As a full of life 6-year-old, Alejandro Vargas had an considerable vitality his mother and father hoped to channel into sports activities. After biking by way of all the standard 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 an area studio in New Jersey. That’s when every thing modified and Vargas discovered his ardour.
As Vargas bought older, he grew extra severe 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 type. “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 at all times been occupied with touching totally different avenues in my profession, whether or not or not it’s Broadway, live performance work, industrial work, TV, or movie,” Vargas says. Despite the fact that Juilliard focuses on live performance dance, Vargas remained open, which paid off in an enormous manner. In his senior yr, he was supplied a task in Justin Peck’s dance musical Illinoise.
Vargas made his Broadway debut earlier than graduating together with his BFA from Juilliard. A number 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 yr and the teachings he realized all through.
On Juilliard: “Juilliard taught me about what I don’t like or am not essentially drawn to. We have been, fortunately, given many alternatives to work with totally different choreographers, and never all of the processes have been my favourite. However I believe understanding what you don’t like in any medium is simply as informative as understanding what you do like, as a result of it helps you proceed with future decision-making in your profession. Juilliard additionally taught me the right way to advocate for myself. You’re held accountable, and you will need to study to be a very good 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 needed 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 task in his manufacturing, Illinoise, and I used to be past excited. Although we have been advised the workshop wasn’t an audition, as dancers now we have this intuition to deal with every thing as if it’s an audition and to be ready. It’s not essentially so as to add strain however to grasp that you just by no means know who’s watching or the place it may lead. I’m glad I had pleasure within the workshop and centered on enjoyment with out anticipating an end 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 have been at an all-time excessive. I made a decision to take the contract as a substitute of staying in New York. I needed to ask myself the place I used to be going to seek out probably the most development, and transferring 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 might really feel most pushed out of my consolation zone after which took the leap. I wasn’t positive what to anticipate, however I’m having fun with it.”
On recommendation for a various profession: “Initially, keep open-minded. Don’t have blinders on about what you wish to do. In case you say ‘I solely wish to do one factor,’ you would possibly shut your self off to experiences that would pique your curiosity. I at all times knew I needed to discover totally different facets of dance in my profession, however I wasn’t positive concerning the trajectory. Going into my senior yr, I figured I’d audition for firms earlier than making an attempt Broadway later. But it surely 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.”
