Art authorities hold firm in their pronouncement that a person’s truest expression is through her dance and music…and ‘though the voice may imitate sounds but body language never lies… for dancing is the hidden language of the soul in either joy or pain.’
Then came Virginia Favila Alvarez… born to dance and raised to propagate the art.
Virgie, originally from Parañaque City where she executed her first kick on October 23, 1950, was the youngest among eight children born to Demetrio Rodriguez Favila, an aircraft mechanic (deceased) and the former Leonila Romana Estrellado, a housewife-operator of a small domestic industry (deceased).
If singers are born and so are dancers. “I’ve been doing a lot of footwork since I was pre-school,” Virgie vividly recalls. “There was that strange magnetism in dance that my feet and hands instantly react to music beats. I have developed my passion for rhythm and movement even before I mastered my alphabet and numerals.”
Those early signs led the future danseuse to a career where dancing could be an integral part. It was at the Philippine Women’s University (PWU) where she took up Communication Arts she finally realized her dream and utilized her terpsichorean talent to the fullest.
PWU had not only been known to be the seat of learning for highly educated females but also closely synonymous to the world-renown Bayanihan Dance Company, a dance group founded by Helena Z. Benitez in 1957. Majority of the Bayanihan dancers were PWU students of which Virgie became a member.
Her passion in dancing was made even more fervent when she was given the opportunity to perform not only locally but overseas. She had performed as a soloist at the Cultural Center of the Philippines with Larawan Dance Troupe under the direction and choreography of Ramon Obusan. Inspired by the various accolades the group received from every performance, Virgie was driven to fully embrace and perfect her craft.
The enthusiastic aspiring dance diva underwent rigorous training under National Artist Ramon Obusan for Folk Dance, Lito Arellano for Spanish Flamenco, Julie Borromeo for Ballet, and Lito Calzado for Modern Jazz.
Virgie’s near-perfect performance and supreme dedication to her career made up for what she was short of and easily earned for her the tag, “The Girl with lyrical movement.” Her inclusion to the dance group did not only bring her to Asia, Australia, Europe, the Middle East, and the Northeast but gave her the limitless possibility in being creative and gaining full mastery of the art of improvisation. Since she has developed the spontaneity of movements it became easy for Virgie to create steps sans specific direction from any guide or dance reference.
Capitalizing on the immense grandeur and reputable moniker the dance profession has given her, Virgie was able to produce several shows in 5-star hotels and prestigious Metro Manila social venues, choreographed Broadway shows at the Philippine Village Hotel and the Tropical Palace Hotel and maintained an elite profile among her peers.
But time came when Virgie had to abandon her career in lieu of establishing a family of her own and leaving behind what she toiled for, and it wasn’t an easy thing to do. She might have left the Philippines but she never neglected a single fraction of her passion…for she has continuously adhered to the interdisciplinary study of dances through the framework of diverse regional and cultural researches despite her being away from the world stage for years since her migration to the US in 1995.
The “itch” of the dance bug kept her constantly on-the-go and always raring to discover new places to showcase the most recent ideas crowding her mind. Here in America, Virgie has produced, choreographed, and directed multi-cultural shows presented in various Filipino-American community events, weddings, birthday celebrations, and social assemblies.
Her faultless shifting from point to point is an art by itself. There’s constantly an unmistakable flair in the virtuosity of her refined maneuvers as there consistently resides a smooth flow of emotional rapture, overpowering confidence, and supreme emergence of distinct precision in her every step.
This former Bayanihan dance Diva has skillfully mastered the art of dance improvisation evocative of her time while relentlessly honing her innate locomotive gracefulness and self-motivated grandiosity on stage. Virgie can effortlessly perform contemporary fusion of the stylistic elements of jazz, modern ballroom, creative and interpretative dances, and theatrical productions…nailing everything with her personal trademark and self-identifiably paramount nuances.
Virgie’s voluminous record of international performances and myriad of event productions undoubtedly encompasses an extensive spectrum of limitless knowledgeability in dancing and her profound adherence to the art she so dearly loves. Her unrivaled creative artistry and as a consummate performer are the quintessence of her sublime passion and vivid manifestation of her inherent locomotive skills.
A dynamic dancer, a versatile choreographer, a doting mother, a trustworthy confidante, a reliable friend, and above all, a worth-emulating living exponent of a true-blooded cultural enthusiast and artistic propagator of Filipino dances, Virginia Favila Alvarez is, to put it ingenuously, unambiguously nothing but a lilting poetry in an undulating fluidity of motion.
Virgie is married to Florentino Alvarez, her better half of forty years with whom they were blessed with three sons: Mark Anthony, Matt Adrian and Mike Andrew.
After having been employed at the Diplomatic Office of the United Nations in New York, Virgie, in her utmost capacity as a cultural dancer par excellence, was designated as PACCAL’s Cultural Program Director and head of the organization’s diverse service-oriented programs for seniors and community.
Come and witness Virgie’s latest dance presentation showcasing her undiminished choreographic expertise via “Awit, Sayaw at Kultura” on Saturday, November 15, 2014 at 2:30 PM to be mounted at St. John the Baptist Church’s Golden Door Charter School Auditorium along 3044 John F. Kennedy Blvd., Jersey City, New Jersey (07306).
Virgie will be joined on stage by equally talented and remarkably experienced Bayanihan Dance Company alumnae Veronica Monina A. Grajo and Marissa De Guzman.
Completing the cultural ensemble are Virgie’s regular dancers: Rose P. Javier, Dante Tolentino, Edgar Rosales, Virgil Rafael, Rhodora “Deng” Dela Merced Villanueva, Paulette Mayor Ong, Josie Martil, Edith Claudio, Denine Mies, Hermie Garcia, and Florentino Aquino Capili.
Their dance repertoire include enchanting tribal dances like Igorot, exotic Mindanao ceremonial dances, enticingly demure Maria Clara numbers, and colorful rural folk dances popular in every event and social occasion.
The vocal rendition of classical soprano Aida Gamboa, 2014 PACCAL Classical Performing Artist awardee, is something worth-anticipating and the sensational appearance of the Philippine Chamber Rondalla who plays Philippine native and regional music.
Adding glitter to the already glittery line-up is a mini-fashion show showcasing the evolution of the Philippines national costume and featuring familiar fashion plates in the Filipino-American community treading the ramp donned in their intricately florid Filipiñana gowns.
Tickets are pegged at $25 and $50. For show information and ticket reservation, please call: Lumen Castañeda-914.538.1702; Bobby T. Yalong-201.300.5234; Rose P. Javier-201.993.8815; Mae Legaspi-201.320.2807; Ves Medinaceli- 201.779.5238; Linda Mayo-201.388.1260; and Tino A. Capili- 551.358.4283.
Incidentally, “Awit, Sayaw at Kultura,” is produced and presented by the Pan American Concerned Citizens Action League, Inc. (PACCAL).
