Talking About Art Stuff with a High School Truant and Her Number One Fan

2/8/2018

"To me, #STARTAFIRE means doing something so whole-heartedly that it inspires other people to do things whole-heartedly."

Ronnie and Priscilla Vasquez are the cutest little artists in the Southwest. They've been lovers since high school and are serious #RelationshipGoals. Although they dabble in many different mediums, we mostly talked to Ronnie about videography and Priscilla about dance. We met up with them at Songbird Coffee & Tea House and think it's v important to mention that the coconut milk chai at Songbird is BOMBBBBBBbbbbb.

THE INTERVIEW

How did you two meet?
P: We actually met at this event at our high school called The Five Minute Plays. Basically, students would submit short scripts and then anyone could read for them. It wasn’t just people from the theater department though, anyone could read for it. So, I went in there, nervous as hell, I wanted to vomit, but then the next day I got the part. I was so curious who got the other role and on the first day this guy shows up and I’m like “I didn’t see you at the audition!” And he was just like “Yeah, I’m friends with the director.”

R: Yeah I didn’t have to do the vomit reading.

Did you act a lot before getting into videography?
R: It was around high school when I got into film. When I transferred to Metro Arts, I started with acting my first year, then moved around into other classes. We went to an arts school, so you kind of have to try things. I did guitar for a while, acting, dance, then film. There were no sports, so I always liked things that were more physical.

Priscilla, what did you do in school?
P: I was the worst student of all time. That’s why I’m not in school, you know? I just refused to do my homework. In my defense though, I grew up at a school where I quickly figured out that even if I didn’t do the homework, I still passed. So I was like, “Hmmm there’s no point in me doing the homework as long as I have good behavior.” So, I just didn’t do it. I went into high school with that mentality and it was really hard to break. I actually got kicked out of my high school and that’s why I went to Metro Arts.

What the hell? That’s nuts.
P: I wasn’t on drugs, I wasn’t a bad kid. I was just quiet and didn’t do my homework. I actually got kicked out because I just wasn’t there. I just didn’t go.

R: I was always a good student.

P: Yeah, but you got worse when we started dating. I think I got better too.

R: We met in the middle.

What was your first dance experience?
P: I never really know whether to say I started dancing in high school or I started dancing when I was little. I used to dance to ballet videos in my living room and then my parents put me in Folklorico. I think they were worried I’d grow up without being immersed in my Mexican culture. So, I did that for a while but I wasn’t totally into it. It just wasn’t my thing. I did enjoy my time there, though. I’m glad I did it because it did help me pick up on some Spanish and develop an appreciation for music. I really started training in what I do now in high school. I went to a dance concert at school and thought it was so beautiful and so I signed up for class the next semester.

R: I took dance for Priscilla. I knew her from other stuff and I saw she was in the class and I had to take it.

P: You told me you just wanted to dance!

R: Well, yeah... I mean, dance had a certain allure for me anyway. I always enjoyed the class. What was really great was that it was Priscilla’s first real ballet class too, so we both just obsessed over ballet and shared that love with each other.

What is something you’ve never done but want to try?
P: I want to try taking singing lessons because I want to understand it. When I watch people sing I think it’s so beautiful and I want to understand how they do that. Plus, I have a horrible voice and I want to see what happens.

R: She actually has a great ear. She can hear something and figure it out musically. She’d be good at it. I’ve done a lot of the arts, but I’d like to work on trades. Like, I’d love to work on cars.
*Hey Ronnie, we should hook you up with our last interviewee Aaron Thomason. He works on cars.

If you could work with anyone in Phoenix, who would you want to work with and what would you do?
R: I’m going to choose Priscilla to collaborate with. We’ve never done that. I think creatively, we can be a little toxic. We talk about things a lot, but then never do it. I just really admire all of the things she does and the way she does it.

How do you balance making money and doing what you love?
R: You have to figure out your side hustle. You know, the thing that gets you money. So many creatives in the industry are not actually creatives, they are just business people. They are techies. That's not a bad thing, but most of the time it doesn’t have to do with the creative process. When I get the most fulfillment is when I’m doing stuff on my own. I’ve spent the time learning all of the aspects of film, so I love it all when I’m doing my own thing.

Videography is kind of my side hustle. I separate that from filmmaking. There’s a difference between working as a videographer and creating an artistic film. Videography is the hardest medium I’ve worked in. I go through huge withdrawals where I want nothing to do with it. For example, I shot a wedding recently and I was loving it. I was getting paid well, it was fun to capture everything. It was beautiful, it was their magic moment. But then, 8 hours later I’m still running my ass off and there are all these moments and you’re pressured to capture every one and then at the end of it you have to cram it into a five minute video. It’s a push and pull of giving people space and also being there for every perfect moment. All of the little artistic moments that I love, I end up forgetting about because it’s covered up by the technical stuff.

Where do you think the Phoenix Arts community falls short?
P: Artists need to support one another...dancers going to galleries and visual artists going to performances. It all needs to be supporting one another.

R: We need more pride in Phoenix. We need to be proud to say we are artists in Phoenix and really grow the community here through that.

What does #STARTAFIRE mean to you?
R: Arson

P: To me, it means doing something so whole-heartedly that it inspires other people to do things whole-heartedly.

R: I get the creative aspect. I think when you say #STARTAFIRE, it’s like having a creative fire and not just snuffing it out. Letting it grow.

The end! Follow these babes on Instagram!