Mexican Folk Dance, Vogue, Culture, and Beyond with Hector Zaragoza Valentin
Tune in as dancer, singer, and musician Hector Zaragoza Valentin shares how Mexican culture and various forms of art drive him.
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Our Host
Ari O’Donovan
Links & Resources:
Hector Zaragoza Valentin Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hector_zv/?hl=en
Transcript:
Ari O'Donovan: (00:00)
Thank you so much for listening to boosting our Voices. This program has been brought to you by Boost Oregon. You can find them online@boostoregon.org. G
Hector Zaragoza Valentin: (00:13)
You know, it really started with this whole, I'm a dancer and I need every excuse to do it. So you know at 11:00 AM you can walk into any ballet class cuz they're going on. But at 10:00 PM not things really happening. So a hungry artist is gonna find a way to make it happen.
Ari O'Donovan: (00:33)
Welcome back to Boosting Our Voices. As always, I am booster against diversity program manager Ira O'Donovan and I'm also this podcast host. Today we have an amazing guest and I'm gonna let him introduce himself. I will say he is probably a quadruple threat and been noted as an artistic explosion. Hector, please tell listeners a little bit about yourself before we get into your life story cuz I wanna hear everything.
Hector Zaragoza Valentin: (01:05)
Yeah. My name is Hector Sgo. I am 27 years old, born and raised out of southern Oregon. So Ashland in Medford is home to me and in our episode we will hear the many different places that I've been since leaving
Ari O'Donovan: (01:24)
Home. So exciting and that's just the tip of the iceberg of all the amazing stuff we're gonna talk about. So first of all, I definitely wanna go into all of the things that I know so far and I might even learn some new stuff during this podcast that I know you do. I know you do dance, you sing, you play the violin and there's even more. So pick any of those things and tell me more info.
Hector Zaragoza Valentin: (01:50)
Sure. So you got most of it. I do dance, I sing, I play violin. And the bonus one is like I do drag on some nights.
Ari O'Donovan: (01:59)
How can I forget that one?
Hector Zaragoza Valentin: (02:02)
But you know, like I said, she's a little bit on a hiatus but we'll get into that. But I would definitely say that my bread and butter of my artistry is dance. I'm a dancer before I am. Anything else. And yeah, I think part of what makes me the most recognized in Oregon is that I am a Mexican folk dance teacher. I've been doing it since I was roughly 13 years old in my dance group based out of here in Medford. And yeah, it's then followed me and ever since starting in our local group, I've then moved to Portland and learned ballet a little bit more. There are other styles like Vogue, contemporary jazz and Tap. And that eventually led me to New York where I was before the pandemic moved me back home.
Ari O'Donovan: (02:59)
Yeah, you really are doing so much. I myself, I'm not doing most of that so That's amazing. I will ask, how did your dance academy, and I'm gonna say it one time and I know I'm gonna butcher it, but please correct me cuz I at least wanna try Ballet foro Remo, is that right?
Hector Zaragoza Valentin: (03:25)
You said it perfectly. Oh
Ari O'Donovan: (03:26)
My god, I'm doing okay . But tell me how did it get started? I believe it started with you and your mom.
Hector Zaragoza Valentin: (03:33)
Yes, in the modern day. But actually it started in 1994. So I was born in 1995. Back then the e ESL teacher at South Medford High School, her name was Victoria Snow Mountain. She started this club called Latin Reflections at South Medford High School cuz she noticed that a lot of the Spanish speaking students or students from anywhere in south and Central America just ended up hanging out in her classroom. Cause she was among the very few people who spoke Spanish and, and before you know it, you had kids in your classroom all the time. It only made sense to start a high school club out of that experience. And through time the kids all shared the love for Mexican [inaudible] And in 2004 the high school club then became a community group. But even before that time, you're right, my mom brought me as a child to this high school dance group so that I could dance traditional cultural dancing. Cause that was the only place where you could experience that in Medford.
