As a vigorous 6-year-old, Alejandro Vargas had an plentiful power his mother and father hoped to channel into sports activities. After biking via all the traditional choices, nothing appeared to stay. Then, to attach Vargas and his sister with their Colombian heritage, his mother and father enrolled them in a salsa class at a neighborhood studio in New Jersey. That’s when all the things modified and Vargas discovered his ardour.
As Vargas bought older, he grew extra critical about dance and started attending dance conventions together with his studio, Dancin’ within the Highlight. The proprietor, Liz LeBar, cultivated his versatility, encouraging him to coach in each model. “She taught me to be a hireable dancer,” Vargas says, “like an adaptable chameleon.”
Vargas carried this lesson with him from highschool into school, the place he attended Juilliard. “I’ve all the time been all for touching completely different avenues in my profession, whether or not or not it’s Broadway, live performance work, business work, TV, or movie,” Vargas says. Although Juilliard focuses on live performance dance, Vargas remained open, which paid off in a giant manner. In his senior 12 months, he was supplied a job in Justin Peck’s dance musical Illinoise.
Vargas made his Broadway debut earlier than graduating together with his BFA from Juilliard. A couple of months later, he moved to Lyon, France, the place he now dances with the acclaimed up to date firm Opéra Nationwide de Lyon.
We talked with Vargas to speak extra about his senior 12 months and the teachings he discovered all through.
On Juilliard: “Juilliard taught me about what I don’t like or am not essentially drawn to. We had been, fortunately, given many alternatives to work with completely different choreographers, and never all of the processes had been my favourite. However I feel realizing what you don’t like in any medium is simply as informative as realizing what you do like, as a result of it helps you proceed with future decision-making in your profession. Juilliard additionally taught me the best way to advocate for myself. You’re held accountable, and you will need to study to be communicator, which is a vital life talent.”
On his Broadway debut in Illinoise: “At college, we had a two-day workshop with Justin Peck, and I approached it like a category as a result of, to me, that’s all it was. However at the back of my thoughts, I knew he was somebody I wished to work with due to his portfolio, which spans so many platforms. Then, a few weeks later, I bought an electronic mail from Justin saying that I used to be supplied a job in his manufacturing, Illinoise, and I used to be past excited. Although we had been informed the workshop wasn’t an audition, as dancers we have now this intuition to deal with all the things as if it’s an audition and to be ready. It’s not essentially so as to add stress however to grasp that you just by no means know who’s watching or the place it could lead on. I’m glad I had pleasure within the workshop and centered on enjoyment with out anticipating an final result.”
On selecting firm life in France: “I used to be supplied a contract with Opéra de Lyon every week earlier than we opened Illinoise on Broadway, so my feelings had been at an all-time excessive. I made a decision to take the contract as an alternative of staying in New York. I needed to ask myself the place I used to be going to seek out essentially the most development, and shifting to France was the choice that scared me extra. However I additionally requested myself, ‘Why does it scare me? Simply because it scares me doesn’t imply I’ll be sad.’ I imagined the place I’d really feel most pushed out of my consolation zone after which took the leap. I wasn’t certain what to anticipate, however I’m having fun with it.”
On recommendation for a various profession: “At the beginning, keep open-minded. Don’t have blinders on about what you need to do. In the event you say ‘I solely need to do one factor,’ you may shut your self off to experiences that might pique your curiosity. I all the time knew I wished to discover completely different features of dance in my profession, however I wasn’t certain concerning the trajectory. Going into my senior 12 months, I figured I’d audition for firms earlier than making an attempt Broadway later. Nevertheless it turned out to be the reverse.
Who is aware of the place I’ll go sooner or later, however I’m dedicated to staying open to no matter alternatives come my manner.”
