Dance Student Spotlight: Stella Casas Ciniglio

My name is Stella Casas Ciniglio, and I am 20 years old. I am from Puerto Rico and I dance at Centro Danza (by Laura Valentín and Osmay Molina).

@stellaa.casas

Can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.

I started dancing ballet when I was four years old. Throughout the years, I attended various dance schools. And I started expanding my knowledge in other genres of dance such as contemporary, neoclassical, ballroom, jazz, hip-hop, and recently tap. I have interpreted various important ballet roles like Swanilda and Black Swan. I had the opportunity to be president of my high school’s dance team in my senior year, choreograph, compete in four ballet competitions and one ballroom competition. I also had the opportunity to teach dance lessons to little girls, do photoshoots with well-known photographers, and be an ambassador for Dancewear by Patricia, among other amazing opportunities, which I’m beyond grateful for.

We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?

Things have not been so easy. I wasn’t born with the typical ballerina conditions (flexibility, good feet, hyper-extension), so I have had to work double the hard in order to make the most out of what I have and create the best version of myself. But I think that if there is a passion, a drive, and a love for what you do, you will persevere. Yes, it is not easy, but if it were easy, then it would be boring. People need those challenges in order to learn, grow, and succeed in their own peculiar way. My love for dance is unexplainable, so there is nothing that can stop me.

What personal limitations if any did you go through in your young career?

I went through two injuries. One was a stress fracture in the tibia bone, but I was lucky enough that it healed in about two months of rest. The other one is an impingement in the ankle. I was able to reflect and learn a lot from these injuries. In dance, people can learn not only with the body but with the eyes. I also created more consciousness about my body, the importance of dancer cross-training and strengthening, self-care, and mental health, among others.

Has anybody ever tried to limit you on what you could do? If so how did you fight it?

I think that my mind has tried to limit me sometimes. The mind is very powerful, and although it can bring the best out of you, it can also play with your feelings, emotions, self-esteem, etc. I think that my dance teachers, my mom, and my closest friends have helped me enormously to believe in myself and block those negative thoughts. It is still something that I fight with, but they help me a lot and make me very happy and proud.

How do you conquer negative talk?

I try to surround myself with positive people. Nevertheless, if I am in an environment where there is a lot of complaining and negative talk, I avoid contributing to the conversation. I try to change the topic, talk to the persons to make them reflect on what they are saying, or just leave. This is a sensitive yet important topic that needs to be addressed more, specifically during these times, because conquering negative talk is not easy, but it is possible. It is all in the mind.

What is your favorite quote?

"Success isn't handed to us; we earn it" - Misty Copeland

So, what’s next? Any big plans?

I will be joining United Ballet Theatre Company as a Trainee for the 2021-2022 season. It is my first time leaving my island to dance at another place, so I'm very excited about what's to come. I will also be interpreting the role of Juliet for my school's end of the year showcase (I will do the Balcony Pas de Deux), which also makes me very happy and excited.