Meet Annette Barcelona | Dance Teacher, Freelance Choreographer, and The Dance Department Chair at the San Diego School of Creative & Performing Arts

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

Hi Annette, how has your work-life balance changed over time?
Having a career that is also a passion can become all-consuming. My pathway of becoming a professional dancer involved an immense amount of hard work and sacrifice. Now that I am retired from dancing and fully engulfed in my teaching and choreographic career, I have developed a healthier perspective on work life balance. The global pandemic redirected my priorities, and spending time with friends and family became more prominent in my life. I realized that there will always be more work that I can do, however time is both precious and fleeting. I feel that I have more to give to my students and the world now that I have created a better work life balance.

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 very proud of what I have accomplished over the past six years with my dance colleagues at SDSCPA. The past couple of years in education have been extremely challenging. In March 2020, it was heartbreaking to feel that all of the growth and transformation of the dance program came to a halt. Until one particular day last school year, we held a recruitment event on our campus. Middle and high school dance majors volunteered to speak in a panel for prospective families without prompting. Completely unscripted, I sat back and listened as my students spoke eloquently about their experience as a dancer at SDSCPA. I was moved to tears as they described both the professional and familial culture in the dance department. This moment made all of the hard work, sweat, time and tears completely worth it. This moment made me realize how important intentionality is to achieving whatever goal you are setting for yourself or your business.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
San Diego is filled with endless spots to eat, drink, and play. I live in Encinitas and love to frequent the restaurants, bars and shops on the Highway 101. Swami’s meditation gardens may be the most beautiful place to watch a sunset and is always on the itinerary for out of town guests. My favorite neighborhoods in San Diego for food and fun include North Park & Hillcrest.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
Great big thanks to my chosen family of friends in San Diego that have helped and supported me in my growth as a complete person over the past several years.

Website: annettebarcelona.net

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sdscpa_danceofficial/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/annettebarcelona

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/user/NettieDancer

Other: The San Diego School of Creative & Performing Arts https://scpa.sandiegounified.org/dance

Image Credits
Photos by Dena Meeder and Yolanda Karlberg