Karina Smirnoff is a Lean, Green Dancing Machine

 
Dancing with the Stars fans know Karina Smirnoff for her fancy footwork. Samba, foxtrot, Viennese waltz—there’s nothing this dance dynamo can’t do, apparently. So it may come as a surprise to find that, until this summer, the five-time U.S. national champion ballroom dancer had no idea how to ride a bike. "I did know how," she protests. "I just didn’t know that I knew. I tried to learn when I was seven, but I didn’t like to fall, so I never tried again." That changed on a recent visit to Paris, when Smirnoff’s traveling companion convinced her to give one of the city’s Vélib rental bikes a whirl. Now, Smirnoff is putting her mettle to the pedal, cycling to the dance studio in Los Angeles she’s about to open, and building with eco-principles high in mind. Here, the entertainer/entrepreneur/soon-to-be author talks about how she got on the green beat.

So, you’re busy. You just wrapped a Broadway show, you’re shooting the new season of Dancing with the Stars, you’re writing two books, and you’re opening a dance studio. And paparazzi follow you around. Honestly, I’m not sure what to ask about first.

And there’s the PETA campaign, too. I’m really excited about that coming out. You know, they always do, "I’d rather go naked than wear fur." But for me, it’s "I’d rather dance naked."

Were you wary about going totally starkers? I mean, those costumes you wear when you’re dancing are pretty revealing, but still….

Ugh, it was so embarrassing. But you have to do it, because it’s such a great, great cause. Anyway, that’s what I kept telling myself when I was preparing to go get shot. They kept saying, "Karina, are you ready?" And I was like, "No!" But, I mean, I have this spotlight with Dancing with the Stars, and I should use it. There are other people who go out to the places where they kill baby seals; I can do this instead.

The dance studio you’re building in L.A. incorporates a lot of green principles—thelighting plan emphasizes natural light, for example, and the floorboards are compressed wood rather than beam. How did you get interested in that stuff?

There was never one moment when I said, "Ahh, I’m going to go green." But in Los Angeles, it’s part of the conversation, and the more I started to think about how all these issues affect me, and affect my family and all the people around me, the more I realized that I had to make some changes to my lifestyle in order to do things in a better way. And as I said, I know I have this spotlight on me right now, and I do feel like that gives me a responsibility to set a good example. So, the dance studio was one way to do that, and as we began to research materials and things like this, it really became clear that a lot of these green ideas are just more like common sense. Using sunlight as much as possible, for instance. And non-toxic paints. It’s a dance studio—it should be a healthy environment.

Read more about Karina after the jump...

Do you think that sustainability issues are particularly relevant to a dancer?

Well, to do three minutes of full-on dancing, you have to be in top-notch shape. And anything that makes it harder to take care of your body, like the air not being clean, is a problem.

One of the books you’re working on is a fitness guide; what’s the other one?

It’s a memoir. A happy memoir, about how my family moved here from Russia, all the way through Dancing with the Stars.

Are there any health tricks you brought with you from Russia?

Well, some of these are in the book. But you know, I’m also half-Greek, and I will say it’s a good thing to drink olive oil in the morning.

Olive oil? That sounds disgusting, frankly.

But it regulates your digestion and wraps your stomach, so you don’t get as hungryand crave food you shouldn’t crave. Twoin-one. And it’s great for your skin, too, sothat’s three benefits! Very efficient, and all-natural—like riding a bike.

To get Karina's eco-friendly style, check out the Alternative Earth collection!

Comments

[Vaughan]

Awesome article! Salute to Karina really getting into her dancing career - after she finished competing too! She is still one of my preferred lady dancers. I am a ballroom and latin dancer. Well done and keep inspiring many other dancers to keep on keeping on! :)

[dance costume]

I am a big fan of Karina Smirnoff. She is really a great dancer. I love her dance costumes that she wears in her every dance performance. Thanks for sharing about her.