Angélica Collazo Martínez

Between ages 5 and 11, Angélica expanded her dance repertoire to include ballet, jazz, tap, and belly dance. She also performed in all school recitals, further honing her skills. At age 11, she joined Talleres Danza Teatro, where she delved deeper into ballet, contemporary dance, and acting until the age of 15. At age 12, her parents enrolled her in an intensive summer dance camp at Waldo Gonzalez’s School for the Performing Arts, which further refined her abilities in modern, tap, jazz, ballet, hip-hop, flamenco, and more. By age 15, she started intensive ballet training at Ballet Concierto de Puerto Rico, while nurturing her love for salsa through lessons in various academies such as GOP Dance Academy in Guaynabo. Her passion for salsa, however, was cultivated much earlier, through her Puerto Rican roots and salsa-loving household. Whether it was listening to her dad play salsa at home or in the car, seeing her percussionist father play las congas or las pleneras, watching her parents dance salsa at every house party, or dancing salsa with her dad at any opportunity that presented itself, Angélica was always surrounded by salsa.

At 16, Angélica moved with her family to North Carolina, where she continued her dance training in ballet, jazz, lyrical, and tap at Triangle Academy of Dance. When pursuing her university studies at Elon University, she initially declared an acting major before realizing her calling lay elsewhere. She transitioned to a double major in Human Service Studies and Spanish, balancing her academic pursuits while remaining in touch with dance by taking some dance classes through the university and teaching Zumba and fitness classes at Elon University’s Campus Recreation and Wellness.

After graduating in 2021, Angélica began her professional career in advocacy work, maintaining her passion for dance through pole fitness. Later, her transition into a career in higher education required frequent travel, causing her to step away from dance temporarily. In 2024, her mother began taking classes with Mambo Dinámico and reignited Angélica’s connection to her salsa roots. Angélica began taking classes in the summer of 2024 and by November, she became a proud member of the Mambo Dinámico team.

Angélica’s journey reflects her deep cultural pride and lifelong love and commitment to dance. She plans to showcase her passion and dedication in every performance, honoring the art form that has shaped her life. Above all, Angélica dedicates each performance to her loved ones. If it wasn’t for the countless dance lessons and trainings her parents invested in, her mom’s tireless dedication to driving her to practices and rehearsals, the long hours her mother spent perfecting costumes, hair, and makeup, and the unwavering support of her loved ones at every showcase, Angélica would not be where she is today.