By: Maria Terrero
Biographical Information Provided by Pedro Sosa
Santiago Villanueva was born on July 25, 1968 in Ensánche Luperón, Santo Domingo, capital city of Dominican Republic. Saint James and Ogún Balenyó are honored on this date. His father was a shoe repairer and his mother a housekeeper. He grew up in El Abanico, Ensánche Altagracia, and Herrera; where he lived until the day when he left his homeland. Since age 9 or 10 he was part of the young musicians of Club La Esperanza, his neighborhood social club. He used to play the tambora (traditional Dominican two-headed drum) made out of a plastic 1-galon container of water. Speaking in today's terms, a percussion instrument made out of recyclable material.
Chago was his nickname. This is how people named Santiago are called in Dominican. Sometime in the year 1978, when Chago was 11 years old, the children's group of his neighborhood social club La Esperanza fuses with the children's group of Agrupación Deportiva y Cultural del Ensánche Altagracia (ADESEA). He comes in as a musician, but soon his gift as an exceptional dancer. Pedro Sosa, who is in charge of the dance group for ADESEA brings him in; and this is how Chago's artistic career of more than 25 years begins.
In 1979 Santiago Villanueva joins the Children School of Ballet Floklórico
Dominicano, under the leadership of the late Professor Fradique Lizardo. In 1985
he steps up to the Youth School of the ballet, and by the age of 20 Chago was
working as Dance Technique Instructor and Choreographer for Ballet Folklórico
Dominicano. He also worked as an individual artist/performer for Theatric
Director Rafael Villalona, Dance Choreographer Marilyn Gallardo, as well as with
the group Yagrumo under the leadership of Pedro Sosa. He worked with AGRUCUDEGUA
(Asociación de Grupos Culturales de Gualey) and with the Federación Nacional
de Cultura del Distrito. He represented his country in Mexico, Puerto Rico,
Guadalupe and the United States.
In 1987 Chago starts working Professor Fradique Lizardo at Universidad Central del Este (UCE), one of the universities in Dominican Republic. Professor Lizardo taught a Saturday course on Afro-Dominican culture, and Chago's job was to teach the practical part of the course. He was the Dance Instructor and Choreographers of afro-Dominican dances and rhythms. This was his last job until he migrated to the United States searching for new horizons.
In 1993 Chago migrates to the United States basically to "move on" financially and, therefore, be able to provide better for his family. It's important to note that he was a remarkable worker with an incredible sense of punctuality and commitment. An admirable quality that would make anyone wants to be like him.
In 1997 or 98 he marries LisaAnn Villanueva with whom he lived until that
fatal day when 4 Police officers brutally took away his life in Bloomfield, New
Jersey. Ironically 3 weeks prior (march 25th to this horrendous assassination
the US Department of Immigration and Naturalization had granted him his
permanent resident visa status. Chago was overjoyed. He was going to be able to
visit his children whom he had not seen for the last 9 years, since he was
undocumented. He practically didn't know his daughter because when he left
Dominican Republic she was just a few months old. Chago wired his hard-earned
money religiously to the Dominican Republic for the support of his two children.
He anxiously waited for that day to come when would become a "legal"
resident so he could go and be with his kids. Chago was a kid's lover; he would
with them as if he was their age and would make them laugh to death.
More than anything else in life Chago was an artist from the soul. He worked various jobs throughout his residence in New York: at supermarkets, factories, as a construction worker or substitute for building superintendent ... Chago did not fear any job which meant earning his living honestly. Anywhere he worked his co-workers and supervisors loved him immensely. Everyone that knew Chago knows that he was an exceptional friend; one of those people who would literally take the food off his mouth to feed he/she who was hungry. A joker by nature; this quality gave him the strength to endure the pain that he felt for not having the freedom to visit his son and daughter any time he wanted to or on every December.
Music and dance and all the joy that art can bring is what Chago's life was all about. He could have had worked as a dog during the week. But that was never an excuse for him to miss or be late to a rehearsal, a class or a performance. Always on time, prepared, ready to "go the extra mile". There was not one sacrifice that he wasn't willing to undergo for a show or performance to be well done.
Between 1996 and 1999 Chago worked as the Dance Director for "Raíces Folklóricas Dominicanas", a dance ensemble with Roberto Castillo as Director of Public Relations. It was utmost inspirational to see him lead rehearsals with such flexibility that made him look like he was made of rubber. That combined with a special grace that made of Chago a star dancer. He would put on choreographies of traditional dances such as Carabiné, Mambulá, Machacó, Mangulina, Palos, Congo and taditional Merengue. An important note to make is that although he was such a good dancer/performer Chago's head was not "gassed". Many of us men and women in New York City came to him eager to learn about our Afro-Caribbean culture, and he gladly brought us in. When anyone would come to him and say, "I feel insecure", he would respond by saying "only you know that"; "it's up to you if the audience knows it too". "Go ahead, man. Right now you're the one in charge".
Shortly after his arrival to New York Chago joins the Afro-Dominican ensemble AsaDifé, led by Toni Vivioso; later on joins Pa'loMonte led by Osvaldo Sánchez. He worked with Francia Reyes, and with Nina Paulino in Palo Mayor. Towards the tragic end of his days Chago was a member of the traditional and contemporary Dominican music ensemble La 21 División led by Boni Raposo. Interesting enough is to see that Chago ends his artistic career as he started it: as a musician. With all the above-mentioned ensembles Chago worked as a dancer yes, but mostly as a drummer with the same commitment and charisma.
Chago's death has hit us all very hard. It is not an isolated case. Chago was the type of guy that was willing to support anyone's art project even when and if he was committed as a member of any given group. If any group director called on Chago to dance or play, and he didn't have any commitment with his group, he would respond to the call. For him it was about representing our culture well rather than "It's all about me". His sudden departure leaves an empty space and a deep pain among those who knew him closely and not so closely. He was a "people's person"; he had friends all over. At restaurants, grocery stores, super markets, on the blocks. Chago was a honey/sugar boy and he knew it; he always had a joke at the tip of tongue.
Today without him we (his friends and colleagues) look at each other from far and from close; and the thought is there: "if we don't unite in one struggle it will be very hard to fight for justice to be done to Chago". Those who killed him are way stronger than us. Today we are united by one common denominator: the love for the friend, the pain for the crime that he was a victim of and the anger mixed with the strength to fight until the end for JUSTICE.