Today we’re joined by Iago — a Brazilian ballet dancer from Rio de Janeiro who grew up in a favela and built a professional dance career in the United States.

He shares what it was like growing up in a poor neighborhood in Rio, losing his father at a young age, and discovering ballet through a free public-school program. What started as secret ballet classes behind his mom’s back eventually led him to train in Miami and dance professionally in the U.S.

Iago also talks about growing up gay in Brazil, learning English after moving to America, and the community that helped support his dream along the way.