DJ Q&A

JJ: As a soloist, I have many more opportunities and responsibilities. I do more challenging roles and full-length ballets which allow me to grow as a dancer and work on my artistic range and technique.

DJ: Has your dance career involved travel?

JJ: Dance has taken me out of the Bay Area many times from a young age with numerous dance competitions all over the United States. I’ve also traveled to Paris for a summer intensive with the Paris Opera Ballet School. Touring with San Francisco Ballet has taken me to London and Copenhagen, and last year I guested for several months with Boston Ballet.

DJ: What was the audition like for the role of Juliet?

JJ: There was no formal audition. Back in 2019, Helgi Tomasson told me that he would like me to learn the role. We weren’t able to perform it that season due to the pandemic, but coming back to it now feels so special because I had worked so hard on it and had been anticipating the debut.

DJ: How are you preparing for the role of Juliet?

JJ: In addition to rehearsing the ballet every day, I’ve also been trying to deepen my knowledge of the character by reading the play and watching various interpretations through film. I hope to make my portrayal of Juliet as accurate and authentic as possible.

DJ: What is your biggest challenge as a dancer?

JJ: My biggest challenges have to be strength and stamina. I’ve never been the strongest jumper, and building stamina, especially for long ballets, doesn’t come naturally to me, so those are things that I constantly have to strive towards and improve.

DJ: How do you make a new pair of ballet shoes ready before you wear them?

JJ: I go through about 20 to 30 pairs of shoes in a year, depending on how much I’m dancing. To prepare a new pair, I sew on the ribbons and elastic, then break the shoes in by bending the shank and stepping on the box.

DJ: Do you have favorite ways to relax when you have downtime?

JJ: I enjoy reading a good book, watching a TV show or movie or drawing. Anything that doesn’t involve moving too much, since I am usually pretty exhausted from dancing!

A LOOK BACK: smdailyjournal.com/arts_and_entertainment/susans-city-scene/article_62e17b8a-398b-11ea-b6ad-332b73b689dd.html

ROMEO & JULIET PARTICULARS. Set to the hauntingly beautiful Sergei Prokofiev score, Helgi Tomasson’s Romeo & Juliet transports you from the streets of Renaissance Verona to the grandeur of the Capulets’ ballroom. Passionate dancing, spine-tingling swordsmanship, and stunning set and costume designs bring Shakespeare’s tale of star-crossed lovers brilliantly to life. April 21-30. War Memorial Opera House. 301 Van Ness Ave. San Francisco. Tickets at sfballet.org or 415-865-2000. The program runs approximately 2 hours and 37 minutes including two intermissions. Tickets starting at $29 may be purchased online at sfballet.org or by calling 415-865-2000.

MEET THE ARTIST INTERVIEWS. San Francisco Ballet’s Meet the Artist pre-performance talks for Romeo & Juliet take place April 21 at 7 p.m.; April 23 at 1 p.m.; and April 30 at 1 p.m. These informative 30-minute talks feature artists and choreographers in conversation with a moderator. Meet the Artist interviews take place one hour before the performance starts with open seating in the orchestra level; a performance ticket for that date is required to enter the Opera House to attend Meet the Artist interviews.