I was born in Bogotá, Colombia and have grown up traveling between Charlotte, NC and Colombia. I have been a part of CLDC since its formation. Living in Charlotte, we longed for more of our Colombian/Latino culture here, so my mother started a group where we could listen to our folkloric music and learn dances from various Latino countries. Through high school and college, I went from being a student dancer to teaching the younger children in CLDC, and advancing to become the lead choreographer and instructor. I have had opportunities to train in Colombia and Mexico, with professional dancers from Ballet Folklórico Yutavaso and Ballet Folklórico de México de Amalia Hernández. I was also honored to perform a Flamenco piece in Charlotte's first Spanish Opera, "La Vida Breve," at the Blumenthal's Belk Theater in January, 2007. After 15 years with the company, what keeps me participating is the pride and enthusiasm the dancers and their parents show for our company’s authenticity, what we stand for, and what the students are learning. The students learn about the heritage of each dance/country and the differences and similarities between them. More importantly, they learn to be confident in themselves, good posture, how to feel comfortable in front of large groups of people, responsibility, professionalism, teamwork, and the fruits of dedication and hard work. I'm proud to say that our yearly performance at the McGlohon Theater, "Dancing Through Latin America," is the only one of its kind in the Charlotte-Metro area. We are proud to be sponsored by leaders of our artistic community, including The Blumenthal Performing Arts Center and The Arts and Science Council. Outside of CLDC, I am an alumnae of UNC-Charlotte with a BSN and have been a Pediatric Nurse for 7 years.