A fairytale and childhood dream came true for Colombian July Ruiz as
she is playing Cinderella in the Disney Live! Rockin Road Show in the
United States.
Ruiz is the first Latin American ever to star in a Disney show and she worked hard to achieve her dream. The Colombian took singing and dancing classes for many years in Bogota before she moved to Florida at the age of 15.
“I grew up watching Disney movies. Once I went to Disney [World] and saw the princesses and dancers and I had it in my mind that I’m going to do this… I always wanted to work at Disney,” Ruiz told newspaper El Espectador.
And she achieved it. At the age of 16, the Colombian started to work as a dancer in Disney parades. Later she presented the show Disney Live! Play House.
In June Ruiz had her breakthrough at the audition for the Cinderella part in the Disney Live! Rockin Road Show. There were “hundreds of very talented people” at the audition. But Ruiz proved her dancing, acting and singing skills and was chosen as one of 15 actors for the show.
“I was very, very happy because it is an opportunity of that many people dream,” the Colombian said.
The Disney Live! Rockin Road Show debuted on July 20 in Lakeland, Florida, and will be played next in New Jersey. The crew will travel the United States for the next eight months.