PORT PORT FOLIO FOLIO
2024
VICTORIA PADILLA CHOREOGRAPHER
TableofContents PERSONAL STATEMENT STATEMENT OF RESEARCH INTERESTS CURRICULUM VITAE 1 2 3
Personal Statement
Dancing is a way of life and for as long as I can remember I have been dancing. When I think of how I discovered dance, simple yet fond memories come to mind of dancing at family parties or listening to my mom’s playlist cleaning the house every Sunday. My passion for dancing and music was always there, which is why I decided I was going to pursue a career in it.
Compared to other art forms, the only tool needed for dancing is your body and mind; that’s what makes it so special to me. Dancing has shaped me to be the person I am today, and it has taught me dedication, discipline, creativity, and passion Being a dancer and an artist comes with its obstacles, but I have made it a point to learn something new every day, big or small and find a way to connect it to my craft.
As a dance scholar, I will strive to search for new ways to be innovative in the dance world This includes but is not limited to earning a livable income as a dancer/artist I know of so many colleagues that love to dance and would pursue it as their career, yet they chose a “safer” career path simply because of the pay While their reasoning is valid, I believe all career paths, especially in the arts, should be required to have a livable income and it’s unfortunate that so many talented artists will only view dancing as their hobby. My passion for dancing is something that will continue to push the boundaries in my exploration and research. If I am given the opportunity to continue my education at Sam Houston State University, I will see to it that I exhaust all resources to make my ambitions a reality.
1
Statement of Research Interests
As an artist, my main point of research is: Practice Based Research
I began this research with the simple question of why do I move? In my discoveries on dance practice, it is important that I fully embed myself and be proactive in my craft. The focus of this research is to understand the relationship between:
• The mind
• The body
• The environment
Any type of intentional movement and being able to reflect on that is research. Yes, movement is essential to this type of research, but I also believe it is important to document movement through either a physical or digital journal to be able to go back and cogitate exactly what occurred during the practice With this, I hope to broaden the horizons for dancers, so they understand how, and more importantly why the bodies move under different circumstances
In my future studies, I hope to delve into research that involves dance education As we know, dance is not the most popular career path, yet majority of people across the world love to dance Dancing has been documented as part of the human experience that goes back to the dawn of time As a future dance educator, I strive to advocate for better wages for all dancers whether in the professional or educational fields. With the help of my research, I would like for dance to be seen as more than just entertainment, more than just a performance. Exploring the body and discovering why we as humans move is not something that can be fully comprehended, but I will continue to push the boundaries through my research practice.
2
VICTORIA PADILLA
vpadilla7@miners.utep.edu (915) 831-0015
El Paso, TX 79907
EDUCATION
The University of Texas At El Paso El Paso, TX • Expected in 05/2024
Bachelor of Fine Arts: Dance With A Concentration in Choreography
Bel Air High School 06/2019
SKILLS
Active Listening
Strength Conditioning
Rehearsal Organization
Music Production
Marketing Plans
Choreography Creation
Practice Schedules
Staff Training
Customer Service
Money Handling
Excellent People Skills
REFERENCES
• Leslie Lopez (915) 504-9146
• Melissa Melpignano (310) 745-9709
• Neri Torres (915) 747-7997
• Susane Paz (915) 219-2796
CHOREOGRAPHER
Proficient at helping dancers’ condition for challenging routines. Good planner, organizer and problem-solver with proven choreography skills and specialization in jazz/pom
EXPERIENCE
University Of Texas At El Paso - Dance Student
• (April 2023) Performed in Gathering For Water: Dance Festival: I was cast in Leslie Arias's senior capstone piece titled "Brincando El Charco".
(April 2024) Choreographed and Performed in Person(hood) Festival: My piece is titled “Interval”
• UTEP - Dance Team Member 08/2019 - 04/2023
• (April 2023) Performed at NDA Nationals in Daytona, FL
• (April 2022) Performed in the UTEP Opera's Luisa Fernanda show.
• (March 2022) Performed at the NCAA CUSA Basketball Tournament in Frisco, TX.
• (November 2021) Performed in the Macy's Thanksgiving Parade in New York City, NY.
• (November 2021) Performed with the UTEP Band at the Alamodome in San Antonio, TX.
• (November 2019) Performed with the UTEP Band at the Alamodome in San Antonio, TX.
• Performed at many UTEP football/basketball/soccer events.
• Choreographed group performances for local high school dance teams
• Taught dance classes to children and adults of different skill levels
Bel Air High School Performing Dance Team-Mu Delta Chi - Dance Team Captain 01/2016 - 01/2019
• (January 2018) Participated and performed in TDEA (Texas Dance Educators Association) convention in Houston, TX.
• (December 2018) Performed in the YISD "Winter Meltdown" as an All Star performer in El Paso, TX.
• • • • • • • • • • CV 3
•