Meet Dania Nasri | Dancer, Actor, Model

We had the good fortune of connecting with Dania Nasri and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Dania, why did you decide to pursue a creative path?
Performing has always been a part of my life. I first started dancing when I was 4 years old. Throughout the early years of my childhood, I also tried a variety of activities including gymnastics, karate, horseback riding, and more. However, the only activity I truly enjoyed and wanted to continue doing was dancing. When I was a teenager, I auditioned and joined the performing group at my dance studio. I was taking multiple dance classes a week and attending the performing group practices. We performed at a variety of places including the L.A. County Fair, Six Flags, and Downtown Disney. We also performed at a runway show in Las Vegas. I will never forget that experience. Aside from those performances, I also performed in the studio’s annual musical shows and recitals.

Fast forward to my college years, I was on the dance team at the University of La Verne. We performed at a variety of events including basketball games, football games, sorority events, and more. I was on the team for two years. My last two college years were filled with multiple class projects, so I decided to focus on that more. However, I was still attending dance classes on a regular basis. There was a time where I had to take a break from dancing. Aside from that, I managed to fit in dance classes in my busy schedule moving forward.

In 2017, I became a certified Zumba Instructor and then I decided to become a Group Fitness Instructor. At this time, I was teaching group fitness classes and taking dance classes on my own. One of my favorite highlights from 2021 was getting my first official dance job. I was a dancer for The Elf on the Shelf’s Magical Holiday Journey. I performed a two-minute dance over set periods throughout the nightly shifts at the Pomona Fairplex. It was an amazing experience that I will never forget. In the following year, I was an extra for a music video and performed at a couple private events. I also auditioned and joined the training team at the dance studio I was taking classes at. I learned a variety of dance routines and acquired some new skills. Fast forward to 2023, I decided that I wanted to go full force into the entertainment industry. I wanted to work more dance jobs, and I also wanted to start acting and modeling. So that is exactly what I did. Nowadays, I am working a variety of acting gigs, dance gigs, modeling gigs, and I am still teaching fitness classes.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
Starting in 2023 until now, I have worked a variety of amazing gigs. I have been an actor in commercials, movies, music videos, short films, social media ads, and television shows. I have danced in concept videos, music videos, and performed at multiple private events. I have worked as an atmosphere model for multiple private events, and I have also worked as a model for several companies’ advertisement shoots. I have been able to combine acting gigs, dance gigs, and modeling gigs.

Getting to this point has not been easy, but it has been a very rewarding journey. I went to several dance auditions and didn’t make the cut. Each ‘no’ I received hurt at first, but then I used that ‘no’ as fuel to continue trying. Going to those auditions helped me gain more confidence in myself and taught me a variety of lessons. I would not change a thing in my journey. With my persistence and the support of my amazing family, I kept going after my dreams and I have learned so many things that have helped me get to where I am today.

As I was auditioning in 2022, I also had the opportunity to perform at a couple private events and I was an extra for the very first time. I was an extra for a music video and I truly had a wonderful time being on set. After working those gigs, I did a lot of thinking and I decided that I wanted to make a change in my career path. I made the decision to put consistent effort into submitting for acting, dance, and modeling gigs. I became my own agent and manager. Fast forward to the present, I am so happy that I made that significant career decision. I have found a way to combine all my passions and I have had the opportunity to be a part of so many wonderful projects! I have also had the opportunity to work with some of my favorite music artists and actors. I am truly thankful for every opportunity I have received!

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?
The first place we would visit is my favorite theme park: Universal Studios Hollywood. As soon as we enter the theme park, we would go to the lower lot first, where my two favorite rides are. We would go on Jurassic World then go on Revenge of the Mummy. After those rides, we would check out Super Nintendo World. We would eat at Toadstool Café, get a drink at Isla Nu-Bar, then explore the rest of the lower lot. Then we would make our way back to the upper lot and go on the Studio Tour. After that ride, we would explore the rest of the upper lot.

The next plan on our itinerary will be checking out museums. La Brea Tar Pits Museum, LACMA, and Natural History Museum are must-sees. For lunch, we would go to Bottega Louie for some Italian food. On the following day, we would check out the Hollywood Walk of Fame, visit Madame Tussauds Museum, then go on the Hollywood Big Bus tour. On the following day, we would go to Huntington Beach. We would explore around, relax on the beach, record some dance videos, then grab some food at Ola Mexican Kitchen.

On the next day, we would go shopping at the Glendale Galleria. We would take a lunch break at Porto’s Bakery and Café. Then we would continue exploring around then go to dinner at Carousel Restaurant. On the following day, we would explore the shops on Melrose Avenue then we would end the day by taking a dance class at Playground LA.

Some of the other activities I would plan would be attending a concert, going to a brewery, going to an arcade, etc.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I want to dedicate this shoutout to my beautiful mom aka my greatest friend and #1 supporter. She is someone I have always looked up to and I can always count on her to be there for me. She has always believed in me. After every audition I attended, I always talked to my mom whether it was in person or on the phone. For each of these conversations, she would listen to me vent first then she would share some advice with me. She shared a great amount of advice to me and one suggestion that I always keep in my mind is when she told me to never give up and keep going after my dreams. She told me that she was proud of me for getting out of my comfort zone at the auditions and for trying out more than once. She told me to look at these obstacles as lessons. So that’s exactly what I did. I learned lessons along the way and those lessons have proven to be beneficial for my current career. My mom has always been there for me. She has always been my #1 cheerleader. My mom is genuinely happy for me and proud of me whenever I tell her about the gigs I’m working. She has told me many times that she is so happy to see me doing what I love. There are still so many things I want to learn from her, and I know that she still has so much great advice to share with me. All this to say, thank you mom for always believing in me, being there for me, and for being the best person I know. I would not be who I am without you.

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thedanianasri/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DaniaENasri/

Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@danianasri?lang=en

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