We were lucky to catch up with Jonathan Redavid recently and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Jonathan thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Can you open up about a risk you’ve taken – what it was like taking that risk, why you took the risk and how it turned out?

I personally chose this specific panel discussion topic because it reflects my general life style. My life it’s all about taking risks.

I’ve started taking risks very early in my life choosing to work as a dancer in Italy my country.
Lovely country but don’t get me wrong very hard if you want to undertake the life of an artist.
hard to get a buck and survive with only that job. I always believed in what I do and I knew Dancing and Choreography is what fulfilled me as a young me.
I started working at the age of 2 in the entertainment world as actor-model for commercials films and print.
later around 15 years old as dancer and at 19 as choreographer as well.

I was lucky to have a family that loved what I was doing until I decided after severals years visiting NY and LA to move to LA.
I gave all my self in order to get my first 01 visa. It was a big commitment. My family didn’t want me to leave the country in the beginning and they were disappointed of me giving up to my successful career as choreographer in Italy that I earned after long years of sacrifices.
I wasn’t happy anymore, I know I wanted to explore something more something maybe bigger then me but with all my heart and dedication I know I could trust in myself and start all over again in another country the city where the dreams come true. Los Angeles.
finishing up a tv show I was choreographing in Italy. I received the confirmation email from my lawyer that my Visa was approved. I had a fire of tears coming inside me and I was scared and excited at the same time but I had my family little sad for a while. After one month I packed everything, and I left.
I was 25, I left behind all my life, family , friends , my loving dog 2 years old at that time and my apartment loft I had just bought .
I literally gave up to all this to follow my dreams.
it was hard, very hard. it’s even more hard to describe. I had pain and happiness in me for a while. A very weird unique feeling.

Arrived to LA I crushed on a friend couch for 8 months, started doing all the most craziest jobs in the world, Anything for a buck even performing Michael Jackson or Charlie Chaplin as street artist on weekend in Hollywood Blvd.
I didn’t want import any of my money form Italy, I wanted to start from zero again, which it was even more hard, I left Italy with 500$. I was surviving basically.
After almost one year I decided to return to Italy for 3 weeks to visit my family and grab my loving dog that I missed so much, he is my true pure love. I apply for his passport and I jumped on a flight back to La with Him.
Once back in La again I started push my self even more, I was in the best shape of my life. I start slowly working as a dancer in multiple commercials tv shows, awards show. I thought I was slowly insert myself in the industry but after few months of good momentum I stopped working for a while.
It was scary, I didn’t have the money to buy a proper grocery. I was eating 1 dollar bean burrito at Taco Bell almost everyday and cheap food in general, which wasn’t good for me. I had no choice.
I could have move back to Italy but instead…

I stayed and I kept “Taking the risk”, I kept going, I felt in my mind something switched in me when I touched the bottom. All my strength came out and I pushed even harder. I call it Survival of the Fittest.
My positivity never ended and after few months my career took over and I met the love.
Now i’m here at the airport in LA writing these memories before jumping on another flight to go to Alabama for another important film production.
I can say I took the risk of a lifetime, I moved to LA with nothing and most important I build my strength to never change my mind. I was so close to move back to Italy but I didn’t and I’m glad I took that risk that made me grow as a person and human most of all. Today I appreciate every single day remembering that each one is special and will never exist again.

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?

At very early age of 2 years old I started working in the entertainment world as actor-model for commercials films and print. I started dancing at my home town dance school at age of 5. My parents were very passionate about music and dance in general. I started compete internationally in swing dancing, at the age of 10 I was the first at that age to win 3 European championships in a row.
few years later I started exploring dance in all its genres a lot self taught and started working in events – musical theatre and tv shows.
at 19 I had my first choreography job, which became my biggest interest.
I trained my self and learned watching films and music videos , observing other people on set and writing down notes on jobs I was doing just as logistic side of it. Creativity and style I think are very personal and unique for every artists.

As a Choreographer and emerging Director now, I love creating stories and leave a message that fortunately is not always direct. I like to leave space for free interpretation.

As a choreographer I mostly do what it fulfills me most and naturally came out to my body and my mind. It’s not only based on movements but movements expressions and compositions.
For On camera work I prefer to create movements collaborations between subject and camera to elevate emotion build up , harmony and tell the right story. I like taking the risks with dynamics that I think are right for the moment.

I have different inspirations in my past. Grew up with early century jazz and this relation took me to watch big stars on mgm film musicals. I have a classic taste with a rock key.

in my work I always try to push the innovation, in creating something new and call it with a name that doesn’t exist yet which nowadays is very hard.
As a Director
I’ve created few music videos now for different new and upcoming artists.
where i liked to move people’s attention and emotions in things that they may never expect. I create stories and characters that are not real and entertain with the craft of cinematography and edit, changing the reality quite a bit.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

I think an artist and creative are rebels. The most rewarding aspect is learning from the different aspects we live in.
we have a life that goes up and down, that self depends. the more we create the more we learn.
I learned to treat the people who worked with me in any departments all the same, respect and love is the key.
I always dive in and test things my self first before involving other people. I have to try on my skin first to be truth to my self.
I think in my life I’ve learned so much just working and creating. Interfacing with any kind of people with different background stories and experience.
That’s the most rewarding aspect for me, we have the privilege to experience and learn from one of a kind life.

Looking back, are there any resources you wish you knew about earlier in your creative journey?

I wish I had the possibility to study music at early age too, Having the knowledge of reading it and play 2 instruments.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.jonathanredavid.com
• Instagram: @Jonathan.redavid
• Facebook: Jonathan Redavid
• Youtube: @Jonathanredavid
• Other: IMDB Jonathan Redavid

Image Credits
Andrea Larossa