Isabella joins us as a proud representative of her community back in St. Louis, MO.
From watching Selena Quintanilla-Pérez light up the stage, to witnessing her older cousin Tori in one of the most memorable dance recitals she’s seen to this day. Isabella realized she desperately wanted to pursue her passion for dance. At the age of 5, she joined the same studio as her older cousin (Studio J) in Tap, Jazz, and Ballet. Being raised by a hardworking single mother, challenges arose, forcing her to quit dance. It wasn’t until her freshman year of high school that Isabella made it back to her passion by joining her high school’s Dance Team. Struggling with a coach who publicly humiliated her for her neurodivergent way of learning, Isabella took another step back from dance to focus on working to help provide and alleviate some of the financial hardship for her family. About 8 years later (2018), Isabella pursued an audition for “The Boom Boom Room,” a Burlesque Venue in the heart of Downtown St. Louis.
Isabella’s passion was reignited with a FULL THROTTLE, as she enjoyed the creativity of creating her choreography, costumes, and music for her solo performances, while thoroughly enjoying all of the chorus line and group choreographed numbers, glitter, feathers, and costumes. It really ignited her creative mind and spirit, all while showing her a newfound confidence and pride of being on the stage in a very body-positive community! Prioritizing survival, Isabella again took a leave of absence from the dance world. After tragically losing her younger brother, Isabella took a break to work and travel. It wasn’t until returning to St. Louis that Isabella joined the ballroom world. This new community not only reconnected her to her passion for dance, but also challenged her with a new set of business skills and teaching! She quickly realized how much she loved helping others attain their dance goals through various learning styles. Bridging the gap for many and helping grow relationships on the dance floor. She applied her tenacious work ethic so well that shortly after taking on the role of an instructor, she also became the Assistant Studio Manager, where she was able to apply her experience and passion for helping run the business. When she wasn’t submerged in the dance world, Isabella spent her outside time caring for her community through different non-profit organizations and volunteering her services at several local community events. Isabella hopes to bring her compassion, empathetic nature, and resilience to our Fred Astaire team. Isabella hopes to challenge and grow her body and mind, to be the best teacher she can be, by joining the Fred Astaire family. She hopes one day to own her own studio, a lifelong dream from childhood. She can offer programs/non-profit benefits within that studio for struggling mothers and others enduring hardship within her community. She lives each day of her life to make the two most important people, whom she’s lost, proud. Isabella’s favorite part about being a teacher is empathizing with the experience of neurodivergent learning challenges and being able to cater and shape her teaching to aid various learning styles. She loves getting to be a part of her students’ accomplishments in their personal, physical, relationship, and mental health goals; all while giving them an outlet for their own creativity and personal passions in life.
Fun Fact: Isabella is most inspired by her heroes/role models; Josephine Baker, Judy Garland, her Mother, and her (maternal) Grandmother, four powerful and inspiringly resilient women!