Ari O'Donovan: (04:45)
Wow. I know that culture is really important. I think that we live in a country where if you have a culture and you want to express it, I think that's really important to do and to hold onto that. And it's great that these kids have something really productive and fun that they can do as a group while learning more about their culture. And I know that you guys put on a variety of events and the last one you had for 2022 was sold out. Is that right?
Hector Zaragoza Valentin: (05:20)
Yes. So we did have Vitos Mini Gala on November 4th at the Ashland Armory. So these gala presentations are something that the group has done since the two thousands every year. The community does know to attend and see what we've worked on for the year. So this year we did one for Vitos as well as one in May at North Medford High School. The the much one was completely sold out. I had friends that were invited who weren't able to make it in, but fortunately we were able to provide a lot of free food. We had a dj, there were covid, flu and ox vaccines available. So the ones who were able to attend got to enjoy not just the dancers but you know, the partnerships that we've created out in the community so that we can make sure that people who just come to attend our show Also, you know, our active members of community who have real life needs and happy that we got to address those along with the cultural piece of our
Ari O'Donovan: (06:25)
Show. That's so important to be able to have vaccines available at an event like that because it's, I know people will tell you you should go to your local clinic or RiteAid or wherever you can get a vaccine and just do it there. But people wanna have something like that done where they feel comfortable. Exactly. And I feel like that's a great place. Yeah.
Hector Zaragoza Valentin: (06:47)
On that topic, there is a difference of like, does one want to go to a very white wall clinic at eight 30 in the morning, lose the work hours and sit around with no one speaking your language? Or would you rather go to a trusted community event where everyone around you kind of looks like you, speaks like you? Yeah. It's just a, it's truly comprehensive. Um, word vomiting now but . But you get the point.
Ari O'Donovan: (07:17)
Yeah, love that. And I totally agree. I would prefer to be somewhere where there's people that look like me who are also getting a vaccine along with me and then I get to go and enjoy a very fun and cultural event all at the same time. It's like a one-stop shop for for culture, for an experience for getting vaccinated if you're ready. All of that
Hector Zaragoza Valentin: (07:41)
Was put on by my mom as the artistic director of the group and myself as the principal choreographer. So it was nice to see all of our work accumulate into a sold out show. That is one of the highest compliments that is an artist we can have. And that's definitely the experience I try to train into the youth and then that's kind of my personal agenda of being a lifelong dancer. I want the same for my students. So I've had some students say, you can be a little scary at times. And I'm like, what? But what it is is I'm preparing them for a life where they can take their dancing skills out of Bedford, Oregon and I want them to be able to audition and enter a company in LA or in Mexico City where I studied or New York. So there is a level of like intensity and real pre-professional level dance training that I'm trying to hammer into these kids. I'm not scary, I'm very nice actually, but I
Ari O'Donovan: (08:47)
Uh, I can tell that put the
Hector Zaragoza Valentin: (08:48)
Dance intense
Ari O'Donovan: (08:50)
, I can tell that. And it sounds to me like you are just inspiring greatness with the students or kids that you train. To me that sounds like what it is. And I know there's a really amazing dancing in Mexico from what you've told me and other parts of the US and when they leave and go out into the world, they have the skills to go anywhere and audition for anything.
Hector Zaragoza Valentin: (09:17)
Yep. That's the goal. We're in this cultural point in the United States where Mexican folklore is ramping up and it's popularity. It's been around long before, it's always been around before I was born. But yeah, I would say definitely probably when um, Disney released Coco, that's when folklore started to go in more commonly into our mainstream media and therefore the popularity has grown and I am busier than I've ever been ever .
