Today we’d like to introduce you to Victoria “Tori Cristi” Villamil.
Hi Victoria “Tori Cristi”, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
I am a 24 years old professional dancer, teacher, and multidisciplinary artist. I was born and raised in the South Bay of Los Angeles, CA. I am a second-generation Filipina American and Salvadoran American. Being biracial, growing up I was exposed to many cultural practices including dance and music. I developed a strong affinity towards both art forms at a young age, however I was very shy and introverted. I was first exposed to Hip Hop and Pop music through my mother who always used to show me songs she loved on car rides. I remember listening to Boyz 2 Men, Afrika Bambaataa, and especially Prince all the time. My initial exposure to dance was at family gatherings where my family would dance to Salsa music for countless hours. My family would always have to drag me out to the dance floor, and I would be terrified. However, when I would dance with them, I always felt a sense of joy before becoming shy once again. Although I was quiet and shy, I gravitated towards programs offered at my school and community that offered dance or music classes. I grew a strong liking for also watching media including music videos and movies that had dancers in them.
It wasn’t until high school that I became fully immersed into dance. I had a friend who was going to a dance show that featured a dance troupe called Culture Shock Los Angeles. I went to the show and was inspired by their passion and energy to try dancing again. Navigating initial fear, I decided to join a Hip Hop after school club at my school where we learned social party dances and choreography. This is where I learned to break out of my shell and begin to find confidence in myself. I was able to create genuine connections with individuals through dance and learned how to express myself. My life began to hold space for movement more heavily during this time. I would practice at home by myself, during school and after school. I became very absorbed into wanting to constantly learn and experience more. For a couple of years, I joined local dance teams that would compete in choreography competitions.
I began taking Versa-Style Dance Company’s community Hip Hop and House class weekly and was able to train with their junior company Versa-Style Next Generation. This is where I met Jackie “Miss Funk” Lopez and Leigh “Breeze-Lee” Foaad who became strong role models for me as well as so many others. I was able to join Versa-Style Next Generation where I was formally trained in art forms Hip Hop, House as well as learn about a variety of art forms such as Popping, Locking and Whacking. I was trained under the direction of Ernesto “Precise” Galarza and Anthony Berry “Berry-Groove.” Versa-Style Next Generation provided opportunities to learn dance not just as a physical practice but also the historical cultural context behind each form. I was able to be provided opportunities to perform, travel, and teach, and introduction to communities of artists. After graduating from the Versa-Style Next Generation program, I was also finishing my education at that time. I graduated college with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Psychology from Cal State Dominguez Hills. With many years dedicated to dance, I decided to begin to pursue my professional career in dance after college as a performer and teaching artist.
Among all the art forms I was able to dive into, the one that stood out to me the most was a dance called Punking/Whacking. Whacking is a multicultural dance form born in Los Angeles from the gay community that is rooted in reclamation, expression, and living one’s authentic truth. I began my Whacking training through spaces such as Versa-Style Next Generation learning from Anthony Berry as well as Homeland Cultural Center & Whacking Wednesday Sessions learning from Fred Mayor and Ijay Espinoza. As I continued my training, I met Lorena Valenzuela who had been a community leader of the Whacking scene in Los Angeles. I continued my training with Lorena at Movement Lifestyle Dance Studio and later became mentored directly under her. Through Whacking, I felt that I was truly able to dive into an authentic version of myself. As a biracial, queer woman of color adapting to a world and culture that has not necessarily cultivated space for us yet, Whacking became a crucial vehicle in which I could express the things I couldn’t say but things that did not have a space in this capitalist, colonialist, herteronomative patriarchal world. As I continued to exist in these spaces, it became a safe experimental space that created the type of nurturing community that allowed members to explore and take pride in who they were. It was a space where I found myself and others thriving with livelihood and a space to continue to be brave in.
I continue my professional career as a multidisciplinary performance artist, educator & curator of community events. I am currently a teaching artist with companies such as UniverSOUL Hip Hop and The Gabriella Foundation. I have also been able to partner and teach for organizations such as Pieter Performance Space, AHRI for Justice, as well as others. I teach Whacking weekly as well as hosting dance sessions and events for the community. In addition to solo work, I am a resident artist with Gunita Collective – a collective of artists that uses movement artistry, visual expression, and narration to foster critical conversations of re-memory and intergenerational language. I also continue my dance training with “Fam Fatale” – a training group for women created by Femme Fatale. In recent years, my focus has been to provide accessible dance education and community events that continue to provide this space for all community members as well as continue to always be a student. My artistic focus has shifted to diving into a realm of multidisciplinary work that encompasses storytelling, exploring intersectionalities, performance and culture beyond solely movement.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey have been a fairly smooth road?
