Beyoncé, arguably one of the top performers of all time makes sure she works with the best. Kim Gingras, a Montreal native, and dancer extraordinaire, is on this ¨B team¨. From performing at the Superbowl to being part of world tours with top artists, Kim Gingras has accomplished her dream by making her passion (dance) into a career she is very proud of (as she should!). You might have seen her on the popular show So You Think You Can Dance in 2009, and since then, she has not stopped evolving as a dancer and as a person.
After years living on the road (or LA), her dreams have evolved into creating a passion project with friend Mel Mah. Her new company You Got This Girl (YGTG) is about empowering woman into self-loving adults that follow their dreams. Kim has been practicing this her whole life and we have no doubt that her positive attitude and perseverance will transpire in this innovative project. This bilingual beauty is becoming a sensational role model for many. Her following on Instagram is astonishing and I have no doubt it will keep growing with her inspiring project.
Kim Gingras love of life is captivating, endearing and evident when you read the interview we did with her below!
I have been looking forward to talking to you about your work with none other than BEYONCÉ! What have you learned from working with her?
Oh so much! Beyoncé is an amazing boss and amazing woman. She sets the bar real high. She always gives her 120% and it makes you want to push yourself even more. She also has beautiful and strong values and is a great role model for so many. While on tour with her, I realized that I wanted to use my voice for a better purpose. This is when the development of “YOU GOT THIS, GIRL!” slowly started. Both my friend Mel Mah and I wanted to create a project/business that would help others believe in themselves and in their biggest dreams. Beyoncé was a great influence for that.
What is the best and most difficult part of being a professional dancer?
The best part would be that I get to do what I love for a living. I am constantly surrounded by creativity and artistic people, I get to travel the world and meet so many amazing people and I get to entertain an audience and make them feel happy.
The most difficult part of being a dancer is that this industry has no mercy. You are constantly judged on who you are, what you do, what you look like. It’s very challenging mentally. It’s very important for you to know who you truly are and not let this industry eat you alive.
What has surprised you the most of the dance industry?
I was and will always be baffled by how little recognition dancers get for what they do. Not only salary wise but just in general. We work extremely hard, we are athletes, and we barely get recognized or appreciated for what we do.
What is your biggest achievement so far as a dancer? as a person/entrepreneur?
As a dancer, I would say touring with Beyoncé was my number one goal for many years so I would definitely consider it as my biggest dance achievement. As a person and entrepreneur: definitely my new company YGTG. We launched in September and the feedback has been unreal! I am so excited to see how much this “baby” will grow. I am looking forward to working with new generations and encourage them to be the best that they can be in anything they take on.
Why did you decide to start a business to empower woman (YGTG?) What is the real “story” behind the business?
I have been in this industry for over a decade now and I want to share all the tools I have accumulated throughout those years. I want people to know that, although perfecting your skills is extremely important, there is so much more to it than that. I can’t express it enough: having the right positive mental attitudes will make all the difference.
For the past couple of years, I’ve been wanting to create a way to share my story and help/encourage/inspire the best way that I can. YGTG was created exactly for that.
What are your objectives with YGTG?
Mel Mah and I want young ladies, and eventually young men too, to know their worth. We want to remind them that they are capable of anything they want to accomplish. We are huge believers in dreaming BIG and going after those dreams. We want people attending YGTG to gain confidence and to gain awareness. We want them to know the power behind being positive, having self-love, visualizing what you want and trusting that what is meant to be will be.
We also want to create a sense of community. There is too much competing between women and also men. We feel it is very important to surround yourself with a strong support system, to uplift one another and to wish everyone the best.
Is the business what you want to focus on now (vs the dancing?) and why?
I am definitely not done dancing. I love performing so much. I love the creation process behind every show I do. I also think I have one more world tour in me. I plan to balance both my personal dance career and YGTG as much as possible. I am equally passionate about both those paths but I have to admit that it is so special and so rewarding to hear a little girl come up to me after a YGTG event and say: ” Kim, I haven’t had a lot of confidence in myself in a long time and I just left your class feeling fully confident and ready to take on the world”. Now that is music to my ear.
What was the most surprising thing you learned in the TV show So you think you can dance that was the most useful to your career?
Always be ready for anything. From one job to the next, from one artist to the next, you never know what will be asked of you. You have to have an open mind and be ready to work hard.
I noticed you wrote in French and in English on your Social media – why?
I try to write in English and in French as much as possible on all my social media outlets because those are the two languages I grew up with. I learned French first and then became bilingual in my teenage years. I want to keep both alive and reach out to as many people as possible.
Kim Gingras -with all your accomplishments, you are clearly an empowering woman how would you describe yourself?
I am a very easy going, passionate, hard working being who loves her family, loves adventures and tries to live life to the fullest.
Would you like to add anything else?
Thank you so much for taking the time to speak with me and get to know me a little better. Hopefully, you can take a look at http://www.ygtgofficial.com and spread the word. It’s a beautiful passion project of mine and I really believe that it can make a big difference for a lot of young girls and women. I wish I grew up being taught the importance of self-worth and self-love the way we are spreading it with YGTG.
Find her Instagram account here.
Follow the rabbit on Facebook and Instagram.
Founder/Editor-in-chief/Creative Director. Passionate about the city of Montreal, discovering its various cultural components as well as exploring foreign places. I am inspired by artists, innovative concepts, philanthropy, creative encounters, and cultural events. View all posts by Anne Jano