Ari O'Donovan: (09:51)
Oh, I know it. From the conversations we've had, you are exceptionally busy and everything you're doing is really amazing and things that I don't know of anyone else that's doing them and I've learned so much about Mexican folklore dancing from you. I've looked at videos online and I've also follow the IG for
Ari O'Donovan: (10:17)
Yes. Ballet. Yes. That's amazing. I follow them on IG and the kids are so talented, like they really are. I'm like, this is amazing. It's still a priority of mine to get to an event. As soon as you have a new one for 2023, I'd love to check it out and see it live. And I want you to tell me a little bit more about your trip to Mexico and what inspired you and what you did there and what you learned there and how that's kind of changed you and added to this new trajectory in your life.
Hector Zaragoza Valentin: (10:54)
Oh yeah. When we first met I was basically on my way down to Mexico City. So that was something I started to do roughly around the age of 13. I would do an academic year here in the United States and as soon as school finished I would fly down to Mexico where half of my family is and it's my motherland, so it's home. And I would go to La Mexico Hernandez. So it's the National Dance School of Choreographer, Amalia Hernandez based in Mexico City. This is Mexico's representative dance company. They perform on a weekly basis in the Palacio deve. So the fine arts palace right in the center of the city. Hard to miss . If you go to Mexico City you'll see them on a, but I did dance to that school every summer consecutively for about six to seven years straight training at that school, training with the dance company because of course my dream at that point in life was to enter the company.
Hector Zaragoza Valentin: (12:05)
So this last trip when we met in 2022 was kind of my coming back home after being away for a few years because I was prioritizing my bachelor's degree at Portland State. So once I started to do the college thing, my trip life existed a little less. I went back to train with my teacher Lena. She was the primadonna for a Hernandez's company in the time that she was alive. So basically I would just consider her a national treasurer as a dancer. That's my goal. It's goal . But yeah, I went to go just train at her dance studio and say hi to my friends who are in the company as always learn more dance because Mexico City is where traditional dance from all over the country just kind of comes into one big pot. I learn as much as I can and then take that back home here in Oregon and choreograph and teach these things actually across usually the West coast.
Ari O'Donovan: (13:11)
Amazing. It's really something special to go to Mexico and train there and see other people dancing where it's kind of like the epicenter and the heart of it all. And then to be able to take that, enjoy your time there and then come back to the US take what you've learned, show your students, travel to other parts of the US and have that extra knowledge. Do you know how many times you've been to Mexico for dancing? If you don't, it's okay, but I just thought I'd ask
Hector Zaragoza Valentin: (13:42)
. I mean, if I do the math, it broken up in segments, but I would say probably about three years if you added all the months together,
Ari O'Donovan: (13:53)
Man,
Hector Zaragoza Valentin: (13:53)
Three to four years,
Ari O'Donovan: (13:55)
Man. That is amazing. I have not been to Mexico once yet, but it is on my list that that's really, really dope. There are two sides to you. I know that there's Mexican folklore dancing and there's also Vogue dancing.
Hector Zaragoza Valentin: (14:13)
Yeah, so I am and I am Mexican, right? So there is traditional dancing that comes out of just being nationally Mexican. And then there's also dance styles that were birthed by and for the community. So I get to enjoy both. And yes, I do Vogue. I started actually in Portland, Oregon, um, training under Daniel Hiran who actually made it onto HBO's legendary season three with the house of Ada. So that was my first Vogue teacher and since then I've moved to New York and continued to train under other, um, legends and choreographers from the East coast. I do a little bit of that. I also am, I intentionally grew out my hair many, many years ago, so it's in a bun right now, but if I let it down, it goes past my belly button and length. Lot of work. But the whole purpose at that time was I was gonna grow it out so that I could perform in drag without wearing a wig.
Hector Zaragoza Valentin: (15:21)
I swear I tell everybody that the dance gods, the art gods said we're gonna make Hector talented, but he's gonna have one curse and that is nothing will ever stay on my head if it's the hat, if it's wig, if it's cemented down, I've had that. I've, I've had people like basically thread things into my hair. It doesn't, it falls out. So that's my curse. I do drag, I vogue and I do dancing and heels. So I think, uh, think the type of things you might see Beyonce or Janet Jackson doing. And fortunately I've actually been able to train under their choreographers as well.
