Vanessa Hernández Cruz (2026 Exemplary Woman in LA Dance)
1. Can you share a bit about your personal dance journey, particularly as a professional in Los
Angeles?
In order for me to talk about how I started, I think it’s vital to understand the way I was brought up growing up. My mom Maria Silvia Hernández Cruz, my number one supporter to this day, raised me in a way that has allowed me to navigate this life as a Disabled person. The act of working hard, taking up space, and speaking up for myself were traits that I learned from her and to this day I still practice. The world wasn’t designed with Disabled people in mind, let alone the dance field.
I didn’t have traditional dance training until I was in high school where I danced all four years plus was in the dance team at University High School. My very first dance teacher, Emily Quist, encouraged me to dance and to move in my own ways. I was fortunate to have my first dance teacher be someone who accepted me as I am, because more often than not, it’s not often the case for our community let alone when you’re navigating marginalized identities. I was encouraged to pursue dance but the reality was that I was terrified of doing so. I was scared to audition in a room full of dancers that didn’t look like me and being cut from the moment I enter the room with my walker. I eventually overcame that fear, because my love for dance gave me the strength to pursue it as a career.
Fast forward to now; I have my AA in Dance from Santa Monica College & my BA in Dance Science from Cal State Long Beach, one of the few openly disabled people in the nation to hold a BA in dance. A huge decision I had to make was choosing not to audition for dance opportunities. That decision defined how I was going to navigate my dance career. I decided to apply to residencies, grants and commit to putting my work out there fully knowing that it wasn’t going to be any easier. One of my first in-person residencies in Los Angeles was through Pieter Performance Space in 2022 where I began exploring my artistic voice. I created dance films that were presented in art galleries and I kept applying to different opportunities. I often found myself having to advocate for equitable practices in dance spaces which led me to become a Disability Justice and accessibility consultant. As I continued weaving my path, I kept thinking, why am I the only one in these dance spaces that is open-identitifying and visibly disabled artist? This thought follows me to this day, but was absolutely a catalyst to some of my breakout work. In 2023, I had major opportunities that rippled through to the artist that I am today. One of my first festival was through Dance at The Odyssey where Barbara gave me the opportunity to perform a 30min piece called “Metal Plastic Skin” a work that honors my indigenous roots and disability identities. Following that I received one of the most exciting phone calls of being accepted into the REDCAT NOW Festival, where I created one of my favorite works: “Exhale, Static, Inhale Fumes”. Since then my work has been focused on figuring out ways to bring in more marginalized disabled artists on stage.
2. Tell us about what you currently do in the industry.
I wear many hats in the field but I am first and foremost a freelance multidisciplinary dance artist & choreographer where I perform throughout the year. As one of the current New England Foundation of the Arts National Dance Project Grant recipient, I working on a new evening length dance work titled “Echoing Memories in a Distant future” that will premiere in the Fall 2027. Additionally, in connection with this new work, I am curating a new hybrid arts programming that centers QTBIPOC Disabled artists in partnership with The Music Center and Los Angeles Spoonie Collective called “Echoes of the City: Disability Arts Exchange” launching April 2026.
My artistic practice also engages Disability Justice and Accessibility consulting. I have consulted for Home LA, Dance/NYC, NDEO, Arts 4 LA, We Still Move, LAMBDA Literary, and more. I have co-authored and co-project managed with Kevin Gotkin for the AXIS Dance Company: “The Access Guide for Presenting & Touring the Performing Arts”. I have done artist talks, residencies, been a guest choreographer, artist, & lecturer at several institutions that includes UCLA, CalArts, Chapman University, Santa Monica College, Ohio State University, and more. There is so much activism and advocacy that I have engaged in since I started my dance career, and it has been beautiful to witness the changes that have been happening.
In my teaching & choreographic practice, I am crafting an improvisational dance class called “Cyber Realms” that centers our access needs and our capacity any given day through world building approaches. In connection to “Cyber Realms” I am working on developing a pedagogical approach and rehearsal praxis called “Stargazer Portals” that decolonizes traditional ways of showing up to rehearsals and ways of dancing that implements the Disability Justice Framework by Sins Invalid. The over all goal of this new methodology is to increase the number of Disabled dancers on stage at a professional level.
3. In your opinion, why does dance matter?
Dance inherently belongs to everyone. I believe it is a way to process the world we live, a way to find and be in community with each other, and a celebration of expression. That is why I continue to uplift and push for the field to embrace different body types. Who are we to determine what is good dance and bad dance? When dance in its rawest form is freedom to just be. Dance has been my safe space to heal, to find joy, to embrace rage, to grieve, & to be creative. Because ableism and other forms of oppression is something I have to navigate everyday, dance has been my escape even if it’s for a little while. Dance matters and everyone should have access to dance.
4. What excites you most about dance in LA right now?
One of the beautiful things I love about the LA dance scene is community. The way we show up for each other and create regardless of our circumstances. I am excited that there are more presenters and organizations interested in uplifting disability dance.
5. What do you envision for the future of dance/dancers in LA?
I envision more dance & choreographic opportunities for Disabled artists. I would love to see this city embrace our work and artistry. I have witnessed how beautiful that can be in other cities and I fully believe we can get to a place where disabled dancers are normalized on stage and taking lead. I would love for choreographers to commission disabled dancers for their works. I think it’s important to understand that we don’t need to be in dances that are about disability, overcoming, and/or proving we can dance. We are multifaceted beings that experience more than our politicized identities. I fully believe dancers should be paid for our labor and what we are worth. Dancers are severely underpaid and know that disabled artists are often asked to provide free labor on top of that.
6. How can people get involved and support that vision?
I encourage choreographers, presenters, & curators to commission Disabled artists into your works. Go watch & support disability dance when we have shows. I think that is something that I found challenging, was and is getting our community to witness our work. Welcome us to your dance classes, shows, and events and let us know how it’s accessible. Follow disabled artists on social media and uplift our work through there.
You are welcome to follow and read more about my work via my website and social media:
Website:https://www.galaxiesdance.info
