By Eldee Eyimife, AGMA’s Communications Coordinator
Isabella Vergara has spent her life straddling the literal hyphen between Mexican-American. She spent years feeling ‘not Mexican enough’ because she didn’t speak fluent Spanish and was separated from her roots, but dance brought out the essence that had always lived in her. Through Mexican folk dance, she drew closer to her culture and found her heritage in the steps and routine she portrayed on stage. This Hispanic Heritage Month, she shared with AGMA how her journey in Mexican Folk dance became the foundation that led her all the way to the stage of the Metropolitan Opera.
Dance has always been central to Isabella’s life. From beginning dance classes at age five to earning a BFA in Dance, she’s been driven by one passion: to express herself through dance. To her, dance goes beyond mere movements; Isabella sees dance as a language of expression, as a bridge to her heritage—a connection between two cultures, two homes, and two facets of her Mexican American identity.
She was born and raised in New Jersey, so being ‘American’ came more naturally to her. However, this led to her feeling disconnected from her Mexican roots due to distance and the lack of cultural diversity where she grew up.
In 2019, she bravely auditioned for the Calpulli Mexican Dance Company despite not knowing a single step of Mexican Folk Dance. Her admission presented her with the exposure she had been longing for; her search for belonging had been answered. As Isabella donned the vibrantly colored skirts of traditional Mexican folk dance, she sensed the history and rhythms of Mexico she carried within. She was learning technique, but also more about her culture, storytelling, and the expression of identity of the vast regions of Mexico. In her own words, “Wearing the traditional vestuario (clothing), like the tocados (headdress), the shoes, the big faldas (skirts), really made me feel like there was a piece of Mexico here and I wasn’t just putting on a costume. This was my being; my culture, and I could finally take ownership of that.”
Her experience with the Calpulli Mexican Dance Company made her realize how vital the sense of belonging and connection through her dance, art, and work is. She sought out more opportunities where she could feel close to her roots and bridge the divide. She attended a summer intensive at Ballet Hispánico in 2018 and fervently auditioned to join the company, ultimately joining their training program in 2021 and becoming a company member after her seventh audition in 2022. This was when she became a member of the American Guild of Musical Artists (AGMA).
Isabella’s career path was paved through Mexican Folk dance that ultimately led her to the stage of the Metropolitan Opera. At the Met, she performed in Ainadamar, cherishing the rare opportunity to see Hispanic heritage reflected in a space historically reserved for others. Her story with the Met continues this spring as she joins the cast of El Último Sueño de Frida y Diego, an homage to Mexican icons she hopes will draw audiences into the vibrant world she has come to embody.
While Isabella’s journey is still unfolding, her clarity of purpose is very much established. She dances not only for herself, but for her culture, her community, and for every young artist yearning to see their roots reflected and honored on stage.