Today we’d like to introduce you to Maria Jose.
So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
I was raised by my single mother, her twin sister, and my grandparents in Chula Vista, CA. I always loved to dance, but because my mom was a single, it was hard for her to take me to studio lessons. So instead of starting dance at the age of 3/4 like most dancers do, I started formal training at 14. Before that, I would copy music videos. Going into high school, I auditioned for a hip hop team- Mpulse, and it was our director who told me to join the dance program at the performing arts high school.
Then, my dream school became the University of Southern California. But when I took that idea to my school counselor she crossed most of the CA schools off my list (including USC) because she said it was “too hard and expensive”. I didn’t go back to her until I had my admission letter and scholarship offer in my hand…
But my work was not done- I wanted to join the Trojan Dance Force (USCs dance team) – but my mom did not want me to go audition because she thought I would be intimidated by girls with privileged backgrounds who had trained for this their whole life. So….I went behind her back (bad I know!) but got a ticket to LA and took the train to audition…I made the team as a freshman and four years later, I was their captain. I graduated from USC with honors, awards, and a ton of research experience- worked on exhibits for the Japanese American National Museum, traveled to South Africa to work on a historical project, and was an RA for historian George Sanchez.
So how do I get to Boston? While my classmates at USC were getting their dream jobs at Fortune 500 companies, I only wanted to do one thing- DANCE FOR THE CELTICS.
So similar to my train ride to LA, I booked a flight to Boston and auditioned for the Celtics Dancers….and I made it. My dog and I moved to Boston right after graduation! We had no money and no job- slept on an inflatable mattress for a good 2 months. In a rollercoaster of ups and downs, some failed attempts at finding the right job, and a CA girl’s first winter….I had the best experience!
My time in Boston got a little easier- I found an awesome job at Longford & Company as an office manager for a while and now I work as a Recruiting Coordinator at Agios….
But Boston gave me the courage to pursue my dream of becoming an academic, so I applied to PhD Programs in American Studies….I ended up getting into the #1 school for that- YALE!
So somehow, all my dreams have come true…even though a lot of people told me I was crazy for dreaming them. I have deep California roots…but Boston was my coming of age.
Has it been a smooth road?
I’ve had a few bumps on the road, but I love them for making me who I am.
Both my grandparents got sick when I was young- my grandpa had Alzheimer’s and my grandma had a stroke. Since my mother was a single mom and had to work a ton, I had to take care of them too. My mom didn’t speak English, so I translated for her a lot during this time (calling 911 etc).
I was a first generation college student- so impostor syndrome was very much a part of my undergraduate years, but my mentors helped me and I ended up becoming a student mentor and speaker for USC.
I moved to Boston with no money- slept on my inflatable mattress for a few months. I job hopped because I had no idea what I was doing or wanted to do. But I figured it out and great things ended up coming my way.
Boston was a HUGE culture shock for me in a lot of ways- the winter, being in a place with no family at all (couldn’t spend the last 2 Christmas Holidays with them), but I found my community and my family here too.
So let’s switch gears a bit and go into the Aacamic/ Dancer story. Tell us more about the business.
I dance for the Celtics and I am on my way to becoming an academic.
But what am I known for? Always representing where I’m from, staying connected to the people and places that raised me, and always coming back!
I am a storyteller- in my choreography and my research. And that’s my dream- I want to be a storyteller- the kinds of stories that are a little harder to see.
My favorite thing to do is teach dance classes to teenagers in underprivileged areas- just like my arts school in Chula Vista.
My favorite thing to research are places that shatter our generalizations of the world. The cultural history that makes people ask- “Wait, really? There’s lowriders in Japan?! (Hence my project on Japanese Chicanos).
So what sets me apart from others- I live my life with the mission of embracing every part of who I am. I try to adjust my lifestyle to make that happen in every way.
How do you think the industry will change over the next decade?
Dance- it’s already all moved to social media, people train just to become Instagram dance celebrities. I think a revival of dance movies (timeless ones like Dirty Dancing) is coming. Also a “back to basics” in styles/techniques.
American studies (academia) – focus on the borderlands and neo white supremacy…. my interest is the borderlands. I think academics will continue to push different ways to think about the border until theoretical frameworks become solidified.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: @mjloca
Image Credit:
Graffiti picture- Nick Cosky
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