Rising Stars: Meet Alec Perez Gonzalez of Los Angeles

Today we’d like to introduce you to Alec Perez Gonzalez.

Hi Alec, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
I was born and raised in El Paso, Texas, based In Los Angeles, California at the moment, Ive been dancing now for about 10 years! Dance was something I knew I had the biggest passion for way before I even started it, you always caught me watching award shows, music videos, dance visuals, I always told myself one day its going to be me out there, I was just a little kid dreaming big. Of course before, my parents had me try every other sport like football, soccer, basketball, and still none of them made me feel the way dance did,I just felt like the odd one out. My parents or I couldn’t afford the studio training so I started by watching videos on YouTube “how to dance”, “Just Dance”, “Dance Technique”, all these were things I looked up so I could teach myself the basics, and I was only 9 years old, after a while I decided to go for it an try out for my elementary schools dance team where I did struggle a bit only because I wasn’t too confident In my technique cuz I didn’t have that much training or knowledge, but it all changed when I found out I made the team, I was so filled with joy and felt in that moment I could do anything, I was even more grateful for Michelle Gamboa who was running the team because I felt seen and felt like I had support and people who believed in me. I then got to middle school where I feel things got a little harder, I was struggling with myself mentally and emotionally, was constantly getting bullied for doing what I love and loving who I love, I didn’t get to come out the way I would’ve wanted and it really opened my eyes because I was never really shown how bad peoples words and actions hurt so having to deal and experience it myself was just a little challenging, I didn’t let that stop me though I decided to keep doing what I love and try to stop caring what people think because at the end of the day you have you and you are enough. at the time things got paused due to covid and I was going to be a freshmen in high school already, I didn’t make my schools team that year so it pushed me to work harder and better, I still kept trying to teach myself how to groove or find that “pocket” until auditions for the next year show up, its about that time and I finally end up on the team for the last 3 years of high school, I was then introduced to the competition world where ill admit is something else and very different but also a push you didn’t know you needed. I was also introduced and training to the styles of dance which were jazz, contemporary, and hiphop. I felt like I was growing and getting better everything felt so good and I couldn’t have done it without the help of Amanda Magaña and Sheila Dwyer who showed their full support and faith In me throughout my high school dance journey, we get to senior year of high school when I finally decided and was able to go dance at a real studio “urban movement dance academy” ran by Michelle and Sergio Urban. They both welcomed me with open arms and took the time to help me grow and find myself, put me in such a positive space and environment, I met and made new friends and bonds that I am so grateful for. I was dancing at the studio for close to a year, trained in the 3 styles mentioned before and even got to learn ballet for a little bit, I then got the opportunity to learn from Joshua L. Peugh founder of Dark Circles Dance company In Las Cruces, New Mexico. I did a contemporary intensive that felt so good for the body and mind I felt like I learned a lot. After….I decided to make the big move to Los Angeles, I started college at Amda LA fall 2024 and graduated fall 2026 with an associates in dance. AMDA I would like to say did teach me a lot and helped me learn a lot about the industry and introduced me to even more styles I didn’t know about which I will forever be grateful for. I learned from amazing choreographers such as Tony Tzar, Jess Franco, Riley Groot, Robby Olmos and more. And even though the journeys been rough Im very happy because Los Angels has brought me new opportunity, New friends who feel like family, and new perspectives. I am now currently and recently signed with MTA agency, Choreographing, and dancing in LA living my dream and I always tell myself “it is only up from here”

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Like I mentioned before middle school was very challenging I faced lots of bullying online and in-person, I was getting made fun of for loving who I wanted to and doing what I love and I really didn’t hear the end of it til I graduated High School . All of middle school and high school I was constantly being name called, getting told I wasn’t good enough or not gonna make it out there, anything you can think of I’ve probably heard already. I struggled a lot and still do with depression and anxiety, and moving out here I wanna say is a challenge itself, I came straight out of high school to the “big city” pushed myself and trained all the way through. Ive felt lost and alone at times here because the industry is so different and complicated now sometimes it’s hard to tell if what you’re doing is enough.

Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
Im an artist, I perform, I do what I do not only for myself but for others, the way the dancers made 5 year old me feel when they were on stage is the way I want to make others feel. I want others to feel what I feel when I’m dancing, free, seen, alive… all of it.

dance to me is an outlet and I feel like I can be an outlet for people if that makes sense.

Apart from dancing I also love to choreograph, creating something and sharing it with everyone is what I love I feel like in todays world were filled with so much hate I just want to be able to do something where everyone can come together, learn, and just have fun!

Im very proud of how far Ive come as well as everyone I care for and Love because as life gets hard we are trying and that’s what matters

What matters most to you?
what matters to me is peace, I use to live in a world where I cared what others thought and said, or where some didn’t fully agree with anything I did and it put me in a box. All of that was getting me no where because I cared too much to please others and what they wanted instead of thinking about myself and what I want. Some people call it selfish but sometimes it’s okay to be selfish when you are trying to protect you and your peace.

All I want is for everyone to be on the same page but life has taught me its not always gonna be like that so I decided to chose piece, letting those who want to love and support me in, and keep those who “don’t care” out because I can be at peace knowing the truth about myself and my worth.

Pricing:

• 50$ privates

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/a1ecperezg?igsh=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ%3D%3D
• Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@a1ecperezg?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pc

Image Credits
Sam Perna

Tristan nguyentran