Ari O'Donovan: (16:02)
I was just gonna mention that I did not want this podcast to end without people knowing that you've had training from multiple people that have worked with some of the biggest names in Hollywood and in music.
Hector Zaragoza Valentin: (16:17)
Yeah. You know, the way I see it is I'm just, I'm hungry for any type of art and I try to do dance once a day when I was in New York, of course at the mecca of dance. So you do fall into anybody in everybody's class. At least I do. But among the people that I really try to train the most with is John Tay moaning. He's been on Beyonce's frequent dress, but he also has choreographed multiple Ever Works and he's a Portland native, a Jefferson dancer, fun fact. We share one of the same dance mentors, Bobby Foer also from Portland. So I go train under him. I've trained doing the whacking dance style with Princess Locker, who is also a pioneer worldwide on that dance style. And yeah, just many others. I'm not gonna name Drop but if you want me to, I can
Ari O'Donovan: (17:09)
Small world. I will. I will say that that is a really small world. I don't think there's a single song by Beyonce that I don't like. So , that's amazing. I don't know if listeners fully know what Vogue dancing is and its roots. Can you share a little bit about that?
Hector Zaragoza Valentin: (17:28)
Yeah, so Vogue originates roughly and, and it's a point of point to clarify, but roughly around the 1970s in New York City, it was a dance form that was created by and for trans people of color as a form of resistance to police brutality as well as just societal discrimination on our identities. So the dance form Vogue is most often seen in what is called a ball. So it's a nightly event where it has different categories. Some of them are for beginners and some of them are more for advanced people. But you basically have to compete on being able to highlight the beauty and the essence that is yourself as a person. So if the category calls for what is called European runway, right, you have to channel a certain type of femininity. You have to believe in yourself that you are a star and, and walk out and, and show everybody else why you are the best competitor. It's a lot of fun. It's really challenging. I'm not somebody who has one many trophies and so therefore I don't consider myself a legend. But I a member of the community, I definitely enjoy the art form. I have fun and balls all over.
Ari O'Donovan: (18:59)
Well, if you don't consider yourself a legend, I would say you're well on your way because you really enjoy what you're doing. I can tell just based on what you've told me, that it's super fun and it sounds like it can be difficult,
Hector Zaragoza Valentin: (19:15)
Difficult. And as a dancer, the other side of it all is you're always prone to injury. It's a physically demanding art form. So all of that has happened. I've been doing it over, over 20 years and I've been through it this sprained ankles, the hurt, the out for two months on bedrest. I've done that all.
Ari O'Donovan: (19:37)
Wow. All for the craft. Oh, I have a lot of respect for that. And I gotta throw in there a yes Queen
Hector Zaragoza Valentin: (19:47)
.
Ari O'Donovan: (19:48)
Tell me more about your drag persona. I gotta know more about that. I'm not gonna let you gloss over that
Hector Zaragoza Valentin: (19:55)
. Oh, yep, yep. you know, it really started with this whole, I'm a dancer and I need every excuse to do it. So, you know, at 11:00 AM you can walk into any ballet class cuz they're going on. But at 10:00 PM not things really happening. So a hungry artist is gonna find a way to make it happen. And so yeah, I have a, I started drag in about 20 16 20 17 at CC Slaughters in Portland. Bolivia. Carmichaels was my drag mother who put me in a full face and the moment I had a wig on, I just said like, wow, she is beautiful and her name is Selma. It just came to me, . And yeah, my drag, I I try to mix my Mexican folklore training and include that into the art form of drag. So honestly, I do have to toot my own horn here. And I do think what I, what I do as a drag queen is extremely unique because you will see highly traditional and very intricate footwork spanning back from the pre-Hispanic era in Mexico, but also see so, so see me execute that beautifully while also being in drag in traditional garments. And it, it's a lot of fun. I am, I am my favorite . I'm not gonna say I'm a crowd favorite, but okay, maybe I am. But , you
Ari O'Donovan: (21:22)
Be proud of yourself. I know that you're a crowd favorite and you should be proud of what you're doing. It is wildly unique. I've never, I've never even heard of anything like that. I've been to many, uh, drag shows. You can always find me on a Sunday at a drag brunch and that's pretty cool what you're doing.
