Featuring Ballet Arizona’s Dancer Serafin Castro
Serafin Castro joined Ballet Arizona in 2018. To learn more about him, click here to view his biography.
[Q] What are you most excited for in the 2022-2023 season?
[SC] I have many reasons to be excited. And I am very excited because we have a beautiful season. We did Contemporary Moves, with Nayon’s piece, two pieces by Alejandro Cerrudo, and Christopher Wheeldon’s piece, Within the Golden Hour. Which it was an honor to be a part of Christopher Wheeldon’s cast, being one of the first few companies to do his piece. We have Cinderella, The Nutcracker– which we have every year, and Giselle just to name a few.
I think I am most excited about Giselle this season. I love Giselle! For me, Giselle is a part of my history as a dancer. Before I danced here, at Ballet Arizona, I was a principal dancer at Ballet National of Cuba. They usually do Giselle every month. After leaving National Ballet of Cuba, this will be my first time performing it with another company and in another country.
[Q] Do you have a daily routine as a dancer?
[SC] Yes, I do have a routine as a dancer. I am a very early person. So much, that I have to get here earlier than everyone else before our class starts. I’m here so early, that I am the one who unlocks the door for the other dancers. The main reason I come early, is because I need to take the time to warm up and stretch before we take our classes and rehearsals. I think that’s my routine; I need to take the time to warm up my body, and to think what I am going to do after.
[Q] What as a ballet dancer do you find rewarding?
[SC] I think, the most important thing that I find rewarding is how ballet has sculpted my body. Ballet has helped me stay story and flexible, as seen when preforming. I can still jump, really high like when I was just a kid, and it’s thanks to ballet.
[Q] How long have you been a ballet dancer?
[SC] I started ballet at the age of eight. Currently, I am thirty-three, so for about twenty-five years I have been dancing ballet. It’s a lot!
[Q] Has there been a role you have always wanted to perform?
[SC] My dream role is in Giselle, and it’s a role that is traditionally performed by a female lead. The role is The Queen of the Wilis: Myrtha- it’s a character and technique that’s rather challenging and it’s even on pointe. Which, I do pointe! For about two years, I’ve been performing on pointe for contemporary companies such as Complexions and Ballet22. It’s another world, the women truly have some of the hardest work in this career. A lot of my respect goes to them. I love the acting that needs to be done for this character. This is my dream!
