Who is Patricio Reve?
My name is Patricio Revé, a 23-year-old Senior Soloist with Queensland Ballet. I was born and raised in Cuba and I trained at the Cuban National Ballet School. Upon graduating I joined the National Ballet of Cuba where after two years I was promoted to principal. I moved to Australia in 2018 and have really enjoyed making Brisbane and Queensland Ballet my home. In my spare time I like to watch sport especially soccer and formula 1.
What would you do differently from what you do now?
I feel like I have changed and grown up a lot since I first came to Australia three years ago. I don’t feel like there is anything specific I should be doing differently right now. I guess it’s important to keep working hard with an open mind.
Who inspires you and why?
I am inspired by a lot of people but I have to admit that I have an obsession with Mikhail Baryshnikov. There is literally not a day that goes by that I don’t watch videos of him. I recently performed the Don Quixote pas de Deux in Queensland Ballet’s 60th Anniversary Gala – I spent a lot of time watching videos and taking inspiration from him. What particularly draws me to Baryshnikov is not only how impressive he is technically, but the emotion that he transmits through his dancing. I think the way he does that is out of this world.
What would you do to make a difference in the world?
I have recently become quite interested in climate change and have realised it’s important for everybody to do their own research and make small changes where they can. If we all do this then we could hopefully prevent something really catastrophic from happening. In saying this, I feel very lucky to be in a job where I can make a difference in people’s lives by simply stepping on stage and hopefully providing audiences with joy and an escape from reality.
Favourite holiday destination and why?
I love going back to visit my family in Havana, Cuba. At first, I found it really challenging moving to the other side of the world and away from my family, especially since Australian culture, language and even food is so different. Over the last few years I have embraced and grown to love my Australian life but I miss my family a lot and I still have a piece of me back in Cuba. I think it will always be my favourite place to spend my holidays.
When friends come to town, what attraction would you take them to, and why?
I haven’t had any overseas visitors but hopefully one day I will. I would definitely take them to Noosa. It was the first beach I visited in Australia and I was completely captivated by the beauty of the place. It is still one of my favourite places to visit when I can.
What are you currently reading?
At the moment I am reading Mary’s Last Dance – a beautiful memoir by Mary Li. It’s really special to get to know the history of someone who is such a huge influence in my life. It is also the first book that I’m reading in English.
What are you currently listening to?
Recently I have been listening to Bola de Nieve who is a Cuban singer, pianist and songwriter. I am completely fascinated by the way he interprets the music and he really makes me feel emotional. He sings from his soul, and the way his music inspires me to impact people the same way through my dancing, similar to how Baryshnikov’s artistry affects me.
Happiness is?
That is a really hard question and I guess I will always say something different depending on what stage of my life I am in. For me right now happiness is how lucky I feel to be doing what I love especially now, when the world is going through a really difficult time. We are so lucky and are very appreciative to have the ability to perform onstage in Queensland, especially since this isn’t the case for many other ballet Companies around the world.
What does the future hold for you?
I really don’t know but I guess the future always holds challenging moments. I will hope for the best and keep working hard.
Patricio is a Senior Soloist with Queensland Ballet – who can be seen performing in Ballet on the Lawn on Saturday 17 April 2021. For more information, visit: www.queenslandballet.com.au for details.
Image: Patricio Reve – photo by David Kelly