Hector Zaragoza Valentin: (21:41)
Yeah. One of the other things I add into my drag is I have one of, among the few artists that I idolize, there is Lila Downs. So Lila Downs is from, is [inaudible] from Mexico and her art form is very folklore fusion. So she does songs from her home region in Mexico, but then mixes them with more contemporary and modern and synthesizing sounds. It's a way to revive folklore and keep it going. So I actually started because I was intending to impersonate her as a, as a drag queen. My hardest hitting number is Lila Downs' mescal. So it's a song just talking about mescal, the alcoholic drink. Of course in, in the culture there's a much more significant, you know, pride of the mescal coming from Oaxaca, just like tequila comes from Jalisco and there's a pride around that, right? So I, I dance around the stage doing, you know, my OA and with the bottle and yeah, people love it .
Hector Zaragoza Valentin: (22:57)
And um, I think one thing I've forgot to mention to you actually is a few years ago, Lila Downs had a performance at the Arlene Schnitzer concert hall in Portland. And uh, I just went because she's my favorite artist when she played her song Live like that is my song. I kid You not, that is my song. There was a moment on stage where I was front room and she was up on stage and we locked eyes and I just kind of like looked at her and I'm like, yes, yes. And we didn't know what we were talking about. She's not, we've never met. She is a on a different level, but I don't know, once we lost eyes and I felt the vibe was good, I jumped onto stage with her and I have video and to her song, I started to do my own traditional steps and the crowd went wild. She immediately caught on and she was singing to me while I was dancing. And that was one of the highlights of my life is like, this is the artist who I've aspired to be and literally tried to be. And now here she is in front of me singing to me while I'm dancing on the same audio. Ugh, life changing .
Ari O'Donovan: (24:10)
Wow, what a moment. And she sounds like such a legend, like, that's amazing. And why have you not sent me this video?
Hector Zaragoza Valentin: (24:19)
? I know, I, I have a lot to send you. You
Ari O'Donovan: (24:23)
Really do. I need to see these videos so I can have even more knowledge about what you do . That's amazing. Very, very, very cool. Now I'm just trying to think cuz there's so many things you do. Did I miss anything? Tell me more about the violin.
Hector Zaragoza Valentin: (24:44)
Yeah, so multifaceted artist here, I think I was just explaining this the other day. I feel like what is music and what is art is really all around us at all times. Everywhere. Everywhere. And, and so in order to access this galaxy of a musical world, you can do that by, you know, dancing and catching a rhythm and then creating it or or singing or, or by violin. They're all, you know, they're all different ways to get to the same universe that is music and some art form that I really cannot put into words that it does take you outta this world and into your own head space. Or I don't know how to explain it if you know, you know, , I did violin. Uh, I started violin the fourth grade, so around 10 years old there was one hanging out around my house cuz my siblings were playing it too.
Hector Zaragoza Valentin: (25:51)
As a Mexican folk artist, there's always been mariachis around me, right? So I always wanted to be just like one, which they do sing and they do play violin. My siblings and I taught ourselves how to play violin and I definitely ended up sticking with it just over 10 years. Back in the day when I was doing it real serious, I was in a few orchestras. I was at North Medford High School doing their chamber orchestra, which tends to be, you know, a little bit smaller and higher demanding repertoire. I was in pit orchestras accompanying plays while I was underground. And the play was happening above us and I had my own duets and at one point I had a quartet called Hector and the Heartbreakers. That was a lot of fun.
