Biography
Valerie Renee Heckel was born in West Point, NY, and began dancing at the age of three. Over the following fifteen years, she honed her technique and explored various styles, including ballet, pointe, jazz, tap, lyrical, modern, contemporary, and hip-hop. She performed in annual Winter Concerts and Spring Recitals, as well as in an Off-Broadway production of Cinderella, the Moscow Ballet’s The Nutcracker, the Cultural and Tourism Festival in Beijing and Shanghai, China, and at Universal Studios and Walt Disney World. To enhance her skills, she attended summer programs at the Universal Ballet Academy in Washington, D.C., the Virginia Governor’s School in Richmond, VA, and the Alvin Ailey Summer Intensive in New York City.
After graduating high school, Valerie pursued her passion at the University of the Arts in Philadelphia, PA, earning a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance Performance with a minor in Musical Theater. During her four years there, she refined her craft both academically and on stage, while gaining valuable experience through independent films, local photoshoots, and music videos. Her natural talent and enthusiasm for dance and performance have been apparent since childhood, and her love for acting blossomed during her university studies. This combination creates a strong foundation as she advances her career in dance, acting, and modeling.
