Originally from Seattle, Adam Bloodgood is a graduate of Pacific Northwest Ballet School where he trained for 12 years under the direction of Francia Russell, succeeded by Peter Boal. Adam has performed as a principal guest artist in every major region of the country in addition to dancing as a full-time company member with Ballet Idaho, Dayton Ballet and City Ballet of San Diego. Adam has performed leading roles in work by George Balanchine, Stephen Mills, Peter Anastos, W. Earle Smith, Betsey Wistrich, and Karen Russo Burke, among others. In 2017, Adam originated the role of Romeo in Contempo Arts Productions’ Romeo and Juliet in Los Angeles. Adam Bloodgood also works as a musician, journalist and entrepreneur; he is the guitarist for Floating Pockets, editor/correspondent for Public Occurrences Network, a Pacific Northwest based publication, and host of Clear Perspective with Adam Bloodgood, a talk show web-series.
This is Adam’s first season with San Diego Ballet.
Who influenced you most to become the dancer you are today?
My older brother, Paul Michael Bloodgood. One of my first memories is seeing him perform in Kent Stowell’s Nutcracker with Pacific Northwest Ballet. If it weren’t for this, I wouldn’t be dancing today. I’d say that makes him pretty influential.
What was the funniest episode(s) you’ve experienced in your career?
When I was in my late teens I was in rehearsal for La Sylphide. I was in the back of the studio holding a fake pair of bagpipes and the artistic director walks up to me and says, “You’re going to walk across the stage during this scene change – remember, we just finished on a sad note, so you better be the happiest bagpiper I’ve ever scene.” I took his facetious tone as a challenge; the moment he stopped talking I happily started jaunting my way across the floor in front of the entire company. The gods of comedy must have been watching because my off-the-cuff act had him and rest of the room laughing to tears. Sometimes being the unexpected works to your advantage.
I’m also infamously known to impersonate my coworkers during the party scene in Nutcracker. This bit tends to have more mixed reviews…
Who would you most like to share the stage with (living or dead)?
I would dance with both of my brothers before my older brother, Paul, retires this May. I am the middle of three boys in my family, and we all dance professionally, but we have never gotten to share the stage together. This is my dream.
What goes through your mind just before you perform?
I always think of how fortunate I am to be where I am as an artist. There are so many talented artists who never get to chance to showcase their craft because of the timing of circumstances. A lot of people let the negative energy of their comparatively irrelevant insecurities consume them before a performance, avoiding this keeps me in a clear, concentrated headspace. So many cards had to fall in the right place for me to be where I am, and being aware of this is what keeps me balanced.
What do you like/admire most about San Diego Ballet?
Having the opportunity to be a part of new works in invaluable to me. My first day of work at San Diego Ballet I was a part of this process.
I also can’t wait to tour Nutcracker. I’ve always been a “road dog,” so I can’t wait to get out of dodge.