Rasta Thomas
Encyclopedia
Rasta Kuzma Ramacandra (professionally known as Rasta Thomas) was born on July 18, 1981 in San Francisco and is a dancer, martial artist, gymnast and choreographer.
When Thomas was two years old, he broke his leg in a jeep accident, and as a result, began disciplined therapeutic physical training. Thomas' father enrolled the boy in tae kwon do lessons at the age of three. By the time Thomas was seven, his father felt he was being disrespectful to his teachers and so, as punishment, enrolled him in ballet classes. Thomas excelled and entered the commercial competition circuit, winning Star Quest
, Showbiz, and Star Power dance contests. Over time, he developed aspirations of becoming an action-movie star while working as an étoile in the Paris Opera House.
, in Washington, D.C., and also studied at Washington School of Ballet. Thomas' father would take his son to see all the great ballet companies that would perform at the Kennedy Center for the Arts. His father would then ask dancers if they would grant his son classes, and they often obliged. At age 13, Thomas trained under Dawei Zhange at the Maryland Youth Ballet; of Zhang, Thomas said "The technique I learned from him is the blueprint that's allowed me to have a career." At the age of 13 he become the youngest person ever to receive the Jury Prize at the 1994 Paris International Dance Competition. Although he was enrolled at Kirov in time for the 1996 Varna International Ballet Competition, the school had a policy of only sending dancers sure to win the gold. So Thomas represented the Seiskaya School of Ballet of New York instead (with whom he was doing guest performances at the time) and Gerald Arpino
, Arthur Mitchell
and Debbie Allen
sponsored him at a cost of $30,000. At 15 he was awarded the Junior Gold Medal at the event, becoming the youngest ever to win and while on a foot he injured in karate class. After his win, The New York Times
announced, "Look out, world. Rasta Thomas has arrived." In 1995, Thomas became a member of Le Jeune Ballet de France, and in 1997 was invited by the Hartford Ballet to be a principal artist. At the 1998 USA International Ballet Competition, Thomas won the gold medal, a scholarship, and a cash prize in the senior men's division.
(USAIBC). Thomas won the gold medal, and at 16 years old became the youngest to win in the senior division, beating Mikhail Baryshnikov
's previous record age of 18. The win opened up new opportunities for the dancer. Later that year, he and three other dancers, including Adrienne Canterna, originated the piece for the tenth season of The Vail International Dance Festival. The couple performed at the festival again in 1999.
Upon returning to the US, he went to Los Angeles to begin his commercial career: he hired an agent, danced in a GAP
commercial and had a solo in the Debbie-Allen choreographed 1999 Academy Awards. Thomas conceived and directed In Homage: A Tribute to Families With AIDS, a benefit for Self-Help Community Services and its Family Home Care program. He was enjoying commercial success and popular recognition, but after a conversation with one of his mentors, Arthur Mitchell, he decided to "get back on an artist's path."
Thomas moved to New York City and joined the Dance Theatre of Harlem
(under the tutelage Mitchell) in what would prove to be their last season. Instead of signing to another company, Thomas, in an unconventional move, decided to become a guest dancer. While Thomas was dining with choreographer Vladimir Angelov, a friend told Thomas that he was wasting his talent by only performing at galas. Angelov agreed, remarking that excellent danseurs are expected to belong to premier companies. Shortly after their dinner, Angelov introduced Thomas to Gerhard Rieder, who presents the Kirov Ballet in Europe, who in turn introduced Rasta to the Kirov's company manager, Makharbek Vaziev. Rieder invited Thomas to perform in Kirov's February 2001 three-hour gala in St. Petersburg, but on such short notice, Thomas only had a week to train with the company and he was worked in only one hour before the show began. He performed a dance Angelov choreographed to "Flight of the Bumblebee
," to rave reviews, including from Valery Gergiev
, artistic director of the Kirov Ballet and Opera. Vaziev invited Thomas to residency with the ballet and a stipend of $150 a month while granting him freedom accept independent work; Thomas declined due to a filming commitment in the movie Without a Word, so Vaziev extended his invitation to the fall. Thomas found the filming experience disappointing and, realizing his dancing career was finite. He then decided to dance for six months in Russia with the Kirov Ballet, living in St. Petersburg from Rasta moved in St. Petersburg in October 2001. While there, he most notably danced as Swan Lake's
Jester, Carmen's
bullfighter, and Le jeune homme et la mort's
Young Man. Vaziev's custom of casting roles right before performances, meant Thomas would prepare for all the principal roles he thought he might be called upon to dance. However, after being overlooked for key roles, Thomas became disenchanted and, coupled with his father's illness, Rasta moved back to Maryland to February 2002. The following October, he carried the torch and performed in the opening ceremonies of USAIBC.
