José ‘Xtravaganza’ Gutierez

José Gutierez, better known as “José Xtravaganza,” began his dance career at the age of seven, when he was selected out of thousands of students to be part of a dance educational program, and eventually attended the famed LaGuardia High School of Performing Arts in New York City. There, he became a fixture of the underground LGBTQ ballroom scene, including the legendary House of Xtravaganza, where his technical dance training melded with the underground dance called vogue.

His mastery of the dance earned him the attention of Madonna herself, who invited him to audition for her troupe. Not only did he earn himself a spot as one of the lead dancers on Madonna’s “Blond Ambition” World Tour, he was also featured in the cult documentary “Truth or Dare,” and continued to work with the pop icon for years after—earning himself a nomination for Best Choreography in a Music Video at the MTV Video Music Awards in the process.

As a choreographer, José Xtravaganza has worked with Aretha Franklin, Tony Bennett, The Rolling Stones, Icona Pop, and more, and he’s been featured in Vogue, Time, Details. In addition to working with director Baz Lurhmann on the Netflix series “The Get Down,” José was a key consultant on Ryan Murphy’s FX series, “Pose,” even appearing as a judge. You can check out José Xtravaganza’s latest projects on Creatively here.

What is the first creative project you remember?

The first creative project I remember was when I was in the third grade in public school. I won a scholarship that was paid for by the New York City Board of Education to learn the arts. Specifically, they taught us ballet and they really trained us. All the students got together and put on a show and I remember that was the first time that I performed on a stage––and it was the first time I did something expressive. From that moment on, I knew that I loved it. That it was something I wanted to do and that I needed to do.

Describe your aesthetic in three words.

Unique, Clean, and Passionate. 

Without those three things, all the other elements of the aesthetic are technical and means nothing to me. I think most dancers and artists have a sort of style that can be identified by their movements—even if the performer is completely covered up. I think my aesthetic carries over from my fashion sense (which is very unique, as I don’t follow trends but what speaks to me), and a major aspect is my cleanliness. It’s an attribute that comes from my training as a ballet dancer and something that separates me from the rest. In the heat of a performance or battle, cleanliness is almost always sacrificed unnecessarily for creativity. Clean lines, shapes, poses, and silhouettes are part of my arsenal in my performance. When you watch other voguers perform or battle, the heat of the moment means the loss of lines and to me is the opposite of what vogue is.

What was the most fulfilling collaboration you’ve worked on?

I’ve got to say, it was working with Madonna during the “Blonde Ambition” Tour. To be a part of such a political moment in pop culture history was really something, and to be honest, it was unbeknownst to me. I was 18 years old at the time. I thought I was just doing my job as a dancer, performing. At the time, you’re not out there to touch people; as dancers, you’re always expected to be looked at in the background. So to learn [later] that through that part of my career, I was a part of something that moved so many people artistically but also personally.

Once, I was approached by a gentleman whose eyes were swelling in tears of gratitude for me simply being myself. I guess living and growing up in NYC afforded me a luxury most rural citizens don’t have, which is tolerance. This guy explained to me that he was borderline suicidal and depressed because he felt alone and felt like a freak because he was gay and feminine. He said he was at a friend’s house watching MTV when he saw the Rock the Vote commercial with Luis, Madonna and myself. He said: Seeing two unapologetic gay men flanking the superstar of the moment—dancing and singing, coming across as so comfortable in their skin—gave him someone to identify with. He explained that seeing us helped him out of depression and more importantly he felt he was not alone—and with that, he felt a reason to keep going, and no longer contemplated suicide. He drove me to tears because I couldn’t believe how much I impacted his life. That showed me the importance of representation. As an artist and as a human, that moment was priceless.

What’s one creative project that taught you something fundamental about yourself?

Working on “Pose” [on FX] the last two seasons taught me so much about myself. I grew up in the ballroom scene; it is where I discovered voguing, and “Pose” is based on a community’s way of life. That was 35-40 years ago. [Being a consultant on the show] has grounded me and made me appreciate the scene even more, and has added to my artistry. I always saw the beauty of it back then, and now I am sharing that beauty with the world. Today, I get to watch new artists help tell my story. I look at it like that—they’re actors in a real-life story. It’s like art imitating life!

Working on “Pose” has given me [a whole new sense of] appreciation and admiration for the scene. See back then, no gay rights were given––you couldn’t walk down the street, and you could be arrested just for being gay in certain areas. We were not allowed to get married. I think of all my ancestors in the ballroom community who aren’t alive today due to the fact that the AIDS epidemic wiped them all out. All they wanted was what’s happening today: our community having a platform. To be on television, to be looked as an artist, and to be seen as even a human. I know that they’re watching and looking from the heavens. I hope they’re pleased. I always try to remember that, and remember the unsung heroes that deserve all the glory. It’s their story being depicted today. The language, the attitude, the story. [Laughs] Even your weather forecaster is saying things like ‘shady’ and ‘gagged’! And ‘you better work’! It’s strange and it’s weird but it’s great. I’m grateful and happy to be here. Never, ever, ever in my wildest dreams did I think we would have this platform today.

Do you think creativity is something you’re born with, or something you’re taught?

I think creativity is something that you’re born with. And it is something that has to grow within early on for the authenticity of the art. The earlier you realize your passion for it, the better you can express it. From first coming into contact with a craft or watching a dance performance or seeing something that moved you as a child … it can be enough to drive you to say: That is what I want to be when I grow up. And that shows in your artistry better than someone who says this is popular right now and I want to do that. However, it is not something that needs to happen in childhood—sometimes people discover their creativity later in life. The most important part of creativity is the development of your creativity. This means dedicating time to work on your craft to clean and perfect it, so creativity means taking out time to practice creativity. You must be devoted. Being creative is a way of life.

What’s the last dream you had?

I have a recurring dream that I’ve fallen and it’s weird. Right when I hit the floor, I wake, as I’m an inch from hitting the ground.

One hundred years from now, what do you hope people write about your work?

Oh my god, what would I want people to read or write about me? I want them to say: José was very kind, very charismatic, but also emotional to a fault … because I’m the type of person who leads with my heart and I’m very expressive. As for my craft, I can only hope that they would write: “He touched my heart with his craft. He said so much with the way he moved that he touched my heart.”

Follow @JoséXtravaganza on Creatively.

Creatively is more than a platform—we’re a creative collective. 

Questions or feedback? Email us at feedback@creatively.life