Ari O'Donovan: (26:45)
Oh my god, that sounds so amazing. .
Hector Zaragoza Valentin: (26:49)
I've very briefly trained with sis violins based out of here in Ashland and in my teenage years, that was a opportunity that I didn't make, but the opportunity to play as a violinist in Carnegie Hall did come up. And ever since that teenage, that moment, I'm like, I have to go back. I have to actually go to Carnegie someday. I still play violin. I'm gonna try in 2023 to actually join a mariachi. It's always, it's always the, I still haven't done it, so it's something I wanna do , it's just fun so that I can, you know, sing and dance and play our traditional music.
Ari O'Donovan: (27:33)
Love, love all of those ideas. And before I get into even more stuff, I wanna make sure people know you are a self-taught violinist. That is not easy. Even if you're learning from being trained from someone, it's really a difficult instrument.
Hector Zaragoza Valentin: (27:51)
Very much so. I do think violin is one of the most difficult instruments to learn. Guitar has threats so at least you know where your finger needs to be. You can read and, and kind of figure out that way, but a violin has no guides. It's just the string on top of that. You're using both hands, but both hands are doing something completely different at the same time that you're thinking about keeping a tempo and the pitch and reading whatever's on paper or hearing it from ear. It is using your whole brain at the same time.
Ari O'Donovan: (28:22)
And really to me, it sounds like you are always destined for Carnegie Hall, even if it's not the violin that sent you there. You have been there and you're returning. Tell me and listeners more about that.
Hector Zaragoza Valentin: (28:35)
Yeah, so , it's this whole idea that I wake up every day and we'll do anything artistic at this point. I don't care if it's dance, I don't care if it's drawing, I don't care if it's knitting. Honestly, I do , I've played with that.
Ari O'Donovan: (28:51)
But, um, wow, I'm gonna add that to the list.
Hector Zaragoza Valentin: (28:53)
. But when I was living in New York, I joined the Shepherd Academy of Vocal Arts under my vocal coach Betina Shepherd, who does have her studio just like across the street from Carnegie. You can literally throw a rock at it. But after training with her for about a year or two, I joined her, you know, I, I guess her home choir, just a home choir that we rehearse twice a week through Zoom ended in person. But um, , yeah, I was scheduled actually to sing with the choir in March 20th, 2020. But when March 12th happened, the world shut down and I was stuck in a city and scared for my life like everybody else, . But fortunately with, you know, masking and testing and vaccinations, we got to a place in the world where they were comfortable opening a concert hall for singing. So in June of 2022, my canceled 2020 show got rescheduled and I got to actually perform with my choir. It was a lot of fun. It's not as big as you would think. It's
Ari O'Donovan: (30:11)
, I think it's pretty big and there's really nothing you can tell me to change my mind.
Hector Zaragoza Valentin: (30:15)
Oh, I mean, yes, it's a big deal, but the hall itself is like, wow, it, it's kind of cozy. It's, it's really ok. It's
Ari O'Donovan: (30:24)
More intimate, cozy feel on the inside of the building. Okay.
Hector Zaragoza Valentin: (30:27)
Yes. And I mean, yes and no or maybe it's just an illusion when you're on stage, everything you lose the scale. I don't know, I don't know. Maybe
Ari O'Donovan: (30:38)
That perspective when you're performing is gonna be significantly different from somebody that's watching a performance. So I get that. I don't know anyone else that has been to Carnegie Hall to perform ever. And And you're going
Hector Zaragoza Valentin: (30:55)
Back. Yes, I'm hoping to make it a regular thing at least once a year. There's a project that I'm working with the choir for, they're going on April 3rd, I might not go. But then there's also other opportunities like one in June of this year that I can consider. So Carnegie's so great, I want to go all the time. One of the most refreshing things for me is everybody in a place like New York who is there means business, right? So when you go and take a dance class or you take a, you know, go to a choir rehearsal, everybody there is trained, trained , it's just a shortcut to get into what is the really hard work, right? You're no longer working on basics.
