Meet Steven Vargas: Dancer, Actor and Multimedia Journalist

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

Hi Steven, how do you define success?
If I feel happy and fulfilled in what I am doing, then I feel successful. More importantly, when I know that my art and writing impacts people, I know that I have succeeded in my purpose as a creator. For example, some of my work on prison abolition and stories on different dance communities received plenty of response and engagement from viewers. When I know that my creations can make people feel something or think critically about an issue, I know that I have succeeded. It can be easy to get caught up in the numbers and try to make something that’ll trend, but I’ve learned that when I don’t care or pay attention to those attributes, I create the best work that grabs people’s attention. It results in something more authentic and honest that I think is important to uphold as an artist. It reminds me of a “movement for actors” class I took in my undergrad. The basis of the class that was drilled in my head from the start was to not care. The second I ignored what people thought, my movement felt more genuine and my subsequent work came from a place of honesty. I take this lesson with me in everything I do.

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.
I am most proud of the work that creates impact. My art is a combination of all my passions: theatre, journalism and dance. Similar to The Living Newspaper, a practice developed in the 1930s out of the Federal Theatre Project, I create work that speaks to current events. I incorporate my reporting into my pieces through interview audio or narrative movement, creating dance pieces that help contextualize current events. It wasn’t easy to get to where I am today because of the toxicity and racism present in theatre. Instead of letting it get in the way, I sought opportunities that valued me as an artist and my story. From those rough experiences, I learned how to keep going and be confident in the work I create, understanding that I don’t need to wait for people to make room for me. I can make space myself. I don’t see myself having a linear career, and that’s one of the assumptions I’ve had to constantly debunk. I don’t see myself as just an artist, just an activist or just a journalist. I see them all colliding and working together. At the end of the day, I’m a storyteller. I make sure to put the story first and let it take shape however it needs to.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I’m pretty chill when it comes to visiting areas. I don’t like to do the popular tourist spots because I feel like those aren’t a true representation of the city. Instead, I’d probably bring my friend along to spots I spend time at like Silverlake, Downtown LA, South LA, Leimert Park, and the beach of course. I wouldn’t force anything on my friend and just let the day take us wherever it wants. And if we weren’t in a pandemic, I’d take them to see a lot of theatre around L.A.! Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
My mom, the kindest and most caring person I know. She taught me what true compassion and empathy look like and continues to today. Despite everything we’ve been through as a family, I know that I can rely on her to be there for me, and vice versa. I’d also like to dedicate my shoutout to my high school English teachers, and every high school English teacher. I know that can sound cliché, but I honestly would not have been as ambitious to pursue the arts without their encouragement and support. Lastly, my very first theatre instructor, Anita Dashiell-Sparks. I went into theatre blind and she taught me the power of the art form. She even introduced me to theatre for social change, something that became a large part of my practice. I couldn’t have gotten to where I am without her guidance.

Website: https://www.vargassteven.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/steven.varg/

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

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Steven_Vargas_

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/steven.vargas.750546

Image Credits
‘Duet in the Dark’ still credit: Written and Directed by Steele Stewart; Produced by Alex Dorion; Photographed and Edited by Holton Hockaday ‘Dancing at Home’ still note: 1st Place winner of LA Press Club’s “Life in the Time of the Coronavirus Contest”