Born in Ecuador, raised in the deserts of Nevada and Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, Elena brings a global perspective to her work as an artist. Since she was five years old, her parents have been her greatest supporters throughout her artistic journey. Elena began as a dancer and musician, enrolled in all dance styles from Tap to Irish Dancing, and in piano and violin. She competed regionally and internationally on World Champion stages and qualified for the RCCEA Irish Dancing World Qualifiers four times with her team. 

 

Her love for acting stemmed from the many film classics her father would show her and from her time in Abu Dhabi, where she took her first Drama class at age eleven. Her very first role as an actor on stage was as Bo Peep in the musical, 'Porridge'. Elena has been in musicals such as 'Matilda' (Mrs. Phelps) and 'The Lion King' (Zazu). She graduated from high school with Pearson Edexcel A-Level qualifications in Drama, English Literature, and Psychology. 

 

In 2022, Elena began her undergraduate studies as a BFA in Acting major at Baldwin Wallace University (BW), where she has been trained in Linklater, Fitzmaurice, Laban, and Meisner. She also began studying Shakespeare at a young age with the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts and the New York Teen Shakespeare Intensive, and continued those studies at Baldwin Wallace.

 

Throughout her time at BW, Elena has been in shows such as 'Crimes of the Heart' (Babe Botrelle), 'As You Like It' (Celia), 'Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead' (Tragedian), and is looking forward to completing her last year at BW with the role of God in 'Bonnets: Or...'

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Outside of Baldwin Wallace, Elena has had the opportunity to connect with the Latinx theater scene in Cleveland. Some of her favorite credits include 'La Version Infinita' (Anilil) with LatinUs Theater, 'El Coqui Espectacular and the Bottle of Doom' (Understudy) with Cleveland Public Theater (CPT), and the premiere of 'Empanadas Under a Half Moon' (Elena) with Cleveland Public Theater. She is featured in 'A Feliz Navidad' (Izabella) with Lucido Films.

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Elena's theatrical journey extends beyond acting, as she explores the technical side of the arts through lighting design, directing, production, house management, and administrative work for local and international theaters. She has also developed a passion for theater education for youth. Through her work with CPT's Cleveland Act Now Program as a Substitute Supporting Teaching Artist, she recognizes the importance of arts education and how it helps young children express their experiences and emotions through dance, song, and acting. ​​

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Outside of the theater, tech and film world, Elena enjoys tap dancing, exploring nature, writing poetry, and fostering kittens. Fun fact about Elena: She has visited 15 countries!