How does your identity and background inform who you are as an artist?

I was raised by three strong independent Asian women and everything that I am as an artist, and more broadly as a person, can be attributed to them. My mother, grandmother, and great aunt all immigrated to America from the Philippines at different points in time. With each one of their experiences, they overcame the tremendous challenges that come along with leaving family and immersing themselves into a new and different culture. The hardship, perseverance, and strength they experienced emanated through them and the stories and lessons that they have taught me. They have instilled these qualities into my life and have filled it with Filipino culture through food, family, and tradition. These influences impact the way in which I view the world and it is this perspective that motivates who I am as an artist.

If you were not a dancer, is there an alternate career path you would have chosen/ Do you have talents or passions outside of dance?

I have nearly completed my undergraduate degree at Harvard University (majoring in Applied Math and minoring in Computer Science). Education has always been a prominent part of my life, and I hope to continue with schooling by attending graduate school and earning my master’s degree. Someday, I hope to use these skills to combine my two passions – the arts and technology – to use optimization and data analysis to impact and improve the arts community.

How has your approach to the career changed over time?

With the pandemic and the cancellation of live shows, it has become apparent that no performance is guaranteed. It has made me even more grateful and appreciative of what I get to do every day. There may be tough and trying rehearsal days, but after these past few years, I have learned to appreciate every moment and every aspect of this career.

What is the best advice that you’ve ever received?

As dancers, we spend so much time and effort on perfecting our technique and finding consistency in our execution of steps. The best advice I have received was a reminder that dance is a live art. Every moment is fleeting and you cannot go back and relive or readjust things. Mistakes are inevitable. Rather than living in fear of messing up or harping on a small hiccup that may have happened on stage, you can immerse yourself in the moment, connect with the audience, and share the joy of performing.

Photos by Angela Sterling & Lindsay Thomas