Meet Faby Alvarez | Founder & Artistic Director of BreakThru Dance Company

We had the good fortune of connecting with Faby Alvarez and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Faby, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
I’ve been thinking that dance has been an inaccessible discipline for too long. It costs lots of money, takes time out of busy parents’ schedules, and requires much dedication. I wanted to create a business where aspiring dancers who may not have the resources or time to go to a physical dance studio can learn from the comfort of their own homes, at a price that’s reasonable. Though it was only for a short time, I trained in studios where students had a lot of money and privilege to compete, train everyday, and have private lessons. I never had that opportunity, and I thought that more low-income dancers should be able to have that individualized attention from a proper instructor. I majored in Dance when I was in college, so naturally, I want to keep that knowledge and profession going strong.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
During COVID-19, where many local dance businesses struggled through lockdowns and financial strain, students also could not physically get to their studios because of these restrictions. Those whose parents were essential workers didn’t have the time to take their kids to studios. I created this business during COVID-19 in July 2020 in order to provide accessible dance lessons at an affordable price that students can participate in from the comfort of their own homes. I’ve trained in several dance studios where students around me had parents who can stay with them and focus on their dance training and careers; it felt like I was adding an additional inconvenience to my parents’ schedules just by having them bring me and pick me up from dance. It was also incredibly expensive. When I was in high school, it was more affordable to dance in my high school’s performing arts club than go to a studio. We didn’t have the money to put me in expensive classes, but I am proud to say that my dance cohort in high school made the most of our limited resources. We didn’t have any certified dance trainers, but we put on great shows and would practice a lot to make sure we looked clean and presentable. The type of dedication we had further proved the tenacity of students who really want something even if it seems unattainable, and what we had in common was that most of us could not afford the privileged lifestyle of a child prodigy dancer.

It was not easy to not receive the training that I wish I could have received. When I went to college, I made it my goal to improve in a style that I rarely focused on since I began dancing at 11 years old: ballet. I had always done hiphop and contemporary throughout middle school and high school, but ballet training was a missing piece of my dance journey that I never got the dance to keep pursuing. As an adult, I never thought I would be able to stand in pointe shoes, but by my senior year, I had the proper technique to do so, further proof that I was able to work really hard to be skilled enough to dance en pointe.

Along the way, I’ve learned two very important things. The first is that in order to solve an issue or overcome an obstacle, you have to change the way you see these problems. The cards you are dealt in life may be out of your control, but your attitude and approach to these cards makes all the difference. I pursued dance in college because I received enough scholarships where being in proper dance classes where instructors could get to know me on a personal level and help me improve could finally be a reality for me. I had always changed studios or were taken out of them because my mom couldn’t afford it, so I made the consistent dance instruction that I always craved happen with my own dedication. I was able to do what I could with the cards I was dealt. The second thing I learned is the reality of all the inequalities within the dance world. The truth is, just like any discipline, it is full of classism, sexism, racism,  and body discrimination, and this realization came from my own personal experiences as someone who is not stick-thin like the average ballet dancer. We must work together as performers to dismantle these systems, starting with bringing awareness to how expensive dance is and how non-white dancers are treated.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I live in Osaka, Japan. My list is too long to complete in one week, because Japan is such a lively and beautiful place. Osaka is known for having such friendly people. I would take them to Dotombori, where you can walk across the bridge and take pictures with the giant Glico running man screen. It is an iconic spot in Osaka. There is such vibrant nightlife around here too, so if they enjoy that scene. We could also go to some underground bars that have a casual vibe, and clubs that play really good music. In terms of food, I would take them to eat okonomiyaki, a savory pancake dish that is a staple in Japanese cuisine. Osaka food portions can get pretty big, which is exciting if you’re someone who loves food!

I would take them to Umeda, the biggest station that is in the center of Osaka, where you can find the best shopping malls and fancier restaurants. Tenma, an area around Umeda, has tons of izakayas, Japanese pubs, where the food is delicious and you can unwind. Umeda has a ferris wheel with spectacular nighttime views. Again, Osaka is known for its friendly environment, so it isn’t uncommon to meet some interesting people while hanging out in the streets. One particular building that’s very tall and has amazing views is Harukas 300, the tallest building in the Kansai area. I would take my friends here to experience the awesome elevator ride up and show them a 360 view of Osaka. Near the south side of Osaka, there is an art exhibition called teamLab. teamLab creates interactive art that moves when you touch it or stand near it, and it is completely outdoors and uses nature to enhance the art. teamLab is based in Japan, so it is a really interesting way to experience Japan’s well-known technological advances for yourself.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I have a few people in mind. In high school, I had a dance teacher named Lulu who really challenged me and choreographed my high school senior solo. She inspired me to pursue dance in college, and I’ll always remember and appreciate her generosity. In college, my dance professors, specifically Julia Shove, helped me get into pointe shoes, which was a really difficult step in my ballet journey. I used to shy away from ballet because I was really insecure about my ability to improve, and I felt so out of place being a low-income dancer with a different body type than the beauty standard next to these girls who basically eat, sleep and live ballet. I learned to really like ballet in college because of the welcoming environment that the teachers created. Finally, this is not a shoutout to anyone in particular, but rather a group of certified fitness trainer instagrammers and tiktokers who continue to make dance accessible through their free content. I’ve learned so much from them about ways to better my own technique and I think they make it easier for low-income dancers to better their skills.

Instagram: breakthrudanceco

Linkedin: Fabiola Alvarez

Image Credits
Estheralice Lopez