At 28, Paraguayan dancer and physician Soffy Varela rises at 05:50 for hospital rounds in Anatomic Pathology, then trades her scrubs for ballet shoes to teach or rehearse until late at night. What began as a childhood whim, grew into parallel vocations: a medical degree earned alongside intensifying ballet training.
Speaking to The Asunción Times, Soffy explains that for her, ballet and medicine are not separate lives, but two sides of the same calling; both demand relentless discipline, deep anatomical understanding, and a refusal to let the body suffer in silence.
Sisterly influence
Soffy Varela’s path into the demanding world of classical ballet began not with an immediate passion for the style, but through sisterly influence. “My sister started taking dance classes, and seeing her, I wanted to go too,” the ballet dancer from Asunción recalls.
Initially, her focus lay in Latin, Paraguayan, and Spanish rhythms, and classical ballet was not a style she particularly enjoyed. A defining moment came when she asked her teacher for a Paraguayan dance solo, but was instead given a free-form classical soloist piece. “I believe that without that choreography, nothing would have happened; I discovered my path in ballet and began to complement it by studying contemporary, neoclassical, and other styles.”
Soffy Varela’s formal training began at the Elizabeth Vinader Academy in Fernando de la Mora before she spent her final years at the Alex Martinez School of Art in Asunción. She highlights the crucial role of both national and international teachers who provided guidance regardless of the institution.
The turning point
Varela realised she wanted to pursue ballet professionally in 2012, at the age of 14. “Things had not gone as planned, and I realised that hard work does not always pay off, and those results are not always within your control.”
This shift in perspective led her to embrace the pure enjoyment of dance. She began to dance for herself, for the pleasure ballet offered, without expectation. A teacher’s advice resonated deeply: “Dancing ballet is a pleasure when you have the tools,” Soffy Varela says. Another key moment occurred just before her trip to Tanzolymp Festival in Germany, after a long break from the stage. Stepping off the stage, she was certain: “I want to do this for much longer.”
Soffy Varela: From Beijing to the Bolshoi
Soffy Varela’s international journey started early, beginning with national and regional competitions at age 8. The first major event was the YAGP in New York at age 11, where she placed in the Top 9.
The following year, she was invited to the 3rd Beijing International Ballet and Choreography Competition. Her first experience of complete independence at the age of 12. “It was a great challenge; it was the first time I would have to be completely independent, manage on my own, and interact with others, facing a significant barrier: language.”
Despite being the youngest competitor, Beijing provided rapid growth and crucial connections with esteemed teachers like Ninna Ananiashvili. In every event, Varela was often the sole representative of Paraguay, a role she took seriously, often bringing cultural gifts to introduce her country to those who were unfamiliar with it.
The pinnacle of her competitive career arrived in 2021 with an invitation to the MIBC at the Bolshoi Theatre in Moscow, a competition often referred to as the “Olympics of Ballet.” “Everyone, whether or not they are involved in the arts, knows the Bolshoi Theatre and all it represents, especially us dancers… Being in front of the Bolshoi Theatre, taking classes in those iconic classrooms, with company teachers… it has a different kind of magic.”
Soffy Varela noted the unique challenge posed by the stage’s pronounced forward tilt, which forced an entirely different approach to bodywork and centre of gravity. The experience was profoundly meaningful, not least because it was the first trip her father took with her. Stepping onto that stage and receiving the applause and recognition felt like a validation of years of hard work and sacrifice.
Synergy between medicine and movement
Soffy Varela manages the twin demands of a medical career and a professional dance career through rigorous organisation and discipline. Varela graduated from high school, started medical school, and simultaneously kept up her intensive training. She completed her studies at the National University of Asunción and is currently a resident in Anatomic Pathology.
During her residency, her routine is relentless:
- Monday to Friday: Up at 5:50 for stretching, at the hospital from 7:00 until 17:00.
- Evenings: Teaching, taking classes, rehearsing, or attending pilates, often finishing around 22:30 before studying for a few more hours.
“It requires discipline and effort, but I am doing what I love, so it is not really difficult,” she states. She credits her family and teachers for the support necessary to maintain this high-wire balance.
Varela’s knowledge of medicine, particularly anatomy, profoundly informs her dance and her teaching. “Understanding these aspects not only improves technique but also makes the relationship with ballet more positive. It used to be said that if it does not hurt, you are not doing it right, but not all pain is good, and if it becomes suffering, there is no point in doing it.” Her medical expertise allows for a more organic and informed approach to movement. This expertise is respecting the body’s mechanics, limitations, and potential for injury prevention.
Vocation
When asked what each field brings her, Soffy Varela admits the difficulty of choosing. “The stage is my safe place, my home, where I can be myself and find myself; it is who I am… I feel at peace and can express myself without thinking about anything else.”
“Medicine gives you a different kind of satisfaction: helping others, constantly studying, challenging yourself in that more scientific aspect… It is not just the clinical picture or the diagnosis you are seeing; it is the person and their environment.” Both professions, she concludes, are profoundly human, requiring immense dedication, sensitivity, and vocation.
In medicine, Varela is focused on continuing her training in Anatomic Pathology. In ballet, she has tour contracts, invitations abroad, and projects with other colleagues in the field planned. She is hoping that all the pieces will fall into place.
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