Ballet was his life, the studio and the theater his home. He had to leave the stage in his prime because of a degenerative disease that affected his spine, but he channeled his energies from performing to teaching which became his life’s other calling.
Last December 16, danseur, choreographer and teacher Osias Barroso Jr. – acclaimed as the “Ballerina’s Prince” and known as a mentor to generations of ballet artists and students – took his final bow due to a lingering illness following a stroke in 2021. He was 58.
“No more suffering. No more pain. Shaz, I love you. I miss you. And I promise I will take very good care of what we built together,” prima ballerina Lisa Macuja-Elizalde, Barroso’s ballet partner of 16 years, posted on Facebook Monday. The two co-founded Ballet Manila (BM) in 1995 along with 10 other dancers in pursuit of their mission to bring ballet to the people; they would become its co-artistic directors in later years.
“There won’t be anyone like Shaz really,” Macuja-Elizalde told ANCX. “He was an outstanding student, dancer, teacher, mentor and friend. He was one of a kind. He was a visionary and he manifested everything that he wanted to happen.”
For her, it has been a long goodbye to Barroso ever since his stroke and had to step down as her co-artistic director. Last October, she spearheaded a “living tribute” concert dedicated to Barroso entitled "Dance for Shaz: A Celebration of a Life in Dance."
“Sometimes, you feel like you’re not doing enough, that you can’t do anything more (for him). I wanted to do something that will honor him but also help everybody cope with this feeling of helplessness. Maybe we can’t get Shaz back the way he was, but we want to show him how we love, value and appreciate him,” she said then.
"Dance for Shaz" became a special gathering of the dance community with 25 groups – having, at one time or another, made a connection with Barroso – ultimately performing in or contributing to the event.
In opening the show, Macuja-Elizalde announced that Barroso was in the theater, a surprise to the audience who instantly stood up and applauded as he was brought in. Although his oxygen level had to be monitored closely, he was able to stay for the entire show.
Along with the concert, a tribute exhibit called "Ballerina’s Prince" was also mounted at the Aliw Theater Lobby showcasing Barroso’s contributions to Dance as a dancer, partner, choreographer and teacher. The exhibit will be shown again in the same venue during the run of Ballet Manila’s Christmas presentation, "Cinderella," from December 25 to 30.
“He remains the best partner I have ever danced with! Musical. Intuitive and the most consummate artist,” Macuja-Elizalde stated.
Tributes
Tributes from former students, particularly present and past artists of BM, have been popping up on Facebook, thanking “Teacher Shaz” for the lasting lessons they learned from him.
Soloist Rissa May Camaclang said, “Thank you for being an inspiration to many. Your words, lessons and legacy will live on forever. You have taught me to be strong and courageous. I will treasure your gifts for life. Your love and dedication to dance is beyond compare. I love you. We are grateful for you. Rest in paradise.”
Company artist Marinette Franco wrote, “He was more than a mentor, pushing discipline not just in dance but in life as well. He saw something in me that even I didn’t see; he took it, showed me how to make it shine and how to make use of it in order to achieve whatever I want in life. He pushed, nudged, and criticized me; all because he knew I am capable of more than what I can only think of. The amount of dedication and time you put into this craft will forever be carried on, from all the hearts you’ve touched in this lifetime, Sir Shaz, including mine… We will continue to love and treasure dance like you did, Sir. We will continue to make you proud.”
Katherine Barkman, an American formerly with BM as principal artist who is now with the San Francisco Ballet, told this writer via Messenger: “Shaz was a very special teacher/director to me. I’m grateful for all the time he gave me and the patience he showed me when I was a young budding professional dancer. He was always tough and passionate; he cared so deeply about the art form and his students. I remember he was always pushing me to do more … to be better. Very rarely did I receive a compliment. One moment that has stuck with me was after Act II during my very first 'Swan Lake.' I got a knock on my dressing room. It was Shaz. I was nervous. I thought I had messed something up. But he had tears in his eyes and just hugged me. He just nodded his head in approval and said 'Carry on.' I am grateful to have had a teacher like Shaz. And I will miss him, his energy, and his spirit. Every day.”
Joan Emery Sia, also a former BM principal now a principal dancer of The Florida Ballet, said on Facebook, “You changed my life and I will never forget everything you did for me. I remember after this rehearsal I struggled at, you said ‘Remember, you are not the same dancer you were two years ago. You’re stronger and you’ve grown; give yourself credit.’ And now whenever I’m down, I replay that memory of you in my head. Up to now when I dance, I check myself and think, ‘What would teacher Shaz say?’ I’m absolutely proud to be one of your students. What a GREAT and gifted teacher you were. Now you can dance freely up there, no more pain. Maraming Salamat, Teacher Shaz.”
“Hinding-hindi namin malilimutan ang mga aral na ibinahagi mo sa amin sa Ballet Manila lalong-lalo na ang Disiplina, Dedikasyon at Respeto sa paghain ng aming mga talento sa entablado. Maraming maraming salamat po, and may God bless your soul, Teacher Shaz!” said Michael Divinagracia, former BM soloist now a performing artist and choreographer at Disneyland Hong Kong.
