Photo by Cathryn Farnsworth

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Michaela Itzel Ramirez is a Mexican artist from Los Angeles, CA pursuing a BFA at the USC Glorya Kaufman School of Dance with a minor in Occupational Science. Michaela’s formative dance training across the Debbie Allen Dance Academy, the Los Angeles County High School for the Arts, and USC Kaufman allowed her to study a range of styles including ballet, modern, contemporary, African, house, hip hop, and folklórico. For her, this training fostered a deep curiosity and respect for the histories and qualities dance forms carry, giving her a rich movement vocabulary to draw from. Throughout her training she has performed and studied works by Kyle Abraham, Alexander Ekman, Martha Graham, Alonzo King, Jiří Kylián, José Limón, Barak Marshall, Don Martin, Vicente Nebrada, Gustavo Ramírez Sansano, Micaela Taylor, and Jim Vincent.

Michaela’s Latina identity, culture, and lived experiences deeply shape her artistry. Rooted in the love and cultural pride passed down from her family, she carries that into the way she moves through life and her art. She views dance as more than a practice. It’s a way of life, a form of storytelling and connection. Through movement, she honors where she comes from and explores the threads connecting our identities, communities, and shared experiences.

Through her minor in Occupational Science, Michaela has developed a deeper interest in dance as a meaningful occupation and its broader impact on well-being and everyday life. She hopes to continue performing and exploring how dance can foster connection, community, and lasting change on and beyond the stage.