I was seven years old when my mom decided to enroll me in ballet classes at the Institute of Culture in Mexico City. Initially, I wasn’t thrilled about it. In fact, I disliked it because the teachers were quite harsh. However, during my first recital, I felt a mix of nervousness and excitement. When the performance ended, the joy and exhilaration I experienced were feelings I wanted to relive repeatedly.
After two years of dancing there, I was fortunate to have an amazing teacher named Monica Pizano. She inspired me and took me to see Swan Lake. I instantly fell in love with it and declared, “I want to be one of those beautiful ballerinas one day!”
It was the same teacher who introduced me to the National Center of the Arts in Mexico City, where the National Dance School is located. Along with my mom, we inquired about the selection process to enter the school. I took the application home and pondered over it. The school was far from where I lived, the training was intense, with sessions every day from 7:00 am to noon, followed by lunch and regular school subjects from 1:00 pm to 6:10 pm. It seemed daunting to even consider such a schedule! Moreover, committing to this meant sacrificing time with family and friends and dedicating myself fully to dance education at the age of 12, with a ballet career spanning eight years.
After much deliberation, I decided to give it a try. The selection process was rigorous, with numerous tests and auditions. It took days and weeks before we finally received the results. Out of approximately 300 girls, only three with ballet training and eleven beginners were accepted.
I was placed in the third level of ballet technique. My classmates were friendly and welcoming, the dance studios were enormous, and we had live pianists – it was a dream come true, though the teachers remained extremely strict and occasionally harsh.
The rigorous dance education shaped me into a person with determination, discipline, and willpower.
I stopped dancing for six years before moving to the United States, where new opportunities awaited me. I resumed dancing under the guidance of wonderful ballet directors and discovered my passion for Flamenco dance.
I am forever grateful to my mom for giving me the gift of dance. It has taken me to amazing places, introduced me to wonderful people, teachers, and mentors, and now I get to pass along that knowledge and passion when I teach a class or perform on stage. Dance has always been a constant in my life, in one way or another.