Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Vale Grille. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Vale , appreciate you joining us today. What’s been the most meaningful project you’ve worked on?

One of the most meaningful and fulfilling projects of my career has been founding my own dance and training company, Núcleo. From the very beginning, my greatest passions in dance have been street styles and the stage—the lights, the energy, the performance. Fortunately, I had the opportunity to train in both areas simultaneously, studying foundational street styles while also taking choreography-focused performance classes. This dual approach shaped my artistic essence and movement language.

As I observed the newer generations of dancers, I noticed a significant gap—a lack of spaces where both worlds could coexist. There were few opportunities for street-style dancers to feel safe in spaces where they could dare to experience the world of choreography with a movement language that felt familiar to them. On the other hand, there were also very few spaces where choreography lovers could comfortably explore street styles without feeling invalidated for coming from the commercial dance world. I kept wondering if others felt the same way, but this thought never left me.

After years of reflection and following the pandemic, my sister and I decided to take the leap and bring this vision to life. To our surprise and excitement, the project was met with an incredible response. Today, Núcleo has grown into a company of 60 dancers and is about to celebrate its fourth anniversary. Seeing it flourish has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my journey.

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.

Urban dance and choreography found me in a way that felt straight out of a movie—LITERALLY. My only experience with dance had been at school or at home, performing for my family. But one day, out of nowhere, I had this sudden urge to rent a movie, which happened to be Step Up 1. By the time the credits rolled, I immediately texted my best friend to tell her that I wanted to take dance classes and asked if she would join me. That one decision changed everything.

After leaving my engineering studies behind, the rest became a journey of 16 years filled with performing on stage, teaching, choreographing for artists and productions, and creating dance spaces and events—one that I don’t regret for a single second.

What I’m most proud of today is having built, from scratch, opportunities and spaces that my generation didn’t have but that I would have loved to experience during my own training. One of these projects is MAIN WORKSHOPS, through which I have brought over 14 top instructors from the United States to Chile, allowing the dance community to train at an international level without having to spend years saving up to travel abroad. This year, MAIN WORKSHOPS celebrates its ninth anniversary, having organized mega workshops, masterclasses, battles, online classes, and block parties, as well as collaborating with Red Bull Dance Your Style Chile.

What I want people to know about my work is that everything I do comes from a place of passion and deep love for this industry. I won’t rest until every project is brought to life in the best possible way, and I always give myself fully, leaving my mark in everything I create. My ultimate goal is for people to fall in love with dance as much as I have.

Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?

When it comes to the dance industry, I’ve always felt like a fish swimming against the current. I didn’t fit the stereotypical physical image of a stage dancer, and the styles I was most passionate about and dedicated the most time to weren’t the ones that typically got dancers booked for jobs. For years, I was always the backup for the backup—my friends would get called, but I wouldn’t.

But deep down, I knew my moment would come. I knew I was enough, even when doubt crept in. I knew I had the skills and the potential. I just had to trust that the right opportunity would present itself. Instead of trying to fit into what others expected of me, I focused on improving what I wanted to refine. Over time, that frustration and sadness transformed into motivation and discipline. I visualized the type of shows I wanted to dance in, the artists I dreamed of working with, and the stages I aspired to perform on—and that pushed me to work even harder.

The universe is wise, and it led me exactly where I was meant to be. I became part of the dance team for one of the most renowned singers in Chile, starting as a last-minute replacement. But I kept proving myself, and over time, I moved up—from backup dancer to official team member, then to dance captain, assistant choreographer, and now, full-fledged choreographer for the project. This has been one of my greatest joys for the past five years. On top of that, I’ve had the opportunity to perform many times on the biggest stages in the country, dancing for major national and international artists and events like Sebastián Yatra, Lollapalooza and the Festival de Viña del Mar.

Looking back, are there any resources you wish you knew about earlier in your creative journey?

I wish financial education was more commonly shared and easily accessible, especially in the creative industry. Many artists, myself included, learn along the way—and often through trial and error—how to navigate legal and financial matters. Understanding things like taxes, invoices, contracts, managing income, charging what we’re truly worth, how to create a proposal, how to pitch a project, saving, investing, becoming independent, starting a business, and handling accounting are crucial skills that aren’t always taught to creatives. Having access to these resources earlier in my journey would have made a huge difference, and I believe it’s something that should be more openly discussed and taught within artistic communities.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: valegrille