Thomas has appeared as a guest artist with such companies as the Kirov Ballet, Imperial Russian Ballet, The Joffrey Ballet
, Beijing Central Ballet, Dance Theatre of Harlem
, Victor Ullate
Ballet of Spain, Inoue Ballet of Japan, and the Universal Ballet of Korea
. He is currently dancing at Pacific Northwest Ballet
. Thomas danced in the ABT at the Metropolitan Opera House as a guest artist in a Lar Lubovitch
production of Othello. He also played the role of Timmy in Patrick Swayze
's 2005 DVD One Last Dance. In 2005, Thomas performed a solo in Lar Lubovitch's US debut of Elemental Brubeck. Dance Magazine
, in response to his performance, said "A creature of the stage, his presence is magnetic (if lacking nuance), and he relishes all the scrutiny he demands." The New York Times said that the success of the piece can be credited to the "innate good taste and nuanced phrasing that informs Mr. Thomas's spectacular, crystal-clear performance." That same year, he debuted on Broadway as the lead character Eddie in the hit musical Movin' Out
, and went on to work with the Movin' Out touring company. Thomas was featured on the winter 2006 cover of movmnt
magazine. He choreographed and performed a well-received "stand-alone acrobatic ballet solo" for "Poetry in New York," a flamenco musical by Rafael Amargo. In late 2008, Thomas gathered several high-profile young dancers and invited them to judge an open video competition, where amateurs could enter a three-minute video of their solos via YouTube or divacompetition.com. In July 2008, Thomas and 11 other gold-medal winners of previous USAIBC competitions were included in a one-night-only IBC Reunion Gala in Jackson, Mississippi
.
Thomas was had an endorsement deal with Capezio
, a brand of dance apparel.
Thomas was interviewed for the book The Dancer Within: Intimate Conversations with Great Dancers by Rose Eichenbaum, a collection of interviews with prominent dancers. The book accompanied Eichenbaum's touring photography exhibition, also called The Dancer Within, which sought to celebrate "the act of dancing and the lives of dancers."
and Kenneth Rascher. Thomas chooses the dancers from competition, Broadway, and ballet backgrounds. Rock the Ballet! is a BBD show that incorporates jazz, hip hop, tap and gymnastics into its ballet elements. The show has featured alumni of So You Think You Can Dance
(including Craig DeRosa, Nick Lazzarini
and Danny Tidwell
), as well as Thomas' own wife, Adrienne Canterna. Making its debut performance at the Jacob's Pillow Dance Festival in July 2007, the troup has danced throughout North America and Europe, including Findland,. BBD opened opened the two-week USAIBC on June 12, 2010.
Critical response to BBD has been mixed, while popular response has been enthusiastic. After seeing one of their early performances, Jennifer Dunning of the New York Times called it "the dance equivalent of a water-bomb gang," remarked that Thomas's performance displayed "theatrical intelligence" and concluded that BBD "resembles a group of friends, gifted performers with individual presences who enjoy one another's company and blessedly have not an ounce of earnestness in them."
Early life
Rasta Thomas was raised in Washington, DC. His parents—both physicians—traveled widely and took their son with them.When Thomas was two years old, he broke his leg in a jeep accident, and as a result, began disciplined therapeutic physical training. Thomas' father enrolled the boy in tae kwon do lessons at the age of three. By the time Thomas was seven, his father felt he was being disrespectful to his teachers and so, as punishment, enrolled him in ballet classes. Thomas excelled and entered the commercial competition circuit, winning Star Quest
Star Quest
Star Quest was Dean R. Koontz's first novel. Originally published in 1968, by Ace Books, Inc. This book was 127 pages and was published as an Ace Double paperback together with Doom of the Green Planet by Emil Petaja and was priced at $0.60.-Plot introduction:"In a universe that had been ravaged...
