Today we’d like to introduce you to Thalia Vivens
Hi Thalia, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I am a native Houstonian, born and raised. Growing up, arts and creativity were always a huge factor in my life, with my dad being a jazz musician. My mom, an educator, has also had a fascination with the performing and visual arts. For me, the art form that I had always gravitated toward was dance. Seeing “The Nutcracker” as a toddler was absolutely magical to take in. From there, I knew that dance would always be a tremendous part of my life, and I began to learn. Of course, I had delved into other facets and genres that the dance industry had to offer, but I always came back to ballet. Time passed from being a little girl to being a teenager with an expanded worldview and understanding of how our society functions. Bear in mind that I am a mixed Black and Hispanic woman, in addition to being both 4’11” and curvy. Traditionally, I am not one that you would see on a dance stage and imagine to fit the aesthetic. I began to see and feel the effects of racism, body-shaming, and so forth in dance and developed a toxic relationship with it. Essentially, the thing that I absolutely loved did not harbor the same feelings toward me. My mental health took an undeniable tumble, and I stepped away in 2020. In 2022, however, I could no longer handle being away from dance. As a college student wondering what her life was supposed to be, I stepped back into a studio environment and found a definite answer. Having taken time away has made me grow more and more fond of what dance is and what the industry could be. Empowered by my identity rather than ashamed of it, I took to the internet and started a personal blog to express my experiences as a dancer and advocate for creating spaces for marginalized dancers alike.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Oh, this journey has been far from easy. Being an artist in itself comes with countless sacrifices, criticisms, and so much more. During my initial dance experience, I had grown to bear witness to and experience the racist and Eurocentric standards that were so prevalent in the ballet world. Being an outlier, as per being short, curvy, Black, and Hispanic, came with an undeveloped outlook that led me to believe that this was all personal, per se. Nonetheless, looking back through a further matured lens, I now realize this is a reality for many dancers outside of myself. For me, this was my own studio experience, yet I know there are hundreds upon thousands of studios out there that allow this to be common practice. When I returned to dancing in 2022 after a hiatus in 2020, it’s important to note that I finally realized the value of my existence in such a space for the better. Was I on a roll then when it came to dancing? Absolutely, and I’m grateful for the drive that was in full force. At this point in time, my dedication to dance outweighed my dedication to my major, which was met with plentiful criticism from different avenues. Artists are truly born with that drive and dream to be successful, even if it makes no sense to the masses. As someone who could have opted for the 9-5 corporate world before coming back to what I love most, admitting such to myself and altering my life to the way that I want it to be was hard for others to handle. Was this perceived as a delusion of grandeur? Probably, but I definitely learned to detach from the perceptions of others, especially when it came to a vision that was not going to be understood by them. Was I, essentially, on my own? Yes. However, I was connecting with my higher self as well as a community that I knew I could impact. Cut to May of 2024, having completed the final showcase of my college experience. In the weeks of returning home before graduation, I was struck by a mysterious autoimmune illness, TTP, that landed me in the hospital for 3 weeks in June. From having been dancing back to back, performing, graduating, and being ready to get my life on a roll, having a setback as serious as such just reminded me of the pressure of time in this industry. Having a 2-year hiatus alone had me feeling compelled to go as hard as possible to make up for lost time, as your late teens and early twenties are for finding companies to join and the prime to get your professional career going. While I needed such a break for my own mental growth, it may not have been the most convenient time to do so. If anything, on top of advocating for diversity in dance in terms of race and body type, age is another facet that means a lot to me from my own experience. At 22 now, the past 6 months of physical recovery make me feel as though I need to overcompensate for my illness, yet I want to be a beacon of a professional life being attainable at any point in time, even after setbacks.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I am so incredibly proud to call myself an artist. Dance will always be my home base, of course, but I have an affinity for all facets of the performing and visual arts. Having grown up in classical ballet, that will always have my heart and be my launch pad. I definitely credit my experience in ballet with propelling me to be an advocate for change in the dance industry, as that is the foundation of technique, yet where the outdated notion of dance being exclusive to solely thin, white, privileged individuals. From my own experience in the dance industry as a living contradiction, existing in such a space, I have found empowerment from being the outlier in the industry who strives to pursue such professionally. Given my background, I took to creating a blog titled “Thalia Takes the Stage” in which I discuss my experiences as a dancer and seek to push for change in the industry by advocating for marginalized groups in dance. While I have much, much, much farther to go, I am proud of the connections that this platform has brought. Being able to connect with professional and aspiring dancers who see the value in this work means more than imaginable.
Any big plans?
In the future, I would love to return to dancing full-time and professionally. Being able to be a contributor in terms of fostering change on a main stage is something that I hold near and dear, as well as being able to be a part of bringing up dance companies that are all about reshaping our industry. On top of that, I would love to work with artists in a freelance space, such as collaborating with music artists, photographers, videographers, and so forth. As far as my blog space goes, I would love to keep her afloat and have more interaction in terms of being a space for artists to submit their own takes and start conversations. So long as the community is shifting towards inclusivity, I will be beyond content.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.thaliatakesthestage.blog/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thaliavivens/
