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Vanessa Valecillos

Luna Negra Dance Theatre

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The full interview is available on the finding aid and will be available at the Newberry soon.

Originally from Venezuela, Vanessa Valecillos began dancing professionally at the age of 15 when she joined the Ballet Nacional de Caracas. After moving to Chicago, she danced with the Lyric Opera before joining Luna Negra Dance Theatre as a founding member. Upon leaving Luna Negra, she joined Ballet Hispánico, where she performed until her retirement in 2024. Valecillos returned to Chicago to teach ballet at Lou Conte Dance Studio and now continues to teach at Northwestern University.

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