Yuliana Maldonado Gives Advice To Fellow Dancers And Talks About All Things Super Bowl

A star in the dance world!

From starring in Billie Eilish’s ‘Lost Cause’ music video to performing in back-to-back Super Bowl Halftime Shows, dancer Yuliana Maldonado is a literal dance icon. And this is just the beginning of her career.

We had the amazing honor of talking with Yuliana about her favorite dance genre, dream collaborations, and more!

What first inspired you to become a dancer?

Y: “My inspiration for dance came at an early age. I was born with a condition called “club foot” and my first year involved casts, metal bars and orthopedic boots. When I was around 3 years old, my mom enrolled me in dance to help keep my feet strong. It’s what I did since I was so young and I fell in love with it. I couldn’t see myself doing anything else.”

You recently performed with Rihanna for her Super Bowl performance! What was that experience like for you?

Y: “This last Super Bowl with Rihanna involved a long rehearsal process. There was a lot of hard work and hours involved but overall it’s worth it and fulfilling. I also learned a lot being surrounded by such amazing dancers. Being on such a big platform is always such a great feeling.”

You also performed at last year’s Super Bowl performance. Were there any major differences
you experienced rehearsing for each Super Bowl?

Y: “Each Super Bowl is completely different, some are deep into dance, more intense in rehearsals but the experience for each one is gratifying and the feeling of being on that stage in front of such a great audience is truly unforgettable. I still remember my first Super Bowl performance back in 2020 with Jennifer Lopez. That was a surreal moment for me, performing for someone who I’ve looked up to since I was a child. Last year’s Super Bowl with Mary J. Blige was fun and epic to be surrounded by so many other great artists. This year with Rihanna was a dream too, I knew it would be iconic, especially since she hadn’t performed for a few years now.”

Do you have a personal favorite genre to dance in?

Y: “My favorite genre is Jazz Funk. It’s such a fun and energetic genre. It’s a combination of all the
dance training I’ve had growing up and I feel like I can have so much fun creating with it.”

You have worked with everyone from Billie Eilish to J-Lo. Is there anyone else you would love
to work with?

Y: “I’d love to work with Beyonce, Rosalia and Bad Bunny.”

What are some of your biggest goals for your dance career?

Y: “For my future goals I’d like to potentially dive into other opportunities in the industry such as acting, choreographing, creating and directing.”

What advice can you give to fellow dancers who want to be a more mainstream performer?

Y: “The best advice I can give to fellow dancers is to work hard, always stay true to yourself and treat everyone with kindness. Also, don’t be closed off to opportunities because those may open doors you didn’t even imagine were possible.”

Where can we follow your amazing journey?

Y: “You can follow my journey on my Instagram page Yuliana__maldonado!”

Photo Credit: Devon Trunk

Je’Kayla Crawford– Founder and Director– Je’Kayla has been a journalist for years and decided to start a publication of her own, New Scene. When not helping her team and working on the monthly issues, you can find her watching a movie on Netflix or baking using a viral Tasty recipe.