’t believe in myself. My mentors Vicki Davis and Peggy O’Neill showed me the connection and the difference between sport and art during the early years of my performing career. They taught me how to have fun on stage and be the performer I am today. There were also many teammates, colleagues, teachers, and friends who influenced and inspired me over the years. I can go on and on!
I actually recommend this exercise to many of my clients and I would love for you to give it a try. In your notebook, make a list of 50 people who influenced your personal growth and development. I know It sounds like a big number but I’m willing to bet you will be surprised!
Contact Info:
- Phone: +1 786 757 3126
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bluma_wulf/?hl=en OR @bluma_wulf
Image Credit:
Caroline Miller Photography
Jonathan Wormgoor Photography
Killer Imaging
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