Taryn Smith recently talked about her adventures with the Mary Lorraine Dance Center's competition team. She said her 10 years of dance training at MLDC taught her skills like discipline and coachability. “My goal isn’t to convince you to row across an ocean,” she told the dance team. “It is to demonstrate that you can do anything you want.”

Smith also has partnered with Girls on the Run, a nonprofit dedicated to empowering young women through sports and mentorship. As an athlete, she said she’s seen firsthand the power of sports in shaping confidence and resilience.

“We are meant to be scared, we are meant to do things that are a little bit stressful because that is what pushes us to grow and be better.

Taryn Smith is not afraid to take a risk, especially when there’s an adventure involved… “You really can do anything you want,” Smith said. “It takes a lot of work and it can be scary, but it’s good to pursue big goals.”

That sense of adventure defines Smith’s outlook on living. It is why, having never rowed a boat, she decided to sign herself up for the World’s Toughest Row, a 3,000-mile unsupported race across the Atlantic Ocean in a rowboat.

Smith signed on to this unparalleled endeavor without prior rowing experience—only a love of adventure… Smith’s ocean row is a desire to live boldly, learn new skills, and take big risks. What seems like a crazy, absurd venture is exactly why she loves this newfound sport.