I was born in Orizaba, a little port in Mexico. I was very happy as a child, but things started to get difficult when my parents separated. I went to live with my dad, separated from my mother and my brother and that was difficult. I missed having a family and didn’t understand why.
Inspiration for dancing came from my mum’s family. They are happy people, always smiling and enjoying life even if its tough. They always have a positive outlook; they love music and dance without caring whose watching. So that’s how I learnt to be free to dance, althoufgh I was the first to become a professional dancer in my family.
I began working as a dancer in Cancun in the resorts and I met my wife, she was also a dancer and working in Mexico for a couple of years. She auditioned for the same show 'Tribute to Michael Jackson'. We decided to come to England together in 2016.
It's difficult to become a dancer in Mexico and three times more difficult in the UK. Everything here is really professionalised, you need a showreel, high quality pictures, you need a profile, you need to get an agent. I never had any of that in Mexico. The quality of the dance here is amazing. When I went to my first auditions, I was so impressed with the level and the professionalism.
I was working as a builder at first. I didn't speak any English. Then, about a year in I met Gavin Vincent who is part of Soul Mavericks Crew. He saw me training one day and recommended me to the company. They asked if I could dance in different styles and from then on I began to get jobs. When lockdown came I was performing in the West End with 'Message in the Bottle' which was a big break for me.
England has been amazing to me, being a Mexican dancer, a latin dancer. I feel so much respect for my heritage. People are really excited to know I’m from Mexico.
It was mind-blowing to find out that in the UK is that you can have a degree as a dancer. In Mexico its not really considered a career that you have a diploma in! I had no qualifications, I just learned on the streets and from videos and asking people. I've only had four classes in my life, because before I never had any money, and now I don’t have the time, because I’m dancing professionally, which is pretty cool.
During Lockdown I had to manage to be calm because I am I’m very hyper-active, if I’m not working, I’m always training, doing physical stuff. It’s been difficult to relax. At the same time its been amazing because on the 2nd of February my little girl was born and it means I've been able to taking care of my baby, being able to see her more. I've spent my whole life making my career and now I'm super happy to be with my family.
Not sure what’s going to happen after lockdown, it's gonna be really difficult to come back. At the moment I am doing Zoom classes, my wife is also a dancer and is also teaching. We take turns looking after the baby.
Whatever happens, I feel so grateful to the people at Zoo Nation and Kate Prince the director who helped me a lot to make my career here. I’ve been in Strictly movies and so many of the jobs I got are because off her.
Nestor performed at Fuerza London - a film commemorating the experience of London's Latin community during COVID, through music, dance, poetry and real life stories.
Full film below
