We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Melissa Padilla a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Melissa, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. We’d love to hear the backstory behind a risk you’ve taken – whether big or small, walk us through what it was like and how it ultimately turned out.

I took a significant risk when I decided to leave my life and career in Tijuana, Mexico to pursue a dance program in New York City. At that point, I had built over a decade of professional experience. I had worked with one of the leading dance companies in Mexico, was teaching and choreographing across multiple studios, and co-directing my own projects and community initiatives. I had stability, recognition, and a strong sense of belonging.
Choosing to step away from all of that at 34 meant letting go of certainty to follow a deeper need for growth. I wanted to expand my artistic voice, challenge my perspective, and continue evolving not only for myself, but for the communities I’m connected to.
Starting over in a new city pushed me in ways I hadn’t experienced before. It required humility, resilience, and a willingness to redefine myself. That transition became a turning point, it deepened my understanding of my work and strengthened my identity as a multidisciplinary performance artist. It reminded me that growth often requires discomfort, and that taking risks is essential to staying alive as a creator.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

I’m a multidisciplinary performance artist working across contemporary dance, choreography, and direction. I’m originally from Tijuana, Mexico, and I started dancing when I was 12, first jazz, then ballet, and eventually contemporary, which is where everything really opened up for me.
I trained with Lux Boreal early on through their pre-professional program, and later completed my professional dance studies at the Escuela Profesional de Danza de Mazatlán (EPDM) in Mazatlán, Sinaloa. After that, I spent six years working with Lux Boreal as a performer, choreographer, and teacher, which really shaped my path.
Alongside that, I’ve always been creating my own projects. I’m the co-founder of SISU Dance Company, where we build work and hold space for the community through accessible training, and I also created Invisible Paradox, a festival that supports emerging and experimental artists.
My work moves between performance, choreography, and teaching. I create pieces, collaborate, and share my practice through Continuum, a floorwork-based training I facilitate in workshops. I’m interested in work that feels physical, honest, and deeply human.
Kindness is a big part of how I approach my practice. I see softness as a strength, something valuable and necessary. In a field that can be very demanding, I care about creating spaces where vulnerability is welcomed, and where we can relate to our bodies and minds with more awareness and compassion.
More than standing out, I’m interested in staying connected; to the work, to people, and to a process of constant growth. I value environments where artists can feel supported while still being challenged, and that balance is something I try to bring into everything I do.
If you’re discovering my work for the first time, I’d say it comes from a place of curiosity, care, and constant evolution. I’m always searching, always learning, and always trying to stay connected to what feels true.

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?

For me, dance has always been more than a practice. it’s been a way to understand myself, to rediscover my values, and to explore what truly matters to me. It’s a medium through which I can translate my sensibility and emotions; in many ways, it’s been like therapy.
At the same time, this journey has only been possible because I’m constantly in contact with other people, learning from their life stories, their struggles, their joys. I’ve always felt that I grow most when I’m connected to friends, family, and people I love. Fortunately, dance has brought me countless amazing humans, from lifelong friends to collaborators I don’t always agree with, and that diversity of experience has been part of the journey too.

Ultimately, the most rewarding part of being an artist for me is that I get to grow alongside others while discovering more about myself. Every class, rehearsal, or collaboration is an opportunity to connect, reflect, and be human together.

Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?

I’ve always seen pivoting as part of being an artist. You quickly realize you can’t just do one thing. You end up wearing a bunch of hats. It can be challenging, but I like to see it as a chance to explore.
Over the years, I’ve bounced between dance, choreography, teaching, and production, and I’ve dabbled in costumes, lighting, dramaturgy, logistics… you name it.

Right now, I’m curious about trying new creative paths, getting back to my graphic design roots and exploring things like UX design or digital marketing. It feels like a natural next step: still creative, still about crafting experiences, just in different ways.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.sisuciadanza.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_malossa/

Image Credits

Mateo marquez
Thais Pho
Alex Chiu
Gabriel Monrroy
Miguel Zavala