TL;DR
- Ezra Sosa is a rising queer Latino dancer.
- He credits dance as his saving grace.
- Sosa embraces his queerness as a strength.
- He aims to inspire young LGBTQ+ individuals.
- Pride for him is about joy and advocacy.
When it comes to setting the standard in the dance world, Ezra Sosa is doing it with style and a whole lot of sass. This fabulous dancer and choreographer is not just making waves; he’s creating a tsunami of inspiration for the LGBTQ+ community. Recognized this Pride by Lexus and OUT as a new-generation tastemaker, Sosa is proving that excellence in dance is not just about the moves, but about authenticity and representation.
As a recent finalist on Dancing with the Stars, Sosa is basking in the spotlight with a new video spotlight called The Standard, Set debuting on @outmagazine. For him, this recognition is a testament to a journey that began long before he was a household name. “Dance basically saved me,” he shares. “It was an outlet. It was my expression. It gave me a way to speak and have a voice when I didn’t feel confident enough to have one.” And honey, isn’t that what we all need? A little bit of dance to express our fabulous selves!
Growing up in Provo, Utah, Sosa’s love for dance ignited unexpectedly. “I remember my mom told me I was always shuffling my feet around,” he reminisces, crediting the movie Happy Feet for sparking his passion. But as he pursued his dreams, he faced the harsh reality of being a queer Latino performer in a world that often told him there wasn’t room for someone like him. “If I actually listened to those people, I would have stopped being who I am,” he says, but instead, he turned those doubts into fuel for his fire.
Now, Sosa is not just a dancer; he’s a beacon of hope for many. “The more I was able to understand and be okay with my queerness, the more people loved watching me perform,” he explains. His queerness has become his superpower, and he’s using it to inspire others to embrace their true selves. As an openly gay performer, he recognizes the importance of representation for young LGBTQ+ individuals who are searching for role models that reflect their own identities.
For Sosa, Pride is more than just a month; it’s a celebration of joy and community. “Pride to me now is celebration. It’s joy. It’s us coming together once a year to really celebrate and talk about the advocacy of our community,” he states. He credits much of his success to his “warrior” mother, who believed in him long before the world did. Even during tough times, she ensured he and his siblings could pursue their passions, proving that behind every fierce performer is a support system that champions their dreams.
Looking to the future, Sosa hopes to expand his career even further, with aspirations of stepping into a hosting role. But no matter where his journey takes him, he remains committed to authenticity. “When I was that kid in Provo, if I would see what I am now, I just wouldn’t believe it,” he reflects. Now, he’s the one inspiring others to live their true selves, and that, dear readers, is a standard worth setting.