, Showbiz, and Star Power dance contests. Over time, he developed aspirations of becoming an action-movie star while working as an étoile in the Paris Opera House.
Early career and training
He received his dance training from the age of twelve at The Kirov Academy of BalletKirov Academy of Ballet
The Kirov Academy of Ballet of Washington, D.C. is a ballet school that serves students in grades 7 through 12 and offers a high school diploma in addition to its dance instruction...
, in Washington, D.C., and also studied at Washington School of Ballet. Thomas' father would take his son to see all the great ballet companies that would perform at the Kennedy Center for the Arts. His father would then ask dancers if they would grant his son classes, and they often obliged. At age 13, Thomas trained under Dawei Zhange at the Maryland Youth Ballet; of Zhang, Thomas said "The technique I learned from him is the blueprint that's allowed me to have a career." At the age of 13 he become the youngest person ever to receive the Jury Prize at the 1994 Paris International Dance Competition. Although he was enrolled at Kirov in time for the 1996 Varna International Ballet Competition, the school had a policy of only sending dancers sure to win the gold. So Thomas represented the Seiskaya School of Ballet of New York instead (with whom he was doing guest performances at the time) and Gerald Arpino
Gerald Arpino
Gerald Arpino was an American dancer and choreographer. He was the artistic director and co-founder of The Joffrey Ballet.-Life and career:...
, Arthur Mitchell
Arthur Mitchell
Arthur Mitchell may refer to:*Arthur Mitchell antiquary, commissioner of Lunacy*Arthur Mitchell , former England Test cricketer*Arthur Mitchell , African-American dancer and choreographer...
and Debbie Allen
Debbie Allen
Deborrah Kaye “Debbie” Allen is an American actress, dancer, choreographer, television director, television producer, and a member of the President's Committee on the Arts and Humanities...
sponsored him at a cost of $30,000. At 15 he was awarded the Junior Gold Medal at the event, becoming the youngest ever to win and while on a foot he injured in karate class. After his win, The New York Times
The New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
announced, "Look out, world. Rasta Thomas has arrived." In 1995, Thomas became a member of Le Jeune Ballet de France, and in 1997 was invited by the Hartford Ballet to be a principal artist. At the 1998 USA International Ballet Competition, Thomas won the gold medal, a scholarship, and a cash prize in the senior men's division.
Professional career
In 1998, already a season performer despite being a minor, he was given a special dispensation, and was permitted to perform in the senior division of the USA International Ballet CompetitionUSA International Ballet Competition
The USA International Ballet Competition, or USA IBC, is one of the world's top competitions for ballet. Located in Jackson, Mississippi, this competition is attended by dancers from all over the world to represent their country for bronze, silver, or gold medals in a variety of categories of...
(USAIBC). Thomas won the gold medal, and at 16 years old became the youngest to win in the senior division, beating Mikhail Baryshnikov
Mikhail Baryshnikov
Mikhail Nikolaevich Baryshnikov is a Soviet and American dancer, choreographer, and actor, often cited alongside Vaslav Nijinsky and Rudolf Nureyev as one of the greatest ballet dancers of the 20th century. After a promising start in the Kirov Ballet in Leningrad, he defected to Canada in 1974...
's previous record age of 18. The win opened up new opportunities for the dancer. Later that year, he and three other dancers, including Adrienne Canterna, originated the piece for the tenth season of The Vail International Dance Festival. The couple performed at the festival again in 1999.
Upon returning to the US, he went to Los Angeles to begin his commercial career: he hired an agent, danced in a GAP
Gap (clothing retailer)
The Gap, Inc. is an American clothing and accessories retailer based in San Francisco, California, and founded in 1969 by Donald G. Fisher and Doris F. Fisher. The company has five primary brands: the namesake Gap banner, Banana Republic, Old Navy, Piperlime and Athleta. As of September 2008,...
commercial and had a solo in the Debbie-Allen choreographed 1999 Academy Awards. Thomas conceived and directed In Homage: A Tribute to Families With AIDS, a benefit for Self-Help Community Services and its Family Home Care program. He was enjoying commercial success and popular recognition, but after a conversation with one of his mentors, Arthur Mitchell, he decided to "get back on an artist's path."
