Today we’d like to introduce you to Andrea Puron.
Andrea, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I started to dance at a very young age, my dance training begins with teachers such as Jillina, Suhaila Salimpour, Laaraisha, Ava Fleming, Fadi El Saadi, Zoe Anwar, Aline Del Castillo, and more.
In 2005 I opened my first dance studio in México with my mom, and together we managed for 12 years. Then I founded Libra Bellydance on November 27, 2015 in México, with the mission of offering a safe space to learn and create a dance community.
“Learning to dance is a liberating experience that enriches body, mind, and spirit, which elevates self-esteem, and destroys the barriers that one and society tend to build.
I use Bellydance as a motor of movement, it is a dance that allows you to connect with your body and mind, creates awareness, and makes you feel more in control and sure of yourself.
I do fusion because it allows me to enrich my body language, express myself, learn, play, and collaborate with talented artists that I admire. It allows me to learn more about those dances and disciplines that inspire me, always from a place of respect, admiration, and learning.
Within fusion, I do Latin fusion because I’m Latina and it is in my blood, it is the music I grew up with and will always be a part of me, it is also a way to honor my culture, and my ancestors, and embrace who I am.
I strongly believe fusion is a reflection of how diverse we are, a magical fusion of cultures, movements, colors, and rhythms, all with unique beauty.
We are diverse, unique, and at the same time equal. I love collaboration, learning, connection, and similarities as well as what makes us different”.
In 2019, I moved to Austin, Texas. Where I met Gabriela Manzano, a talented Latin dancer with whom I immediately connected. This is how together they followed this beautiful project.
Together we create dance classes that empower a positive image of yourself, build confidence, and cultivate a connection between your mind and your body. Creates opportunities for exploring and expressing their sensual selves.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back, would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
It was a difficult road. I arrived in Austin without knowing the city or anyone. I had to start over and with the pandemic in between and my residence process, it was not easy.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I have always been a hard worker and dedicated to what I am passionate about. I really enjoy learning and I consider myself an eternal student.
I love to dance, I studied and I continue studying to be not only a better dancer but a better teacher, which is something that I am very passionate about, teaching others.
Also, I love art in general, so when I ended my Marketing Degree, I studied Modern Art. I had the opportunity to travel and work around my country and Europe, I’m very grateful of all the beauty that I have seen.
So I am a certified Dance Teacher, with a Marketing Degree and a Contemporary Modern Arts Degree.
I am well known for all that and have managed all these years to make them work (sometimes is a lot, haha, but I make it work) I feel proud of everything that I have learned and the way that I can use my knowledge for all my projects, no matter what there are, and also no matter where I am.
Where we are in life is often partly because of others. Who/what else deserves credit for how your story turned out?
My mom is my biggest inspiration and cheerleader. She also was a dancer and a teacher, and she is also a very talented painter and an incredibly creative person.
I had a lot of dancers as an inspiration, and have the opportunity to take courses and workshops with them. Right now, I feel really inspired by Latinx artists, those who are taking traditional Latin music, rhythms, and movements and fusion of them.
There is a new wave of Latinx artists innovating and paying tribute to our culture and I just love it! Veronica Vital is one of these artists that I mention, she is a friend, teacher, and immensely talented dancer, I’m really excited to do big things with her next year.
Talking about talented Latinas, I also thank Gabriela Manzano who went from being my student to my friend to teammate in many projects. She is the reason why I dared to become independent and have my own dance classes.
Together we are behind our Libra Performance Team and Alma Latina Showcase that we are planning to have every year.
I’m grateful for my students, for the love and the trust they place in me.
And in the labor part of Marketing, I have been working with the wonderful Venus Piñeyro for almost a year. Thanks to her, I have delved into the issues of diversity, equity, and inclusion. Something our society so desperately needs
I consider her a mentor, supporter, and definitely the best person I have ever worked for.
She has taught me so much and welcomed me into a beautiful team of women. I feel very blessed to work with them
Contact Info:
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LIBRABELLYDANCE
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCPR6_21f6lDO0HeaVFBJgpA
- Marketing Business: https://www.amarillomkt.com/
Image Credits
Carlos Galarza Photography
