Inspiring Conversations with Isabella Fernanda Perez of Isabella Perez- Performing Arts Enrichment

Today we’d like to introduce you to Isabella Fernanda Perez.

Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
My journey as a performing artist began practically at birth. I was raised in West Hills, California, in a Mexican immigrant household where music was part of everyday life. Saturday mornings meant my dad blasting banda and mariachi music through the house while my mom watched The Voice and X Factor, which probably explains my childhood obsession with Celine Dion (why did everyone and their mom sing a cover of “My Heart Will Go On”)?. Outside of home, I grew up immersed in gospel and worship music at my K–8 Christian school, where I loved singing during chapel services. My mom noticed quickly and eventually forced me into church choir.

Although I loved singing, I hated learning. I struggled academically growing up and spent years in tutoring programs, so constantly being corrected by teachers—even in choir—was frustrating. Still, choir became the foundation of my love for performing.

Everything changed when my Christian school shut down its high school department and my sister and I transferred to a Catholic school. Suddenly, instead of chapel services and Christian pop music, I was attending mass and singing Catholic hymns. I remember clapping after a hymn one day because I thought performers were supposed to be applauded. The entire cathedral went silent while my teacher stared at me with eyes that read “HOW DARE YOU?”. I constantly felt out of place in that environment, but my biggest heartbreak came when I learned the school did not put on a Christmas musical.

Then, one afternoon, my mom took me to a choir meeting led by Richard Medrano from City of Angels Community Choirs. I was enrolled immediately. Looking back, that was my first real exposure to musical theater, though at the time I was simply excited to sing and dance to Mamma Mia! songs. Soon after, I transferred back to my old Christian school and realized at only ten years old that performing was all I wanted to do with my life.

A sweet memory I recall from my time in that choir is when all of us kids got in a circle with Mr. Medrano and were asked what we wanted to be when we grew up. I had no idea what to say. When it came to my turn, I just blurted out my first thought, “I want to be on broadway”. I couldn’t believe that I said that because of how far-fetched that dream sounded a loud but after that moment, I gave myself permission to actually believe in myself.

Being surrounded by theater kids, school productions, and artistic encouragement reignited something in me. I became obsessed with acting, musical theater, and eventually Broadway. While my mom wanted me to have a stable childhood and my dad pushed the traditional “graduate and get a good job” mindset, I spent most of my youth immersed in productions like Annie Jr., Beauty and the Beast, and Shrek Jr. Looking back, those truly were some of the best days of my life.

As I got older, my focus shifted toward getting into the best musical theater program possible. I was determined to study in New York and spent years watching Broadway interviews, researching summer intensives, and dreaming about performing professionally. Unfortunately, rejection became a huge part of my senior year. I was denied by nearly every dream school, including one where I had completed a summer program.

Then, on the final day applications were due, my mom convinced me to apply to the Manhattan School of Music. I almost did not submit the application because the program was brand new, but after auditions and callbacks, I was accepted and headed to New York by August 2022.

I thought arriving there meant I had finally “made it,” but instead I was immediately humbled. For the first time in my life, I was no longer the standout theater kid in the room. Everyone around me was incredibly talented, driven, and experienced. Some students had already toured professionally, while I could barely touch my toes during dance warmups.

Then came my first major setback: a vocal injury. During my first semester, I lost my voice and could barely sing without pain. After seeing an ENT over winter break, I learned that severe acid reflux—caused by my terrible diet and caffeine addiction—had inflamed my vocal cords and lymph nodes. Between energy drinks, iced coffee, ramen, and 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. rehearsal days, I was the unhealthiest I had ever been.

That experience pushed me toward becoming a nutrition- and fitness-focused performer, but even as my physical health improved, my mental health declined. I gained weight, felt underqualified compared to my classmates, and became intensely homesick. I missed the mountains of the San Fernando Valley, my car, my mom’s cooking, and the familiarity of home. I started losing faith in myself and my Broadway dreams.

Then, during spring semester, my mom sent me an Instagram casting call from Chicano Hollywood for a short film. I almost ignored it, assuming it was fake, but I submitted anyway and soon found myself on a Zoom call with the directors, The Ortega Brothers. A week later, I booked the role—and filming would take place in Los Angeles during spring break.