Thomas moved to New York City and joined the Dance Theatre of Harlem
Dance Theatre of Harlem
Dance Theatre of Harlem is a ballet company and school of the allied arts founded in Harlem, New York City, USA in 1969 by Arthur Mitchell and Karel Shook...
(under the tutelage Mitchell) in what would prove to be their last season. Instead of signing to another company, Thomas, in an unconventional move, decided to become a guest dancer. While Thomas was dining with choreographer Vladimir Angelov, a friend told Thomas that he was wasting his talent by only performing at galas. Angelov agreed, remarking that excellent danseurs are expected to belong to premier companies. Shortly after their dinner, Angelov introduced Thomas to Gerhard Rieder, who presents the Kirov Ballet in Europe, who in turn introduced Rasta to the Kirov's company manager, Makharbek Vaziev. Rieder invited Thomas to perform in Kirov's February 2001 three-hour gala in St. Petersburg, but on such short notice, Thomas only had a week to train with the company and he was worked in only one hour before the show began. He performed a dance Angelov choreographed to "Flight of the Bumblebee
Flight of the Bumblebee
"Flight of the Bumblebee" is an orchestral interlude written by Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov for his opera The Tale of Tsar Saltan, composed in 1899–1900. The piece closes Act III, Tableau 1, during which the magic Swan-Bird changes Prince Gvidon Saltanovich into an insect so that he can fly away to...
," to rave reviews, including from Valery Gergiev
Valery Gergiev
Valery Abisalovich Gergiev is a Russian conductor and opera company director. He is general director and artistic director of the Mariinsky Theatre, principal conductor of the London Symphony Orchestra, and artistic director of the White Nights Festival in St. Petersburg.- Early life :Gergiev,...
, artistic director of the Kirov Ballet and Opera. Vaziev invited Thomas to residency with the ballet and a stipend of $150 a month while granting him freedom accept independent work; Thomas declined due to a filming commitment in the movie Without a Word, so Vaziev extended his invitation to the fall. Thomas found the filming experience disappointing and, realizing his dancing career was finite. He then decided to dance for six months in Russia with the Kirov Ballet, living in St. Petersburg from Rasta moved in St. Petersburg in October 2001. While there, he most notably danced as Swan Lake's
Swan Lake
Swan Lake ballet, op. 20, by Pyotr Tchaikovsky, composed 1875–1876. The scenario, initially in four acts, was fashioned from Russian folk tales and tells the story of Odette, a princess turned into a swan by an evil sorcerer's curse. The choreographer of the original production was Julius Reisinger...
Jester, Carmen's
Carmen (ballet)
Carmen is a ballet created by the Cuban choreographer Alberto Alonso. It was created for the Ballet Nacional de Cuba and it was danced by its prima ballerina assoluta Alicia Alonso. Carmen is described as a very sensual ballet and is one of the exponents of the Cuban school of ballet....
bullfighter, and Le jeune homme et la mort's
Le jeune homme et la mort
Le Jeune Homme et La Mort is a ballet by Roland Petit, choreographed in 1946 to Bach's Passacaglia in C Minor, BWV 582 , with a one-act libretto by Jean Cocteau. It tells the story of a Young Man driven to suicide by his faithless lover. Sets were by Georges Wakhévitch and costumes variously...
Young Man. Vaziev's custom of casting roles right before performances, meant Thomas would prepare for all the principal roles he thought he might be called upon to dance. However, after being overlooked for key roles, Thomas became disenchanted and, coupled with his father's illness, Rasta moved back to Maryland to February 2002. The following October, he carried the torch and performed in the opening ceremonies of USAIBC.
Thomas has appeared as a guest artist with such companies as the Kirov Ballet, Imperial Russian Ballet, The Joffrey Ballet
Joffrey Ballet
The Joffrey Ballet is a dance company in Chicago, Illinois, founded in 1956. From 1995 to 2004, the company was known as The Joffrey Ballet of Chicago. The company regularly performs classical ballets including Romeo & Juliet and The Nutcracker, while balancing those classics with pioneering modern...
, Beijing Central Ballet, Dance Theatre of Harlem
Dance Theatre of Harlem
Dance Theatre of Harlem is a ballet company and school of the allied arts founded in Harlem, New York City, USA in 1969 by Arthur Mitchell and Karel Shook...
