A teenage dancer who has logged hundreds of hours dancing in Gainesville was presented with a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity: The Juilliard School.
Mia Caceres-Nielsen, a professional dancer with Dance Alive National Ballet Company in Gainesville, was one of 12 women and 24 dancers in the world to be offered a spot in the 2021 class of Juilliard’s Dance Program in Manhattan, New York.
Since she was five years old, Caceres-Nielsen has trained in ballet, jazz, tap and more.
Caceres-Nielsen, who was one of only 12 female dancers to be accepted into The Juilliard School’s 2021 dance program, performing at the Phillips Center for Performing Arts for Dance Alive National Ballet’s 2016 production of “Dracula.”
“It’s a dream to be able to go to Juilliard,” the 17-year-old said. “Juilliard is a dream, that’s the only way I can describe it.”
Caceres-Nielsen, who has been with Dance Alive since 2011, is an only child and was raised by her single mother, Monica Sue Nielsen, in Hypoluxo, Florida. For the past six years, at least once or twice a week, the pair has made the eight-hour commute to Gainesville and back so Caceres-Nielsen could dance.
Dance Alive National Ballet, 1325 NW Second St., is a professional ballet company composed of 15 professional ballerinas from around the world who tour in select cities across the globe, said Kim Tuttle, the executive artistic director of Dance Alive. Caceres-Nielsen is the only dancer from the company to ever be accepted into the prestigious Juilliard, Tuttle said.
Since Caceres-Nielsen began dancing with Dance Alive, Tuttle said she noticed the dedication and commitment matched by her mother, who has worked multiple jobs and put more than 260,000 miles on her car to support her daughter’s dream.
“The most incredible thing about her is her and her mom,” Tuttle said. “Her mom would sleep in the car while she rehearsed, and then she would drive back. It’s a real example of what you can accomplish with parental support.”
Caceres-Nielsen also attributes a large portion of her acceptance into Juilliard to her mother’s support throughout the years.
“She is willing to put aside everything in order for me to pursue my passion,” Caceres-Nielsen said.
Although she said she’s received generous scholarships from Juilliard and her high school, there is still a substantial unmet amount needed to get her to her dream school. With an estimated cost of nearly $70,000 a year, this presents a challenge and financial burden on Caceres-Nielsen’s mother, her sole provider.
The pair set up a GoFundMe page April 27 in an effort to fundraise a portion of the remaining amount. With their goal set at $22,000, Nielsen said they have raised $3,365 so far. Caceres-Nielsen has also taken initiative on her own to diminish the financial burden. She said she’s continuing to apply for scholarships and will be a part of the work study program at Juilliard.
The mother-daughter duo both acknowledge the sacrifices and determination in one another to work toward achieving one common goal.
“She’s trying to earn as much as she can,” Nielsen said. “We’ll make it happen. You just don’t say no to Juilliard.”
Mia Caceres-Nielsen, 17, dancing at the Glorya Kaufman Dance Studio at The Juilliard School in New York City.