Ari O'Donovan: (31:39)
Very cool. People are trained, they wanna be there, they love what they do and it's like higher order type of experience. It sounds like when you're dancing or singing or doing all of the variety of artistic things you do in New York,
Hector Zaragoza Valentin: (31:56)
It can get to an Olympic level.
Ari O'Donovan: (31:58)
Wow. For sure.
Hector Zaragoza Valentin: (31:59)
Yeah,
Ari O'Donovan: (32:00)
No doubt. Yeah. Very, very cool. And all of these things, I imagine you would discuss at least most of them in an upcoming documentary that's coming out about you.
Hector Zaragoza Valentin: (32:12)
Yeah, so actually at the end of the month I have a video shoot photo shoot. I just want to grab some media that can represent me in a really nice concise package. But my videographer actually specializes in documentaries, so I'm gonna have like a minute to a minute and a half clip of hopefully recording most of what I do in that one minute to have me kind of talk over it and share my art. It's just trying to take it to more audiences. So what is an artist without the audience, right? We only do it cause of supporters like you
Ari O'Donovan: (32:53)
. Exactly. And when that is created, send it to me. I will proliferate it everywhere I can , we love to share stuff like that at Boost Oregon. I love sharing stuff like that on my own personal IG and other places. And I'm just so excited for you. I'm excited for all that you've done and what you're doing in the future. And tell me if there's anything that I've left out.
Hector Zaragoza Valentin: (33:19)
I have a YouTube video out in the world where I am in drag dressed up in traditional attire from the state of . So I got to do a Seattle Univision event and I had a little solo, so I'm fully in drag with the Univision backdrop behind me. I think that aired, that aired everywhere live. But that was one of the, the highlight of like where I was able to blend my drag and my folklore and perform that. I've also been on a Kroger commercial, it was called A Taste of Mexico that aired in the US and Canada. So I didn't tell anyone that I was doing that. And then shortly after airing, I did have a friend out in Phoenix, Arizona who's like, did I just see you on TV ? That was pretty fun. So I'm just kind of going over some highlights. And then more recently I have been working with my local news station, so that's K O B I Channel five here in Medford. And I'm doing voiceover work now. So there's some public health campaigns that I voice over in Spanish and that does air on channels like UND Univision. I got feedback that people were like, I thought you were in my house, I was cooking and I heard you.
Ari O'Donovan: (34:38)
I love it. I love it. And you did share those things with me and I'm glad that you talked about that on here too. That's really amazing. All of those things. And now you're doing voice work too that's added to the growing list of all of your talents. .
Hector Zaragoza Valentin: (34:58)
Yeah, but my mentor, Mr. Bobby in Portland definitely hammered into me is do it all. He's a dancer, choreographer, and a visual artist. But he also as an example of like if you wanna be an actor, learn actually how to work the lights, learn how to work the sound, be a stage runner on top of being an actor, right? Because you're not always gonna get just an acting job. Sometimes they just need a light person, sometimes they need a backstage, right? So if you can do it all, you don't need anybody else, right?
Ari O'Donovan: (35:30)
, right? There's no reason for anybody to say no to you , whatever talent you're looking for, you have whatever talent somebody's looking for. You have it in one way or another, in one form or another. I love that.
Hector Zaragoza Valentin: (35:45)
Honestly. Like that's the goal for when I'm out in New York City. Fun fact, everybody in there is talented, everybody does everything. So , I mean like you have to have the chops, you just do. Yeah. And I'm just excited to be back in the city and continue my training. I think nowadays I try to engage with the artistic network across the whole country. So this weekend I get to dance at the Alonzo King Lines Ballet in San Francisco and then in the end of the month I will be training at my old school bases in New York, which were a Broadway dance center. Steps on Broadway, Alvin Ailey, parrot Dance are kind of my home bases over there.
