Tough times have a way of revealing how bad people truly want something. They can either compel people to go after their dreams or veer them away from a dream they thought they wanted.
True enough, it is easy enough to hold on to a dream when the stakes aren’t high. But Victoria holds on to hers even when the easier option is to let go.
Victoria Santaguida, an acclaimed international contemporary dancer, has been sending big waves in the industry since she was young. Having already created a name for herself, she decided to share her talent by teaching aspiring dancers who dream of following in her footsteps. Now, the well-loved mentor has successfully equipped her students with the necessary skills and mindset to get into prestigious schools like LaGuardia School of the Arts and the Juilliard School.
Through the years, she has gained recognition for winning competitions as well as making appearances in music videos of some of the world’s most prominent artists. And driven by her mission of being a source of inspiration, she encourages others to go after their dreams.
Being a mentor and a teacher, Victoria is highly regarded for her expertise in ballet and contemporary dances. But fueled with an ever-dynamic spirit, she set out to expand her horizons by venturing into other styles of dance such as modern, jazz, hip-hop, and tap. And with this extreme work ethic, the dancer emerges as an unrivaled force in the industry.
Although Victoria takes pride in her Canadian roots, she felt the need to take her dreams someplace else. So in 2013, she moved to New York City and got the coveted opportunity of performing with the Joffrey Ballet Concert Group, now known as the New York Dance Project, for three seasons.
After her breakthrough participation in Joffrey, Victoria went on to dance with Complexions Contemporary Ballet under the direction of Dwight Rhoden and Desmond Richardson, where she toured and performed internationally in Jamaica, Switzerland, Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia and across the United States. And in 2017, she joined Nimbus Dance in Jersey City under the tutelage of Samuel Pott.
Despite doing exceptionally well in the United States, Victoria was still not immune to any of life’s challenges. In 2018, the dancer had to suffer an ankle injury that nearly ended her career. But with the warm support of her family, friends, and mentors, she recovered quicker than any doctor thought she would.
Overcoming the ankle injury she sustained, Victoria has emanated a remarkable sense of physical strength. However, she also takes pride in her emotional and mental tenacity that allowed her to endure the arduous process of obtaining her current work visa. And being an immigrant, she considers this monumental feat as a reminder for those who are in a similar situation to never give up on their dreams.
But just when things are finally starting to look up, the dancer once again faces another ordeal – the COVID-19 pandemic. And while this global crisis has caused a lot of artists to give up on their passion and to retire from their careers, it has only pushed Victoria to fight even harder.
Being no stranger to life’s adversities, she knows that undergoing trials are necessary for one to reach the summits of success. Through her persistence, she invites everyone to keep the faith and to trust whatever it is they set their hearts on.
To know more about Victoria, you may visit her Instagram page.
