“I didn’t even realize I wanted to pursue dance professionally until my first year at George Brown.”
Selina Ficociello is showcasing her diversity as a dancer since earning her diploma from GBD’s Dance Performance Program in 2015. “The ballet base of that program was a good foundation for other dance styles,” explains Selina. “My technique developed a lot, and I was able to bring that into other dance genres.” This strong technical foundation has given Selina the freedom to enter a range of professional performance opportunities, from dancing aboard the Disney Cruise Line to performing across the GTA as a Latin and Ballroom dancer.
Selina decided to attend GBD to build her formal dance education. “I didn’t even realize I wanted to pursue dance professionally until my first year at George Brown,” she explains. After graduating from the school’s one-year Dance Performance Preparation Program in 2013, she continued her training with GBD’s two-year diploma program. “I wanted to do more ballet and continue to improve my technique,” she says. “I really grew throughout those two years.”
“I brought everything I learned from the acting aspect of the program into my auditions…“It worked out pretty great.”
Shortly after graduating, Selina began her professional performance career with Disney Cruise Line. “It was a lot of acting, singing, and dancing,” says Selina. “I had to be a triple threat. It was crazy to get into something that was so musical theatre based.” While Selina never trained in a musical theatre program, she developed her performance skills and artistry through the acting, vocal, and music theory courses offered in GBD’s Dance Performance Program. “I brought everything I learned from the acting aspect of the program into my auditions,” she says. “It worked out pretty great.”
After two and a half years with Disney Cruise Line, Selina is back in Toronto dancing as a member of two Latin/Ballroom dance entertainment companies: Bravo Dance Company (founded by GBD graduate Elizabeth Bravo) and Diamond Dancers. “I never thought of myself as a Latin Ballroom dancer,” says Selina. “But it’s amazing how much you can learn and how quickly you can pick up the steps.” Selina credits the teachers at GBD for equipping her with the strong dance foundations required to pursue diverse opportunities with confidence. “The teachers gave the tools and skills to go out and audition,” she reflects. “I also left GBD with a strong resume because they gave me the opportunity to work with guest artists. It was so beneficial to learn from different people. The whole program helped me with my career.”
“There are so many auditions every single day. Stay connected, keep striving, and always go for opportunities. That’s my advice.”
As Selina continues to grow her versatile dance career, she encourages GBD graduates to enter the professional performance scene confident in their technical training. “Get yourself out there as much as possible,” she urges. “There are so many auditions every single day. Stay connected, keep striving, and always go for opportunities. That’s my advice.”
GBD believes that strong, polished professional dance technique sets you free to express yourself as a dance artist. Click here to learn more about GBD programs.
Written by Victoria Campbell Windle, CBJ Communications Contributor.