Under the vast, cerulean skies of New Mexico, Jock Soto, a dancer of Diné and Puerto Rican heritage, graced the screen in the premiere of the short film, Following Enchantment’s Line. This cinematic appearance marked the sole instance the audience witnessed his signature fluid movements. As the credits rolled and lights ascended within Santa Fe’s historic Lensic Performing Arts Center, a dramatic summer monsoon broke, with thunder echoing the resonance of classical music as Soto led a live rehearsal with dancers from Ballet Taos, accompanied by his friend Laura Ortman’s evocative compositions. This evening was a powerful embodiment of Soto’s lifelong ambition: to share the profound rhythm and elegance honed over a remarkable 24-year career with the prestigious New York City Ballet.

“I started hoop dancing with my mother,” Soto recalled, his voice carrying the warmth of cherished memories. “And I continued hoop dancing until I discovered ballet, which then became my entire life. It was all I ever wanted to pursue.” His parents, recognizing his nascent passion, sought out the only local ballet school in Phoenix, Arizona, a considerable distance from their home. “My dad would drive me there every single day,” he explained, “and I received a full scholarship simply because I was the only male student in the class.”

The trajectory from a small town in Arizona to the glittering stages of New York City is a formidable one, particularly for a young man of Diné and Puerto Rican descent, the son of Josephine Towne and José Soto. His formative years were steeped in a rich tapestry of sound. “My dad loved salsa. He loved the Beach Boys, all that kind of stuff. That’s what I remember listening to,” Soto shared. “And I always got a warm feeling when I heard salsa or drums from the reservation. My heart jumps when I hear thump, thump, thump. And I always felt like, oh, God, I want to do this. I want to do this.” This innate desire speaks to a universal truth: the pursuit of extraordinary dreams, especially in fields as demanding and specialized as classical ballet, often necessitates leaving the familiar confines of one’s birthplace.

And so, at the tender age of 13, Soto made the life-altering decision to leave school and embark on his journey to New York. Now 60 and retired from the demanding life of a performing dancer, he dedicates himself to sharing his inspiring story and legacy with tribal communities across the nation. As the premiere event concluded, the rain subsided, leaving a serene calm. Soto and his husband, Luis Fuentes, were eager to return to their home nestled in the northern New Mexico mountains. Before departing, they paused for photographs beneath the Lensic’s illuminated marquee, which proudly proclaimed: “INT MUSEUM OF DANCE & CD: AN EVENING WITH JOCK SOTO.” “I’m liking the marquee saying my name,” Soto remarked with a touch of playful pride. Joel Aalberts, executive director at the Lensic, responded with a warm affirmation, “We can arrange that anytime.”

The digital archive project, meticulously curated by the International Museum of Dance and hosted on the ChromaDiverse platform, aims to preserve Soto’s illustrious career and make it accessible to a global audience. Titled "Jock Soto: The Dancer and His Life," this comprehensive digital repository delves into his extraordinary journey, unearthing a wealth of forgotten photographs, performance videos, posters, critical reviews, and other memorabilia that chronicle his impact on the world of dance. This initiative underscores the growing trend of institutions leveraging digital technologies to safeguard cultural heritage and disseminate artistic legacies.

Soto’s commitment to his roots is evident in his dedication to correcting even minor oversights. When his name was misspelled in the Navajo Times art section, he took a black Sharpie and personally altered the erroneous "A" to an "O," demonstrating a profound respect for his heritage. He kept the corrected newspaper, a testament to the local pride he felt despite the clerical error. This act of personal correction highlights the significance of representation and accurate recognition, particularly for Indigenous artists navigating dominant cultural landscapes.

During a quiet moment in the theater lobby before the screening, a conversation with Soto revealed the profound physical toll of his dedication. Observing his deliberate gait, one might draw parallels to legendary athletes like Bill Russell or Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, whose movements bore the indelible marks of years of peak physical exertion. “It’s not an easy career at all,” Soto confided to the audience later, speaking from a chair on stage. “You know, it’s often painful. Like, I can’t even get out of this chair if I want to right now.” This candid admission underscores the immense sacrifice inherent in a career dedicated to the rigorous discipline of ballet and explains the urgency behind his current mission.

The evident physical consequences of his demanding profession amplify the importance of Soto’s partnership with the International Museum of Dance. By sharing his life’s work and fostering educational initiatives, he aims to inspire and support the next generation of dancers, particularly those from underrepresented backgrounds. The museum’s digital archives serve not only as a repository of dance history but also as a platform for educational programs. A similar collaborative project with the Dance Theatre of Harlem, for instance, culminated in the publication of a significant history book detailing the company’s pivotal influence on Black ballet dancers.

Beyond the digital realm, the International Museum of Dance harbors ambitions for a physical space, slated to open in 2026, which will serve as a hub for artist residencies, public performances, and community events. While a definitive location is still being determined, the current digital archive, hosted by the nonprofit arts organization ChromaDiverse, offers an immersive portal into Soto’s career. This digital space also houses the Moving Memories Fund, which established the Jock Soto Scholarship. The inaugural recipient of this scholarship is Heloha Tate, a talented Chickasaw dancer, underscoring the fund’s commitment to supporting emerging Indigenous talent in the arts.

