We recently connected with Jonathan Batista and have shared our conversation below.

Jonathan, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Learning the craft is often a unique journey from every creative – we’d love to hear about your journey and if knowing what you know now, you would have done anything differently to speed up the learning process.

1- Learning about ballet is much like learning any other profession—it requires dedication and discipline. However, it’s your unique essence that allows you to truly connect with it and discover who you are. This journey demands a high level of vulnerability and honesty. You must set aside your ego, confront your true self, and embrace the process wholeheartedly.

2- If there’s one thing I could have done to accelerate my growth, it would be to filter the multitude of opinions that inevitably come with a career in ballet. The best way to achieve this is by trusting your gut instinct before external opinions evolve into overwhelming noise. I’ve learned to remind myself that there is a unique gift, calling, and purpose within me—something only I can fully understand and pursue.

While mentorship and guidance are invaluable, it’s crucial to strike a balance and recognize what’s achievable in each scenario. Ultimately, the path forward is deeply personal and requires faith in your own vision.

3- I’m not sure if these are skills, but they are definitely tools. I started by focusing on myself—organizing my life and evaluating what truly added value. I assessed everything, distinguishing between quantity and quality, and embraced minimalism. This shift gave me more time and energy to invest in myself. It applied to every area of my life, including colleagues, friends, family, material possessions, and even invitations.

Ultimately, everything had to align with the vision of the life I wanted to create and continue building. This approach led me to establish a consistent routine: waking up early, journaling, meditating, setting goals, taking risks, putting my ideas on paper, and taking actionable steps to bring them to life.

4- I encountered many obstacles along my journey, but I approached them with a clinical perspective. Obstacles exist to teach us and help us grow, but some can stir emotions that become distractions or unnecessary drains on our time and energy. It’s essential to periodically self-reflect—examining who you are, who you aim to become, and whether the obstacles you face are external or if you, yourself, might be the obstacle in your own path.

I’ve experienced both sides of this equation. Once I realized that many obstacles were simply lessons or distractions unworthy of my focus, my career and life began to progress in ways I never thought possible. Embracing this mindset transformed my journey.

Jonathan, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

As a Black ballet dancer, I feel privileged to have performed with companies of all sizes—large, medium, and small. Today, I dance with one of the top five ballet companies in the United States. This opportunity has allowed me to deeply invest in mastering my craft. Throughout my journey, I’ve always approached challenges as opportunities for growth, finding creative solutions and turning obstacles into lessons that I can share with others.

My ballet journey began when someone’s discouraging words fueled my determination to succeed. Instead of being disheartened, I used those words to ignite my drive. Along the way, I faced significant challenges: being outcast, overlooked by leadership, and denied promotion by company PR teams. These experiences pushed me to become a force of my own, a “machine” that could persist, adapt, and eventually build a team to support the brand and mission I’ve created.

As I began sharing my story, I found it resonated with many people. They started reaching out with questions, comments, and requests for guidance. What started as personal storytelling evolved into a business—helping individuals and organizations alike. Whether it’s assisting people with career mentorship, securing scholarships, landing promotions, or even organizing fundraisers and events, my goal is always the same: to empower others to succeed.

What I’m most proud of is the community I’ve built—a network of people who uplift one another. Seeing those I’ve supported grow into the best versions of themselves is incredibly rewarding. Whether I’ve helped by watering their seeds or simply being a small seed in their journey, it’s a privilege to be part of their success.

What I want people to know about me is that I am here to build, empower, and inspire. Whether as a mentor, community builder, philanthropist, or friend, my mission is to help people achieve their dreams.

Through my brand, I collaborate with businesses, artists, and leaders, guiding them to organize, reprioritize, and chart a clear path to purpose and success. It’s incredible what can happen with intentional conversations and strategic planning.

If you’d like to connect, feel free to reach out via email. My team is efficient, intentional, and passionate about helping dreams become reality. Let’s build together.

Any insights you can share with us about how you built up your social media presence?

I began investing in social media fully in late 2017, around September or October. A friend encouraged me to share more of my dancing, life story, and journey with the world, as they believed people would admire and connect with it. At the time, I had only 400 followers.

I decided to give it a try, and within a year, my audience grew from 400 to 10,000—with no strategy or specific intent to grow. It was purely organic.

But as the saying goes, with great power comes great responsibility. Over time, I shifted my focus to sharing more of myself. I realized that people connect through relatable stories—through shared experiences and even through the differences that set us apart.

For anyone new to social media, here’s the lesson I’ve learned: growth happens when you confront shame and fear. If you feel either (or both) before posting something or pursuing an idea, go for it. That fear often stems from doing something new, and shame typically arises from worrying about what others—friends, family, coworkers—might think or say. Here’s the truth: they’ll have opinions no matter what you do. The real question is, who cares?

Your focus should be on building something meaningful, something authentic to your niche. Every niche has its quirks—things that might seem odd, funny, or even questionable—but that’s part of the process. Social media challenges you to think, to create, and to grow.

Ultimately, social media is a tool—a powerful one—for personal growth, branding, and business. Embrace it, use it, and go for it!

Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?

Building resilience was a game changer in my journey. Throughout my career, I’ve heard countless “no’s” and “not enoughs” from teachers, family members, directors, and leaders in ballet companies. These rejections pushed me to seek feedback, but it wasn’t always truthful or constructive. My curiosity drove me to keep moving, never settling in one place when the feedback felt limiting. Instead, I sought fresh perspectives elsewhere.

I remember a pivotal moment while dancing with a major company in the U.S. I felt undervalued and decided to audition for one of the most prestigious ballet companies in the world. At the time, I was a corps de ballet dancer—an entry-level position—but this renowned UK company saw me as a First Soloist, with the potential to become a Principal Dancer, the highest rank in ballet. What struck me most was that they didn’t even read my resume; they simply observed my dancing.

That experience was both humbling and enlightening. It taught me that people value you differently depending on where you are and how they perceive your unique qualities. This realization motivated me to find ways to make it work in the U.S., where I truly wanted to build my career—and it paid off.

Looking back, those many “no’s” shaped me. They taught me how to transform rejection into opportunity and to build the “yes’s” that have defined my career and life. Every “yes” has been a testament to persistence, growth, and self-belief—a true “yes for success.”

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.jonathanbatistaofficial.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/balletdude/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theballetdude
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonathan-batista-32a2085a/
• Twitter: https://x.com/TheBalletDude
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheBalletDude
• Other: TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@theballetdude
  Threads: https://www.threads.net/@balletdude

Image Credits

All images have credits in them as a file. Please let Ron know if you’re able to see them once you download them.

[email protected] – Ron