Daniel Benitez '21

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Daniel Benitez ‘21

Actor, Arts Educator, Choreographer, Dancer, Performance Artist

Me in 50 words or less:
I am a multi-hyphenate artist who predominantly works as a performance artist but is slowly also entering the world of makeup artistry and design. I am a jack of all trades and value learning and growth over perfection, but still put my heart into everything I do.

Pronouns:
He/him or They/them

Department: Spanish and Portuguese

Certificate(s): Latin American Studies, Theater, Translation, and Intercultural Communication

Student Group(s): diSiac Dance Company, Más Flow Dance Company

Bio

My name is Daniel Benitez and I am an aspiring actor, dancer, and makeup artist/designer. Throughout my time at Princeton, I have performed, choreographed, directed, written, and done makeup for various projects and shows. I bring my identity as an artist with me everywhere I go and I'm constantly finding ways to turn seemingly unrelated contexts and settings into opportunities to showcase my artistry. I believe what I do on the stage is just as academic and important as what's being done in the labs. Alongside my passion for the arts, I am passionate about human rights and constantly consider the ways both of those realms overlap. Being an artist is a privilege in many ways and if we aren't using our voices to uplift and support people from marginalized communities, often under- and misrepresented in the arts, what are we doing? I consider myself a kind of a jack of all trades, but I always pour my heart into everything I do. I feel most successful when I can look back at a project and feel like I’ve learned and grown from it, even if in the end it didn’t go as planned. Hardworking, dependable, resilient, and empathetic are all words that describe me and while I know the road ahead of me is long and uncertain, I find solace in knowing that the road I’ve walked on this far has been just as so.

Artist Statement:

The characters I portray, the pieces I create, and the makeup I do always have a part of me in them. I leave my mark on everything I do because it's always rooted in who I am as a person, not just as an artist. Throughout my life, I have always been inspired by artists who are authentically themselves and find success in being truthful. I aspire to be a source of inspiration for others who may not always feel seen or heard within the arts, and I hope that people will continue to appreciate the truths I bring along with me.

Contact Daniel Benitez