Javier Coronel
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July 2026
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From Music to Movement
2020
It begins
Like many others, the pandemic took a toll on my mental health. In October of 2020, I signed up for my first ever dance class in hopes of finding an outlet that would let me silence my mind, even if it was only for an hour
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Ironically, my interest in dance started years before that. Growing up, my sister and I would watch America's Best Dance Crew, and that was what first sparked my interest in the art form.
2011 - 2017
My entrance into the world of music actually began around age 11 when I started my journey as a percussionist. Over the next seven years, I had the privilege of learning more than a dozen instruments before eventually specializing in keyboards. During that time, I worked my way into the top 1,000 keyboard players in the United States and had the opportunity to perform in places like Disney World.
After my first class, I loved the way I felt. I started exploring studios around Austin to find the right fit because my years as a classical musician had already taught me that when it comes to the arts, a teacher can be incredibly talented, but if the fit isn't right, you're better off looking elsewhere.
2021
New home
After a few months of searching, I found what would become my home for the next few years at Ballet Austin under the mentorship of Dereke T.
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This is where the foundation of my hip hop journey was built. I became addicted to the feeling of progressing week after week, which eventually led to me regularly demonstrating combinations during class.
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(If you look through the photos, you'll notice I made my way from the back of the room to the front lol)
As time went on, I started blending the style Dereke taught with influences of my own. His approach to teaching encouraged experimentation, and that freedom played a huge role in helping me discover my own voice as a dancer.
Late 2021
Learning to teach
By the end of 2021, I started helping teach classes. Looking back, I had no idea how important that experience would become.
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Helping others has always been something I genuinely enjoy, and getting to do it through something that brought me so much happiness made it even more rewarding.
2022 - Present
Full circle
In 2022, my time at Ballet Austin came to an end after I relocated to a new part of the country.
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The next couple of years were chaotic, and dance slowly took a back seat until an opportunity presented itself in late 2023.
A friend who teaches in Denver needed a last minute substitute or she would have to cancel class. Even though I felt completely unprepared, I immediately said yes.
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More than 30 classes later, I'm still teaching as an at-need instructor, and I still love every minute of it.
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These days, my focus is beginner hip hop. Watching someone walk into their first class unsure of themselves and slowly build confidence, both inside and outside of the studio, has become one of the most rewarding parts of my journey.
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Whether you're taking your first class or your fiftieth, my goal is always the same. I want to make dance feel as welcoming and unintimidating as possible because that's exactly what it became for me.
What's Been On Repeat
what's wrong with me
Olivia Rodrigo
Beyond Love
Beach House
Everybody Here Wants You
Jeff Buckley
Current Influences
The artists who are influencing the way I move, teach, and think about dance right now.
Ian Eastwood
Musicality
Jonathan Sison
Precision
Bailey Sok
Power
Sabrina Belen