We were lucky to catch up with Juan Ortiz recently and have shared our conversation below.

Juan , thanks for taking the time to share your stories 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?

The idea of being an actor for the rest of my life settled when I was still in high school. I knew that no matter what, I was going to pursue this career. Telling my parents that I wanted to be an actor was not easy because all my family studied economics or medicine, however, they supported me from the very first moment I told them. The only question they had was: Where are you going to study? I did some acting courses in three of the best academies in my city: Bogota, Colombia, when I was still in school. During my senior year, I started looking for universities and conservatories but nothing fulfilled my expectations, I knew I wanted something else, something bigger. So I started looking abroad and there was when I found it: New York City, “The Capital Of The World”. I realized it sounded kind of crazy but the more research I did, the more I fell in love with the idea of moving to the States. As always, my parents were very supportive when I told them, they had a lot of questions and we had a lot to figure out, but it was a plan.
I remember that we made a list with all the things we had to consider, and to be honest, it didn’t look so good. The fact that neither my family nor friends were going to be there with me, the idea of not knowing anybody, and that I was going to be in the city by myself were some of the biggest points I had to consider. Also, we had to think of what if I didn’t like the city, what if I didn’t feel comfortable by myself, what if I was not able to communicate perfectly because it was a whole new language? It was not easy at all. I could’ve just stayed home and studied at one university in my city, lived with my family, and had all my friends a couple of minutes away from my house. But no, it was a risk and I was willing to take it.
Right now, I think it is the biggest risk I’ve taken in my life. It was worth it 100%. I am currently a working actor, I finished school last year, I have made wonderful new friends who are my second family and I am as happy as I could be.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I started acting and dancing at a very young age and I haven’t stopped ever since. Dancing came into my life first. I joined a professional dance crew in my city called PUD (Proyecto Urban Dance) and with them, I started my professional dancing career. I specialized in street dance styles like Hip Hop, Waacking, Popping, Afrobeats, etc, but also worked on techniques like Ballet and Jazz. After two years of training, I won my first championships ever in cities in Colombia and Mexico and got the opportunity to participate in the Hip Hop International, a championship in which more than 50 countries take their best teams to compete.
Acting-wise, I learned how to use my body, learn lines, and perform in front of people mainly in Colombia. When I moved to NYC, I studied the Method at The Lee Strasberg Theatre & Film Institute, where I also learned different disciplines like stage combat, singing, acting for camera, and improvisation.
Being able to mix my two passions, acting and dancing, is something I love to do. Most recently, I choreographed and starred in a short film that is movement-based and is currently in its festival run. I love telling stories that people may already know differently, through movement.

How can we best help foster a strong, supportive environment for artists and creatives?

I love this question because I do feel that performers need more support. It was not my case, but some of my closest friends growing up had a very hard time telling their families they wanted to pursue an acting career, and I think that is because it is seen either as a career that is not “serious” or seen as something that anyone could do on their free time. Let me tell you, it is none of those. Acting, dancing, and singing are as worthy of respect as any other career out there so people shouldn’t judge someone who wants to be an artist right away. Not being told you are wasting your time pursuing those careers but instead, words of encouragement are a great support for emerging artists.
How else can people support performers? Go to their showcases, competitions, plays, musicals, everything you can. Believe me, that is greatly appreciated and it’s what keeps us going. Also, if you like somebody’s performance, song, or dance routine, share it! We are in an era where social media is a huge influence on our work, therefore we want to reach as many people as we can, so a like or a comment is something very easy to do that shows your support.

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?

In my opinion, the most rewarding aspect of being an artist is being able to transport people to a whole new world. I love it when people laugh or cry during one of my shows/performances. It shows me that I was able to connect with them and make them feel something for a second. I also love when people leave the theatre thinking, analyzing, and arguing, because, at the end of the day, that’s how we express our opinions and ideas, through art. And when I say art I mean any kind of artistic expression ( acting, dancing, singing, painting, sculpting, writing, etc).
Art is therapy. Art heals. Art makes people forget. Art makes people remember. Art expands your imagination. That is why I always say: the world needs more art.

Contact Info:

• Website: http://www.juankortiz.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/juankortiz_01/

Image Credits
Pam Torres Maria Mutante