Artist and dancer José Lapaz Rodríguez developed an early interest in the art of movement, deeply influenced by the aesthetics of the ’90s and 2000s. Amidst exploring various mediums—sketching, robotics, and photography—he found his rhythm in the realm of new way voguing. This dance form, renowned for its precision, elegant lines, stretching, and captivating poses, became his artistic passion. With a BFA in dance from Rutgers University, Lapaz-Rodriguez found solace within the ballroom community of New York City, where he discovered the importance of support and mentorship. “I realized that this kind of supportive community existed, and it was a huge opportunity for me to be a part of — it helped me gain confidence, especially as a queer individual,” he shared. Throughout his journey, the artist has worked alongside artists like Jason Rodriguez who was cast in the TV show “Pose”, Matthew Rushing, and Pam Tanowitz, and he has appeared in campaigns for brands like COS shot by Mario Sorrenti, and the Coach S/S 23 show, igniting a further interest in the world of movement direction. However, his artistry extends beyond modeling and dancing. As a mentor and teacher, he has fostered the next generation of talent, sharing techniques, the rich history, and the vocabulary of the ballroom community with aspiring dancers. Models.com spoke to the rising creative about his debut role in the Playland movie, his dream clients, and leaving an impact on an audience.
Photo by Malik Dupree | Image courtesy of José Lapaz-Rodríguez
What is your earliest memory of dancing, and what inspired you to pursue a career in choreography?
My first encounter with movement, in general, was at birthday parties with my friends when I was around six or seven years old. We would dance Merengue Bachata, and it encouraged us to learn and have fun, fostering a closer bond with our friends. As for pursuing choreography, I’ve always been a mover and loved dancing. I fell in love with the aesthetics of the ’90s and 2000s, the way movement played a role in choreography, be it contemporary modern dance or runway shows like Alexander McQueen’s. The ability to tell stories through beauty and expressionism captivated me, and it’s the path I wanted to take to create my own work. I eventually attended Rutgers University’s Mason Gross School of the Arts, and obtained a BFA in dance. The program covered various aspects, including improvisation, dance performance, choreography, and teaching. It provided me with a well-rounded foundation in dance and even allowed me to take English classes, which was beneficial as English is my second language, being from the Dominican Republic.
Can you tell me what sparked your interest in voguing initially?
My passion for voguing has an interesting origin. In high school, I explored different art mediums such as painting, sketching, and photography. While photographing a dance show with hip-hop movements, I came across FKA Twigs and New York City Voguers’ performances, and I instantly fell in love with the Vogue aesthetic. I taught myself voguing movements, particularly from a dancer named Benjamin Elle, who is now a movement director in Europe. I became enamored with new way vogue, an evolution of old way vogue known for its precision, lines, stretching, and poses. I kept my dance pursuit low-key from my mom, who would have freaked out if she knew. After joining the dance club and auditioning for a dance class, my teacher guided me toward Rutgers University. The journey started in my junior year of high school, and now, since graduating in 2021, voguing has been an integral part of my life, whether it’s warming up, studying, or even instructing others.
How would you say the ballroom scene and its community have positively influenced you?
The ballroom scene became a second family for me. It has had a significant impact on my professional dance career and boosted my confidence. I used to be very shy as a kid and often got picked on because I didn’t know how to respond. However, during my high school years, getting to know voguing and being part of the scene, I experienced such open arms and kindness from everyone — that I realized this kind of supportive community existed, and it was a huge opportunity for me to be a part of it. The ballroom scene helped me gain confidence, especially as a queer individual and as an only child. It taught me a lot and helped me come out of my shell, become more talkative, and socialize with people. Now, I have a job in nightlife where I get to interact with my community regularly; we treat each other like family and hold each other up.
How did it feel to be a part of the Playland movie, which showcases the Playland Cafe as a safe space for the Boston LGBTQIA+ community?
