We were lucky to catch up with Majo Rivero recently and have shared our conversation below.
Majo, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today 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.
Everything started growing up in Mexico seeing my sister sing and dance her heart out. We started taking classes together just for fun not knowing it could be, and soon would be our careers. I always saw performing as a priority and I would even get in trouble at school for missing homeworks, until they gave in and would ask me to organize performances at school for the students, I even started teaching dance classes to my classmates and neighbors. I was 6 years old when I started dancing, 12 when I started teaching. At the age of 12 I performed in my first musical as a lead performer “Annie” in Mexico, and soon after went to study Musical Theater full time at a performing arts school in London for a year. That was the year that changed my life. It opened my eyes to what my life could be, that it was possible to make your passion your career. I had to go back to Mexico because I was to young according to my parents (and yes I was), so although I was still not the best at school work I would find ways to keep my passion alive by taking all the dance and singing classes possible and joining my high school’s dance team. Though I loved my family and friends, I didn’t feel fulfilled… something was missing. I did some research on performing arts high schools in the US and found Interlochen Arts Academy. My mom took me to Michigan for an in-person audition and it felt amazing, didn’t even feel the audition nerves! I’m gonna be real here- my audition wasn’t good and the materials I used were very “overdone” which I had no idea at the moment, but regardless I got accepted! I had no idea how transformational as a performer and person that opportunity would be. In my two years at Interlochen I learned the base of my performing self, it was the first time I took good acting classes and was coached by the best professors in the Country. I was a shy person (specially getting there, a new Country, a new language, a new culture) but they took me out of my shell and pushed me to be free within myself. After graduating high school there I went to the Chicago College of Performing Arts at Roosevelt University for four years where I graduated with a BFA in Musical Theater with an emphasis in Dance. Although I also kept growing as a performer, my college years were more transformational to me as a person, I got to know myself in so many ways, went through things that pushed me in every direction and I learned to put myself in my art. I created so many things that expressed who I was and what I was going through, and it freed me. After graduating I moved straight to New York City. I had a year with my OPT (which is the work permit in your field of studies that you get after graduating as an international student) that year was more that I could have imagined, I was getting opportunities that filled my soul, it was also the year my grandma passed away and because of a project, I couldn’t be there. It still hurts to this day, but I feel her so close to me. Although I’ve had amazing experiences and opportunities being away from my family, friends and culture is hard. The beautiful thing is that you get to form other great connections with people and places that you get to call your home away from home. Once my OPT ended, after a long application process I got my Artist Visa approved and went on to an international tour of the Broadway award-winning musical West Side Story for a year and a half. I’ve talked about how my experiences have made me grow as a performer and then as a person, but this tour did both at the same time. It taught me discipline, communication, patience, how to have the stamina needed to perform 8 (sometimes 11!) shows a week, how to learn and perform multiple roles, how to take care of my soul, mind, and body, creating authentic bonds and to love unconditionally. It also allowed me to be closer to my sister who lives in London and had my beautiful niece while I was in Munich so on my day off I was able to go see her. My dad who’s diagnosed with terminal cancer lives in Spain for his treatments so I was able to also be close to him and lucky enough he got to see me perform in every role I was casted as (Anita, Rosalia, Consuelo, and Francisca), something I will always hold with me. After I got back to NYC from tour I signed with my agent Jim Daly at Bloc agency, was the Associate Choreographer of an Off-Broadway musical “La Llamada” at Repertorio Español, and I also produced and performed at the notable cabaret venue 54 Below sharing the stage with my sister as a special guest. A full circle moment.
Everything I have experienced both professionally and in my personal life has made me the performer I am today. It has taken a lot of strength, courage, determination, love and patience- still does but we keep on going! I wouldn’t change anything about my journey nor the timing. I would always think to myself “why not this now?!” and then I’d be like “Oh that’s why”. I’v witnessed how everything comes at the perfect time, and what it’s meant to be will not pass you by.
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
I am a bilingual dancer, singer, actress, model, choreographer, producer. I have been Dance Captain in the show “In The Heights” choreographed by Associate Choreographer of the Broadway musical Hamilton Stephanie Klemons, I have been the Associate choreographer of Omar Nieves at the award-winning Off-Broadway venue Repertorio Español, I have been part of TV commercials, music videos, a world tour, various readings of new works, sang at concerts, taught workshops, been part of workshops with professional artists, and more.
What sets me apart is that I lead with the heart. By letting myself truly experience life fully, soaking very emotion and learning experience in I’ve become secure in who I am, and though we as humans are in constant change I try to remain present in those moments so I can be my authentic self in everything I do, which each person has their own.
I am most proud of how I take on obstacles that come my way. With constant self work I am able to take the best approach for me to things and situations that might not be the most positive looking. This has been a skill that I’ve developed and continue to do so throughout my years working in the business and life.
We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.
I’ve lived a few moments in particular that marked my life, but these would be the biggest ones-
When my grandma passed away- My grandma lived with us my whole life so she was my second mom, she was 94 years old when she passed, we knew it was coming because she stopped talking (she always had something to say haha) and her light was simply dimming. I was in the middle of a project were we didn’t have understudies and it was going to be a one time thing for Broadway World. Before starting it I went to see her and it was heartbreaking. Two days before I had to perform she passed and I couldn’t be there. Again, I didn’t tell anyone I was working with about it- I didn’t want them to feel sorry for me and I just wanted to do my work. I felt guilty and selfish, but from that I learnt that family comes first, but it also gave me the feeling of performing remind me of my grandma from that moment till now and forever, which helps me be the best version of myself. That performance and everything I do goes for her.
My dad’s cancer- He was diagnosed at the end of 2020 and I was in shock, it was so sudden- the doctors don’t even know where it came from. I couldn’t immediately go home cause we were still going through the pandemic but he looked and felt fine. Of course as time went on it got more serious, he moved to Spain to continue with his treatments at a better clinic. Luckily while I was on tour I was able to see him quite often, by the ending dates of the tour he couldn’t travel easily so I stopped seeing him as often. Once tour ended I went to Spain for a bit to see him and it hit me. I didn’t see my dad in that body. He would fast walk everywhere, now he was in a wheelchair, he would eat six course meals, now he could barely finish half a meal. I had never seen my dad cry, he cried almost every night telling me goodnight. I went back to NY and he got better…for about a month. He calls me, my mom and my sister from the hospital after his chemo saying that the doctor said he might not wake up tomorrow. Luckily he did wake up, my sister got there that same day, my mom the next and me the next. We were all taking care of him, it gave me flashbacks from when I went to see my grandma. He couldn’t do anything by himself. I think it’s one thing to see someone you know so deeply pass away and another thing experiencing the process of seeing their light dim. With our visit and a bit more medicine he was able to get a bit better, but it’s something we keep living every day. We always have to be on standby and it’s something almost no one around me knows but that I carry with me.
Is there mission driving your creative journey?
My biggest mission is to create awareness on cultural representation. It’s not only about having a “good color palette” but to have different people with different backgrounds. Coming to the US made me realize what it is to be a foreigner, I mean in Mexico everyone is Mexican, but here (specially with me being “white-passing”) I get my identity questioned and I know I’m not the only one- Are you this enough or that enough. WE ARE ALL ENOUGH and people don’t understand that we have to work twice as hard to get anything. Along my journey I would love to get to a position where I can give more opportunities to everyone with different cultural backgrounds and making efforts to get to know them at a personal level.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.majorivero.com/
- Instagram: @majo.grivero
Image Credits
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