Today we’d like to introduce you to Tamara Kovalchuk.
Hi Tamara, 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?
Hi! Thank you so much for having me, I’m so happy to share my story with all of you! I’m originally from Posadas, a city in the province of Misiones in the north of Argentina. I’m a professional dancer trained in styles like ballet, jazz, contemporary, hip hop, Latin rhythms and musical theater. I studied in institutions like Fundación Julio Bocca in Bs.As., Argentina, Steps on Broadway in NYC and Point Park University in Pittsburgh, USA. But, let me go back to the very beginning! I started dancing when I was seven years old, well, that’s only when I started taking classes. I used to perform for my family when I was even younger, in every single reunion, birthday party or holidays. I started at a small dance school in my hometown and then my parents moved me to a more experienced dance studio, with which I started participating in competitions all around Argentina, Paraguay and Brazil. At the age of 13, I went to my first audition and got selected to be a part of the official dance company of my province, Misiones. It’s been a very long journey since then. I moved to Buenos Aires after high school to keep pursuing my career as a performer. I auditioned for the Musical Theater program of the Fundación Julio Bocca, one of the most prestigious schools of performing arts in Argentina, and was granted with a full scholarship to study the 4 year long career. My second year in the city, I also got accepted to study at the IUNA, which translates into the National University of Arts. I stayed in Buenos Aires for a total of six years, studying and working. Halfway through that journey, I was granted with a scholarship to study at a Summer Program at Point Park University, School of Performing Arts, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. That was my first time in the US and it totally inspired me to keep learning and growing! My experience in Buenos Aires came to an end when I got offered to tour with the one and only Juan Gabriel, reason why I moved to Mexico. I lived there for about a year and a half, always pursuing new goals for my dance career. Mexico will always have a special place in my heart, for all the dreams I’ve seen come true and, most of all, for the special people I’ve met.
And finally! I moved to Miami about six years ago when I was selected to be a Miami Dolphins Cheerleader (NFL). They hosted international auditions in Argentina, Colombia, Mexico and Brazil in 2016, and I was one of the selected dancers from that program. I had to learn a new style of dancing, new language, new culture, and the rules of a sport that was also new for me: American football. I was on the team for three years and became the only dancer from the international program that got the role of captain of the team (over 800 girls auditioned in 2016, only year that the team had that program). As a cheerleader, I got to participate in very special experiences that went beyond just being a dancer and those are the things that I will always cherish the most. I was very active in the community of South Florida, teaching dance classes at several schools and dance studios and visiting hospitals, retirement centers and other events around the area. I also had the opportunity to be a part of the swimsuit calendar shoots in the Bahamas, St Marteen, Puerto Rico, Miami and Key West, and the opportunity to visit the troops in several US military bases around the world such as the Netherlands, Belgium, UK, Curaçao, Honduras and Guantanamo Bay. I also got to perform with the team at a special game for the NFL UK at the Wembley Stadium in London, I will never forget that indescribable feeling, it was definitely one of the most amazing audiences I’ve ever performed for.
After my contract with the Dolphins ended, I decided to stay in the US looking to pursue new possibilities as a professional dancer and to create a better life.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Even though I was blessed with such incredible opportunities, nothing was easy. It’s been very hard but definitely worth it. As an artist, I’ve faced a lot of rejection throughout the years and things definitely get harder as an immigrant in a new country. I had to face so many “no’s”, a lot of times those situations made me think that I should just give up, that maybe I wasn’t good enough. The financial situation wasn’t ideal all the time either. I moved from home when I was 17 years old, but then I moved to two other countries, and I’ve learned that the farther you go, the harder it gets, but you also become wiser and stronger. I had to learn different cultures, languages, absolutely everything! I’ve always followed what I felt in my heart and worked hard to overcome any challenges that life presented to me. It’s extremely rewarding when you see those struggles going away. There’s so much more I could share about my journey and the struggles I had to face to achieve all these things, and of course, that everyday we continue to face new challenges but I believe that the keys are discipline, hard work, perseverance and love. Everything I do, I do it with faith and love, lots of faith and love!
I have hopes that my story will inspire other artists out there, especially immigrants, that are going through the difficult process of trying to success in what they love in a foreign country, just like I did and continue to do.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I’m a professional dancer and a choreographer. I’ve worked in several music videos, commercials, tours, films and tv shows with artists like Guns N Roses, J Balvin, Marc Anthony, Luis Fonsi, Nicky Jam, Prince Royce, Ozuna, Liam Payne, Elvis Crespo, Marco Antonio Solís, Juan Gabriel, Diego Torres, Pimpinela, Daddy Yankee, Wisin, Yandel, Maluma, among others.
This past year, I was part of the cast of dancers of the upcoming movie “Father of the bride” starring Gloria Estefan and Andy Garcia, and performed as a dancer and choreographer at the Jimmy Fallon Show with the well-known artist Karol G on the presentation of her song “El Barco”. I was also part of the recent “Bichota Tour” with Karol G performing in more than 30 cities all around the US, Mexico, Colombia, Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic. I am currently in Palm Desert, California, performing at the Coachella Festival. We’ve spent more than a month between Los Angeles and Las Vegas in rehearsals for this shows so it feels amazing to see everything finally coming to life. In May of this year, I’m headed to Latin America to start the “Bichota Tour Reloaded” and I will finally have the chance to perform in my country, Argentina! I was supposed to perform there in 2020 but our tour had to stop due to the pandemic. I’m so excited for this opportunity, and especially because I’ll have my family watching the show! My heart is jumping out of my chest every time I think about it!
Who else deserves credit in your story?
My mom used to dance when she was little, so she inspired me become a dancer. My dad always took me to every dance class or rehearsal and always encouraged me to follow my dreams! He’s the one that listened to me and gave me advice every time I decided to move to a new city or country. He wasn’t always so sure but he supported me with whatever I decided. Natalia Machado was the first one that saw something more in me and granted me a scholarship to study in Buenos Aires during a winter break when I was 15 years old. That took me to fall in love with other styles like jazz and musical theater (I used to be more of a ballet and contemporary dancer), and that made me decide to move to Buenos Aires after high school to keep studying and pursuing a professional career as a dancer.
Jamie Quadrozzi is a big inspiration to me. She’s the former director of the Miami Dolphins Cheerleaders and she was the one that chose me from that very first audition for the team in Mexico City. She believed in me and after that, my life started changing completely.
My sister is my whole heart, my strength and motivation too, not only for my career but for everything in life, her support is essential to me.
Contact Info:
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tamarakovalchukk/
Image Credits
Those pictures are from different shoots, the photographers are: Lina Rodríguez Edward Vargas Tatiana Vivid Scott H. Rick Stephens
