Meet the NEXT STEP Artist: Jonathan Batista

Jonathan Batista (he/him) is from Rio De Janeiro, Brazil. He trained on scholarship at the English National Ballet and attended summer courses at Miami City Ballet and The Royal Ballet School on scholarship. He joined the National Ballet of Canada as an apprentice in 2012 before joining Boston Ballet as a member of the corps de ballet in 2013. In 2016, he joined Cincinnati Ballet as a soloist and in 2017, Oklahoma City Ballet as a principal. Mr. Batista joined Pacific Northwest Ballet as a soloist in 2021.

Read on to learn a little more about Jonathan with some of his answers from The Proust Questionnaire! See Jonathan Batista’s first new choreographic work for NEXT STEP on May 25 & 26 at On the Boards.
Click here for more information and to buy your tickets.

NEXT STEP is PNB’s annual choreographic workshop where Company dancers have the opportunity to create original works for PNB School Professional Division students. NEXT STEP provides opportunity, infrastructure, and support to grow tomorrow’s choreographic talent while providing a performance opportunity to our most advanced students.

What is your idea of perfect happiness?
Most definitely being by myself or with friends in nature.

What is your greatest fear?
Not being myself.

Which living person do you most admire?
Carlos Acosta, Michelle Obama, my parents

What is the trait you most deplore in yourself?
Whenever I do not give myself permission to simply rest or take a day off.

What is the trait you most deplore in others?
Loss of time.

Which words or phrases do you most overuse?
“Thank you.” 

When and where were you happiest?
On stage, and offstage with family and friends, whenever.

If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?
Haha maybe my schedule!

If you could choose what to come back as, what would it be?
Water

What is your favorite occupation (i.e. thing to do)?
Music Producer & Guest Speaker.

What are your most marked characteristics?
Love, Support, Disciplined.

What do you most value in your friends?
Loyalty, Honesty, Communication, Love.

Who are your heroes in real life?
My father.

How would you like to die?
Peacefully.

What is your motto?
Discipline, Plan, Action.

What is your favorite color?
Brown & Black

What is your present state of mind?
GO! STOP! BREATH! MEDITATE! GO!

Headshot © Lindsay Thomas.