Ari O'Donovan: (36:36)
Very nice. Very, very nice. Is there anything that you haven't already shared or something that you just wanna make sure people know about to stay on the lookout for that people should know about and keep an eye open for?
Hector Zaragoza Valentin: (36:51)
Yeah, I mean, can I share my personal ig?
Ari O'Donovan: (36:53)
Oh yeah. And we'll put that in the description too.
Hector Zaragoza Valentin: (36:55)
I think everything I do is really just posted on my social media. Hector underscore Z like Zebra and then V like Victor. I don't know, honestly, I can't really tell you what's happening in 2023. I think a lot will happen. My focus right now is just keeping a clean face for when I do my photo shoot and video shoot. I'm trying so hard not to pick at it , but I already know that there will be many opportunities to take my art to the next level in 2023. Cause we're all leveling up.
Ari O'Donovan: (37:32)
I believe that. I know that 2023 is gonna be a very dope year for you. I can't wait to know more about what you're doing as the year goes on. I am waiting for Selma to resurface cuz I would love to see her in action live . So whenever that happens, you let me know. If you've got something going on, tell me. I will share it all over. Boost will share it all over as well.
Hector Zaragoza Valentin: (37:59)
Aw . I used to do the Tuesday night Catcher Rising Star show at Dar Catch a Rising Star show at Darce in Portland. That was fun. Darce herself, the Guinness World Record holding, longest working drag queen. She hated some of the work I've done. So that was also a high compliment. Not to be name dropping or anything, but like more so I, I always take it as a compliment when people who are established like Darce, like Lila Downs, like other artists in Portland, like Isaiah, Esquire, look them up. Amazing. It's always a, I feel like a tiger earned their stripe when one of the legends is like, you did good today.
Ari O'Donovan: (38:41)
. Definitely. That is fabulous. And I, Darce is amazing to me. I, my mom saw a drag show and she's in her mid seventies now, and that was years and years ago. So yeah, you, you've really gotten a lot of praise from some of the greatest that says something about you as an artist. It really does. And promise that you're gonna keep me posted and send me all the videos and stuff that I haven't been sent yet.
Hector Zaragoza Valentin: (39:16)
. Yes, I know ,
Ari O'Donovan: (39:19)
How else can I keep up with what you're doing? I can't follow you on ig. I will do that. awesome. I have really enjoyed talking to you, Hector. You've been one of my most interesting guests on this show so far. And I'm so excited for 2023 for you. You inspire other people with everything you do. You're a jack of all trades and I just can't wait. And I thank you for being on this episode of Boosting Our Voices.
Hector Zaragoza Valentin: (39:49)
Thank you. Good. Yeah, I, oh, I do know one place where you can catch me that's coming up , April 3rd is like the showcase of the S festival happening in Fresno, California. That is the only thing on my books for now. But I will be taking class under Ma who is a living descendant of a Hernandez. So again, a high, weird Mexican choreographer is gonna be working with, I mean, I'm gonna be taking her class as part of the festival. And then we have a little showcase April 3rd. So if any listeners in Fresno, California just pop over.
Ari O'Donovan: (40:32)
, wonderful. I definitely know that People will, and I, that's just one thing. That's just one thing on your list and there will be more stuff added as the year goes on. I can't wait to learn more. Thank you so much for being a guest. And obviously I'm gonna have to do an update episode with you , so that will be coming later on too.
Hector Zaragoza Valentin: (40:56)
I will have a lot of fun things to talk about.
Ari O'Donovan: (40:59)
Oh yeah, I gotta hear all the updates. I'm looking forward to that. Don't be a stranger. Email us or send us a voice memo at boosting our voices gmail.com with your health related questions. Your questions may even be featured on an upcoming podcast episode. Follow Boost Oregon on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and TikTok. You can find all of our social media and our website information in the show description below. Until next time, thank you for listening and be well.