Insight: Javier Rojas on Don Quixote

How well do you think Don Quixote captures the essence of traditional Spanish and Latin American culture? 

I think it captures it really well. Spanish and Latin American culture share the same language and a lot of warmth, playfulness, and fun, so it feels very familiar. The whole story is flirty and full of humour, and the music, rhythms, and clapping all reflect that. The sounds and costumes are more Spanish than Latin, but they represent the style beautifully. The staging, the characters, and the dancers all bring the culture to life in a very authentic way.

Do you have a favourite scene in the ballet? 

I don’t have a specific favourite scene, but I do have a favourite act, which is Act II. I love the atmosphere of it, and I especially love the pas de deux of Basilio and Kitri, and how it flows into the scene with the Gypsies, which I have performed many times. 

What role(s) did you dance in BRB’s last run of Don Quixote in 2022? Which one did you enjoy the most and which role do you aspire to perform in the future?

In the last run of Don Quixote, I performed Rascals, Seguidilla, Gypsy, Lead Gypsy, Fandango, Amour, and the Matadors. My favourite role was Lead Gypsy because I love the choreography, the energy, and the essence of it – it was just so much fun to perform. In the Gypsies' scene, Carlos gives us the chance to use our voices, speak on stage, and even sing and clap while dancing, which I love and really allows us to embody the gypsy characters.

One of the other roles I really enjoyed dancing was Amour, also known as Cupid, and a female role in the original production. Performing Carlos's male version felt special and was a unique opportunity to take on such a fast, technical and difficult role.

In the future, I would love to dance Espada. He’s a strong, powerful character with a big role in the story, and I love his costume. But most of all, my dream would be to perform Basilio one day. Don Quixote is a ballet I’ve known since I was very young, and it’s definitely my favourite, with Basilio being a role I studied a lot as a student at the National Ballet School of Cuba. In Cuba, everyone aspires to perform it.

Back in Cuba, did you learn Flamenco and traditional Spanish/Latin styles of dance when growing up? 

Yes, I did. In Cuba, they teach us all the Spanish styles. You do learn Flamenco, but also many other Spanish and Latin styles in general. You learn a bit of everything. At the National Ballet School of Cuba, we also performed snippets of Don Quixote twice for school shows, as well as Majísimo, another Spanish-style ballet that we perform here at BRB. That helped me get comfortable with the style needed to perform these ballets professionally. So in a way, I grew up in the world of Don Quixote in terms of dance – I entered BRB already familiar with it.

What do you think makes Carlos Acosta’s version of Don Quixote special compared to other versions of the ballet?

I think Carlos’s version is very clever and very fresh. The choreography feels authentic, and even though it’s a new production, it feels established. There’s lots of virtuoso movement, lots of inclination of the body, and it’s very musical and playful. It’s so much fun to do, but it’s also very hard! The choreography can be quite fast, as Carlos really loves speed, but that's what makes it exciting and thrilling to watch.

If you could only pick one thing, what would you tell audiences to look out for?

I would tell audiences to really follow the story. Get comfortable with the story and maybe read a bit about it before coming to the theatre. There are many characters doing different things, and they all play a part in making the story flow and make sense. Once you know what you’re watching, you’ll enjoy it so much more.

Come ready to have fun. It’s warm, romantic, exciting, and full of surprises. You’ll see lots of virtuoso tricks, impressive jumps and turns, a huge variety of dances, and so much energy. Hopefully, you’ll go home with a big smile on your face!