Taryn began dancing as a child, expanding into modeling, baton, cheerleading, martial arts, and vocal. Her talent and hard work made her way to win the 1993 season title of Junior Dance Grand Champion. She became an esteemed Dance & Cheer Adjudicator while also traveling the country as a Guest Choreographer & Master Teacher.
For Star Search – Orlando, FL
Currently, with a focus on overall Wellness & Family, she has transitioned her efforts into a new chapter of Motherhood, healthy lifestyle goals, & expanding her entrepreneurial efforts into her new highly successful growing seasonal business, SLAY THE SNOW – All Natural Shaved Ice- offering healthier & delicious natural alternatives for everyone to enjoy!
Women Fitness Team catches up with Taryn T. Francis as she unfolds her journey as a dancer, wife, mother and an entrepreneur to serve as an inspiration as we enter the New Year.
Namita Nayyar:
You began dancing at the tender age of 2 along with gymnastics at the age of 4. What attracted you towards these sports?
Taryn T. Francis:
I was literally dancing and flipping around the house! When I happened to see dancing on television, I was mesmerized and copied everything I saw. My mom was also an aerobics instructor teaching adult classes at a local gym where she would bring me to work with her. I loyally observed the classes and was in awe from all the movement, high energy, and music! They eventually allowed me to join in & in special snippets, even lead class – I was only around 3 years old at the time. I began doing community events with the featured instructors as the gym’s “mini mascot” & loved every second. My parents just knew it was time to nurture all these interests by introducing me into classes.
Photo Credit: Whitney Coudray
Namita Nayyar:
How did you end up in the adult-aged dance classes at the age of 7? Please share the series of events that led to the same. What was your daily routine like food, exercise etc?
Taryn T. Francis:
My early dance classes began at my age level, but based on my abilities, my teachers quickly advanced me into the older age groups. I found myself training with adults rather quickly & became my norm. That being said, this was not the norm for the time and usually painted a target on my back where I was more heavily scrutinized by others.
For example, when training abroad in Los Angeles, kids were not allowed in adult classes at the top studios back then – my teachers would sneak me under the radar. Though I was quickly noticed, my general nature, work ethic, and talents garnered the respect of others accepting me to train from a multitude of teachers whenever I was in town. Since I can remember, I always had a “not so ordinary” childhood… while not always easy to navigate along the way, I accepted that early on and it just became who I was – unique in my way.
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This interview is exclusive and taken by Namita Nayyar President of womenfitness.net and should not be reproduced, copied, or hosted in part or full anywhere without express permission.
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For The Salvation Army – Los Angeles, CA
Namita Nayyar:
You won the season title of Junior Dance Grand Champion in 1993. That was thirty years ago. Share the memories that you hold close to your heart of those times.
Taryn T. Francis:
This was such a dream come true. I had watched the show at home for as long as I could remember and would pray & dream about being on the show myself someday. I had recently booked an agent in LA and began auditioning. One day, that call did come thru. I landed an audition!! This was a feat in itself because dance solosists had never been selected prior, and the rest is history.
I remember everything from my audition day to the call of being chosen, my endless hours of training in preparation, to my flight out to Orlando, FL for filming. I was a ball of nerves backstage, but once I took the stage to perform, I beamed like a bright light and performed my little heart out! Finally meeting Ed McMahon in person, working alongside such a wonderful crew & other talent, dancing on the Star Search stage, captivating the judges & audiences around the world, and being so grateful for the entire experience will forever be one of my fondest & most cherished memories. I have received numerous messages from people around the world sharing the fact that I inspired them to become a dancer/performer from watching me on the show… to me, that is such a true gift.
Los Angeles, CA
Namita Nayyar:
You have worked with some of the biggest names in Hollywood such as Michael Jackson, Paula Abdul, Bob Hope, Mc Hammer, Ed McMahon, Rey Lozano, Wade Robson, Kenny Ortega, and Vince Patterson. Your Film & Television credits include work for Disney, ABC, Pepsi, Panasonic, Hawaiian Punch, Glee, Criminal Minds, Super 8 & Saving Mr. Banks to name a few. Congratulations!For that incredible journey! How was your experience working with these stars? Were they instrumental in your growth? According to you what are the key factors to achieve success?
Taryn T. Francis:
Thank you so much… I am forever grateful for the journey in my career spanning from childhood into adulthood. I set goals for myself, worked extremely hard, and set out to achieve them. Each of my successes inspired me to pursue more… I admired the talent of those I was fortunate to work with, and I strived to gain personal growth from every experience.
Looking back, so much of my life has been a whirlwind. At the moment, you live your life with one thing leading to another & another, but when you reflect on a large chunk of your life, it’s almost tough to take it all in. With great success, comes great challenges… and I endured a great deal of that as well. It’s crucial to note that my highs as well as my lows have shaped my journey & the person I am today.
