www.masbakersfield.com

Making a Difference — Arts

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Manuel Fonseca

Age: 33
Job title: Mental health clinician; ballet director
Family: Single; two beautiful godchildren — Celeste  and Jazmin —  my twin brother, Darío Fonseca’s daughters.

Q: What motivated you to start SoLuna Ballet?
A: The motivation to establish SoLuna Ballet in 2005 came from extensive dance training and 18 years of experience with my twin brother.

Q: Did your family influence this decision?
A: We both had definite family influence, motivation and support. I am the general artistic director of SoLuna Ballet; my twin brother directs “SoLunita” Children’s Ballet (little SoLuna) and is in charge of the administrative aspect of the entire company; my father, Guillermo, is the tailor and costume creator; my mother, Lucy, assists with designs and props — and sister, Laura;  younger brother, Victor; sister-in-law, Ana; and my goddaughters all form part of the “corpse de ballet” (the dance company). We balance SoLuna as a “professional hobby” with our own professional careers, school, family and work.

Q: Why is community involvement important?
A: As a new person coming into Bakersfield from having grown up in the San Francisco Bay Area  and lived in L.A. for nine years, I see myself as a person who likes to contribute and help build a community of diverse tastes, backgrounds and interests.

Q: What does your culture mean to you?
A: I consider myself as having three cultures. Being U.S. born to Mexican parents, being bilingual, and having my own identity as a Mexican-American is quite unique. As a child, growing up with warm and traditional Mexican values; going on to higher education and living in and with the dominant Anglo culture; and as a professional balancing out both, by making my own identity as the total sum of my experience as my cultural identity.