# @dancespiritmagazine on Instagram

- **Type:** Image
- **Original URL:** https://www.instagram.com/p/DaD5VsvFb4d
- **Gondola URL:** https://gondola.cc/posts/67268299-dancespiritmagazine-instagram
- **Thumbnail:** https://img.gondola.cc/tr:w-,h-,fo-auto/postThumbnails/13c6affc0c.jpg
- **Posted:** 2026-06-26T19:29:42.000+00:00
- **Account Owner:** Dance Spirit Magazine (@dancespiritmagazine) — https://gondola.cc/dancespiritmagazine

## Caption

Eighteen-year-old tap dancer rio.jasm1ne used to shy away from the spotlight, but the spotlight keeps shining on her and her skills. When the Fullerton, California–native was younger, she didn’t always believe in herself. “My teachers brought me up, when I didn’t have much confidence in my dancing,” she says. Since then, Gomez has taken big strides: She won a 2026 youngarts Award and, in May, was named Artist of the Year for Dance by the ocregister. 

Now the high school senior is preparing to attend UCLA, where she will major in business economics and, of course, continue dancing. dancespiritmagazine spoke with Gomez about her greatest inspirations, future goals, and the advice she’d give her younger self.

Read the interview at the link in our bio. 💖

📝: catierobinson_ 
📸(1,2): Rio Gomez. Photo by Leonard Ortiz, courtesy Gomez/ ocregister 
📸: Rio Gomez (center) performing her "Sinnerman." Photo by Scott Edward Silva, courtesy Gomez.

#Tapdancer #Dancetraining #Tapdance #tap #YoungArts

1) On the left, in front of a bright white background, Rio Gomez lifts and crosses one leg in front, showing the taps on the bottom of her shoe, while twisting her torso with one arm across. Her long braids fly. She wears jeans, a denim halter top, and red tap shoes. On the right, Gomez slings her bright red tap shoes over one shoulder and turns her head to smile gently at the camera. Text: Tap Dancer Rio Gomez Is Ready to Share Her Talents
2) In front of a bright white background, Rio Gomez pitches back with one leg lifted up in the air, her hair flying. She pumps her arms and looks toward the camera with a smile. She wears jeans, a denim halter top, and red tap shoes. Text: “When you hear yourself get [a step] for the first time, there’s this rush of excitement that can’t be replicated.”—Rio Gomez, tap dancer
3) Onstage in dark purplish lighting, seven dancers perform, with three in the front on separate tap boards. They swing their arms up to the left while moving their feet. Text: Read the full interview at the link in our bio!

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## Tags

tap, tapdancer, tapdance, youngarts, dancetraining

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