Faculty Spotlight: Victor Talledos

As we continue to celebrate BBT's 40th Anniversary, we are delighted to share thoughts and memories from the generations of BBT faculty members, current and past.

Is there a faculty member you'd especially like to hear from? Submit your faculty questions and requests to info@berkeleyballet.org.

I joined BBT Faculty back when Britt Juleen was the Artistic Director. I had been working with her before. When an opportunity to teach Modern opened up, she invited me to teach the higher Levels of the Youth Division. I was there for about a year then had to take a short break, and when Mr. Robert Dekkers took over as Artistic Director, he invited me back.

It reminded me of my youth, training ballet full time and seeing the openness of the leadership to offer modern to the students, I thought it was wonderful, and I thought I could connect very well with the students as I, when younger, all I wanted to do was ballet, not until later in life that I had some amazing Modern teachers did I discover the benefits of training in both, Ballet and Modern.

I started as a Modern Dance Instructor for the Youth Division Levels 6–8 if I remember well. Then just last year, Mr. Robert offered the opportunity to start Intro to Modern to younger students, it's been quite successful, and I believe I've slowly been building the Modern syllabus for Levels 5–9.

For a few months at the end of last year, I also taught an open class for the Adult Open Division.

Adaptability is always in my head.

As a teacher, of course, I have a plan, and I'd like to give information and teach certain skills to each Level, but I find myself responding to each group's needs. Sometimes I have to change things up to keep the students excited and focused. At times, especially when they are preparing for big performances, I make classes a little bit more relaxed and fun to get their minds out of the pressure or exhaustion, although there is always something that we are working on.

One last thing, I work on the minds as well as the bodies of the dancers. We have sessions when we mostly just talk.

In the studio, I expect professionalism, dedication and safety, and fun. We are all there to inspire each other.

I find that the care and attention to each student is something that I value a lot from BBT. Also, the Directors' attention and connection to the Faculty are amazing, always checking in and keeping us updated, especially since I only see the students/go to the facilities once a week.

I've been part of the BBT community for such a short time, I feel like most of my favorite memories are when teaching. I especially remember a year and a half ago when in session with the higher Levels we were having a conversation, we had been working on improvisation, and they expressed their newfound love for it, most of them had been honest about just not liking improv at all, and I changed their minds in just a few weeks.

Another wonderful moment would be just the support that BBT has offered me as an international artist. The trust I've been given and patience in certain situations.

BBT has been an important part of the history of the Bay Area, and it is exciting to witness and to be part of the growth of the organization. I can't even imagine what's to come in the next 40!

Photo by Steve Disenhof in performance for Robert Moses' Kin

Photo by Richard Baranyai

Photo by Stanley Chang