Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Alondra Puentes Gallegos. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Alright, Alondra thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. When did you first know you wanted to pursue a creative/artistic path professionally?
This is a hard question. The arts have always been part of my life, even as a child, and I never really thought I would pursue it professionally. I think I always knew I wanted to be an artist, yet never allowed myself to entertain the idea until I started working in different fields outside of the arts and realized how miserable I was. I was miserable because I had to suppress my creativity in order to have a job that paid well, but at what cost if I was not happy? Around the age of 21 was when I realized I could no longer continue living without doing what I love, and I am so happy I followed my passion.
As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?
I am an Indigenous Coahuiltecan/Tamaulipecan performance artist, educator, and choreographer born in Heroica Matamoros Tamaulipas, Mexico, and based in Dallas, Texas. My work centers around my Mexican Indigenous roots and history, along with my own experiences. I have been dancing since I was five years old, and Foklorico was my first introduction to dance. I graduated from Texas Woman’s University with a BA in Dance Studies, and currently, I am in the last two months of my Master of Fine Arts in Dance: Creative Practice degree from Saint Mary’s College of California. I have been a company member of the award-winning dance theatre company, the Danielle Georgiou Dance Group (DGDG), since 2017, and currently, I am finishing my first teaching semester as a CE Adjunct Professor at Dallas College -Eastfield College campus.
I create art for myself and my community as a method to heal the trauma we carry in our bodies and DNA. I collaborate with individuals that I love and that are dear to me, as my art is very personal to me. It is therapeutic, and not everyone is entitled to my energy, love, or presence. I try my best to work and surround myself with people who respect mother nature and the land they occupy and that care for BBIPOC and LGBTQIA+ communities.
What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?
For me, the most rewarding aspect of being an artist is that I get to share a little bit of myself and my community with others. As an Indigenous person, we are often not given a platform in any field to take space, and for me, through my art, I am able to take space and make space for others who are also not given the opportunity to be visible. It is rewarding knowing I am representing my community and my ancestors in the art that I create and share with the public.
Is there mission driving your creative journey?
My ancestors. They did not have the chance to share their stories without being punished. They did not have the privilege I currently do to be my authentic self as they had to suppress it in order to survive. My ancestors and community are what influence my creative journey. I would not be an artist if it weren’t for their teachings, their constant energetic companionship, and their guidance.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.alondrapuentes.com/
- Instagram: alondraapuentes
Image Credits
Rory Moore Justin Locklear Lynn Lane Lexis Greer