Former BM soloist Alfren Salgado who now runs his own dance school, DanceLink Performing Arts, in Kuala Lumpur, said, “I wanted to express my gratitude for your dedication, expertise, and passion as my dance teacher. Your guidance has not only improved my skills but also instilled in me a love for dance that will last a lifetime.”
In extending condolences to Barroso’s family, former student and dance colleague Deepika Ravindran of India shared, “His passing is a significant personal loss to me, as I have lost not just a mentor and teacher, but also a cherished friend. Both my students and I have benefited greatly from Sir Shaz's visits to India and from my visits to Ballet Manila in the Philippines. I will forever cherish the wisdom and inspiration he imparted to us, and his legacy will continue to live on in our hearts. May he rest in peace.”
“I will always remember your corrections, your beautiful class combinations and your tough love. You showed us what it’s like to be dedicated to ballet. Rest in love, Sir Shaz,” said Anindya Krisna, former BM dancer and now teacher and choreographer at the Jakarta-based Ballet Academy of Indonesia.
Late start
Barroso had a late start in ballet, at age 18, but made up for it with passion, dedication and perseverance because he had found what he wanted to do for the rest of his life.
“The first day I held that barre, I knew I would never let go. When I started dancing, I found myself. I knew it was where I belonged,” he told this writer in an interview in the 1990s. “I didn’t think of quitting. My love for dance saw me through. I just like going to class every day, performing onstage, trying to perfect something, becoming someone else even in a short span of time. It’s really uplifting. Dance develops you as a person.”
Barroso started training with the Vella C. Damian School of Dance while also being a member of the Salinggawi Dance Troupe at the University of Santo Tomas. While pursuing his communication arts degree on a dance scholarship, he continued lessons under Vella Damian and the late Eric V. Cruz of Dance Concert Company which he soon became a part of.
Despite not being gifted with the ideal dancer’s physique, height or flexibility, Barroso sought to improve his skills. Resources and opportunities were limited but he persisted. With roles, he may not always have been the first choice or even the second one, but because he was ready, he was eventually assigned the leads. Later, as an original member of the Philippine Ballet Theater, he would dance such parts as the Poet in "Les Sylphides," Franz in "Coppelia," Basilio in "Don Quixote," and Romeo in "Romeo and Juliet."
His unrelenting efforts in mastering the art continued to pay off. In 1993, he became the first Filipino classical danseur to reach the semi-final round of the 1st International Ballet and Modern Dance Competition in Nagoya, Japan.
Learning the rudiments of the Russian Vaganova training method from Macuja-Elizalde further strengthened Shaz, earning him more plum roles such as Siegfried in "Swan Lake," Albrecht in "Giselle," Solor in "La Bayadere," and Conrad in "Le Corsaire."
In Ballet Manila’s first year, the fledgling company traveled all over the Philippines, and embarked on a groundbreaking performance tour in Russia.
For his priceless contributions to the performing arts, Barroso received such honors as the Patnubay ng Sining at Kalinangan Award for Dance from the City of Manila in 2006 and The Outstanding Thomasian Alumnus Award (TOTAL) from the University of Santo Tomas in 2019.
Barroso earned the moniker “Ballerina’s Prince” for his steadfast belief that his partner should always come first in a performance.
“I think that the number one duty of the male classical dancer is to present the ballerina well. If I can’t do that first, then my solo variations and my coda suffer because I feel I did not do the job right. I want my ballerinas to look good,” Barroso said.
Ballet scholars
Known as a strict and demanding teacher, mentor and coach, he drew out the best from those in whom he saw potential.
A firm believer like Macuja-Elizalde that ballet can change lives, he led the training of batches of Ballet Manila’s Project Ballet Futures scholars. With a Boys’ Class that focused on developing danseurs from a young age, Barroso was able to produce danseurs who have enjoyed productive careers. Ballet Manila, in fact, has been known to have more male professional dancers than females.
Barroso noted, “I want to be an example to others. I want to teach younger dancers what I’ve learned.” He has done this not only in the Philippines but also in other countries like Indonesia, India and Taiwan where Ballet Manila has had partnerships with various dance schools.
On the night Barroso died, coincidentally, one of his students, Ballet Manila scholar Juan Angelo De Leon, 16, won the Youth Grand Prix Award, one of the top honors at the Asian Grand Prix International Ballet Competition. De Leon had been under Barroso’s tutelage since age 9 when he was chosen as a scholar after auditions held at his public school.
Saturday was also a big night for Barroso’s niece, Ballet Philippines principal dancer Nicole Barroso, who was performing in that company’s "Christmas Fairy Tales" as Princess Aurora. The multi-awarded ballerina, a Ballet Manila baby who grew up learning the dance form from “Teacher Shaz” was inconsolable upon being told of her uncle’s passing.
The Barroso family has announced that Barroso’s remains will lie in state at the St. Peter Chapels on Scout Chuatoco in Quezon City until December 21. Cremation is scheduled on December 22, Friday, 3 p.m.