Fernando Montaño is a Principal Guest Ballet Dancer and Honoris Causa Doctor of the Arts at the University of Bath, two-time winner of the Latin-UK Awards, a judge for Colombia’s Dancing With the Stars, and has performed as a soloist with the Royal Ballet.
Born in Buenaventura, one of Colombia’s most dangerous cities, Fernando understands the risks that children and young people in Colombia face. He is passionate about the transformative power of dance, and as our Patron he hopes he can make a difference to the lives of children and young people across Colombia.
Find out more about Fernando in our interview below:
Why did you join Children Change Colombia?
“The peace accord with the guerrilla is hugely significant for Colombia, but it hasn’t ended all the violence. Some neighbourhoods, like Aguablanca where I grew up, are still controlled by drugs gangs who rule by fear and extreme brutality and who seek to recruit children.”
“There’s an urgent need for Children Change Colombia’s work to keep young people away from violence and help them build peace in their communities.”
How do you hope to have an impact?
“Dance transformed my life. This is why I believe Children Change Colombia’s work is so important. I hope to help your organisation to help use dance, as well as music and sport, to support children to escape violence and gain self-esteem, and to empower them to change their lives and their communities.”
“I want to work with Children Change Colombia to rebuild community ties through dance and music festivals. Through these initiatives, children and young people are able to bring their neighbours together to resist fear and to defy gangs.
Keep up to date with Fernando
If you want to keep up to date with Fernando, follow him on Instagram to find out more about his work and performances. If you want to see Fernando in action, why don’t you attend one of our upcoming events?
