Cuban-Italian VENUS VILLA chats with us about the life of a professional ballerina and opening her namesake dance academy. The academy offers ballet dance classes in Hong Kong, but also helps students to compete on a local and global level.
Venus’s balley story
Venus Villa began ballet at age nine at Cuba’s renowned Escuela Nacional de Alicia Alonso. Three years later, she left Cuba and moved to live with her father in Italy, where she joined La Scala Ballet School in Milan. While La Scala has an incredible international reputation, it also caters to hundreds of students, all of them vying to be future stars. After a while, Venus felt she wasn’t progressing sufficiently to make it to the professional level.
“I left the school at 17 and instead pursued my training under the guidance of my dear Cuban tutor, Niurka de Saa,” says Venus. “I felt she could really focus on me and develop my skills.”
The move paid off: just a year later, she auditioned for the Royal Ballet of London – and got her first contract! “I couldn’t have been happier, as it propelled me into the world of professional dance. I started first as a member of the corps de ballet, then ascended through the ranks as a first artist, soloist and, eventually, at the age of 24, as a principal dancer.”
Success and challenge
In the decade that followed, Venus graced the stages with ballet companies worldwide, including in London, Vienna, Rome and Washington; it also brought her to this part of the world, for a stint in the Hong Kong Ballet.
“I’ve had the honour of dancing the most beautiful repertoire throughout my ballet career, an experience that has enriched my life in countless ways,” says Venus.
With that enrichment have come some trying times, of course. “The human experience behind the curtains is not easy; it’s both rewarding and challenging, requiring exceptional physical fitness and stamina, and a taxing level of discipline. But it can lead to a profound sense of accomplishment.”
It’s little wonder that Venus highlights resilience as a crucial characteristic for a professional dancer to possess, as the path can include setbacks, injuries and rejections. Adapting to these challenges is key for long-term success.
From ballet in Hong Kong to starting an academy
After three years in the US, Venus was ready for her own new challenge. In 2018, she received a call from her previous Artistic Director at the Washington Ballet, who had joined HK Ballet a year earlier. He was looking to bring a new style and refresh the cast following the retirement of their principal dancer.
It was an irresistible proposition. “Hong Kong was always a very exciting place for me,” says Venus. “I’d danced here with my previous companies and I knew the excitement and respect this city has for the artform. So I couldn’t wait to start a new life in Asia with my four year-old daughter.”
Coming to Hong Kong also gave Venus the scope to fulfil another of her dreams: opening her own ballet academy.
“Transmitting my experience and passion for ballet has always occupied my mind. So, with my then partner (now husband) and the help of a dear friend who believed in me, we opened our own school in Wong Chuk Hang in August 2023.”
About Venus Villa Dance Academy
The academy welcomes every child that wants to enjoy the art of dance and find their own spotlight; the long-term aim, though, is to prepare students for potential careers in dance by offering performance opportunities and a high level of training, mentorship and guidance. While Venus acknowledges there are many excellent schools for dance classes in Hong Kong, she says her point of difference is that students are trained by someone who knows what it takes to make it in the professional world of ballet.
“Hopefully, it will also allow students to stay and do ballet in Hong Kong, and not be away from their parents to achieve their dreams. Until now, to turn professional, you likely needed to move abroad early on. We hope to get the same result for them as a big ballet school overseas, with the benefit of staying close to family and friends.”
Venus describes her teaching style as one that fosters creativity, discipline and self-expression, allowing each dancer to discover their unique voice and unlock their full potential.
“Every student is different; we always need to adapt. Sometimes I need to push students to believe more in themselves; other times, I need to be like a mother and listen. But I do believe children like my unique approach of combining a challenge based way of working with a touch of artistic craziness, plus the genuine care I show to them every day.”
She also likes to laugh a lot. “I present myself as an imperfect human and dancer, just as we all are, and this encourages the students to understand that it’s fine to make mistakes and learn from them. The most important thing is to understand that everyone has their own unique path in dance and life.”
Local and international success
For some, that path leads to competing at a higher level. Venus says there are lots of ballet competitions organised in Hong Kong – as many as 10 a year. “It’s nice to see more and more girls wanting to join these competitions and make forever memories with their friends, while also testing themselves on stage,” she adds.
For a small handful of academy members, these ballet competitions in Hong Kong are a springboard to competing globally.
As Venus points out, achievements on the international stage aren’t common for a HK-based ballet school, yet two of the academy’s talents – Bianca Rowley (16) and Miyu Sugimoto (15) – recently made it to the Asia Pacific Preselection for one of ballet’s best known competitions, the Prix de Lausanne; Bianca went on to compete in the finals in Switzerland.
“Bianca, Miyu and my daughter Venus Sarabia also participated in the Youth American Grand Prix (YAGP) Semi-Finals in Portugal this year – the biggest competition in the world. The girls did amazingly well, collecting awards and recognition.”
Venus Sarabia earnt a spot in the finals in the US, where she won an incredible Top 12 worldwide placement in her first time participating.
Not everything is about competing to win, though. “For many dancers, it’s more about getting comfortable with performing. That’s why we organise a Showcase each term, where parents are invited to see their children take centre stage in the privacy of our studio. We also put together a grand show in a theatre, usually once a year. We performed Cinderella in 2023 and The Nutcracker last year.”
Final word
Then there are those who aren’t ready even to do a leg lift at the barre, let alone perform and compete: the newcomers. Can anyone with an interest in dance or ballet join the dance classes?
“Yes!” says Venus. “Our school welcomes individuals of all ages and backgrounds, and it can be adapted for various body types and abilities. Whether someone is looking for career, a hobby or simply some enjoyment, it can be a fulfilling experience for anyone with an artistic spirit and a willingness to give it a try. We teach children from as young as four, and seeing beginners grow their love for dancing brings us happiness. Not everyone wants to be a star but everyone should be able to feel like one!”
Call/WhatsApp 6660 7323 | info@venusvilladanceacademy.com
venusvilladanceacademy.com
This article first appeared in the Summer 2025 issue of Expat Living magazine.
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