As an artist, the road has always come with obstacles both internally and externally. On top of multiple concerns (societally, financially, physically, etc.), there is also a lot of internal work that must be done in order to remain in this career sustainably. Choosing this road comes with risk and responsibility, however it was a choice I decided to make. I grew up with single parents who went through very different struggles as immigrants to this country and so there were a lot of various things to navigate. As a second-generation Filipina American and Salvadoran American, I grew up exposed to the immigrant survival mentality. For one, I have felt the pressure to not pursue the Arts and pursue a career that is more acceptable and stable. I am fortunate that my family has supported me to the extent of their capacities, but it did come with fear of failure as well. The pressure to succeed through all the sacrifices my parents made to provide for me is very prevalent. This pressure has led me to be very perfectionistic about my work which can bring about anxiety and high standards for myself. It was not easy completing my education as a first-generation college student. I had worked three jobs while finishing my education and still choosing to train and pursue dance. Although I had graduated with my degree in Psychology, I had chosen to leave my 9-5 job to pursue this career path in the Arts. I was determined to make dance my career and work for me by shifting all my energy to it when in the past I was too fearful to make the decision. I have been fortunate since to find wonderful, supportive mentors, like-minded community members and opportunities to support myself.
Another struggle that comes to mind is simply navigating today’s world in the Arts. There is always a balance that comes with a notion of self-sacrifice when being an artist in a capitalistic society. Especially in this social media era, it is definitely a navigation as most artists are called to hyper produce work rather than practicing authenticity, quality work, and paying respects to the cultures they are often taking from. Often artists are competing for gigs in which the more mainstream, trending artist can be chosen over one that may be a more real practitioner but less known. Or there are not enough opportunities for even those practitioners, leading to disparities on who can be funded. I have experienced this on different levels both individually and collectively, however it is something that I’m often aware of. In addition to this, I continue to navigate the expectations of being a woman in both society and the dance world. In a patriarchal, heteronormative society, women are often expected to look, act, and behave a certain way. Finding my own voice as a woman of color, in art and in life – has been a journey of resilience. It often comes with a notion to always “out-perform” which can lead to burnout. I have also experienced imposter syndrome which is the self-doubt that undermines professional confidence and downplays one’s professional accomplishments as fraudulent. Majority of this internal work revolves around decolonizing my mind about these subjects and requires patience and time to unpack.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
Punking/Whacking has been the highlight of my dance journey so far and is often what I am known for. As mentioned earlier, it has been a major vehicle in my journey of self-discovery, healing, and a source of joy. I have enjoyed my journey being a community member, battling and teaching, and now navigating the role of being a community leader. I am very firm about teaching and sharing the history of this dance first which often many dance instructors overlook when teaching. It is very important to me to pay homage to the pioneers of all dance forms including those of Punking/Whacking. In addition to this, for me it is important to continue to provide safe spaces in the community for those who identify LGBTQ+. This dance is born from the LGBQT+ community and as a cis-woman and guest in the culture, I want to continue to steward these spaces as best as I can. I believe this dance can be a source of liberation from oppression and hope to continue to share it with others. In 2018, I co-hosted my first battle called “Whackmas” which was a Whacking and All-style dance event open to the community. In late 2019, I began teaching Whacking regularly and thus moving online virtually throughout 2020. In 2020, I began hosting a “Whacking Open Mic” online where community members at any stage of their journey in this dance could come and have the space to express themselves. Now here in 2021, I continue to teach, host online Whacking Open Mics, in-person sessions and hopefully as the world opens back up battles and bigger events. One of my most proudest experiences has been watching community members find their identity in this dance. It has fulfilled me with so much joy to watch others grow and evolve into their own power.
In addition to this, I also enjoy participating in battles, cyphers and also co-creating with other artists. I feel very proud of myself when I am dancing in a battle or cypher because I was able to overcome being a shy, introverted girl that I was when I was younger. It also has pushed me to overcome a perfectionist mindset that would bring about alot of crippling anxiety. I dance a variety of dance genres along with Punking/Whacking such as Hip Hop, House, Contemporary, as well as experimental movement which has allowed me to connect with individuals in different spaces. Collaborating with like-minded artists and being able to bounce ideas off another from our experiences has been such a satisfying experience for me.
Is there a quality that you most attribute to your success?
Curiosity! ! I am always researching and looking for new ideas and experiences to inspire me and excite me in both art and life. I am a very imaginative person and so I am always asking questions. I am always curious on ways I can grow as a student, teacher, and facilitator. I really enjoy trying new things for the simple fact that I am curious and that I can. I feel that it is very important to have an open mind in a world of diverse and vast ideas, but also another level of openness to try to experience them. Curiosity is a quality that I feel opens up possibilities that are beyond surface level. Asking important questions and digging deeper allows us to find more meaning in the things that we do and are a part of in life.
Contact Info:
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tori.cristi/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/torivillamil/
Image Credits:
Earl Buenaobra George Simian Mindy Vu Erika Portillo
