(Left to right) Giovanna Donofrio-Villalobos with her son, Jorge, and his dad, Jorge Villalobos, Sr.
ANSONIA – Jorge Villalobos, Jr. one day envisions his name in lights on Broadway, performing with the New York Ballet or dancing his heart out on some other national stage.
And the way things are going lately for this Ansonia teenager, Jorge is well on his way to making his dreams of becoming a professional dancer come true.
Jorge, 15, recently clinched a first-place national title in The Royal Dance Competition that took place in July in Cape Cod, Mass. The event drew hundreds of dancers and dance teams from across the Northeast.
“It felt unreal, and I was overwhelmed with happiness and excitement and was extremely proud,” Jorge told the Valley Indy during an interview Thursday (July 25).
In the “Ultimate Royal Soloist” event, Jorge competed with 88 other dancers aged 13 – 15 and secured a slot in the finals, earning a near-perfect score from the judges. He was then selected, along with nine other dancers, to perform in the competition’s “Royal Circle,” from which he emerged the champion. He was presented with a crown, first place banner, cash prize and massive trophy.
Jorge performed an acro dance routine, which combines classical dance technique with acrobatic elements, something he’s been perfecting since he was eight years old. During his performance, Jorge showcased his athletic, acrobatic and dance abilities through a series of back walkovers, tumbling, handsprings, handstands, cartwheels, and back bends. He brought a graceful combo of ballet and modern dance twists, turns and spins to a remix of A Flock of Seagulls’ classic tune “I Ran (So Far Away).”
The moment the judges were about to announce the national champion, the tune played loudly throughout the venue, signifying Jorge’s win.
Jorge’s mom, Giovanna Donofrio-Villalobos, said sitting in the audience with her husband, Jorge, Sr., and family, watching her son on a national stage and clinching a first-place title was overwhelming.
“I heard his song and I saw Jorge stand up on the stage and we just started jumping up and down in our seats,” Donofrio-Villalobos said. “It was surreal.”
Donofrio-Villalobos knew early on that Jorge was a natural performer, always dancing and showing his latest moves to the family and friends.
“From the very beginning, he was super dedicated, and always wanted to go to dance class, but over the last two years, something changed, and he became even more determined,” she said. “This is definitely what he wants to do and has the mind set that he is going to be a professional dancer, on a Broadway stage, in the future. We are so proud of him and so dedicated to seeing him pursue his passion and his dreams.”
In the Villalobos family, the apple didn’t fall far from the tree: Donofrio-Villalobos herself has always been a dancer. As a U.S. Army Staff Sgt., she also competed in the Ms. Veteran America competition in 2021 where she placed in the top 10.
Jorge has three siblings – two brothers, Jireh Cade, 2, who’s into forward rolls and tumbling, Jayden, 13, who plays football and sister Adalynee, 6, who’s following in Jorge’s footsteps as an emerging dancer herself, performing in dance recitals before she turned 2.
“She’s a mini me,” Jorge said. “She’s perfecting her back handsprings and is going to be the next big star.”
Jorge has been a member of Danz Magic, a dance studio with locations in Derby and Orange, since he was 9. Studio owner Deborah Parlow has been in business for 37 years but has only been competing on the national stage with her dance teams for the past 11 years. Seeing one of her students bring home a national title to the Valley was a major feat.
“I was ecstatic, I was so proud and it was a great moment,” Parlow said. “This was a huge national stage for us, with the best of the best competing. Jorge works so hard for me, and he’s such a good kid. He wants to be a professional dancer and I have every intention to make sure he gets there.”
While at the Royal Dance Competition, Jorge also caught the eyes of a national talent scout agency in New York City, who gave him an opportunity to perform a routine. He performed so well, his mom said, that he received an invitation for a consultation with the agency, which she said could ultimately lead to the agency representing Jorge on his quest to become a professional dancer.
Jorge said dancing is something he’s always loved, but when he was 8 he began watching YouTube videos of acro dancers doing insane aerial poses, stretches and other techniques he aspired to do himself. From his own dance studio in his family’s basement, Jorge has perfected that pose where, standing on one leg, he can seamlessly lift the other leg straight over his head.
Jorge, who attends classes at Danz Magic three days a week and practices his skills at home every day, is excited to see what the future holds for him.
“I would definitely love to pursue a career as a professional dancer; it was a dream I’ve had since I was 8 and stepped into a dance studio,” Jorge said. “I would love to attend Juilliard and become a professional dancer.”
In the fall, Jorge will start his sophomore year at Ansonia High School and at ACES Educational Center for the Arts magnet school in New Haven. Before that, though, he’s headed to a ballet camp at Choate Academy in Wallingford the week of July 28, where he’ll have an opportunity to perform with the New Haven Ballet.
