Today we’d like to introduce you to Danielle Perez.
Hi Danielle, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
Okay so… long story short… well… not really short but here it is… My name is Danielle Perez, I am 24 years old and I was born and raised in Miami, Florida.
It “began” when I was two years old. It was a Sunday morning and my parents were going to church and took me along. I was only a child so I stayed beside them. Throughout the service, they would sing worship songs and I guess little me was dancing. The music was clearly something my body understood even if my brain didn’t. It wasn’t until the end of the service when a woman approached my mom and told her that she had noticed me throughout the service and expressed how musical I am as a baby and that I am probably going to grow up to be some sort of artist…and that was that. My mom enrolled me in classes at a MJM Dance Studio when I turned three. As I began to get a bit older, my dad encouraged me to get into Tennis. So I juggled Tennis and Dance for about three years until my mom made me “choose” one to focus on…which I later found out she basically nudged me into sticking with dance so she wouldn’t have to sit in the heat all day haha… typical mother.
Growing up I was a very physical and athletic girl. I loved to be challenged and prove to myself I can be the best at whatever I can do. I realized that when I was the only one, let alone a girl, who won the “Presidential Fitness Award” out of my whole elementary school. That was the first time I ever felt proud of myself.
Entering middle school, I decided to join the JR Varsity Dance Team. My routine then became School, Dance Team AND then competitive dance classes during the week and weekend. I enjoyed it so much it didn’t even feel like work. It wasn’t until I was close to graduating middle school when word started going around about dancers auditioning for this Performing Arts High School in downtown Miami. I did some research and saw that for the dance program specifically, it was more concert work based (ballet, modern, contemporary work) vs commercial (jazz/street-jazz and hip hop). I had never taken modern and was still new to the style of contemporary, so I was contemplating whether this was for me or not.
I ended up auditioning and surprised myself with how much I enjoyed the process. A couple of weeks later I got an acceptance letter to the school, which made me have a long and hard debate about if this is what I wanted. This was the first time I had any thought about dance being my career. Before that, it was just something that I loved to do.
I decided to give it a go, try my first year out at New World School of the Arts.
Sooooo basically I fell in LOVE with the program, the teachers, the school and the people there. I made the decision to stay all four years.
I’ll never forget the first time I experienced being in an environment surrounded by passionate and hard-working artists. It was confirmation for myself that I was in the right place.
Two years in I had a friend suggest I should audition for The Juilliard School summer program. I laughed. Although I had been putting in the work since as long as I can remember, I doubted myself. I thought about how big the name sounded and I felt so little, and although I was scared I didn’t stop myself from trying. I went into the audition with the intention of just taking it as a class and not thinking too much about it. I remember coming out of the audition nervous but smiling because no matter what, I felt good. I did the best I could do.
One month later I received an email saying I got into the summer program! I was shocked, nervous, and excited all at once… “could this be actually happening” is what I thought.
My mom reminds me to this day of my facial expression on the plane arriving in New York. I said “This is where I want to live” and she saw my face and said she knew one day I would.
Long story short, it was the most incredible two weeks of my life at the time. I learned so much and fell even more in love with dance, New York and Juilliard.
On my way back home I told myself that attending Juilliard and living in New York is the dream I wanted to make my reality. The first dream/goal I ever really set for myself.
I auditioned for the second time my junior year of high school for the summer program. I wanted them to know how bad I wanted it because when you want something you go for it and you don’t look back.
I got in and was again reminded of my dream that could be closer than ever.
My senior year is here and I am fully aware that this is the year where everything could change…
I continued to put in the work and audition/apply for colleges..knowing there was only one place I wanted to be. Fast Forward, I got in.
I’ll never forget the moment I got the phone call and ran out of the dance studio, all of my dancer classmates hiding behind a door to wait for my reaction. I began to cry on the phone when Larry told me I was accepted into Juilliard’s 2021 dance program. Tears of happiness and screams of joy led all of my friends running toward me with so much excitement. I’d say that was one of the most memorable and most beautiful moments I’ve ever had in my life. All the hard work, sacrifices I made, time I put in… it was more than worth it. To have the support of all the people I loved and looked up to right there next to me while I received the best news of my life. I don’t have the words for it. A feeling ill never forget. The next four years, I attended The Juilliard School…my dream.
The most influential, grueling, emotional and inspiring four years of my life. Let alone 2 of those years (Junior and Senior years) were interrupted by COVID, and that was really tough. I became a whole new person through that journey and I am forever grateful for it.
After graduating, I moved to Atlanta, where my mom decided to move my senior year because she too wanted a fresh start. I came here in 2021 with NO idea where I was going next, still in the midst of the pandemic. I took some time off to reflect on the last four years of my life and next. Who was I going to be now? And what would I do?
