Meet Camila Pino | Ballet Dancer

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

Hi Camila, what role has risk played in your life or career?
I think I would not have a career in ballet if I had not taken risks. I took a risk when I moved away from home at 18 to start training at a professional ballet school for the first time. Moving away was a risk because at 18 I was already quite old to begin training seriously (most people start when they are 12-15), and there was no certainty that I would be able to get to the level required to become a professional. It was also a risk because I did not know what I was getting into. I had attended a couple of summer intensive programs before, but I had never trained intensely for more than a period of 5 weeks, so I didn’t know if I was going to be able to handle the demands of training and if I was going to like it or not.

Since then, it has been risk after risk. My first job was in South Korea, and I accepted it without any doubts despite knowing nothing about the country, the language or the culture. I took it because I just wanted to dance, regardless of where that was. Later, I was laid off during COVID and it was very hard to find permanent positions in companies. Still today it looks like no companies are hiring and providing visa/immigration help to international dancers. I have been jumping from job to job, and from country to country, trying to take any opportunities that allow me to dance. In three years and a half I have moved 14 times all because I’m chasing the opportunities that arise.

Everythign that I have done as a dancer has happened because I have taken a risk (and because of the support of my family too of course). Everytime I accept a job and move to a different city or country, I leave a part of my life behind and hope to build a better life. Leaving is very hard, especially after I have done it so many times, but for now I am okay risking it all in the pursuit of a dancing dream.

What do you think sets you apart from other dancers?
I think one of the things that sets me apart from other dancers is my background: a Costa Rican dancer who is Russian trained and has worked with professionals from South Korea, Finland, Spain, England, France, Russia, Ukraine, and the U.S.A. I have learned a lot from all of these people and I try to incorporate this into my dancing.

It has not been easy to get to where I am today. It has taken a lot of commitment, perseverance, and passion to push through the ups and downs. I started serious training at a late age, but I was lucky that I had great teachers that put me on the right track. However, when I joined my first company, it was only my third year taking baller seriously, so there was a lot that I wasn’t used to and that I didn’t know. It has all been a journey of endless learning. I continue to learn about dance and about myself, especially I have learned how to work in ways that work for my body and how to forgive myself for not being perfect.

One day my teacher Erin Forrest said to us in class: “If you don’t love it, it’s too hard”, and I completely agree with this. It has been a challenge to get to where I am, and it will be challenging to get to better places, yet I am happy to put myself in these difficult situations because I love what I am doing.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I would take them to eat and drink! For a nice dinner I would maybe take them to Kubeh, a Middle Eastern restaurant, for a good cup of coffee to Frisson Espresso in Hells Kitchen, and for bagels to Tompkins Square Bagels. I’d also take them to any performances happening at Lincoln Center/Met Opera or at the Joyce. And for a view of the skyline I’d go to Brooklyn Bridge Park.

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?
I dedicate my shoutout to my parents. It would have been impossible to achieve anything without their help. Not only their financial help has helped me get an education and take all the risks I talked about before, but their commitment to my goals and my happiness has also encouraged me to keep pushing through and believe that what I am doing is right.

My teachers also deserve a mention because without their guidance I would be nowhere. Especially Erin Forrest, Anastasia Dunets, Stanislav Blyaevsky, Bat Udval, and Elena Kunikova because I’ve been lucky to work closely with them. I am grateful for all the knowledge and life lessons that they have given me, and for how they believed in me and my potential even when I didn’t.

Instagram: campinces

Image Credits
Studio photos by Victoria Maley (@soleilphoto)