Being part of the Playland team was nostalgic and dreamy. I felt a strong connection with everyone involved in the project because we shared similar experiences and came together to make art. Working with them made me feel comfortable, and I always had a great time. In the movie, I portrayed a character named Steph, and my best friend in the story is Rabbit. Our characters are curious, and everything has an eerie vibe, but we are determined to get our job done. Playland holds a special place as a sacred space for the queer community, offering freedom of expression and a chance to meet and support each other in the nightlife scene. It’s a unique place with a rich history, having opened during the Great Depression in Boston. Our crew for the movie came from different parts of the country, bringing diverse experiences to the project. The premiere was on June 9th at the Tribeca Film Festival, and the whole process was amazing.
Was this the first movie that you had been cast in? If so, how was the process for you?
Yes, it was my first acting debut. The director, Georden West West, reached out to me through Instagram. They had been following me for a while and expressed interest in working with me, mentioning that Steph would suit my character and appearance since Steph comes from a Latinx background as well. That’s how I got cast for the role. I had some prior experience with acting through musical theater in high school as part of the drama club, alongside dance. So, I had some idea of what acting involved and I just put all those practices together and asked questions to figure out what worked best. My approach was to stay true to myself and embody the character of Jose Steph, considering how Jose would approach the role as Steph. Drawing from my dance and school experiences helped me be more mindful, adaptable, and aware in the process.
In your opinion, what would you say are the most essential elements of being a dancer?
I believe the most essential elements for a dancer or dance performer are awareness, efficiency, and work ethic. It’s crucial to have full mind and body awareness to understand how the movement works for our unique bodies. Everyone has different physical conditions or limitations, so adapting to what works best for our body in different spaces is important, especially in live performances where changes can happen. Being efficient helps both the dancer and choreographer to smoothly execute the performance. Additionally, finding your creative style and owning your individual movement is significant, as every person moves differently. Even if a group of people is asked to perform the same movement, each person will add their unique touch to it. It’s all about conveying the storytelling while honoring individuality. It’s also has a lot do with mental sharpness and practicing control through breathing. When you have control over your breath, you have better clarity in dance and everything else. We used to start classes by sitting on the floor and just breathing for 10 minutes, tuning in with ourselves – how we were feeling and what we were capable of that day. It helps set the tone for the class and the performance ahead. Oddly enough, my main warm-up is voguing. Regardless of whether it’s a postmodern dance performance or a vocal performance, I always incorporate some vogue practice to warm up, sync with the music, work on rhythm, and add in stretching sessions. It calms me down and boosts my confidence, which is essential because performances can be nerve-wracking. But voguing helps me stay out of my funk.
On the topic of voguing, what motivated you to start teaching vogue classes at Gibney?
My mentor, Jason Rodriguez, who was also in Pose, taught at Gibney, and I attended his classes. He was my introduction to in-person vogue practice, specifically new way vogue. In 2019, he began encouraging me to learn the structure of a new way class, in case he needed a substitute and to help me with my movement and structuring abilities. After teaching a few classes here and there, I started subbing consistently at Gibney after the pandemic in November 2021. My students expressed their desire for me to become a permanent teacher, and that’s how I got my spot. I love teaching, sharing the correct terminology, history, and the essence of voguing and the ballroom community. There’s a lot of miscommunication, and it’s crucial to respect the origins of voguing as it comes from a marginalized place. Additionally, I’m also teaching at Steps on Broadway for the youth program in the summer and sometimes in the fall, and I recently began teaching aesthetics of voguing back at Rutgers, my alma mater, which I was very excited about. I love everybody at Rutgers, they’ve always made me feel at home since I was a freshman.
You have had the opportunity to perform works by artists such as Matthew Rushing, Pam Tanowitz, and Jordan Lloyd. What valuable lessons have you learned from collaborating with these figures?
Each collaboration taught me valuable lessons. Matthew Rushing, drawing from his Ailey background, emphasized soul and emotion in dance performance. Working with him, I felt a deep connection to the art. Pam Tanowitz, on the other hand, explored sound scores and the modern-era Cunningham style, focusing on lines, unpredictability, and changes in direction. It was all about using sound to enhance movement. Lastly, Jordan Lloyd, like Cunningham, brought technique into play, and I learned to create engaging stories through gesture and timing, manipulating the space effectively. Overall, the experiences broadened my understanding of performance and bridging connections between acting and movement.