These are the questions that led me to the Atlanta dance/artist community. I came here not knowing anything about the city or anyone. I was a girl who was lost and felt defeated by the world. But Atlanta…ATL helped light that fire within myself that felt nearly gone. The community here not only helped me accept my individuality but use it to my own advantage. It reminded me that I have the ability to make ANYTHING happen. I have the ability to create and recreate myself as many times as I need. I have the ability to be my own boss and influence the world how I want too, and for that, I thank the ATL community. I admire how strong and determined everyone is here. It keeps my fire lit within myself and I believe that is exactly what the ATL community is for, to continue to motivate and inspire each other to do exactly what we were individually meant for…
This is my second year in Atlanta and I am still here fighting for me and what I’m meant to do.
Currently, I am a dancer/dance teacher/choreographer here in ATL, while also in a Talent Agency called XCEL, while also being introduced to new forms of art and going for it. I don’t ever want to limit myself because I don’t want to limit my future. I am excited for what’s to come, but I’m more excited about the journey it comes with.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
I personally don’t believe anything comes easy. Accomplishing some of your biggest dreams can come with the hardest obstacles. Personally, most of the struggles I’ve gone through have been battles between/within myself. As an artist you are always looking for “what’s the next big thing?” and I feel like it really never gives you a chance to take in what’s current. You get so caught up in the noise and all the success you want that it can drift you away from who you are.
I find myself constantly being pulled away from what I’m meant to be doing because I too get distracted by other accomplishments or wants. Maybe getting older and seeing the real world and how it works made me fearful. Fearful that I could not live up to the expectations, but in reality the only expectations that should matter are the ones I have for myself.
I find myself asking questions that are only going to doubt and defeat me. What will they think of me? Will I disappoint them? Why didn’t I get the job? Why can’t that be me? Am I not good enough?
Like, why am I trying to be or do something someone else has done? Have I forgotten my own purpose? And that answer was yes. I got lost. I had a dream, I got it and then I got lost in all the noise. This industry is something I knew wasn’t going to be easy but no one really prepares you for how it can destroy internally if you let it. IF YOU let yourself buy into all the noise and all the judgement and criticism from not only the world but yourself. I let it all get the best of me and I almost let it ruin me, tire me, burn me out… but I wake up. Yes, that is grammatically incorrect but I say wake up because this is not something that just goes away. It’s a fight. Every. Single. Day.
The fight against me vs my head. My head will continue to try and get the best of me, and that is because I expect the best from me. But I will not allow it to take anything from me. I have so much to offer myself, others and the world. I have so much more to prove to myself and I will not let my mind get the best of me. I will continue to fight for as long as I need because in the end I love what I do and I am so good at it.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
After graduating Juilliard and taking the year to build my confidence back up, I’ve had the opportunity to teach children and adults dance here in ATL. And this is when I started to realize I have the gift of educating… Yes, I am a performer and a really good one and yes I can do absolutely any style I put my mind to…but what Im most confident in is my teaching skills. Being a teacher comes easy to me. I am aware that everyone has a different way of learning but I believe no matter who you are or how you learn I can help. Visual learner? I got you. Verbal Learner? I got you. Kinaesthetic learner? I got you! To me, what makes a great teacher is their patience and ability to want to help. I don’t care how long it’ll take us, I won’t give up. Being a teacher isn’t easy, but being able to watch their growth and see their expressions when they feel accomplished, makes me feel beyond proud. If I know anything it’s that without the help of my teachers/mentors when I was younger I wouldn’t be where I am. I owe it to them and to myself to help educate these students the best I can.
Who else deserves credit in your story?
Oh, man do I have so many mentors but I’ll name only 3 of them…
1) Melinda Marie Marrero – My mentor/teacher when I first started dancing. Melinda taught me the meaning of hard work. She saw my potential and she never stopped pushing me to be better, and for that I will forever be thankful for her.
2) Amanda Tea – My mentor/teacher in middle/high school. Amanda was my 2nd mentor. Amanda taught me not only about passion but about life. I didn’t just go to dance and learn a couple of moves…no. She taught me how to relate. To feel. To express myself. She made me notice that dance was so much more than movement. It was about expression. No matter what she was going through she always showed up, and she showed through her work. The pieces she created…the lessons she taught…the fights she fought…I saw and felt it all through her. She opened my eyes. I saw her express her life and her struggles through her own movement, and that showed me how much I will be relying on dance to save me throughout life. And it has. Amanda changed my life.
3) My mom. Julie Durrough.
I can go on and on about how I feel I owe this woman my life. Absolutely nothing would’ve been possible without her. Being 24 and reflecting on everything my mom did for me while going through her own battles shows me that I had a warrior raising me. I know for a fact it was tough putting me first and going above and beyond to make the life that I wanted happen. But she did it. She pushed for me even when I didn’t have it in me. She knew what I was capable of and she didn’t let me forget. She made it all happen for me. I love you mom and I hope I can make it all up to you..you are my rock. My superwoman.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: @danielleeperezzz
