We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Sofia Cozzolino a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Alright, Sofia thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Can you talk to us about a project that’s meant a lot to you?
It all started at Marjory Stoneman Douglas, when I was asked by my high school Holocaust teacher if I would be interested in collaborating on a project to honor Kristallnacht, a commemoration remembering the “Night of Broken Glass” for the Jewish community. The event would include a live performance to honor guest Holocaust survivors. Miss Schamis knew I was a dancer, training vigorously in classical ballet every day after school, and remembered we had spoken about my interest in choreographing one day. I accepted her request, feeling honored for the opportunity to create something heartfelt, respectful, and real. I was given the track to a recorded song specifically written for the performance by the daughter of a Holocaust survivor. I then contacted my friend and modern dancer, feeling inspired to highlight the juxtaposition of the weight of Modern dance and the lightness of Ballet within the choreography. I will never forget looking out into the audience and seeing a dozen grown men and women on their feet, with tears in their eyes. Once offstage, I met three of the Holocaust survivors, and felt my life would no longer be the same. The greatest feeling I could describe was honor. Honor to have touched the hearts of such a community, honor to have made another feel seen and understood, and most importantly honor, to have created a friendship with one of the three survivors, Morris, that would have lasted years on. May he now rest in peace.
I believe that day truly marked a great significance on my artistic journey. I fell in love not only with performing, but with the weight of the message I could transmit through choreography. My journey has led me to an acceptance at the Joffrey Ballet School in NYC, where I trained and performed as a pre-professional dancer for four years, to then uncover my purpose and career path through Dance Education at NYU and the American Ballet Theater. I have served on faculty at Joffrey, teaching children and youth not only in Manhattan, but in public schools of underserved communities around New York City. My hope is that in sharing the art of dance and self-expression with young artists, one day they may honor the impact of history taking place before their eyes and create something as meaningful for them too.
Sofia, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?
I am a professional dancer, and certified ballet instructor with deep roots in movement, artistry, and connection. Born and raised in Rome, Italy with French heritage, I have always been drawn to the grace of ballet and the power that it serves as a means of expression, discipline, and connection to oneself and others. My first ballet class, I was four years old, then began introducing pre-professional dance training at the age of twelve. Ballet was my first love. I remember being immediately captivated by the grace and storytelling it embodied. I felt like a grownup and a child altogether! Over the years, dance evolved from a personal passion into a dedicated career driven to inspire, educate, and nurture the next generation of dancers.
As the years went by, my technique naturally gained precision, but I particularly noticed an appreciation for the emotional depth that dance granted me. Life threw many hardships at me, my senior year of high school, I experienced a school shooting. It was already a massive culture change moving to the US at age 9. I watched my parents start a new business, a new life, and chase the American dream. Parkland, Florida was supposed to be the safest neighborhood with one of the best schools in America.
Experiencing such a gruesome trauma suddenly burst the bubble of innocence my parent’s had tried so hard to protect. Many of my close friends and teachers were gone, and the reality of gun violence in America was infuriating. The grief, the sadness, the anxiety, and the paralyzing fear of going back out into the world was debilitating. I still continued to dance. In fact, a few months later I moved to New York City alone to pursue my own version of my American dream.
I have always been one to feel very heavily. What I experienced on February 14th spotlighted the very depth of my emotions. I wish I knew how to channel this depth at the time, but honestly, I only knew how to use dance as a distraction. The chances are, the six-hour movement days may have released stored trauma on a physical level, though I wish I allowed myself to use this fragile insecurity of feeling too much, and knew how to transmute it for emotional release .
While at the Joffrey Ballet School, I progressed not only in physical strength, but in confidence knowing my dance mattered– and I would make it my mission to learn to transform my pain into an art others could relate to. This realization later fueled my desire to become an instructor and mentor to young dancers. After graduating with a BFA from New Jersey City University while completing the Joffrey Ballet program, I went on with my studies and decided to get my Masters degree from NYU in Dance Education. From beginner children’s classes, to adults, and advanced pre-professional ballet dancers, I have gathered the tools to offer the very best to my students– combining strong foundational technique, artistry, and the space for self-expression.
While at NYU, I also obtained a complete teaching certification from the American Ballet Theater’s National Training Curriculum. Because of the richness and resources I have been privileged throughout my Dance Education, I now understand the cruciality of dancer’s body’s physical care, and the importance of the mind’s mental and spiritual wellbeing as well. That is why the curriculum and philosophy I integrate as a teacher includes not only Ballet Technique, Pointe, Partnering, Contemporary, and Modern, it also incorporates Pilates-based conditioning classes, and Stretching. In efforts to encourage a mind and body connective approach, students will adapt injury prevention methods to enhance their productivity, and longevity as dancers.
