{{short description|American ballet dancer (born 1981)}} {{Use American English|date=October 2025}} {{Use mdy dates|date=November 2011}} {{Infobox dancer | name = Rasta Thomas | birth_name = Rasta Kuzma Ramacandra | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1981|07|18}} | birth_place = San Francisco, California, U.S. | current_group = Bad Boys of Dance | dances = Ballet }}
'''Rasta Kuzma Ramacandra''' (born July 18, 1981), known professionally as '''Rasta Thomas,''' is an American dancer, choreographer, and founder of the dance company ''Bad Boys of Dance''.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Zehetner |first=Alexandra |date=2024-12-29 |title=Rasta Thomas and the Magic of Debbie Allen’s Dance Academy |url=https://www.danceforyou-magazine.com/en/rasta-thomas/ |url-access=subscription |access-date=2025-10-02 |website=Dance for You Magazine |language=en-US}}</ref>
==Early life == Rasta Thomas was born in San Francisco, California,<ref name="dancerwithin">Eichenbaum (2008), p. 188</ref> and raised in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Stages |first=Three |date=2013-01-21 |title=Rasta Thomas’ Bad Boys of Dance show off athleticism, individuality |url=https://www.villagelife.com/entertainment/rasta-thomas-bad-boys-of-dance-show-off-athleticism-individuality/article_47a8ce3d-7321-5f00-b9b0-c8fea62f5d5d.html |access-date=2025-04-10 |website=Village Life |language=en}}</ref> His parents were physicians whose frequent travel, according to Thomas in a 1998 interview with ''The Christian Science Monitor'', led him to be "more open-minded about movement and about what people have to offer."<ref name="mason">{{Cite web |last=Mason |first=M.S. |date=1998-09-25 |title=Young Dancer Melds Ballet, Martial Arts, Gold Medals |url=https://www.csmonitor.com/1998/0925/092598.feat.feat.6.html |access-date=2025-10-02 |website=Christian Science Monitor}}</ref>
At age two, Thomas underwent physical therapy following a leg injury sustained in a vehicle accident.<ref name="Hanna">{{Cite web |title=Rasta's quest: ballet's maverick is still looking for a home. - Free Online Library |url=https://www.thefreelibrary.com/Rasta's+quest:+ballet's+maverick+is+still+looking+for+a+home.-a087022590 |access-date=2025-10-02 |website=www.thefreelibrary.com}}</ref> He began taekwondo lessons at age three.<ref name="mason" /> His father later enrolled him in ballet classes at the Kirov Academy of Ballet as a disciplinary measure following behavioural issues with teachers.<ref name="mason" /><ref name="dancenotes">{{Cite news |last=Dunning |first=Jennifer |title=Dance Notes |url=http://www.nytimes.com/1996/08/14/arts/dance-notes.html |url-access=subscription |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180128165118/http://www.nytimes.com/1996/08/14/arts/dance-notes.html |archive-date=2018-01-28 |access-date=2025-10-02 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Google Search |url=https://www.google.com/search?client=safari&hs=4ZOp&sca_esv=45931f64f015fd65&hl=en-gb&sxsrf=ANbL-n6sgw0Clw189ChFnUCzx7_xRQirOA:1771718421043&q=Kirov+Academy+of+Ballet&si=AL3DRZEaipurC9pse1xO2aCwuJWfKA_Njx1c7Qs8ap9rx81jmq0axEsu5x-0NnW3kC2vf4GLqZUFAyuH26n2VPlhGhwTKSmMoLPxOKA6spkCQRKkMgMvdPFQRR1k1m6aBsUCKA_m0kSNQyNV7AaA2czryUrrb9i94Rjy7yxj3jxUPPAgQ7-WD_85sGSASVsRkhobCXv1Hs6Pfep3WEVtCjfB3RsGmzs8Zw==&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwiXiYO55euSAxVfdUEAHfzXDh8QucEJegQIKRAB |access-date=2026-02-22 |website=www.google.com}}</ref>
==Career== At age 12, Thomas trained at the Kirov Academy of Ballet in Washington, D.C.<ref name="dancenotes" /> While a student at the Kirov, he represented the [https://www.seiskaya.com/ Seiskaya School of Ballet] at the 1996 Varna International Ballet Competition.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=Rasta Thomas |url=https://www.thetopawards.com/artists/rasta-thomas |access-date=2025-10-03 |website=The T.O.P Awards |language=en}}</ref> During this time, his training and performance were sponsored by Gerald Arpino, Arthur Mitchell, and Debbie Allen.<ref name="dancerwithin" /><ref name="dancenotes" />