Soto’s journey began with a pivotal moment at just 12 years old when he secured a full scholarship to the School of American Ballet in New York City. This opportunity provided a fertile ground for his talent to flourish amidst a competitive cohort of male dancers vying for limited roles in the ballet world. “I felt amazing, because (in Phoenix) I was in the class with all girls. And when I got to New York, I was in a class with all men – 40 men,” Soto recounted. “That was my competition, or the way that I evolved.” This shift from an environment of relative scarcity to one of intense peer engagement undeniably shaped his artistic development.

At 16, his exceptional talent caught the eye of the legendary choreographer George Balanchine, leading to an invitation to join the New York City Ballet. Within four years, Soto ascended to the esteemed rank of principal dancer, a zenith of achievement coveted by ballet artists worldwide. “I became an adult very quickly,” Soto reflected. “I became very good friends with a couple of the guys. We lived in an apartment together. We had no money, but we would go buy hot dogs on the street or eat pizza and stuff like that. We lived three blocks from the school, so we spent all day till 7 every night, dancing. That’s all we did.” This period of intense dedication and shared experience forged strong bonds and instilled a profound work ethic.

Soto’s mastery of the masculine role in ballet was particularly evident in his partnerships with ballerinas. He possessed an innate ability to elevate and support his female counterparts, ensuring their grace and prominence remained the focal point of the performance. He became renowned as a “natural partner,” embodying the principle his mother had instilled in him: dance as a form of graceful communion. His mother, a significant influence, had taught him the foundational elements of movement in the context of Southwest powwow circles, where leadership and following were integral to the dance. She led, and he learned to follow, until he was capable of leading himself, understanding the nuanced importance of each dancer’s contribution. In ballet, he excelled in the masculine role, and as an instructor, he upholds this traditional dynamic, emphasizing the necessity of distinct gender roles for a cohesive and impactful performance.

Despite being an openly gay man, Soto advocates for adherence to traditional gender roles on stage. “I try to teach the dancers that a man is a man onstage,” he stated. “And if I see anything other than that, I correct it right away. And I’m like, ‘No, no, you’re behind a ballerina, you’re a man. Don’t act like the ballerina.’ So that’s what I try to teach. Masculine is masculine. It’s not that hard to teach, but it can be a lot.” This approach reflects his understanding of classical ballet’s aesthetic conventions and his desire to impart a strong sense of performance discipline.

Soto’s Diné heritage, inherited from his mother, connects him to the Tłʼááʼdii clan, meaning “water flowing together,” a phrase that also lends its title to a 2007 documentary about his life. Born near his ancestral lands in Chinle, Arizona, his birth took place at the nearest Indian Health Services Hospital in Gallup. He credits his mother as his primary source of strength, while acknowledging his father’s “macho Puerto Rican” persona. Despite the cultural differences, his parents offered unwavering support. “They said it was OK to be gay,” Soto shared, recounting the conversation he had with them at the age of 30. His mother’s reaction was one of amusement and understanding, “We’ve known that ever since you were 18.”

The New York City Ballet boasts an alumni roster exceeding 700 dancers, yet only a select few men have achieved the distinguished status of principal dancer, a testament to Soto’s exceptional talent and dedication. His elite training and performance prowess are rare commodities. While deeply rooted in the Navajo Nation, Soto’s ascent within the rarefied world of classical ballet initially created a sense of distance from his Indigenous community. Today, however, his return and active engagement are fostering a reconnection. This growing presence should serve as a catalyst for state lawmakers and education reformers to collaborate with local ballet theater groups, advocating for expanded arts programming within Native communities and schools.

ChromaDiverse aims to make Soto’s digital archive accessible in New Mexico public schools within the coming year. Since 2018, New Mexico has significantly invested in education reform, driven by a court mandate to improve educational outcomes for Indigenous students, English language learners, and students with disabilities. The prospect of integrating Soto’s career archive into educational resources excites lawmakers like Shannon Pinto, who attended Soto’s premiere and met him for the first time. “We need to make sure that the arts are something we bring forward with some funding, at least, because we know it’s been on the back burner,” Pinto remarked, emphasizing the critical need for arts education.

The long-term impact of this initiative on classrooms in New Mexico and beyond will unfold over time. However, Soto’s presence and the recognition of his achievements have already generated a palpable ripple effect. Jicarilla Apache President Adrian Notsinneh, encountering Soto and his work for the first time at the Lensic, presented him with a blanket as a gesture of appreciation for his support of Jicarilla Apache ballet dancers. Notsinneh eloquently described Soto’s influence by drawing a parallel to skipping flat stones across water: “As it jumps across, it causes ripples. Each time it hits the surface, it radiates. So what I’m seeing from this type of person that’s standing here with me is a type of person that causes that ripple effect. Within his lifetime, he’s caused so much of this effect. And I want to thank you for being that type of person.”

This sentiment of a ripple effect resonated profoundly with the audience’s response to the evening. Blythe Mariano, a Diné calligrapher from Santa Fe, shared her emotional reaction: “To know that somebody from where I’m from made it all the way to New York is like, oh my God, I’m getting overwhelmed.” Mariano, who hails from Church Rock, New Mexico, was born in Gallup at the very same hospital as Soto, underscoring a shared thread of origin. As the night drew to a close, Soto beamed with palpable excitement when asked if he had noticed the significant number of young Indigenous people in attendance. “I loved it, I loved it. It’s inspiring!” he exclaimed, echoing the message he delivered on stage: “You have to be inspired.”