Meet Hayden Rivas | Dancer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Hayden Rivas and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Hayden, why did you decide to pursue a creative path?
My parents enrolled me in dance when I was 5 years old and they will be the first to tell you that after my first recital on stage, I went up to them and said “I need to do that again”. As I continued throughout my childhood years, dance was always there for me. At first, it was a fun activity that I did after school, however, as the years progressed, I found that it was much more than just an activity. As an art form, it allows the artist to portray narratives and feelings without the use of words. It acts as a universal language as it is an embodied art form. When I was in high school, I was grateful enough to work on projects such as Disney’s Descendants 3, Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist and more. This opened my eyes to the possibility that this art form has. Not only can it inspire the younger generation, but, it can be viewed on a screen to further a narrative. I looked at different college dance programs and fell in love with The University of Southern California because it offers a BFA in Dance at the Glorya Kaufman School of Dance. What I found interesting about this program is that it focuses on the idea of “The New Movement”. In addition, they strive for their students to be “hybrid” and “artist-scholars”. As I go into my third year, I’ve realized that this program has opened up many possibilities that would not have been possible without it. I have realized my passion for film and my goal of advocating for dancers in the entertainment industry.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
As my time at Kaufman has progressed, I’ve shifted my title from “dancer” to “creative”. While at my core, I am a dancer, I thoroughly believe that it is more than that. Currently, I work as a dancer, choreographer, director, director of photography, editor, as well as many more. From a young age, I’ve strive to learn as much as I can outside of my comfort zone. I hope to gain as many skills as possible because I want to provide a valuable voice and presence within the entertainment industry. Growing up, I didn’t see people who looked like me on a concert dance stage as well as through film projects. That motivated me to continue to work and put the most into whatever I do. When I was 12, I attended the Royal Winnipeg Ballet’s Summer Intensive and was told that I’d never be a dancer. At a young age, this broke me, however, it also lit a flame within me to prove them wrong. I’ve learned that within this industry you need to continue to learn. There is no “end goal” and instead, there are just many other areas in which you can improve and gain knowledge. As a college student, I am not only pursuing a BFA in Dance, but I am also minoring in Cinematic Arts, and am working as a Resident Assistant at USC’s Honors College, as well as a student worker for Kaufman’s Dance Operations, Communications, and Student Services Departments. I say all this to showcase that I live by the motto of going outside of my comfort zone. Many of these skills have proved to me that there is so much intersectionality you can find in the work that you do.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
That’s so funny that you bring this up because my childhood friend visited Los Angeles last week. Something that I love about LA is how many different things you can do around the city. From going on a hike to exploring the Hollywood Strip, the city has something for you. During my free time, you can usually find me bouldering at Cliffs of ID, surfing at El Porto, or hanging out with friends throughout the city. I’ll always bring people to The Broad as I love talking about different interpretations of the art we are viewing. As a Canadian, I am also stocking up on places that are not at home. To satisfy my sweet tooth, you’ll usually find me at Salt & Straw as it’s the closest thing I’ve found to my favourite ice cream shop at home. As a USC student, I live close to many other museums such as The Natural History Museum, California Science Center, and California African American Museum. Finally, I love watching live theatre at the Ahmanson, Taper Forum, and Hollywood Pantages!

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I would not be where I am today without the support of my parents. As I am from South Surrey, British Columbia, Canada, it was a huge jump to pursue a BFA in Dance at The University of Southern California. My parents have made huge sacrifices to not only open up this opportunity for me but continue to support my dreams as well as the goals of my three younger siblings. They continue to demonstrate a tremendous work ethic that I strive to replicate. They have been incredibly supportive of my dreams from day one. From driving me to my studio, travelling to regional competitions, and flying with me to nationals around North America, they have fully done it all for me. I also am grateful for my grandparents who also push me to be the best artist, human, and person that I can be. Just like my parents, they have always been there for me and continue to support me in any way that they can. Finally, I would like to shoutout my dance teachers who have pushed me to where I am today. Thank you to PULSE Dance Centre, Sarah Van Os, Nicole Lannard-Ghini, Nathalie Enns, Tanner Plecas, and Susie Green. Without them, I would not be living my dream at USC Kaufman.

Website: https://www.haydenrivas.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/haydenrivas/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/haydenrivas/

Other: Vimeo: https://vimeo.com/haydenrivas

Image Credits
Rose Eichenbaum, Hannah Doerr, Jonathan Cubides