Meet Elena Valecci: Professional Dancer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Elena Valecci and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Elena, we’d love to hear about how you approach risk and risk-taking
Many people are turned off by risks. It is actually easier and more comfortable to sit down in the safe spot and wait. But, this is what distinguishes the doers from the dreamers. While the dreamers is still sleeping and waiting for the best moment to take action, the taker has caught the rewards. Risk takers are more likely to be successful because they do not limit themselves and are willing to put in their energy when every other person is hesitant.
So being a professional dancer, the initial thought that comes to mind when it comes to risk taking is Anxiety, because you have to face different struggles in the creative industry that can put you and hold you down. Being a person by default who like to follow plans and deadlines and things of the sort, I first had to reprogram my mind to think differently about risk taking and I had to re-create my self, or I wasn’t going to reach what I’ve come to reach in my creative career so far. I had to drop my expectations and my attachment to the outcome and receptivity of my creations and I had to push beyond my limits, learn more about myself and my self-control. Many of my best performance opportunities had been because I’ve taken the risk of flying to LA alone, without knowing anybody and anything there. It was a brave decision I had to take to grow up as a dancer and as a person. I was in the situation where nothing is sure, where I didn’t know my tomorrow, and I had to start from zero, believe in myself and in my potential. Also, the mere fact of trusting my art to even go beyond the comforts of my own mind and then go further to exposing it to the world to be judged is a risk within itself. Risk taking I can honestly say has helped me step outside of my comfort zone and continue to aide me in that quest to this day.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
My dance was born out of a search for peace of mind, creating art has always been a beautiful escape from any stress in my life. One of the qualities that helps to set me apart from other artists is my refusal to be placed in a box creatively. I love to jump out and try new techniques and/or explore a variety of stiles. I think that quality mixed in with my joy in finding beauty in even the most mundane objects, allows my mind to wonder & create artwork that is visually pleasing and speaks to people’s souls. I am most proud of my ability to raise up after every down moment or critic and to never lost the curiosity of exploring every dance move. It was a real challenge to go out of my comfort zone and to feel the risk of failure and it wasn’t easy, especially with so many talented people around, but I learnt that the real failure is to not take action and that you can always learn from experiences and from other people.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
There are still a bunch of galleries I would LOVE to take them to in LA! Whale watching has been another activity I’ve tried over the years here, and I enjoy taking friends with me when I can, and kayaking has been another water activity I’ve learned to enjoy. Oh, and the trains! I love traveling by train, I would most definitely have them ride with me to a destination and take a few days off to just relax. Doesn’t have to be anywhere fancy either!

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
The first person that come to my mind is my dance mentor SuperDave, I learn from him how to let go my impov moments and how to catch myself in the hard times. I have to dedicate another shoutout also to my spiritual guide, Sadhguru, because thanks to him I had the chance to take control of myself and dive deep into my mind and in my power.

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/valecci_xena/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/elena.valecci

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wqupuHJxm0Q