We recently connected with Melanie Valero and have shared our conversation below.

Melanie, appreciate you joining us today. Learning the craft is often a unique journey from every creative – we’d love to hear about your journey and if knowing what you know now, you would have done anything differently to speed up the learning process.

As an actor one is questioned what technique or method they use for acting. Whether it’s Stanislavski’s Technique, Chekhov Technique, Meisner, or Method Acting and so forth, I believe they have a lot to offer and one can always take something away from them and continue to build their own tool box as an artist. I take what works for me from different acting techniques/methods, that helps me getting into character and understand the characters feelings and beliefs. I think it’s important to just give yourself a free space to learn and remember your goal at the end of the day. I think letting go is something I am getting a better understanding of in my learning process, just do the work, work hard and it’ll come. Just keep moving and make a step every day in the direction you want and you’ll get there!

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 grew up in Florida where I enjoyed performing at a young age. I loved to sing, dance and act in talent shows, family gatherings and little shows my friends/neighbors and I would put on for our parents. Eventually I joined my dance studios company where I competed, meanwhile also, doing some school plays and dance team. I guess you could say, I truly was so passionate about performing that I got myself into the entertainment industry but I’d also like to give a huge part of that credit to my parents, who would always drive me to all the events and support me every step of the way. I think my go getter, hard working and motivated personality is what sets me apart from others. When I put my mind to something, I don’t stop, I love having goals and reaching them only to set higher ones for myself. I am most proud of myself for chasing my dreams and always staying true to myself.

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

When I was in college I went through a terrible back injury during my dance career. I got injured during a rehearsal which led to a worse injury while performing. I spent the summer getting some procedures done to help with the pain and also to help me dance my last year in college as I wanted to keep performing. So after pushing through with my performances that last year I went back home and my back injuries were not good of course. That summer after graduating college I started procedures to have a healthy normal life instead of being in pain. I took almost a year off getting back procedures done and tons of physical therapy. Shortly after my physical therapy ended, I said I could continue to strengthen my back while pursuing my acting dreams!

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

Being an Artist is the biggest gift I could ask for. It’s rewarding in the aspect that you are always free to create and express yourself through so many artistic outlets. You can just keep creating and the choices are infinite, how ideas can bounce around and lead you to this beautiful result at the end.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.mvalerodance.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/melanienvalero/