Ruby Cabuya grew up in New York City, having studied dance for 8 years at the Broadway Dance Center and music for 15 years. She attended the Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts and currently has an interest in a Music minor. In this interview she discusses the outcomes and benefits of performing arts for its students.

‪What made you decide to go to LaGuardia instead of a nonperforming arts high school? Did you expect to work in the arts as an adult?

‪RC: I felt that I could use some music exposure and training but no, I didn’t want to be a musician.

You have been playing piano since you childhood, right? How do you think you benefitted from music exposure and training, or how has it affected other parts of your life?

‪RC: Yes, since I was 3 years old. I think I got a better idea of the industry and the value of talent and practice; I learned that not all performers are the same and on top of that, not everyone is meant to be a performer. I also think I learned a lot, technique-wise and about the practice of music and gained a deeper appreciation for different genres of music as well as stylistic features a performer may have.

That’s something I’ve wondered myself – whether talent or being a good performer has to do with learned or innate skill. I think I agree to an extent that there is an innate component to it, but I haven’t spent a lot of time around performers to really know. Do you think having learned how to differentiate between styles in music has helped you pay closer attention to detail in other areas?

‪RC: Yes, in almost everything I do! I learned how to take corrections and listen better. The downside is that I carry impatience with me everywhere. I always want to learn things quickly and get them out of the way so that I learn as much as possible, but it’s taking me a while to realize that it’s not about quantity; it’s about quality.

Do you still play or compose music, or are your music skills something that you draw out occasionally for fun?

‪RC: Right now I’m thinking of double majoring in accounting and music, so I’m taking private lessons in piano with one of the professors at Lehman. I figure that since I’m not going to be one of those performers at Carnegie Hall or Juilliard, I might as well keep playing and learning and growing as a musician so my interests and skills don’t fade.

It’s definitely something that seems to have been a big part of your life. Looking back, I wish I had spent time on developing music or dance skills. Speaking of which, how old were you when you began taking dance lessons?

‪RC: I was 4 but I was 15 when I really started liking them.

I took ballet sometime around 7 years old and I disliked taking classes then as well. I love watching dancers though; their movements can be really beautiful and make me envious sometimes. Do you still go to see dance performances or music concerts? What do you think someone who doesn’t dance or play music has to gain or can contribute from going to such events?

‪RC: Me too! And it’s great exercise! I still go to performances when I can, despite ticket prices being expensive. Someone who doesn’t dance or play music can gain more than just appreciation for the performing arts, but understand more things about humans and human nature. We as humans try as best as possible to stimulate our senses, try to achieve happiness, and I believe that is done through the performing arts. Not just through participating in it, but by observing what other human beings are capable of and try to understand the nature of the performing art. Humans are made to make art.