When Dabria Aguilar moved to New York Metropolis in late 2022, her largest desires had been to be solid in Moulin Rouge! on Broadway and to bounce in a recent ballet firm. Simply over a 12 months later, she not solely achieved each of these objectives however spent a season dazzling within the ensemble of the Radio Metropolis Christmas Spectacular, as properly. Between Aguilar’s distinctive approach, boundless versatility, and commanding stage presence, it’s onerous to foretell the place this 20-year-old will find yourself subsequent. For now, she hopes to name Moulin Rouge! residence for so long as potential.
Aguilar began dancing at 3 years previous at a contest studio in Summerville, South Carolina, referred to as United We Dance. After 10 years as a contest dancer (and a fast one-year-stint on the close by Southern Strutt), she shifted gears to concentrate on the classical and modern ballet worlds. “That motion at all times impressed me, and I used to be within the concert-company life,” Aguilar says. That curiosity led her to Dance Conservatory of Charleston, beneath the course of former New York Metropolis Ballet dancer Lindy Mandrajieff Fabyanic. “I might practice there within the afternoons from 1 pm to 4:30 pm, take a half-hour break, then choose again up once more from 5 pm to 9 pm,” Aguilar says of her schedule on the time. “I did on-line college via center college, and by the point I went to my public highschool, I had taken sufficient courses to solely attend within the mornings.” Simultaneous to her conservatory coaching, Aguilar spent her summers at packages like Boston Ballet and Complexions Modern Ballet. However by the point she was graduating highschool at 17, she was much less certain she wished to shut herself off to non-concert alternatives. “I utilized to many colleges however actually had my coronary heart set on Juilliard,” Aguilar says. “After I didn’t get in, I needed to rethink issues. My dance instructor, Dale Lam, beneficial I look into CLI Conservatory, directed by Teddy Forance. She thought it may provide every little thing I used to be in search of—particularly when it got here to staying open to quite a lot of genres.” Because it seems, Lam was proper. Aguilar was accepted into CLI and moved to Easthampton, Massachusetts, to attend this system’s inaugural 12 months. “We danced our faces off,” she says. “We did each fashion you possibly can probably consider, and I spent these 9 months actually studying about myself mentally, emotionally, and bodily.”
By the point she completed this system, Aguilar was signed to Clear Expertise Company and able to enter the skilled world. On her very first day in New York Metropolis in fall 2022, she had a callback for Troy Schumacher’s modern firm, BalletCollective, and instantly booked the job. Her success continued when she was invited to workshop with Twyla Tharp for her 2023 season at The Joyce Theater. Simultaneous to these jobs, Aguilar auditioned for the Radio Metropolis Christmas Spectacular ensemble and to affix a substitute workshop for Moulin Rouge! on Broadway. She booked the Moulin Rouge! workshop in April, and fell in love with the present. “After I completed, I simply form of waited and hoped that they’d choose me to affix the solid when a spot opened up,” she says. However the universe had a special timeline in thoughts. She acquired a name from her agent in late Might saying she was going to be within the ensemble of the Christmas Spectacular. “I used to be within the automobile with my mother in South Carolina once I acquired the decision, and sharing the second with my mother and father was every little thing I may have dreamed of and extra. To see their pleasure—I simply felt so blessed.”
One week into rehearsals for Radio Metropolis, Aguilar acquired one other name from her agent. This time, it was throughout her lunch break. “I ran outdoors to discreetly take the decision, and my agent stated, ‘Are you prepared?’ I used to be already crying by the point I requested, ‘For what?’ ” Aguilar reminisces. “He stated I’d been requested to affix the Broadway solid of Moulin Rouge! as a swing, and I had the largest smile on my face. I used to be such a large number strolling again into rehearsal instantly after.” As soon as the Christmas Spectacular wrapped, Aguilar instantly dove headfirst into Moulin Rouge!. “I believed to myself, How fortunate am I to be this exhausted?” she says. Since then, Aguilar says she has discovered so much about herself as a performer and an artist. “After I’m singing ‘Gitchi, Gitchi Ya Ya’ [lyrics of the song “Lady Marmalade”], I really feel like I’m precisely the place I’m presupposed to be and I’m full of happiness,” she says.
Aguilar credit her religion for serving to her get thus far in her profession. “My religion is my basis, and I’ve relied on that via every little thing,” she says. “I knew it was all in god’s timing. I had a lot belief and religion in him that I had no nervousness. I knew that dream was put in my coronary heart for a cause, and I wouldn’t be craving for it this tough if it wasn’t meant to occur.” As for her objectives for the longer term? She’s staying open. “No matter alternative presents itself in the appropriate manner on the proper time that I really feel personally linked to, I’ll take it.”
Age: 20
Favourite dessert: “An excellent piece of chocolate cake.”
Class she will be able to’t get sufficient of: “Josh Assor—he’s so good!”
Product she swears by: “[Patrick Starrr’s] ONE/SIZE Final Blurring Setting Powder.”