At age 13, Thomas trained under Dawei Zhang at the Maryland Youth Ballet.<ref>{{Cite web |date=1998-06-29 |title=Linthicum teen takes top prize Dance: Adrienne Canterna, 15, won a gold medal in the International Ballet Competition. |url=https://www.baltimoresun.com/1998/06/29/linthicum-teen-takes-top-prize-dance-adrienne-canterna-15-won-a-gold-medal-in-the-international-ballet-competition/ |url-access=subscription |access-date=2025-10-02 |website=Baltimore Sun |language=en-US}}</ref> In 1994, he received the Jury Prize at the Paris International Dance Competition, becoming the youngest recipient in the competition's history.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Rasta Thomas |url=http://www.dancedea.com/rasta-thomas |access-date=2025-10-03 |website=Dance Educators of America |language=en-US}}</ref> In 1995, he joined Le Jeune Ballet de France<ref name=":0" /> and later performed as an étoile (leading dancer) at the Paris Opera Ballet.<ref name="dancenotes" />
In 1996, at age 15, Thomas was awarded the Junior Gold Medal at the International Ballet Competition in Varna, Bulgaria, while performing with a foot injury.<ref name="dancenotes" /> In 1997, he joined the Hartford Ballet as a company artist.<ref name="Hanna" />
In 1998, Thomas competed in the senior division of the USA International Ballet Competition (USAIBC) at age 17.<ref>{{cite magazine |date=June 30, 1998 |title=Etceteras |magazine=Christian Science Monitor |page=2 |volume=90 |issue=150}}</ref><ref name="sims">Sims, Caitlin (September 1998), "Rasta Thomas awarded Jackson gold medal".'' Dance Magazine''. '''72''' (9):35</ref>{{cref|a}} He won the gold medal, becoming the youngest dancer to do so in that division.<ref name="mason" /><ref name="poon">Poon, Kina (December 2009), "Rebel Without a Pause".'' Dance Magazine''. '''83''' (12):26</ref>
Thomas moved to Los Angeles to pursue commercial work, which included a GAP ad{{citation needed|date=February 2026}} and a performance in the 1999 Academy Awards choreographed by Debbie Allen.<ref name="Hanna" /><ref name="dancerwithintwo">Eichenbaum (2008), p 189</ref> Thomas also conceived and directed ''Homage: A Tribute to Families With AIDS'', a benefit performance for Self-Help Community Services and its Family Home Care program.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Dunning |first=Jennifer |title=DANCE REVIEW; Extra Benefit At a Benefit Is the Fun |url=http://www.nytimes.com/1999/06/26/arts/dance-review-extra-benefit-at-a-benefit-is-the-fun.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170916223652/http://www.nytimes.com/1999/06/26/arts/dance-review-extra-benefit-at-a-benefit-is-the-fun.html |archive-date=2017-09-16 |access-date=2025-10-03 |language=en}}</ref>
{{Quote box |quoted=1 |salign=right|align=right|width=280px|quote=I'll contact the artistic director and try to sell myself to them for a particular role. Some dance companies resist because it affects morale with their established dancers ... I'm aware that it is important not to upset the balance of an existing company and not to give the impression that I am irresponsible or a drifter.<ref name=dancerwithinthree>Eichenbaum (2008), p. 190</ref>|source=Rasta Thomas, The Dancer Within (2008)}}Thomas moved to New York City and joined the Dance Theatre of Harlem under the direction of Arthur Mitchell.<ref name=dancerwithintwo/> in February 2001, following an introduction by choreographer Vladimir Angelov to Gerhard Rieder, Thomas performed at the Kirov Ballet's gala in St. Petersburg, dancing Angelov's ''Flight of the Bumblebee.''<ref name="Hanna" /> In October 2001, after filming the movie ''Without a Word'', he became the first American to join the Kirov Ballet as a permanent member.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Stages |first=Three |date=2013-01-21 |title=Rasta Thomas’ Bad Boys of Dance show off athleticism, individuality |url=https://www.villagelife.com/entertainment/rasta-thomas-bad-boys-of-dance-show-off-athleticism-individuality/article_47a8ce3d-7321-5f00-b9b0-c8fea62f5d5d.html |access-date=2025-10-03 |website=Village Life |language=en}}</ref>
Thomas later performed as a guest artist with the American Ballet Theatre in Lar Lubovitch's production of ''Othello.'' In 2005, he performed a solo in the U.S. debut of Lubovitch’s ''Elemental Brubeck''.<ref>{{cite news |last=Sulcas |first=Roslyn |date=November 10, 2005 |title=A Leaping Man in Red, Propelled by Classic Brubeck |work=The New York Times}}</ref> That same year, he made his Broadway debut in the lead role of Eddie in the musical ''Movin' Out,'' later joining the productions' touring company.
