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Luz San Miguel lighting up the stage: this Milwaukee Ballet star is a force of nature in dramatic roles.

Article Excerpt
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Luz San Miguel opens the door, welcoming me into her home with a sweeping gesture that might be called a domesticated port de bras. Her strikingly petite body seems to almost hum with energy--a human lightning rod. It's one week after the close of San Miguel's second season with Milwaukee Ballet, a season she ended to standing ovations as Juliet. Which is not surprising. Watching her dance is like watching a gazelle leap or a leopard hunt, as if she is merely fulfilling the intrinsic nature of a body designed for exquisite movement,

But San Miguel might disagree. She would tell you that anything she has achieved is solely the effect of good training. And that despite it, her turnout isn't perfect, her extensions aren't high enough, and her leaps could be better. By all accounts, San Miguel, 31, is her own worst critic and one she has had to consistently silence to grow as a dancer.

This self-criticism seems largely the fate of all dancers, but San Miguel's perfectionism combined with early exposure to some less-than-supportive professional environments has been challenging. However, she also had a very positive experience through her formative years.

From age 8 through 17, San Miguel studied at the Carmina...

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