As a energetic 6-year-old, Alejandro Vargas had an plentiful power his mother and father hoped to channel into sports activities. After biking by 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 a neighborhood studio in New Jersey. That’s when all the pieces modified and Vargas discovered his ardour.
As Vargas acquired older, he grew extra critical about dance and commenced 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 at all times been concerned about 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. Though Juilliard focuses on live performance dance, Vargas remained open, which paid off in an enormous means. In his senior yr, he was provided a task 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 modern 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 had been, fortunately, given many alternatives to work with totally different choreographers, and never all of the processes had been my favourite. However I believe figuring out what you don’t like in any medium is simply as informative as figuring out 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 it’s essential to be taught to be a very good communicator, which is a vital life talent.”
On his Broadway debut in Illinoise: “In school, 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 behind 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 acquired an electronic mail from Justin saying that I used to be provided a task in his manufacturing, Illinoise, and I used to be past excited. Although we had been instructed the workshop wasn’t an audition, as dancers we have now this intuition to deal with all the pieces as if it’s an audition and to be ready. It’s not essentially so as to add strain however to grasp that you simply 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 consequence.”
On selecting firm life in France: “I used to be provided a contract with Opéra de Lyon per 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 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 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 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: “Firstly, keep open-minded. Don’t have blinders on about what you wish to do. Should you say ‘I solely wish to do one factor,’ you may shut your self off to experiences that would pique your curiosity. I at all times knew I needed to discover totally different points 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 attempting Broadway later. However 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 means.”