Carina Castaneda

Carina (she/her) is a South Florida native, and started her serious ballet training at Boca Ballet Theatre. During this time, she attended summer intensives at the San Francisco Ballet and the Harid Conservatory. At 15 years old, she received a personal invitation to join Houston Ballet Academy's preprofessional division on full scholarship. During her training in Houston, she had the opportunity to perform with Houston Ballet and Houston Ballet II on several occasions. Struggling to keep up with her education and mental health while dancing, she moved back home to pursue higher education and see what else piqued her interest. Now in her second act, she is currently attending Loyola University Chicago's masters program in Community Counseling, with the goal of helping dancers and other minority populations with mental health. Recently, she participated in Second Act as a mentee, learning more about the graduate school process. She is thrilled to be a mentor for those interested in Psychology, Counseling, or for those who are curious about the college process.