, Victor Ullate
Víctor Ullate
Víctor Ullate is a dancer, choreographer and ballet director.Ullate trained with María de Avila and Rosella Hightower. He started his professional dancing life wihth Antonio Ruiz Soler's company in 1962 before joining Maurice Béjart's Ballet as a principal three years later...
Ballet of Spain, Inoue Ballet of Japan, and the Universal Ballet of Korea
Korea
Korea ) is an East Asian geographic region that is currently divided into two separate sovereign states — North Korea and South Korea. Located on the Korean Peninsula, Korea is bordered by the People's Republic of China to the northwest, Russia to the northeast, and is separated from Japan to the...
. He is currently dancing at Pacific Northwest Ballet
Pacific Northwest Ballet
Pacific Northwest Ballet is a ballet company based in Seattle, Washington in the United States. Founded in 1972 as part of the Seattle Opera and named the Pacific Northwest Dance Association, it broke away from the Opera in 1977 and took its current name in 1978. It is said to have the highest per...
. Thomas danced in the ABT at the Metropolitan Opera House as a guest artist in a Lar Lubovitch
Lar Lubovitch
Lar Lubovitch is an American choreographer and founded his own dance company, the Lar Lubovitch Dance Company in 1968. Based in New York City, he and the company have toured worldwide....
production of Othello. He also played the role of Timmy in Patrick Swayze
Patrick Swayze
Patrick Wayne Swayze was an American actor, dancer and singer-songwriter. He was best known for his tough-guy roles, as romantic leading men in the hit films Dirty Dancing and Ghost, and as Orry Main in the North and South television miniseries. He was named by People magazine as its "Sexiest...
's 2005 DVD One Last Dance. In 2005, Thomas performed a solo in Lar Lubovitch's US debut of Elemental Brubeck. Dance Magazine
Dance Magazine
Dance Magazine is an "influential" American trade publication for dance, currently published by the Macfadden Communications Group. It was first published in June 1927 as The American Dancer. William Como was its editor-in-chief from 1970 to his death in 1989. Wendy Perron became its editor-in...
, in response to his performance, said "A creature of the stage, his presence is magnetic (if lacking nuance), and he relishes all the scrutiny he demands." The New York Times said that the success of the piece can be credited to the "innate good taste and nuanced phrasing that informs Mr. Thomas's spectacular, crystal-clear performance." That same year, he debuted on Broadway as the lead character Eddie in the hit musical Movin' Out
Movin' Out (musical)
Movin' Out is a jukebox musical featuring the songs of Billy Joel.Conceived by Twyla Tharp, the musical tells the story of a generation of American youth growing up on Long Island during the 1960s and their experiences with the Vietnam War...
, and went on to work with the Movin' Out touring company. Thomas was featured on the winter 2006 cover of movmnt
Movmnt
movmnt magazine is an urban-leaning lifestyle magazine which was co-founded in 2006 by David Benaym and Danny Tidwell. The magazine has featured columns by Mario Spinetti, Mia Michaels, Robert Battle, Debbie Allen, Alisan Porter, Rasta Thomas, and Frank Conway...
magazine. He choreographed and performed a well-received "stand-alone acrobatic ballet solo" for "Poetry in New York," a flamenco musical by Rafael Amargo. In late 2008, Thomas gathered several high-profile young dancers and invited them to judge an open video competition, where amateurs could enter a three-minute video of their solos via YouTube or divacompetition.com. In July 2008, Thomas and 11 other gold-medal winners of previous USAIBC competitions were included in a one-night-only IBC Reunion Gala in Jackson, Mississippi
Jackson, Mississippi
Jackson is the capital and the most populous city of the US state of Mississippi. It is one of two county seats of Hinds County ,. The population of the city declined from 184,256 at the 2000 census to 173,514 at the 2010 census...
.
Thomas was had an endorsement deal with Capezio
Capezio
Capezio is the trading name of Capezio Ballet Makers Inc, a specialist manufacturer of dance shoes, apparel and accessories.-History:Ballet Makers, Inc., of Totowa, New Jersey, was founded in 1887 by Salvatore Capezio....
