Meet Andrea-liis Mustkikkas | Professional dancer & choreographer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Andrea-liis Mustkikkas and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Andrea-Liis, why did you decide to pursue a creative path?
I’ve always been a very artistic person. As a kid I had a lot of different after school activities that let my creativity flow. I was in a dance class, singing class, art class, fashion design etc. I always loved experimenting with different outfits and makeup looks and I used to be obsessed with music and watching music videos. When I went to high school I got more into dancing and it become partly my job. Dance gave a freedom to express myself through movement and show my passion and love for it to others. Training harder and improving my skills as a dancer become kind of like an obsession for me. As I started performing on stages, dancing in music videos, teaching classes in my home country Estonia, I realised that this is something that I want my everyday to be like. I love being on stage/on set and it never feels like work to me because It brings me so much joy. I feel like dance is my purpose in life and I can’t imagine myself doing anything else for work.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I think what sets me apart from others is my work ethic and mentality. I have a strong personality and I never settle for less. It’s hard to pursue a career as a professional dancer but I’m a very hard working person and I always give my all to it.

As a dancer I always bring my passion, fire, performance quality and feminine energy to my movement. I think that this also something that makes me stand out from others. Besides dancing I put a lot of work into my appearance. It is very important to have your looks together as a dancer. Your look is the first thing that agencies, directors and choreographers notice when you walk into the room. I get a lot of inspiration from other dancers and artists especially but I always add my own spice to it.

I’m proud of myself for always staying true to myself. I’ve had a lot of people telling me that dancing is not a real job and maybe I should pick another career for myself but it never made me quit my dream of becoming a professional dancer. It only made me work harder to prove myself that it is not impossible if you really want it.

My home country Estonia is very small but it has never stopped me from dreaming bigger. I remember how I used to run to the dance studio after school. I took numerous dance classes every night and stayed at the studio til midnight to practise. I saved all my money I made from teaching classes so that I can travel and learn from the best choreographers around the world.

It has definitely not been easy, especially if you are from a small country which doesn’t have many opportunities for professional dancers. But my love for dance has always helped me keep going and push through all the challenges. Dance is very hard both mentally and physically but if this is really your passion and calling, all the struggles and challenges will be worth it.

The biggest lesson I’ve learned is that everything in life happens for a reason. All the challenges and setbacks happen for a reason and you just have to trust the timing of it all. It can be disappointing if you are putting in all the work and not getting the results you want but looking back to all my past challenges I’ve realised that everything I went through has always been for good. What is meant for you will not pass you by. You just have to work for you dreams and enjoy the beauty of hustle and the outcome.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I’m from Tallinn, Estonia. It’s a very small country in North Europe and most of the people I’ve met in New York have never heard of this country before. I love my home country and I’m proud to be an Estonian. I would love to take my New York friends to a little trip to Estonia and show them the beauty of my home country. I would love to take them to a little road trip around Estonia. Estonia has a beautiful nature and landscapes. The best places to visit are definitely spas and old town coffee places. I would be so excited to introduce them to my dance community. Estonian dance community is small but we all stick together and want to bring out the best in each other.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I would love to give my shoutout to every dance teacher who I have trained with. They all have had a big impact on my dance journey and they have shaped me into a person I am today. I would also like to shoutout my dance friends. Their support and love means the world to me and they have helped me keep going no matter what. They inspire me so much as dancer and a person and I am truly grateful to have such amazing people around me.

Website: https://sites.google.com/view/andrea-liis?usp=sharing

Instagram: @andrea.liis

Facebook: Andrea-Liis Mustkikkas

Image Credits
Martin Kossesson
Mari Makarov
Harry Tiits