That set experience changed everything for me. It was my first time working on a real film production, and I loved every second of it: getting my makeup done, sitting in a set chair, and learning how on-camera acting actually worked. Even though I made rookie mistakes, I left set feeling more inspired than I had in months. For the first time since moving to New York, I felt excited about my future again.

When I returned to NYC, though, I realized something difficult: I no longer wanted to stay there. During one of my technical theater classes, after spending most of class looking up casting calls and directors online, I suddenly looked around the room and thought, “I hate this place.” I texted my mom, “I don’t think I want to go here anymore,” and without hesitation she replied, “It’s okay.”

Not long after, I connected with Stuart Alexander from Eris Talent Agency through another Instagram talent search. During our meeting, he asked if I was returning to Los Angeles. Even before fully committing to the decision, I answered, “Yes.” He signed me that day, and I knew I was officially coming home.

Leaving my roommates was heartbreaking, but returning to Los Angeles allowed me to reconnect with my love for acting. Although work was slow during the industry strike, I threw myself fully into training and eventually transferred to Azusa Pacific University, where I majored in Acting with an emphasis in Musical Theater.

Since returning home, I have become a children’s music, theater, and dance teacher, booked a Google Pixel commercial, interviewed Richard Yniguez on the Warner Bros. studio lot, performed at Universal Studios for my senior showcase, and started my own photography business.

Now, as I transition into post-grad life, I am focused on staying creative and productive. I am currently taking dance classes in Pasadena, preparing to teach performing arts full-time in the fall, attending talent management meetings, and networking through organizations like American Cinematheque.

My artistic journey has never been linear, but every setback, transition, and unexpected turn has continued pushing me closer to the artist—and person—I am becoming.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It absolutely has not been a smooth road. There have been several instances where I wanted to stop everything and just go into business instead. Even today, one of my biggest regrets is not getting a business minor or taking more business classes in college because I have always wanted that sense of “security.”

I was one of the only kids in my graduating high school class pursuing a performing arts degree, let alone musical theater. Do you know how easy it is to tease a theater kid in a room full of jocks and chronically online classmates?

I remember being in student council, and as part of my position, I had to make an event announcement in front of my class. After my teacher invited me up, as I was walking to the front, a student laughed and said, “Guys! GUYS! Everyone be quiet! She’s about to sing a song!”

I did not know what to say. As I stood there after her comment, more students began to laugh…boys and girls alike. That moment became a part of my story that I will never forget because of the immediate shame and embarrassment I felt for quite literally being recognized as a theater kid.

The fear of openly chasing my dreams became a huge factor in how I carried myself in public settings, especially around people my age. I went from being a whimsical, extroverted teenager to a quiet, back-of-the-class kid. Every time I spoke aloud in class, I would immediately obsess over what I had said and regret it simply because I feared those kids would laugh at me again.

I hated high school.

The teasing only got worse. During my junior year, I was asked to sing the national anthem at a home football game. I was terrified that I would mess up the lyrics, but it actually ended up sounding pretty good. I received applause and even a few compliments from the coaches, which meant a lot to me because I did not realize arts and sports could coexist so positively.

But afterward, I overheard a teammate say that my singing was “sh*t.”

Ouch.

That hurt, but deep down, I knew negativity was bound to come eventually. The following school year, I was asked to sing again, and I cautiously accepted the invitation solely to prove to myself that I really was talented despite that one teammate’s comment.

This time, the performance was at a pep rally, meaning even more students would be present. I woke up that morning sick with a sore throat. School started at 8 a.m., and the pep rally began at 9 a.m. I showed up carrying an unnecessary amount of cough drops and a chamomile tea.

When performance time arrived, I was handed the microphone. Immediately, fear consumed me, and I started singing a cappella in a heavenly key that was way too high, especially for my vocal condition at the time. I nearly cracked, but somehow I made it through the entire song.

Even though I left with very little pride in that performance, I was still content because it was over, and despite being sick, I had still managed to belt through it.

A few days later, while eating lunch on the school’s black box theater balcony like I did every day, I suddenly heard my own voice below me. The balcony overlooked the senior patio, and when I peeked over, my worst insecurity was unfolding just a few feet beneath me.

Kids from my grade were replaying the clip of me singing the national anthem over and over again. I watched from above, mortified, as they laughed at it—rewinding the parts where I struggled and making jokes left and right.

To escape the humiliation, I asked my drama teacher if I could start eating lunch in the green room instead. That became the place where I ate lunch every day for the rest of my senior year.