Apart from being a dancer, I know you’ve also worked as a model and were featured in the COS Campaign and the Coach Spring 2023 show. I was wondering, are you also interested in movement direction and working on set in a different capacity than just being the talent?
Definitely. Working with COS and Coach was exciting, and it gave me a glimpse of what goes on behind the scenes, especially in high fashion. I am very excited to pursue a new career in movement directing because I love being in front of the camera, and my dance background helps me understand what angles, lens, lighting, and additions are needed for different shots. I’ve always had that experience in front of the camera, and now I’d love to give back and see my vision come to life from behind the camera. I enjoy creating beauty and storytelling through the angles, body posture, and emotions that are conveyed in raw images from the ’90s and early 2000s; that’s what truly inspires me.
COS F/W 22 Campaign by Mario Sorrenti | Image courtesy of José Lapaz-Rodríguez
Do you have any specific goals in terms of people or clients that you would love to work with as a movement director in the future?
Absolutely. I have been training in the practice of interconnecting contemporary forms and vogue forms, and I would love to showcase that in fitness campaigns for brands like Adidas, Nike, and Lululemon. Additionally, I am very interested in fashion runway shows, directing pathways, and stories, Stephen Galloway has been a huge inspiration for me in terms of movement directing. I’ve been approached a few times, but unfortunately, scheduling conflicts didn’t allow me to take on those opportunities. However, I’m keen on embodying stories depending on the space, setting, and props. I’m also interested in working on photo shoots and video campaigns, blending dance with visual aesthetics and showcasing authenticity.
“In a world consumed by instant gratification and social media, I believe in taking time to cultivate meaningful work.”
Going back to working in front of the camera, do you believe that your dance background enhances your work in front of the camera? And if so, how?
Absolutely my dance background definitely enhances my work in front of the camera. Having body awareness allows me to angle my body effectively, whether it’s to tell a story or achieve a specific shot. I adapt to different moods, lighting, and lens requirements. Being interested in people’s creative processes helps me understand whether I need to be more open or think out of the box for each project. Originality is crucial for me, and I try to bring something unique to every experience, incorporating acting, shapes, or forms. While it’s a different medium, conveying those experiences in front of the camera is similar to dance, due to my awareness.
How was your experience walking in Willy Chavarria’s Fall ’22 men’s show? Considering it was your first time walking in a show, how was that for you?
Walking in Willy Chavarria’s Fall ’22 men’s show was a dream come true. It marked a significant milestone in my modeling career, especially in runway shows. I had always practiced some form of runway practice in the ballroom, whether in high school, studios, or with the Haus of Telfars in New York City. So, being able to walk a runway show and showcase my talents was an incredible experience. It was an honor knowing that Naomi Campbell also gained experience from the House of Xtravaganza, where I come from. Despite strict designer standards and considerations like my height, I was grateful to bring all the confidence and experience I had built over the years into that show.
Willy Chavarria’s Fall ’22 men’s show | Image courtesy of José Lapaz-Rodríguez
What significance does movement hold in fashion imagery and runway shows for you?
Movement in fashion imagery and runway shows is all about leaving an impact on the audience. I want them to take something with them, to question, to feel something – even if they’re confused. There should be significance in the storytelling, and I draw inspiration from shows like Alexander McQueen’s, where innovation and originality take place. Some may be like, “what was that?” while others may consider it genius, but I want people to take that curiosity and experience with them after witnessing a fashion show.
How do you personally define success in the dance industry, and what do you envision for your career?
For me, success means maintaining consistency in practice and focusing on artistic growth. In a world consumed by instant gratification and social media, I believe in taking time to cultivate meaningful work. Healthy relationships with peers and networks are essential, navigating through our ego and reminding ourselves that art is the primary focus. My vision for my career is to continue creating and collaborating while nurturing genuine connections with those in the industry.
