Where do you call home? Mexico, in a little city called Poza Rica

What are you doing in Barcelona? At the moment I am studying on my Erasmus Exchange. I have enjoyed Barcelona so much…I might just come back to do my masters degree.

What is it that motivates you in life, what are your passions? My biggest motivation in life is my family. They have always been there for me and have supported me with anything that I have ever wanted to do. Every time I have needed advice or a little push, they were there to help me reach my goals. When it comes to what I am passionate about, that is dance. Dancing is what I have done my entire life and the only thing that makes me truly feel comfortable. When I’m dancing, I have this indescribable feeling of freedom, as if nobody else is around or looking, and my body and soul meet each other.

You lose yourself in dancing? Every time. You stop caring about what other people think of anything you are doing because that is no longer important or relevant. Dancing is all about you and feeling excited, comfortable and happy with this form of expression. It’s a feeling that you can only understand when you do something you feel passionate about.

What type of dance do you love most? I started dancing when I was 3 years old, so I have tried everything! I did ballet, jazz, modern dance, rumba, samba, and the list goes on. When I was about 6 years old, my mother took me to a Mexican folkdance class…I hated it! I found it to be so annoying, but she loved it so I continued to give it a chance. After a few years, I fell in into the same trance as my mother, and could understand her love for it. It has given me the opportunity to show my culture to the world through dance, and I think that is what I love most about it. It makes me feel so proud to be Mexican. After 16 years, I love it today more than ever.

Dancing has taken you around the world, yes? Yes, I’ve been in many international folk dance festivals as a dancer. I’ve danced in Turkey, Germany, France, Poland and the United States. I’ve also been a part in hosting the international festival that my university in Mexico hosts. I have met so many different people, and have been exposed to incredibly diverse cultures. We may have different ways of living, thinking, eating, talking…but it is the passion for dance that unifies us and this feeling is quite powerful. It is our common language.

What are your goals as a dancer, what do you hope to achieve? I feel like I will never stop learning new things, but my dream has always been to open an academy and teach others what I have learned through my life as a dancer, that is what excites me most. I want to transmit to others my love for Mexican folkdance and culture. I hope to achieve this !