Meet Terrin Mobley | Dancer & Choreographer

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

Hi Terrin, how do you think about risk?
As a child, I was afraid of everything. Adults, other kids, my gymnastics skills. I was easily intimidated and I wanted so badly to get everything just right. As I got older, I started to grow out of it, but it was dance that helped me shed that risk aversion entirely. It began with turning down a college scholarship in gymnastics to train dance instead. In college, I studied pre-medicine. I actually have two degrees (psychology and exercise science) and 2 minors (chemistry and Spanish) from my university. I thought my path was set on going to medical school and becoming a doctor. It was my second biggest risk to date that I gave up that dream in pursuit of dance and choreography. Following graduation I ended up working for the government for five very long years in which I used my salary to pay for trips to audition and dance training. I even started my own dance company to provide myself with an outlet for my art. My coworkers would often catch me free-styling or making up choreography (hip hop and gymnastics) in the parking lot on my work breaks. In 2016, my mom lost her battle with cancer. That inspired me to take the biggest risk I’ve ever taken and move across the country to LA. I left my salaried position, sold my house and me and my husband booked a one-way ticket. We left our families, our jobs, our house, our entire life so I could just try for this dream I have of dance and choreography. The role risk has played in my life and career has been monumental in taking leap of faith after leap of faith.

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.
The start of my professional choreography career is in choreographing gymnastics floor routines, It’s something I absolutely love to do! My foundation in gymnastics has taught me to approach creating and dance through that lens. I love to tell a story and every single routine I created had a theme or character in mind that I wanted each gymnast to bring to life. In dance, I do that for myself. Performance is my super power and I love to be on stage connecting with people. Getting to where I am has been an exercise in mental toughness. This industry isn’t easy and you have to become comfortable with rejection. The biggest lesson I’ve learned through my journey is to own my authenticity. When I first got to LA, I was blessed with amazing mentors and friends. But getting started in the industry often requires”playing the game” and that was the advice given to me. So I tried. I tried so hard to have the right hair, the right outfit, take the right classes, and just be the “right” person for every job, Even typing all that is exhausting. Having a baby disrupted that cycle for me. I had to slow down and listen to myself more. I took time off from dance to focus on my family and coming back into it I am much more mentally prepared and more in tune with who I am, what I want, and am able to better execute what I do. The day I leave this world to whatever comes next, I don’t want to be described as quiet or safe. There’s nothing wrong with those things, but I want people to say I lived my life out loud. That even when I was afraid, I went for it. I want my son to see how I was bold and know that those pieces of bravery and strength and boldness are in him too.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I am lucky enough to have my best friend live in LA too! Give us a week together though and we will have a blast. We’d start the week with a trip to Santa Barbara. The downtown area is too cute and they have insomnia cookies, Add cliffs and the ocean and we’re in heaven. I love to shop, so we’d for sure have to spend some time at the Glendale Galleria and Americana. I am also a huge book lover so a trip to Barnes and Noble followed by reading together at the nearest park will always be on the to-do list with us. Amazing food is always a must, so while we’d eat at some places we love (Fresh Corn Grill, Cheesecake Factory; not that exciting I know! ) we love to discover new places. I just discovered SoulDeliciousLA on TikTok and it is on my to do list. Our last bit of outing would absolutely be spent at Disneyland, Little kid fun is the best kind of fun! For me, it’s less about the what and more about the who. No matter the adventure, it’s the quality time that matters most to me.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
There are 4 people that I credit with my success. My mom who inspired me, motivated me and taught me what courage looks like, my sister who was the first person to believe in me and my dream (she literally sat and watched me at weekend dance conventions so I wouldn’t be alone), my husband who has been my rock and made sure that I had all the support I needed to pursue my dream, and my son who introduces me to the world through his eyes and motivates me to practice every bit of what I preach.

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

Image Credits
Headshots in pink pants and all black: Alissa Roseborough
Headshots in mint shirt: Wes Klain
Photo with kids: Keegan Barnes