I have been involved in countless productions since the age of 16– dancing soloist roles alongside principal dancers of ABT in Open World Dance Foundation’s production of Cinderella, to becoming Performance Director at the Joffrey Ballet School for annual performances of the Children & Youth programs. It is an indescribable feeling to be able to provide young dancers with the chance to experience the magic of the stage. In addition to my contributions at these major American ballet companies, I have also began working with dancers one-on-one to refine their technique, build confidence, and prepare for auditions, competitions, and professional careers through private coaching both in person and online.
My approach to ballet training is unique in that I believe I bridge the gap between teaching the functional execution of technique and artistic exhibition, with importance on the personal well-being of the dancing body. This is what I believe inspires true artistry; using life’s experience as fuel for telling a story is a powerful tool that can serve a greater essence words cannot always express. In an industry of harsh pressure and rigid expectations from teachers, I myself have experienced its’ detriment, and have seen too many cases of burnout and painful self-doubt. Too often, too much priority is given to the technical precision, and not enough attention is given to the soul moving the body. What does the movement represent? How can I guide the dancer to discover how their body can best portray this message?
The sense of pride I feel is merit to the smiles I get to experience from my student’s faces. Within each classroom I am humbled to hold a community and a safe space for growth. When I think of the students that have walked into my classroom with timid faces and hiding necks, to free, expressive spirits, this is probably the most fulfilling part of my work. I believe that only when a person feels truly secure and self-fulfilled, are they able to serve others from the outpour.
I want people to know that although ballet may have a reputation for being an elite, exclusive, and expensive art form, it is truly for everyone. Besides fouetté turns, 180 degree turnout (and so many more completely unnatural movements), ballet stems from the French terminology of quite ordinary verbs. We bend, stretch, rise, and jump in our daily lives. It is the intention behind the movement, that is what makes it art.
Looking back, are there any resources you wish you knew about earlier in your creative journey?
I believe in the power of words. Podcasts, reading, journaling are all resources I have come to discover that have ultimately enriched my life and the course of my creative journey for the better. Suddenly, my social media algorithm was in my favor… and I was introduced to conversations from people I had always admired. Mel Robbins (<i>The Mel Robbins Podcast</i>), Alexis Ren (<i>Easy A Podcast</i>), Oprah (<i>Super Soul</i>), and more, were all saying everything I needed to hear. There is so much negative talk about social media nowadays; but with the right algorithm and healthy time management, I believe it actually can serve as an incredible educational resource. It is a blessing to have been aligned with the opportunity for self-introspection. Feeling so called to connect deeper to Alexis’s wisdom from her podcast, I decided to join her incredible wellness community, <i>We are Warriors</i>. A few months later, I officially joined the faculty of mentors and am now teaching online ballet classes to community members all around the world!
When I was a teenager and ballerina-in-training, my mindset and perception were so laser focused on making it as an artist, that besides training like a machine, I never gave enough value to the grace with which I wanted to get there. Looking back, my habits definitely could have been more wholesome. I punished myself a lot… through my diet, obsessive exercise, constantly pushing myself but rarely recognizing my accomplishments. I thought face masks were sufficient self-love! I had no idea how to take care of my mental health. I truly believe my awakening occurred the very moment I allowed myself compassion. Suddenly, the idea of feeling was not so scary anymore. With the knowledge I have learned from spoken words I manifested to find me via the algorithm, I have never felt more seen, connected to the world, and eager to experience another artist’s story.
We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?
“Leave your emotions at the door”.
In the ballet school locker rooms, mental breakdowns, tears, and lunch flushed down the toilet was an ordinary Tuesday. It is true that as performers, we learn that the show must go on. Fatigue, burnout, injury, and personal situations were not allowed to get in the way, and teachers made it clear that energy was not welcome in the studio. Your ankle is swollen, your cat died, you’re getting evicted, you’re still going onstage and you better do it with a smile.
Honestly, even though I tolerated it, this concept was always very difficult for me to digest. Not every teacher was like this. As a teacher, I am now not like this. We are not soulless humans or machines, we have been gifted the opportunity for expression. This is a sensitive subject that risks being taken to an extreme– nevertheless, rather than shutting out our emotions completely, us dancers must learn to <i>regulate</i> our emotions, and then serve from a stable state of being. The audience pays an important dollar for the entertainment that artists provide. And as much as performing ignites the dancer, I believe the exhibition is actually not about them at all. People connect to art in order to feel something. “5,4,3,2,1,… action”. Take a deep breath and do it. Mel Robbins taught me that.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sofiacozzolino/?hl=en
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sofia-cozzolino-4b6a28264/
Image Credits
Joffrey Ballet School