Interview by Lori Bizzoco. Written by Gillian Lee
Who hasn’t heard of Dance Moms? Virtually nobody. So you’ve most likely seen dancing legend Ava Cota, but did you know just how much this young starlet has accomplished? At just 16 years old, Cota is not only a professional dancer and reality star, but she recently added model and media influencer to her repertoire, with the goal of spreading positivity. Cota started dancing at a young age and was trained at a studio founded by her mother. She says that this inspired her to become the dancer she is today. Realizing she had a passion for dance, Cota wanted to dance professionally and has certainly succeeded in her dream. In our celebrity interview, we talk to Cota about her dancing life and what she dreams of next.
Celebrity Interview with Ava Cota: Spreading Positivity
While discussing competitive dancing, Cota explains that dance competitions aren’t about who wins or comes in first. She says it is about being on stage and performing. “It’s easy to get caught up in the competition aspect of it,” Cota tells us but cautions that a little bit of rejection is not a bad thing. Cota says that she loves all forms of dance but if she had to choose a favorite, it would currently be contemporary.
Dancing wasn’t always an easy journey for this six foot tall teenager. “It was a challenge,” she explained. “But dancing through constant growth spurts helped me with my balance and coordination.” Cota tells us that her growth made her develop extra muscles, giving her awareness and confidence of her body. “Dancing is very different for tall girls, so I had additional learning to do,”
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Dancing has had its advantages, this past fall Cota was in New York City for Fashion Week and had the opportunity to walk the runway, sporting looks from numerous designers. With long legs and a perfect posture, modeling could be a natural calling for this dancer turned model. Cota mentioned during our interview that she recently partnered with a designer to start her own clothing line. “My style has a casual feel, but with the ability to dress it up if you’d like,” she said, “It has the vibe of Pretty Little Liars meets New York City.”
With a busy schedule, she says that there is no time to be a normal teenager! Cupid’s Pulse asked Cota how she finds ways to relax with her friends and feel normal while juggling all of the demands of fame. She said, “I was never that kid that wanted the normal.” She’s never had a normal life and, at the moment, she isn’t really looking to create one. When asked about the all-important love life teenagers typically chase, Cota said she doesn’t have time for boyfriends. We can understand why!
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At only 16 years old, Cota has developed a network and presence of influence and she is passionate about using her platform to spread positivity. Her motto is, “Self love creates self happiness,” and she shares this with those around her. This is such a powerful statement in a world built around technology; growing up with social media can be hard on those who don’t have self confidence. But Cota is trying to break through that tough barrier and spread messages on body positivity and self happiness. The world needs more uplifting spirits like Cota.
Before we wrapped our interview, we had to ask Cota about her future goals. For someone so young, she has accomplished so much already. But the one thing she remains constant about is this: “I want to use my platform as an influencer to share my message and spread positivity.”
You can keep up with Ava and her journey by following her Instagram @ava.michelle and her Twitter @avamichelle2002. Keep up with her daily life by following her on Snapchat at @avamichelle_02.
