Jonathan Batista is passionate about dance.
He grew up in one of the poorest slums in Rio de Janeiro.
I grew up in a very humble neighborhood called City of God.
And that's where I had my first steps in dance.
With each step, his skills improved.
So did his confidence.
He credits his parents for encouraging him to stick with it.
I think my parents really wanted to keep me busy, so
I think my parents just wanted me to become very focused and disciplined.
Batista's commitment took him from the slums to a scholarship at the prestigious
English National Ballet School, where he took the stage for the first time.
That experience touched his heart and fueled his desire to dream big.
I realized it was possible for me to become a dancer.
One day when I saw a Black principal dancer on a stage of the Royal Ballet
One day when I saw a black principal dancer on a stage of the Royal Ballet
of London, Carlos Acosta.
Batista held on to his dreams and made his way to North America.
But it was a very long road.
I felt like I was almost a pioneer in most of the companies
that that I was in because it was certainly new.
You know, there was a certain amount of resistance
toward my talent because, you know wait, you're a Black man you don't fit the mold.
toward my talent because, you know wait, you're a black man you don't fit the mold.
Batista came to the Pacific Northwest Ballet in 2021, and in late 2022,
PNB promoted him to principal dancer, the highest level a dancer can attain.
This promotion wasn't just something for him to celebrate.
He is the first Black principal dancer at PNB.
He is the first black principal dancer at PNB.
It's been really special, such a special moment for myself, my family, our community,
Black culture and the advancement of Blacks and people of color in dance.
black culture and the advancement of blacks and people of color in dance.
Batista regularly partners with fellow dancer Angelica Generosa,
who herself has had to break down stereotypes and persevere.
Love of ballet, I wanted to be with New York City Ballet on the East Coast.
And unfortunately, I was not hired just by my appearance and of looks.
And I don't think it was about talent or anything of that
it was just I didn't fit the mold.
And I had a lot of image things
ever since that moment.
Angelica is also a principal dancer at PNB.
She still tears up when she recalls a touching conversation she overheard at a performance.
We were doing Cinderella, and that was one of like my poster.
I had a poster and
I saw this little girl and she was up against the poster and she looked very similar to me.
And she was like, that's like me.
And I was like, that's that's everything.
Makes me teary eyed thinking about it.
When we see families
coming to the theater and feeling represented and seeing their own reflections on stage.
That's such a beautiful moment.
That's wonderful.
I mean, people people see the change. They see what's happening.
PNB's push toward diversity and outreach is largely due to artistic director Peter Boal.
And these push toward diversity and outreach is largely due to artistic director Peter Boal.
He says he even treasures the moments that don't get much attention.
I mean, I really think the reward for me is in the smaller moments.
It's sometimes just as small as an individual's reaction to something.
So some kid on a field trip walking through the building
and looking in a studio and riveted by somebody that
and then they see that that they could achieve what that person has achieved.
PNB for many years, has provided a lot of different programs aimed at making
the company more available to everyone, especially young people.
Programs like Dance Chance,
which is a partnership with Seattle schools and offers free classes to students.
The ballet company also offers a Pay What You Can performance
for all of their regular season offerings on the Thursday night show.
And they also have an IDEA committee, which stands for Inclusion,
Diversity, Equity and Accessibility.
This group works to make sure the company is relevant, accessible and welcoming to everyone.
Something Boal recognizes wasn't always the case.
We got the history of the company.
There has not been diverse representation in a way that we would like it to be.
And I think, you know, you can look at that in all kinds of different ways.
Kiyon Ross is also a driving force for the changes at PNB and works closely with Boal.
Kyon Ross is also a driving force for the changes at PNB and works closely with Boal.
He remembers what things were like when he came to the ballet more than 20 years ago.
When I was dancing in the company, I was one very, very few dancers of color in the company.
And now to look and to see the company with all these new diverse faces.
It's just really exciting.
PNB is not only helping current dancers
achieve their dreams, they're also inspiring future generations of dancers.
And they hope to inspire more conversations on the importance and power of diversity.
You know, we're listening to those challenges that we face as a society,
and it reflects in organizations as well.
And now we are taking the lead in the city, in the country, and in showing that it is possible
to have the diversity, it is possible to have tough conversations
and yet move forward.