Adriana Kostetska is a multitalented young mother, who lives daily the American dream in the land of Lalaland – in Los Angeles. As a talented internationally acclaimed dancer and choreographer she is involved in about 50 choreographic productions, music videos, advertising on TV and social networks and Adriana is a member of WDO (World Dance Organization). As an actress she just received in 2021 the ‘Best Actress’ award on LA Indies Film Festival. She also supports young talent in a casting agency and she is a successful Californian ‘momager’, aka a mother, who also a business manager for her children. However Adriana already made a lot of choreographer’s dreams, she keeps going higher and higher and her limit is only the sky. We met with Adriana in Los Angeles, and found out that she has Hungarian routes.
When did you start dancing?
I remember, I was five years old, when my mother took my sister to a dance studio in our home town, in Ukraine. I was so impressed to see the other children dancing and I asked my mother to put me forward for the lesson too. Usually they only take kids at age seven, but they made an exception with me and I’ve got an opportunity to start dancing early age. Later I became a competitor and from age seven I attended on many international competitions all over Europe. My first international championship was held in Poland. It was my first big competition and I was a finalist! Then I travelled to more than 20(!) countries.
First you trained as a ballroom dancer, but your spectrum extended. What other techniques did you learn?
I was 18 years old, when I moved to Kiev. I studied at the National University of Culture and Art. My focus was still on ballroom dancing, but I started to learn contemporary dance, jazz-dance and hipp-hopp. I tried my talent in the “So You Think You can Dance – Ukraine ” and I ended up to be in the best 20 dancer, from over a million. Later in my life I realized that to extend my dance technique spectrum was such a good decision, because in the USA I really saw that a dancer or choreographer is more valuable if she/he can show professional skills in different techniques. For example, in Los Angeles dance is an important part of the actor’s training and the students have to learn different techniques like jazz dance, contemporary, ballroom dance and tap dance. Dancing skills are a serious expectation from actors, because any time they could be cast for some musical film roles. Just remember, Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling’s performance in the Lalaland or this year’s box office success – Spielberg’s West Side Story… That’s amazing, what we can see in that film. But also popstars need incredible dance skills.
As you just mentioned actors and celebrities… You worked with several in the US. Could you highlight some names?
Sure! I have some very memorable experiences working with world famous artists. I really enjoyed working with Enrique Iglesias and Jennifer Lopez. I also worked with Machine Gun Kelly, Dj Kass, Lele Pons and Little Mix… I also have lots of experiences working on the world famous tv show, Dancing with the Stars. But I believe that dance is for everybody and it is a mission of dance teachers to make dance education possible for everyone, who would like to dance. That’s why, I am teaching master classes in dance schools all the time, for example in Pro Dance LA Studio or Step2Dance.
Where else can you use your choreographic skills?
Definitely on TV. I choreographed various brands’ commercials for Target, Round Table Pizza, Gloria Jeans, Lenovo, Carsil, The Queen Mary, Beer Mix. Also, in the past, I was lucky to work in Monte Carlo Cirques Festival and after that I received a proposal to work as a choreographer at the American Cirques Hermanos Vazquez. What really made me proud, I worked years also with the world famous Russian ballerina, with Anastasia VolochkovaI for our years. I also had a projects with Sergey Lazarev, Vera Brezhneva and Svetlana Loboda. I believe there are no limits in opportunities if you already proved your creativity and skills on one big show.
Is it different to work in the US as a choreographer? I mean when you are working in the US with American dancers and crew, have you ever felt that it is more challenging?
Not really. Only the language is different. The movements are international.
What American dance association are you joining, if you join any?
I am a member of two dance association in the USA. One is the WDO, World Dance Organization and the there one is the NDCA (National Dance Council of America) I made lots of training as a judge, so I have my licence in the US. I always enjoy to be a jury member on dance competitions and see young talents on the stage. I think it’s a very important mission to support the new generation.
Your little baby girl, Amelia was only ten months old, when you shot The Immigrant Mother with Ted Lasso’s star, Cristo Fernandez. The film was super successful on independent film festivals, it got 15 awards including the ‘Best Actress’, what went to you. What does this award mean to you?
Well, my other dream came true, and this award is very special for me, because that was first the time for me to earn ‘Best Actress’ award on a film festival. I still hardly believe I’ve got it. Honestly, I wasn’t mentally prepared before filming… I had a 10-month-old baby in my arms and I was already 3 months pregnant with the second one…. I felt it’s a test for me. I always dreamed of playing a lawyer, investigator or a police officer. And I played a police officer in this film. I remember I closed my eyes and just imagined myself as a police officer. Without any extra words and emotions, I just lived in this role for a month. I had to learn a little Spanish and of course my character spoke English. I had a scene in the film, a kitchen scene, when the director wanted to use my dance skills, so she basically add a dance scene in the movie for my character.
Since that, both of your babies, Amelia and Marcell also ‘working’ in Hollywood. You became a successful ‘momager’. What should we know about it?
I am lucky to have two beautiful children and I thought they would have also success in Hollywood, so I added them to the database in a talent agency. And yes, we received many casting calls! Now they are ‘working actors’. (Laugh) Amelia does a lot of commercials and Marcell just booked in a Fox TV show, 911.
When we started to chat first, you mentioned that you have some Hungarian routes. What are they exactly?
Yes, my grandmother is Hungarian on my mother’s side and my mom still speaks Hungarian. She is so attached with the culture that she made her Hungarian citizenship some years ago. I’m also thinking of it to earn my Hungarian citizenship, because I want to pass on the culture for my children. But first I have to refresh my Hungarian! (Laugh) When I was a child, I spoke some Hungarian, but it faded with time unfortunately.
How do you see your future?
When I won the ‘Best Actress’ award, I felt it is a milestone in my actress career. A dream came true with this award, because I always wanted to be an appreciated, well-known actress, But my other passion – dance and choreography – is just as important in my life. So if you ask me about the future, I would say, I follow my passion and hopefully it will bring me more success as a choreographer, dancer, actor. And as a momager! (Laugh)
So what’s next for you?
After pandemic finally life is getting more normal and everything is opening up. I’ve got very busy with commercials and music videos, I am working on them as a choreographer too. I will teach master classes all around the world and will be a judge on international dance competitions. There is a big show coming out soon, but I can’t talk about it yet…
What is your advice for young dancers and choreographers?
As I said it before, in an other interview, the most important thing is to express your personal charisma – smile and mastery; it is also important to correctly present your dancing skills. Most importantly, never lose hope! Believe in yourself and go for your goals. As Stanislavsky said: simpler, easier, more fun!
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