(Oranjestad)—Thayisa Zieryani Farro is a young adult who has been, since very young, active in different hobbies. As an adult and currently working as a tax advisor, she still participates in activities and continues to practice her hobbies. In a special interview with our Aruba Today, she shares her life story, her hobbies and how she hopes to continue to be active for many more years to come.
BDA: Tell us a bit about yourself and your childhood.
Farro: “Aside from school, I had a very active childhood, where I had taken dance lessons, cuatro lessons, ping-pong and drawing lessons. Out of all these activities, it was dancing that I loved the most. After I finished primary school, I attended Colegio Arubano secondary school and at that time I knew that if I didn’t finish home work or finish studying, I would not be allowed to go to dance lessons, no matter how much I cried and begged.
Besides these things, I spent a long time with family, especially my sibling and cousins. We spent a lot of hours playing outside, going to the beach, riding bikes and playing ball games. It was a fun time.”
BDA: How old were you when you started in the dance world? And why did you choose dancing?
Farro: “I started ballet lessons at 4 years old at Simadanza with Miss Ina Profet. My mom put me in these lessons, because she never had the opportunity herself to do this. I ended up loving ballet after a few lessons. From there my love for dancing grew. Besides the lessons at Simadanza, I also danced with Pierewietje, with Miss Martha Figaroa. When I turned 10 years old, I started folklore lessons with Miss Astrid Salazar from Simadanza. I slowly started participating in more dance lessons at Simadanza, including jazz-ballet, modern dance, street dance and tap dance.
When I went to study abroad, I took some dance lessons too. When I came back to the island, I went back to Simadanza. Now, as an adult, I participated in a few lessons at ArubaSalsa with Miss Melitza Bermudez and I’m currently dancing with Kids and Youth in Action.”
BDA: What did you study?
Farro: “When I was younger, I always wanted to be a dentist. When I finished secondary school, I was drawn out to study dentistry in The Netherlands. During this time, I went to Belgium to study biomedical sciences y obstetrics with the thought that I would be able to study dentistry later. Unfortunately, I was never chosen by the university. After 2 years, I returned to Aruba. This is when I was advised to study Law at the University of Aruba, because it was a very broad study. After I finished my Bachelor of Law, I did my Masters in Taxes at the University of Aruba and Maastricht; totally different from dentistry, but still a study that taught me a lot about our rights on the island.”
BDA: Do you feel that dancing made you the person that you are today?
Farro: “Looking back, I feel that dancing helped me become disciplined, determined and responsible. Dancing taught me to prioritize my time so I can finish my other obligations from school or work before I can dedicate it to dancing. It’s also a time where I can be creative and challenge myself so I can master a certain dance or choreography.”
BDA: you still dance. Is it something you see yourself doing for a long time?
Farro: “I sure hope so! Dancing has and continues to bring joy in my life. I got to know a lot of people through dancing and I’ll always have an admiration for them. During dance lessons, we would always laugh and have a great time. It’s a time where the stresses of everyday life disappear. Dancing has also been proved to reduce the risks for certain chronic illnesses, like dementia. For this reason, I wish to be dancing for many more years, so I can keep the mind and body strong and healthy.”
BDA: Where do you see yourself in 10 years?
Farro: In 10 years, I hope to still be dancing and be active in the dance and sports world. I hope to be in good health, spending more time with family and friends, and using my life experiences to help and inspire others.”
