by Maricris Irene V. Tamolang
Reprinted from the Philippine Inquirer, December 10, 2006
HIS dancing brought him fame in the world of performing arts.
But former danseur Victor Ursabia now finds teaching more fulfilling.
Victor Ursabia. Photo courtesy of Tammy David
In 1999, months after retiring from Ballet Philippines, Ursabia opened his own studio and began training promising young kids in Marikina City.
“After 13 years of ballet, it is time to give back the blessings and share the art,” the 41-year-old artistic director of the Marikina City Ballet Theater, the first ballet school recognized by the city government, told the Inquirer.
Drawing on his professional experience, Ursabia started what he called one-on-one quality training seven years ago. But last summer, he decided to teach a bigger class for free.
Future stars
Victor at his studio. Photo courtesy of Tammy David.
“I want to cultivate the children’s potential and watch them grow up to be Marikina’s future stars,” he said, adding that his vision inspired him to give his best.
“From techniques to characterization, my ‘talents’ receive the same quality training given to my paying students,” the performing arts instructor and choreographer said.
His efforts have started to pay off. Some of his first students, who came from as far away as Cavite and Sucat in Parañaque City, have left to perform abroad.
In January, he offered his expertise to elementary and high school students at the SSS Elementary School, Marikina Christian Integrated School and Marikina Heights School.
The training is held 5:30-8 p.m., Monday-Thursday and on weekends.
Attitude before technique
Ursabia said he first observed each student’s character and worked to develop in them the right attitude. Dance techniques or movements were taught later after his students had studied the pattern and style of the art.
Victor during class. Photo courtesy of Tammy David.
“I show them the right way of stretching, of extending their legs and right posture, including grace, before they undergo technique training and dance rehearsals,” he said.
According to him, he learned this method from his first ballet teacher, Noordin Jumalon of Ballet Philippines, who was not only a mentor but also like a father to him.
Natural dancer
Ursabia said learning ballet came easy to him because of his love for dancing even as a child. “I guess, the talent runs through my veins,” he told the Inquirer.
He said as a high school student, his passion for performing led to his participation in several presentations and competitions in and outside the school.
“It was the time when break dance, street dance, disco, rap and ‘strut’ were popular,” he recalled.
In 1981, Ursabia took up accounting at the Philippine School for Administration in Sampaloc, Manila but quit after a semester to pursue his real interest.
Students wait before class. Photo courtesy of Tammy David.
He enrolled the following year at the Cultural Center of the Philippines dance school in Pasay City where he underwent formal training from 1983 to 1986 through a scholarship in advance classical ballet and modern dance.
Compromise
But he also took up Fine Arts, major in interior design, at the Philippine Women’s University. “It was part of a compromise I made with my father, who is a certified public accountant,” he said.
Upon his retirement from the stage, Ursabia was appointed manager of the CCP production department. But most of his free time was spent in his studio training his young scholars.
Students stretch before class. Photo courtesy of Tammy David.
Last February, his students performed for the first time at Teatro Marikina. The show, “Pinoy Sweet,” was held with the support of Wilson Go, owner of the center for the performing arts studio in Makati and CCP artistic director and vice president Nanding Josef.
“It was an interpretation of Pinoy classical music merged with Western music. And, on Sept. 5, during Marikina’s Sapatero festival, they performed with members of Ballet Philippines,” Ursabia said.
This was followed by another performance on Sept. 30 before students and teachers from different schools in Marikina City.
“It is inspiring to see children of the common folk perform like pros,” Ursabia said of his scholars. “They are no different from rich kids. They even show greater tolerance for intensive training.”
(Victor Ursabia is a veteran and multi-awarded ballet dancer who started performing at age 17. He was with Ballet Philippines from 1986 to 1999. Among his roles were Benvolio in “Romeo and Juliet,” Bluebird pas-de-deux in “Sleeping Beauty,” Pas de Trios and Jester in “Swan Lake,” and Drosselmeyer in “Nutcracker.”)
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Note the floor used. Photo courtesy of Tammy David.
