We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Stephanie Valle Cruz. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Stephanie below.

Hi Stephanie , thanks for joining us today. Are you happier as a creative? Do you sometimes think about what it would be like to just have a regular job? Can you talk to us about how you think through these emotions?

Being an artist has provided so much to my life. It has given me a space to explore curiosities, question my own views, expand knowledge, and find a genuine version of my self. Dancing, and creating, have given me a platform were I can challenge myself in diverse ways. Through it, I have posed questions that I might have not pondered on before. I strongly believe that the arts in general provide a source of knowledge, of power for every individual that is part of it. The arts are malleable. They help people at any age to grow, there is such a powerful phenomenon that occurs when we allow space for artistic expression in our lives. Arts, in this case dance aids in muscle memory, cortisol levels lower, raises endorphins and dopamine in the body, improves coordination, and kinesthetic sense; and this is just one art form. Having a 9-5 job at an office (I applaud anyone who does) limits your capability of doing these things. We are creatures that can do so much more.

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 was born and raised in Puerto Rico. I have worked since I was young by helping my grandparents do things like cleaning houses, collect dirt for plants, among other things. I always wanted to be of support to my family, especially to my mother who had sacrificed so much for her two children. As I grew up, I always had a passion for dance, and I found ways to be able to practice it. I did since a young age Puerto Rican Folklore, as a young teen, I wanted to explore other dance forms; little by little, I was able to do so. Usually, the expectation from parental figures is to have their children achieve more than they did at that point. It was only natural that they wanted me to go through the medicine route so that I could have financial stability. I tried it, but due to a medical condition, it did not work for me. I don’t see that as a loss, and I still earned an Ultrasound degree. I did what they expected and then decided to explore what I wanted, to dance. I will say that I wish I could’ve started sooner, know more people, explore other forms. At the same time, I’m happy that I started to explore dance later in life as it allowed me to have a voice of my own, rather than one placed upon me.

Is there mission driving your creative journey?

Part of my goal is to continue learning. This is something that we do not stop doing both intellectually and physically. I want to avoid feeling stagnant. My creative journey is guided by knowledge and the continuous development of connections with my heritage, ancestry, and my own voice.

Do you think there is something that non-creatives might struggle to understand about your journey as a creative? Maybe you can shed some light?

I think there is this idea that arts are not valuable tools in life. A lot of people see it as a hobby, which can be the case for some. For others, its part of their daily lives. It isn’t just about moving your body. It is about having a different level of physical and mental awareness. What do you want to say? What peaks your interest? What are your questions? How can you work on an answer? These are just some of the questions that can be posed prior to starting a creative process. A lot of times research is done; it is required to be able to do justice to the topic we want to speak of. Rather than, in the case of dance, creating movement just for movement sakes, it is about much more. You take into consideration your capabilities, anything that is informing your creation, and you even take in who you are working with, their input, and capabilities, even their own experiences. Dance provides so much more than just entertainment. As I mentioned before, it can be healing. There is so much research being done in regards to its benefits, from fully able bodies partaking in dance, to bodies with different capabilities; Dance is a multifaceted medium that can truly change the body in a phenomenal way.

Contact Info:

• Website: stephanievalle.com
• Instagram: Stephv_cruz

Image Credits
1- Paul Knudsen 2- Drew Kazai 3- Heather Hardy 4- Paul Knudsen 5- Texas A&M 6- Erin Riddle 7- Heather Hardy 8- Francisco Graciano **Main photo by Lynn Lane