Katie Orelien

I attribute my success to perseverance and a lot of grit. There are always going to be doors that won't open immediately, and as long as you persist, either you'll be redirected to a better door, or that door will eventually open. I also do a lot of research and just try to make the impossible happen. It's about not giving up when things get difficult and continuing to push forward even when the path isn't clear.

The best career advice I ever received is that there's no such thing as oversaturation. There's always a lane and a way for someone to enter a space and make it their own. This advice has helped me understand that even in crowded fields, you can carve out your own unique path and create opportunities for yourself.

My advice to young women entering this industry is to stay committed to consistent, specialized training and to fully invest in developing both your technical skill and artistic voice. I continue to refine my craft through focused training at acrogyms such as Cirque House in New York City, Acrogravity, and Aqua Gravity in Miami, where I build strength, precision, and versatility in aerial disciplines like hoop, silks, and lollipop lyra, supported by a foundation in ballet and contemporary dance. Equally important is understanding that this field requires discipline beyond performance itself—on a typical day, I balance client relations, creative direction, social media outreach, and ongoing rehearsals and training. Growth in this space comes from consistency, professionalism, and surrounding yourself with mentors and environments that challenge you to elevate your standards while staying true to your creative identity.

The biggest challenges in my field right now come from the fact that aerial arts is moving from being a circus art to being a formal dance art. A lot of the preconceived notions that come with dance arts and gymnastic arts, like sizeism and racism, and a lot of different things that come with traditional dance forms, are definitely being embedded into aerial arts. What's interesting is that it's never really the clientele that's pushing these agendas, it's really just other performers. So we're fighting through these challenges as the field transitions and professionalizes.

The value most important to me in my work and personal life is perseverance. There are always going to be doors that won't open immediately, and as long as you persist, either you'll be redirected to a better door, or that door will eventually open. I believe in continuing to push forward even when faced with obstacles, trusting that persistence will either lead you to the right opportunity or eventually open the doors you're trying to get through.