Meet Noora Pohjanen | Dancer & Costume designer
We had the good fortune of connecting with Noora Pohjanen and we’ve shared our conversation below.
Hi Noora, can you tell us more about your background and the role it’s played in shaping who you are today?
I was born & raised in Finland. I started doing gymnastics at the age of 6 till I was 17. My childhood was mostly spending time at the gym training or at competitions. I wasn’t naturally gifted in Aesthetic group gymnastics but my mentality of working extremely hard since the first time I stepped into to my first training session, led me later to winning nationals 12 times and became a member of national team of Finland, winning multiple international titles including World championships twice.
After I retired from gymnastics I told everyone loud and proud I won’t do anything as much time consuming as gymnastics was ever again. After a small break of doing nothing I started taking dance classes here and there. Started in beginners classes but after every class my teachers came to me and told me to change to more difficult level. Soon I was already taking classes daily with pre professionals and professionals. Tried to stay up with those who had trained dance their whole lives. I’ve always loved learning new skills and I’m a little bit perfectionist too. My professional athlete mentality helped me thru harder days when I felt I was doing everything wrong. Countless times I stayed hours after classes alone at the studio figuring out new steps and different ways to move. Didn’t let myself to leave before I had learned everything. After only few years of hard training I already started booking jobs as a dancer, choreographer and started to teach dance classes. I’ve been also really fortunate to represent my country as national team member, competing overseas and also winning medal from World championships as well as winning multiple national titles in Finnish nationals in dance too.
At the same time I started dancing, I started to design and sew gymnastics leotards as a side hustle. Soon the dance studios I was training and working at also found out my costume design & sewing skills so I also started to make costumes for dancers too. Within few months it became more than just a side hustle and started my own clothing brand business. Most of the times I make everything thru my own brand but I’ve also created costumes for TV shows such as Dancing with the Stars Finland. My favorite jobs are always if I can combine dance and costume design somehow!
I started dancing “late” and my business I started “early” as 18yr old. Having that professional athlete mentality programmed in to my brain since I was a kid has created really beautiful life for me that I couldn’t ever even dream of. Wouldn’t be here today, business owner almost 10yrs and as a professional dancer, costume designer and seamstress traveling all over the world without my background & work ethic !
Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I believe universe always has a plan. I never planned or even dreamed this kind of life I’m living right now but now, wouldn’t want it any other way! Taking risks led me here. Both of careers, dancing and costume designing, started by accident and started to do both first as a hobby as a normal high school teenager. I’ve never have had any academical degree in either one of my careers so it has been always learning while doing and learning thru mistakes. In Finland getting college degree is the most important thing no matter what industry you’re working at, everyone is always asking what’s my degree. It hasn’t been the easiest to prove myself without any formal degree especially in a such young age. So I feel I always do twice as much work to prove my worth. But I’d wouldn’t change a thing! I always rather take the hard way than easy way out.
Also the fact that I still do two jobs at the same time is not the most usual thing, costume design & seamstress and dancing. All of my work is project based so sometimes I dance more and sometimes I design more. Sometimes it’s a huge challenge to schedule everything to fit in to my calendar but I think it’s a much needed I still do both. When I dance I push my body physically to the extreme and I travel a lot. I’m moving non stop. But when I sew & design I have to sit down and stay still for hours straight and focus to the smallest details. In a way both of my careers are the opposites to each other but since I make costumes & clothes for dancers all the time, everything in the end of the day includes dancing which is the most important for me!
If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I love nature & calm places and love to start my day in a peaceful environment. I’d start the day by going to hike, Runyon Canyon, Wisdom tree hike, Eaton Canyon hike in Pasadena… or watching sunrise on the beach is one of my other favorite things to start my day with! Then breakfast in one of my favorite places, Super Domestic Coffee (they have THE best avocado toasts in LA!) or some of the coffee shops in Abbott Kinney Road & Venice, Intelligentsia, Butchers Daughter, Gjusta. After breakfast maybe going to see some art. I love exploring galleries & exhibitions. For dinner or drinks to finish up the day, there has been a lot of new spots opening DTLA and especially in Arts District where I’d visit!
Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
When I moved across the world to LA in January this year to elevate my career to next level, my goal was to learn specifically from these guys because they all are extremely talented dancers & choreographers & artists. I’ve been extremely lucky to have all of them not only guiding me in dance but also in life. Now I look up to them up even more what kind of persons they are rather than how successful they are. Because I believe what kind of person you are is always more important than what you do as a job. They’ve also always believed in me more than I’ve believed in myself! I think one of the greatest gifts in life is if you believe in someone so much that they start to believe in themselves too. Forever grateful for Joesar Alva, Scott & Brian Nicholson & Jose “BoyBoi” Tena and Kris Terry.
Instagram: noorapohjanen
Image Credits
Tamminen Photography, Ofer Amir, Sami Ilvonen, Mia Paatsalo, Olarin Voimistelijat, Divet Drag Show, Jasmin Geselle/Anna Abreu
Nominate Someone: ShoutoutLA is built on recommendations and shoutouts from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
