Spotlight on Calvin Farias

Today’s spotlight is on Calvin Farias, one of this year's New Artists with Next Generation Ballet, the resident pre-professional ballet company of the Straz Center.

Farias joins us this year from Ellenton, Florida, where he began dancing at the age of eight at the Diane Partington Studio of Classical Ballet. Over the years, as his skill increased, so did his time in the studio.

At the age of twelve, with four nights a week of dance and a heavy academic workload, Farias decided to take a break. “I loved it, and it felt like what I wanted to do, but I didn’t think I could make it,” said Farias.

His story seems to be another lesson in learning not to mistrust our ambitions.

“When I did some community theater my sophomore year in high school, I started missing ballet,” said Farias. Though he regrets taking that four-year break, he's made up for it through hard work and perseverance.


"Sometimes it’s good to take some time to see if it’s what you really want."

He again began training and earned a spot in Sarasota Ballet’s summer intensive. He returned to the Diane Partington Studio last year, and this past summer joined us at the Patel Conservatory for our five-week summer intensive.

“It stretched me in ways that I didn’t think possible,” said Farias. “It made me stronger, and I realized I could push myself more than I thought.”

Chosen as one of only six New Artists for Next Generation Ballet, he's now immersed in NGB’s rigorous training program and feels consistently challenged. And he loves it.

“Having two technique classes a day was hard at first,” he said, but now, “I enjoy working hard towards something...by the end of the day, you feel so much better about yourself and the amount of work you’ve done.”

When not dancing, Farias’ favorite academic subject is history. He could maybe see himself being a history teacher one day.

He enjoys a wide range of music, from classical to Adele to Michael Buble. 

“I’m excited for this year," said Farias. "It will push me and help me pursue my dream...I’m excited for The Nutcracker and Swan Lake.”