Through my years as a top nationally ranked gymnast and professional dancer, I was taught that my mindset was just as powerful if not more than the physical. My hard-working parents did their best, yet we struggled. I faced ridicule and bullying amongst my peers growing up because I was different. I routinely felt rejection in my field based on my petite height, body type, appearance, status, etc. My industry path was full of discerning judgment, abusive environments, sexism, & criticism, with high pressure & levels of rejection. Despite all of this, I gained my motivation & perseverance through my faith in prayer, visualization, and a strong & positive mindset while always leading with a grateful heart – never “expecting” anything.
Ajja DeShayne – Maui, HI
Namita Nayyar:
How did you go about balancing your personal &professional life along with taking good care of your health? Share more input about your diet & fitness routine.
Taryn T. Francis:
Most of my life was devoted to my training & professional career until I grew closer to adulthood. Though still heavily focused on my goals and career, I began to carve out a better balance of my personal & professional life. This meant weaving in time for fun with friends, and quality time with family while taking care of myself.
By my mid-late twenties, I decided to also create more time to find a quality life partner to share the rest of my life with. Thankfully, I found the love of my life to enter my next chapter. Together, we share a goal of achieving a healthy balance of life through wellness, balancing our personal & professional endeavors, valuing quality family time, eating wholesome quality foods, getting in regular healthy movement, & enjoying nature walks.
Ajja DeShayne – Malibu, CA
Namita Nayyar:
Did marriage and motherhood affect your career in any way, what were the shifts in priorities and how did you cope with them? Has motherhood changed your dance routine?
Taryn T. Francis:
My current chapter has been the most life-altering yet rewarding phase of my life. A few years back, I pushed a pause on my career to focus on motherhood. 4 years ago, my life changed forever as we welcomed our son into the world – my greatest accomplishment to date.
Though my pregnancy was very smooth, my birthing experience was a bit traumatic, resulting in an unplanned C-section. However, my saving grace is the gratitude I have for our beautiful little boy who keeps us on our toes every single day! 2 years ago, I, unfortunately, endured a risky failed pregnancy which brought its own set of challenges. Allowing myself additional time and grace to adjust through these life changes has been a bit tough for me, but accepting that change isn’t always “instant” has been the key. The past few years have been devoted to my healing journey, and my growth as a person, wife, and mother, while navigating full-time parenthood alongside some exciting new endeavors!
Namita Nayyar:
Your latest venture is, entrepreneurial efforts with a new business, SLAY THE SNOW – All Natural Shaved Ice. A fun new take on the iconic treat offering healthier & delicious natural alternatives for everyone to enjoy! Please throw some light on this new venture of yours.
Taryn T. Francis:
Yes – This is one of those exciting new endeavors… you honestly never know where life can take you! I was pregnant with our son, and I envisioned this entire business concept one day. Almost feeling out of the blue yet too compelling not to go for it, my husband and I decided to set the wheel in motion and just went for it!
Since June 2019, we’ve been in seasonal operation & on a mission to deliver the best-shaved ice experience offering exclusively All-Natural flavors FREE from artificial dyes, flavoring, & high fructose corn syrup. We use eco-friendly cups & spoons, and cutting-edge water filtration for our ice blocks. Our growing award-winning business has catered and served thousands of people at various events over the past 4 years and we look forward to more expansion in 2024. It has been so fulfilling to spread so much joy through this little biz of ours while serving a quality product for everyone to enjoy. We are very excited to see where this dream takes us!
Namita Nayyar:
Motivational quote you live by
Taryn T. Francis:
“Don’t be pushed around by the fears in your mind. Be led by the dreams in your heart.” -Roy T. Bennett
Namita Nayyar:
Share your message for all the females out there to achieve their dreams and aspirations in 2024. How do you plan to celebrate Christmas and New Year?
Taryn T. Francis:
I cannot believe the holidays are among us already! We’ll be spending quality time as a family with our son, fur babies, and extended family – We love creating new memories with our son & it’s so fun to relive Christmas through his precious little eyes.
As far as advice in the New Year, I am still a constant work in progress myself, but I would say… In 2024, be uniquely YOU, in the very best way possible! If you have dreams, set them in motion – don’t wait. Amidst the heaviness in the world today and all of our daily responsibilities, do your very best to prioritize your health & wellness goals, find your “heart” and do things that make your heart happy.
This interview is exclusive and taken by Namita Nayyar President womenfitness.net and should not be reproduced, copied, or hosted in part or full anywhere without express permission.
All Written Content Copyright © 2024 Women Fitness