In 2007, Thomas founded the dance company Bad Boys of Dance (BBD), which debuted at the Jacob's Pillow Dance Festival in July of that year. Reviewing an early performance for ''The New York Times,'' Jennifer Dunning called it "the dance equivalent of a water-bomb gang," nothing Thomas's "theatrical intelligence" and describing the performers as a group of friends "with individual presences"<ref name=":1">{{cite news |last=Dunning |first=Jennifer |date=July 31, 2007 |title=Bad Boys of Dance; A Troupe Keeps the Jinks Just as High as Possible |work=The New York Times}}</ref> A review in ''The Guardian'' characterised the production as having "a touch of classical class."<ref name=":2">{{Cite news |last=Mackrell |first=Judith |date=2014-06-13 |title=Rock the Ballet review – Bad Boys of Dance? More like a classy Chippendales |url=https://www.theguardian.com/stage/2014/jun/13/rock-the-ballet-peacock-london-review |access-date=2026-02-03 |work=The Guardian |language=en-GB |issn=0261-3077}}</ref>
==Personal life== Thomas has one daughter from his marriage to his former dance partner, Adrienne Canterna.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Spirit |first=Dance |date=2017-03-22 |title=Where Are They Now? |url=https://dancespirit.com/where-are-they-now/ |access-date=2025-10-03 |website=Dance Spirit |language=en-US}}</ref>
==References==
===Footnotes=== {{Reflist}}
===Bibliography=== *''The Dancer Within: Intimate Conversations with Great Dancers''. Rose Eichenbaum, Aron Hirt-Manheimer Wesleyan University Press, 2008 {{ISBN|0-8195-6880-5}}, {{ISBN|978-0-8195-6880-9}} pp 188–190
==Reviews== *[https://www.nytimes.com/2007/07/31/arts/dance/31rast.html NY Times] by Jennifer Dunning, July 31, 2007 *[https://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/17/arts/dance/17rasta.html NY Times] by Roslyn Sulcas, December 16, 2009
==External links== *[https://web.archive.org/web/20061004042802/http://rastathomas.com/ Rasta Thomas' website] *{{IMDb name|id=0859396|name=Thomas, Rasta}} *[http://www.badboysofdance.com Bad Boys of Dance website] *[http://www.movmnt.com/backissues/issue2 Rasta Thomas, front cover], ''movmnt'' (magazine) *[http://danceinteractive.jacobspillow.org/dance/bad-boys-dance Archive footage of Rasta Thomas/BBD performing ''Heartbreak on Repeat'' in 2007 at Jacob's Pillow Dance Festival]
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Thomas, Rasta}} Category:American male ballet dancers Category:1981 births Category:Living people Category:Dance Theatre of Harlem dancers Category:Entertainers from San Francisco Category:Dancers from Washington, D.C. Category:Dancers from California Category:American choreographers Category:American male dancers Category:American contemporary dancers Category:Paris Opera Ballet dancers Category:American ballet dancers Category:American expatriates in Russia Category:American expatriates in Saudi Arabia Category:American stage actors Category:American male stage actors Category:American ballet teachers Category:American expatriates in France Category:People from San Francisco Category:21st-century American dancers Category:20th-century American dancers