Meet Fabio Mariano | Ballet Dancer & Teacher

We had the good fortune of connecting with Fabio Mariano and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Fabio, why did you pursue a creative career?
Being able to express myself has always been a necessity for me. I remember when I was younger being super expressive in art works in school, or the way I dressed myself, or the pictures I took… I was always looking for a way to do it. When I started dancing and experimenting dance as a form of expression, I fell in love with it. Out of everything I had tried, nothing satisfied me as much as expressing myself dancing. The art of ballet is extremely beautiful and intricate, and that is something I wanted to help “promote”. I could not see myself doing anything else other than dancing, sharing my love for art through dance. It is definitely not an easy track, but I have always kept my focus on the bigger picture.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I am a professional dancer, more specifically ballet. My profession consists of learning choreography, rehearsing, and performing in theaters around the country and the world. I think I should not be the one to say what I am known for, but I believe my artistry and commitment to my craft stands out.

What I am proud of and what I think sets me apart is my hard work on keeping my technique fresh, always trying to perfect my art physically and artistically.

It has definitely not been a smooth road! The career path I chose was a difficult one, but the one my heart was pointing to and that’s what mattered to me. Some of the struggles include people doubting me, prejudice, distance from my family, the uncertainty of what was to come, and physical injuries.

My love for dance and art was always bigger than all the struggles though, and that surely kept me going.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I really like 12 south, great options for food and cute shops. Coffee from Frothy Monkey and sweets from Five Daughters are a must. I love hanging out at Centennial Park, especially during the spring and summer when the gardens are so pretty. The view of the Parthenon makes it extra pretty. My favorite restaurant in Nashville is AVO, an incredible vegan restaurant with amazing food. No, I am not vegan but I every time I am in town I need to eat there. Another spot worth mentioning is Coco’s Italian Market and Restaurant, guaranteed delicious Italian food that will impress you. Downtown is the place to go for nighttime fun, the variety of bars and music performances is really cool and the views are amazing with all the lights!

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
My parents deserve the biggest shoutout in my journey. They helped me face prejudice, judgement, insecurities, exhaustion. They never discouraged me even though they had their own concerns and fears, they supported me emotionally and financially, which wasn’t easy for us.

I also would love to give a shoutout to Collage Dance Collective, the organization that I currently work for. Being a part of Collage Dance has been one of the greatest things in my career, I have had the chance to learn and perform so much and being there made me grow tremendously artistically. I love working for an organization that is always striving for the best, looking to grow and to make a difference in the community we live in.

Website: fabiocmariano.wixsite.com/fabiocmariano

Instagram: Fabiocmariano

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/f%C3%A1bio-mariano-3aa551280

Facebook: Facebook.com/fabiocmariano

Image Credits
Credits are on the name of each file.