I hated that I was made fun of so much for something I truly believed would change my life for the better. Performing was always my dream, and it was all I had ever known. I grew up with such a strong support system that constantly affirmed my passions and talents. My belief in myself stemmed from affirmations from my family and my early school up until that point, so suddenly being humiliated and mocked for my artistic dedication felt absolutely devastating.

To this day, being made fun of because of my art is still one of my greatest fears.

However, those experiences also caused the biggest mental shift I needed in order to truly succeed and continue pursuing this career. Especially in this industry, you cannot care what other people think.

Ironically, I developed stage fright again when I entered college for professional theater, and I hated that. I was upset with myself every single day for letting fear affect my performance quality and for not giving the perfectly curated impression I wanted people to see.

But in the middle of that era of insecurity and self-doubt, I was able to find Christ again in a completely new light.

I do not know exactly how it happened, but I remembered being raised in the church and always hearing that “God loves us, even at our worst.” I was so depressed and miserable with myself that I decided to start praying nightly for once.

I was not even sure if it was doing anything, but that small act of consistency every day was enough to remind me that no matter what happened, I still had God. And if He was the only one applauding me, then that was enough.

Eventually, I was able to engrain in my mind that other people’s opinions had nothing to do with the value of my performances unless they came from God.

So no, the road definitely has not been smooth, and I am still taking it day by day. But at least in these recent years, I have been able to express myself more peacefully because I am no longer living to please audience members or classmates.

I am living to please God.

We’ve been impressed with Isabella Perez- Performing Arts Enrichment, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
I started teaching professionally shortly after graduating high school. My drama teacher referred me to a dance studio she taught at, and at just 18 years old, I began substitute teaching. I started working mostly with younger children and eventually worked my way up to teaching teenagers too, but honestly, my heart will always be happiest teaching younger kiddos.

I truly believe I owe so much of my success to the theater teachers I had growing up. Had they not believed in me, encouraged me, and pushed me to keep going, there is absolutely no way I would be where I am today. One of my teaching business’ taglines is: *“I didn’t believe in myself until the right teacher found me.”* That statement is very real to me, and it reflects the kind of environment I want to create for my students.

I believe that 90% of being a successful performer is confidence and believing in yourself. The other 10% is consistency and work ethic. A lot of kids quit theater, dance, or singing simply because they are shy or do not feel confident enough to keep showing up. Sometimes all a child really needs is someone to notice them, encourage them, and make them feel important.

That is something I try very hard to do as a teacher. I pay close attention to what makes each student unique and try to help them embrace it. It can be something as simple as saying, “Hey, I remember you told me you do gymnastics—do you want to do that cool cartwheel in the show?” Small moments like that can completely change a child’s confidence.

I chose the word “enrichment” for my teaching because performing arts are all about growth. You only improve when you continue seeking out the art and genuinely enjoying the process of learning. I have found that kids work the hardest when they feel safe, supported, and excited to be there.

I am not here to make your child perfect—I am here to help them feel confident enough to get on stage and never want to leave it. If a student feels brave enough to sing a challenging solo, show off the trick they have been practicing, or fully commit to a character voice we worked on in class, then I feel like I have done my job as a teacher.

My teachers poured so much intention and support into me as an individual, and that is the same energy I hope to give back through my teaching. I want kids to stay in theater, believe in themselves, and never feel afraid of their potential. In my experience, it is always the students who are unapologetically themselves that go the furthest.

Because of the ever-changing world of the internet and studio rental costs, I currently offer both in-person and virtual lessons through Zoom. I teach throughout the Los Angeles County area and currently substitute teach at The Rage Dance Complex.

Come learn with Isabella Perez: Performing Arts Enrichment by emailing [email protected]!

We all have a different way of looking at and defining success. How do you define success?
Success to me means setting a goal and doing something, anything, even as small as it is, everyday to get closer to it. Progress and willingness to show up everyday in the industry I dreamed about being in since I was kid is one of my biggest accomplishments to date. How lucky and fortunate have I been to keep going and only get further in my career each moment. The present and the near future that I get the chance to walk towards is such a blessing.

An even further success would be getting to repay the favor to everyone who has helped me get on the path to goals. I did not get here alone. My family, teachers, and supportive past castmates are a part of my journey.

Contact Info:

• Other: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm17167711/

Image Credits
Chris John Photography, Jason Berry Photography