Jonathan Batista on Representation, Black Hair, and Diversity in Ballet
Watch the full interview below
This past Thursday on The Day with Trae, host Trae Holiday sat down with Jonathan Batista, the principal dancer of the Pacific Northwest Ballet (PNB). Batista and Holiday discuss his role as Prince Erik for a second time in PNB’s show “Swan Lake,” his career, and the importance of representation in ballet. Batista is the first principal black dancer at the Pacific Northwest Ballet, founded over 50 years ago.
“Swan Lake is such a powerful ballet and such a powerful story,” Batista said, who is starring alongside it with Angelica Generosa. “It’s always so great to be back dancing with Angelica. It seems we have a great connection and also we understand each other and so it makes it way easier to dance with someone like that.
"It's been such a beautiful journey. There is a transformation in the journey and within myself as an artist as well," Batista said. "Understanding what it means to be a Black artist in a ballet company, which really means defining stereotypes."
Batista highlighted what making history means for him, similar to industry icons such as Arthur Mitchell, Debra Austin, Lauren Anderson, Misty Copeland, and Kabby Mitchell.
"I walk in their light. I continue to build that legacy, which is so beautiful," Batista said. "It really goes beyond just being a principal dancer; it goes beyond just being Johnathan Batista. It's really about our community and building a future."
For both the future and the community, Batista hopes the next generation of black dancers will see his role and know that their dreams are achievable.
"It took me to go to England and start my studies in ballet and see a Black principal dancer to understand that it was possible for me to become [one]," Batista said. "That moment influenced me to one day become a principal dancer, and here I am in this position to inspire the next generation of Black dancers."
This past December, Batista was awarded the Entertainer of the Year 2023 by POCAAN, an award he credits to his ties with both community and Seattle.
"Community is the greatest gift that we ever have. The community in Seattle embraced me in such a short time, and I'm really grateful for that," Batista said. "I put myself in the position to serve, to use my platform to give voices to communities that are underrepresented. I also happen to be of Latin background, so I'm out there doing what I can."
Batista has been performing with the Pacific Northwest Ballet for two and a half seasons. Since his start, he's feeling more confident than ever.
There was a lot of pressure as a new dancer, and I guess there were many expectations," Batista said. " I think now, I grew within myself, understanding the dancer that I am, what I was created for, and how I can use my gift."
For him, this comes back to representation within the industry.
"This is one of the first times that I'm dancing with cornrows," Batista said. "There were times in my career where my hair was not accepted. And so I took a lot of fear in, and it took representation within the company, within the Pacific Northwest Ballet, for me to really understand the value of my hair, worth, and crown, as we call it."
As for right now, Batista will be staring in Swan Lake at the Pacific Northwest Ballet, playing from now until February 11th at McCaw Hall.
"I'm coming as a whole, full, me, Jonathan Batista," Batista said. "That's the message that I want to put out there, that it's okay to be yourself. It's great to be yourself and appreciate all of you: your hair, your skin tone, your dance, your culture, and just yourself."
To watch Batista's performance live in the "Pacific Northwest Ballets Rendition of "Swan Lake," purchase tickets here.
To hear more inspiring conversations in the community, tune in to The Day With Trae live at 11 am Monday through Friday on all Converge Media platforms and The Day With Trae's new YouTube Channel.
