Name: Franklyn Fuentes Fuentes
Age: 25
Classification: 5th year
Concentration: Sociology
Status: Single
Hometown: Corozal
Favorite Superhero: Superman
Following my “What Being a Dancer Really Means” article, I will introduce this week Campus Cutie. He is the perfect example of what a real dancer is. His dedication and passion is an inspiration for all of you that wish to execute in dancing. He is a member of our talented and awesome UPR Dance Team.
HC Contributor: What are you studying and what’s your future focus?
Franklyn: Right now I’m studying Sociology with an emphasis on Gender Studies and my focus is basically to do investigations and study the human body, how it moves and the differences of each individual.
HC Contributor: When did you start dancing and realized you loved it?
Franklyn: I started dancing when I was 4 years old, mainly Folklore. When the Backstreet boys were on style I started dancing a bit more pop. After that I joined a group in Corozal and started to involve myself more with Jazz, Hip Hop, and Ballet. And since then something clicked in me and I realized dancing is what I love doing.
HC Contributor: What is currently, your favorite genre to dance and why?
Franklyn: Well right now my favorite genre is Contemporary dance because I feel more comfortable and free with my body. For me is what feels most natural. I also like Modern Dancing, this specific genre has been introduced to me recently by Petra Bravo, and she has educated me in the art of corporal movement and has shown me to how to move my body in ways I never thought I could achieve.
HC Contributor: What achievements have you accomplished as a dancer?
Franklyn: The first performance that I considered professional was with Hincapie because for me it was a challenge since their movements are not what you normally see in a dance. It was a more liberal and free way of moving and expressing that feeling to the public. With them I performed in “La Campechada” and “Desbarajustes” which was presented in the Centro de Bellas Artes en Santurce. I am also in the UPR Dance Team which is different because we are constantly preparing ourselves for competition and it’s more of a teamwork thing and how we shine as whole. I am also a part of the academy Coda21. I am performing with them and most recently I am participating in “Corpo Fest” which I will be presenting a piece choreographed by me and Ricky Delgado called “Entre Nosotros.” It’s an 8 minute piece and I’m excited to present and very proud of it.
HC Contributor: Do you have someone that inspires you and look up to?
Franklyn: I admire many people in the arts industry. Someone that I admire a lot is the captain of the UPR Dance Team, Nayaret Ennovi. She has a broad understanding of dancing and her body composition is just on perfect shape and structure, an excellent example of pure dedication. Professionally and worldwide I admire the way Sonya Tayeh choreographs, she is one of the choreographers of “So you think you can dance“ and how she works with the bodies of each dancer as individual for me is spectacular and inspiring. She has a perspective of dancing completely different and unique. Another dancer which I admire inmensively is Roberto Bolle, he is one of the best ballet dancer in the world and as well as his aesthetic beauty he has a corporal elegance regarding his figure which is really hard for a man to achieve unless you’ve been prepare since a really young age. And yes I would love to achieve a bit of each one of them.
IDK how he does it! Being a part of 3 groups including our dance team and still making time to choreograph a piece for a competition all while studying in the alma mater, University of Puerto Rico! He is a perfect example of setting your mind to do what you love and little by little achieving your goals. He still has a lot of plans for his future and I personally am excited to see more of this amazing persona and what he will accomplish!
This is what Franklyn means about Sonya Tanyeh! Here are some choreographs by her!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0UO4dLY3vBI