An Interview With Ailey Dancer Sophia Ortega, FCLC ’22
Behind the scenes of a future principal dancer
Sophia Ortega gained the confidence to choose to dance professionally after attending summer dance programs.
December 31, 2021
As I arrived at Franny’s Space at Fordham College at Lincoln Center (FCLC), Sophia Ortega, FCLC ’22 and staff writer for The Observer, was gracefully dancing.
“I think that you were born with ballet slippers on,” I commented.
She laughed, “When I put on my tutu at four years old, I felt like I had discovered a magic power.”
Ortega described herself as an introvert, but when she was dancing, she could allow herself to be anyone she wanted to be.
“I could be a dying bird floating across the stage or a beautiful princess lost in a forest,” she said. “I could say a thousand words with one movement.”
This graceful introvert was born in Seattle, Washington, but grew up in Southern California where she was raised Catholic. She was involved in her church in high school and helped to plan retreats and attended prayer groups weekly.
“I am where I am today because I did not listen to the coach who would have kept me back from becoming the dancer I am today.” Sophia Ortega, FCLC ’22
A proud Tesoro High School in Orange County graduate, Ortega was on the junior varsity and, eventually, varsity Song/Dance Team for three years, having a blast cheering at football and basketball games as well as competing across the U.S. Ortega explained that as much as she loved being involved with her high school dance team, this was not the style of dance she dreamed to perform for the rest of her life.
In her senior year at Tesoro, she quit the dance team and joined Avanti Dance Company, a studio in Costa Mesa, California, where she had been taking classes. Ortega smiled when she told me that she competed and trained in ballet, contemporary, lyrical and jazz. The thrill of dancing sparked her to devote all her time and energy to these styles.
As I listened closely to Ortega talk about her high school years, I saw firsthand her sparkling personality. She said this choice to quit the varsity team was pivotal.
“I chose ballet over song,” she said. “I missed my senior events so that I could make the shift to audition for Ailey. I am where I am today because I did not listen to the coach who would have kept me back from becoming the dancer I am today.”
“I always knew I loved to dance, but I always saw it as a hobby and never a career path.” Sophia Ortega
In a family of “computer science geeks,” Ortega stands out. “I am the only artist in my family,” she said.
Her science-enthused family still encouraged her to pursue her passion for the arts.
“As I matured in my art, my family would come to my recitals and bring me flowers and shower me with words of praise,” she said proudly. “These words only made me want to work harder to make dance into a career.”
We were getting hungry, so we continued the interview at the Flame Diner where Ortega opened up about what drove her to excellence. She expressed that “I always knew I loved to dance, but I always saw it as a hobby and never a career path.”
“I realized I could dance in college and eventually pursue dance as my career; an exciting opportunity.” Sophia Ortega
During her summer break of 2013, she attended Joffrey Ballet School’s Contemporary Ballet Program, where she was a scholarship award recipient two years in a row. She found her artistic voice and discovered her love for ballet, contemporary and improvisation. Four years later in the summer of 2017, she went to Hubbard Street Dance Chicago’s Advanced Program. This dance intensive provided her with the pre-professional experience needed to feel confident in applying to the Ailey/Fordham BFA program.
“I realized I could dance in college and eventually pursue dance as my career; an exciting opportunity,” she said.
She applied to Ailey/Fordham, along with six other colleges with dance programs, but Fordham was the only New York City school. After getting accepted into the BFA program, her choice was made. Ortega enthusiastically accepted her offer to the Ailey/Fordham BFA program. At Fordham and through her parents, Ortega found endless support that encouraged her to pursue dance professionally.
Ortega humbly explained that, because she was able to attend these summer intensive programs, she was able to hone her dance skills and become the type of disciplinary dancer that she is today.
“This opportunity to work with professional dancers and teachers helped me to form my craft,” she said. Working with fellow dancers helped to create a competitive environment for her to work harder and become the strong dancer that she is today.
“This was decisive for me and helped me to come to NYC, where I am working on one day becoming a principal dancer,” she said.
Ortega smiled as she recalled her over 17 years of dancing. She has trained in ballet, contemporary, lyrical, musical theater, pointe, hip-hop and tap. Ortega also competed locally with several dance studios, earning multiple championship titles. She progressed into the collegiate dance world and realized that winning and earning external validation is “not important.”
In the summer of 2019, she performed and taught dance classes in four cities in Colombia with JUNTOS Collective, a non-profit organization providing opportunities for pre-professional dancers.
“Dance is about giving back, finding my own joy in movement, and connecting with a community of artists who share a passion for dance,” she said.
“After studying dance and working hard to become the ballerina I am today, I hope to be able to dance in places such as Lincoln Center.” Sophia Ortega
Teaching dance is a dream of hers. “These classes with JUNTOS were some of my first times teaching dance. It helped me to realize that dance isn’t always about me, but also the new students who have a love for dance as I do. Watching them for the first time enjoy dancing helped me to find a new joy in my own dance. It taught me that dance does not have to be perfect. That dance and movement can be its own art.”
Once she graduates in May 2022, Ortega hopes to pursue a professional dance career, auditioning for ballet and contemporary companies based in New York City. But she also hopes to use her English degree to continue with a writing internship, (but would rather not say who with build her content writing portfolio and get published in more magazines such as Fordham’s own “grain of salt”
Ortega expressed that she sees herself combining her love for dance and writing in some capacity.
“After studying dance and working hard to become the ballerina I am today, I hope to be able to dance in places such as Lincoln Center,” Ortega said. “For me, even if this does not happen, I know that dance will always be in me, and that the art of performing will be something that I can bring to others in different ways.”
