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photos by O’Connor Photography
He wanted to be a priest. She wanted to be a lawyer. But destiny said otherwise. And when Willy and Ingrid take the stage, you quickly realize the dance floor is exactly where they should be.
Willy began dancing at a very young age. “I was a smart little kid, and when I would come home, I would finish all my homework. Once my work was done, I would lock the door so no one could see, play the radio and dance in front of the mirror,” states Willy. “I always loved movement through music.”
One afternoon, unbeknownst to Willy, his mother caught him dancing. She quietly took a step back and watched him. It wasn’t until a few weeks had past when Willy was at a family gathering, tapping his feet watching everyone else dance on the dance floor. His mother nudged him and said “Go dance.”
“I don’t know how to,” replied a young Willy.
“I saw you…you know how to dance.”
Willy took his mother’s advice. “My mom was the one who gave me the ‘lucky kick’.” Willy began dancing at 16, and within three years he was dancing professionally in a National Costa Rican Television Progam.
Ingrid was the first in her family to become a dancer. “Everyone in my family liked to dance, but I was the first to take it on as a career,” states Ingrid. Ingrid began dancing at the age of 18 years old. “I have always loved to dance.”
Willy and Ingrid’s paths crossed in Costa Rica in 2000. “Willy was working at the Fiesta Resort & Casino (now the Hilton Double Tree Fiesta) in Costa Rica and I was vacationing from the Dominican Republic.”
“Hmmm. Who’s that?” she thought with a smile as she laid eyes on Willy.
The two were soon introduced to each other, but Ingrid knew she had to return to the Dominican Republic. A month went by and phone bills skyrocketed as the two kept in contact every night. Just a little while later, Ingrid returned to Costa Rica to work with Willy. Together, the two performed at one of the largest and most exclusive resorts in Costa Rica. A year went by and Willy and Ingrid moved to Cancun, Mexico, where they spent the next four years dancing for a Cuban Ballet Company, performing at the Cancun and Rivera Maya Resorts. Willy and Ingrid were pros on the dance floor and took home the championship four years in a row. “We worked hard, performing three to four shows a night,” states Willy. “We dance, we trained, we danced, we trained. We even designed the sets, making miracles without a budget. I think we were the only couple that never had rest.”
In 2004, the couple made their way to the United States. “We had big dreams of working in the U.S. and we couldn’t wait to arrive.” Soon after arriving, the two realized it wouldn’t be as easy as they had dreamed. “We went from living in a colorful resort to a tiny white room, working in a small studio office.”
“We were finally in the U.S. where dreams come true. But it took a lot of work. We kept thinking to ourselves, ‘Tomorrow is going to be better.’”
“Despite it all, we learned how to be strong and keep positive and never give up,” states Willy. “If you have a dream, you have to follow it.“ And they did.
In 2009, Willy and Ingrid opened up their business, D’Wilfri DanceArt and Entertainment, a school devoted to all forms of dance, dedicated to teaching and performing, from beginning to advanced. “When we came to the United States, we were dance partners, and wanted to grow as dance professionals because we love to dance. But we also want to share the love and knowledge with others. Dancing is the most beautiful way to express ourselves and that’s what we want to teach people.”
Willy and Ingrid not only share their love for each other and their students but also for the community. They have been an integral part of the success of the Dancing With Our Stars event that has helped numerous non-profit organizations. Willy and Ingrid recently produced The Oshun Wings Showdance, A Taste of Afrocuban at the Santa Clarita Performing Arts Center at College of the Canyons. It was a spectacular array of color and beauty through music and dance. Maritza Rosales Chavez choreographed the stunning and extravagant show. Originally from Cuba, Maritza made her way to the U.S. and currently teaches at Willy and Ingrid’s studio. “
D’Wilfri DanceArt and Entertainment is located at 23502 Lyons Avenue in Newhall. For more information, visit www.dwilfridance.com. |
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