, a brand of dance apparel.
Thomas was interviewed for the book The Dancer Within: Intimate Conversations with Great Dancers by Rose Eichenbaum, a collection of interviews with prominent dancers. The book accompanied Eichenbaum's touring photography exhibition, also called The Dancer Within, which sought to celebrate "the act of dancing and the lives of dancers."
Bad Boys of Dance
In 2007, Thomas founded the Bad Boys of Dance company (BBD). Based in Takoma Park, Maryland, it is one of two dance companies housed under the Echo Park Contemporary Ballet Centre, managed by Cedric TillmanCedric Tillman
Cedric Cornell Tillman is a former professional American football player who played wide receiver for four seasons for the Denver Broncos and Jacksonville Jaguars.-References:...
and Kenneth Rascher. Thomas chooses the dancers from competition, Broadway, and ballet backgrounds. Rock the Ballet! is a BBD show that incorporates jazz, hip hop, tap and gymnastics into its ballet elements. The show has featured alumni of So You Think You Can Dance
So You Think You Can Dance (U.S. TV series)
So You Think You Can Dance is an American dance competition and reality show that airs on Fox in the United States.The series first premiered on July 20, 2005, and was created by American Idol producers Simon Fuller and Nigel Lythgoe and is produced by 19 Entertainment and Dick Clark Productions...
(including Craig DeRosa, Nick Lazzarini
Nick Lazzarini
Nick Lazzarini , an American dancer. He is best known as the first season winner on the Fox reality show So You Think You Can Dance. He is a trained dancer in jazz, lyrical, hip hop, ballet and modern dance styles.-Early life:...
and Danny Tidwell
Danny Tidwell
Daniel Arnold Tidwell is best known for being the runner-up on Fox's third season of So You Think You Can Dance in 2007....
), as well as Thomas' own wife, Adrienne Canterna. Making its debut performance at the Jacob's Pillow Dance Festival in July 2007, the troup has danced throughout North America and Europe, including Findland,. BBD opened opened the two-week USAIBC on June 12, 2010.
Critical response to BBD has been mixed, while popular response has been enthusiastic. After seeing one of their early performances, Jennifer Dunning of the New York Times called it "the dance equivalent of a water-bomb gang," remarked that Thomas's performance displayed "theatrical intelligence" and concluded that BBD "resembles a group of friends, gifted performers with individual presences who enjoy one another's company and blessedly have not an ounce of earnestness in them."
Commentary
Thomas is widely regarded as one of the best dancers of his generation. However, his career path has been the topic of much intrigue. In a 2002 article with Dance Magazine, after recounting Thomas's illustrious but independent career he had experienced by the age of 20, Judith Lynne Hanna asked, "Can anyone continue at such a pace for an entire performing career?"Personal life
Thomas married long time sweetheart, and fellow dancer, Adrienne Canterna on March 31, 2007, and they had their child, Anami Halo (meaning "nameless angel"), on October 3, 2007.Reviews
- http://www.nytimes.com/2007/07/31/arts/dance/31rast.htmlNY TImes by Jennifer DunningJennifer DunningJennifer Dunning is a writer and critic for the New York Times on the subjects of dance and ballet. She is the author of the 1985 But First a School: The First Fifty Years of the School of American Ballet, the 1996 Alvin Ailey, a Life in Dance and the 1997 Great Performances: A...
,July 31, 2007]
- http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/17/arts/dance/17rasta.htmlNY TImes by Roslyn SulcasRoslyn SulcasRoslyn Sulcas is a dance critic for the New York Times. She grew up in Cape Town, South Africa, and studied English literature in college, receiving a post-graduate degree from York University in England. While finishing her thesis she lived in Paris, where she began writing for the British Dance...
, December 16, 2009]
External links
- Bad Boys of Dance website
- Bad Boys of Dance on Facebook
- http://www.movmnt.com/backissues/issue2Rasta Thomas, front cover, movmnt (magazine)Movmntmovmnt magazine is an urban-leaning lifestyle magazine which was co-founded in 2006 by David Benaym and Danny Tidwell. The magazine has featured columns by Mario Spinetti, Mia Michaels, Robert Battle, Debbie Allen, Alisan Porter, Rasta Thomas, and Frank Conway...
]