Happy feet
Three young Filipino dancers set to conquer the world stage this month talk about their inner battles and making it in international competitions.
It’s a little over 10 a.m., but Jemima Sanielle Reyes, Victor Maguad, and Monica Amanda Gana show up looking like they’ve just rolled out of bed. Apparently, the life of a ballerina starts at two in the afternoon—at least with this group of dancers from Ballet Philippines.
“Ballet isn’t as popular as sports like basketball and football here in the country,” Jemima, 19, starts. “Mas benta, mas masa ang modern, artista kasi ang sumasayaw. Ballet is a fine art, and it’s an intellectual craft. When you watch ballet, you have to think—so only a handful of people appreciate it.”
LEAP OF FATE Jemimah, Victor, and Monica will represent the country in two international ballet stilts in Mississippi and Bulgaria (Images by Rudy Liwanag)
And yet these kids practice with fervor for the people who take the time to watch a recital—each one is a world-class performance. This dedication and passion have propelled them forward, giving the dancers a chance to show off their skills at two international stilts in the world: the USA International Ballet Competition (IBC) in Jackson, Mississippi on June 14-29, and the International Ballet Competition in Varna, Bulgaria on June 15-30.
The IBC is a two-week Olympic-style competition for top young dancers across the globe, where Jemima and Victor will showcase their Black Swan, Aku, and Diana and Actaeon performances. Monica, meanwhile, will highlight Gamzatti in La Bayadere and Esmeralda in Varna Ballet Competition, the oldest ballet competition in the world.
Despite minimal support, the dancers are proud to represent the country. Philippine ballet, according to them, is at par with the rest of the world’s. They consider Japan, China, and Korea their biggest competitors. “They start training very early in China, and the government throws their support behind the dancers,” says Monica, who only started dancing when she was eight. “But we are not disheartened, because when Pinoys dance, it’s with heart. Hindi lang puro technical.”
Apart from the lack of support from the government and most Filipinos, a ballet dancer must also wage an inner war against his or her self.
“It is normal for any ballet dancer to feel burnt out from the everyday practice,” Victor, 21, who himself has given up on dancing one too many times, shares. “My mind says ‘Stop!’ but my body craves for it.” And so Victor, like many of his contemporaries, continues his intense love-hate affair with the art.
Victor shares that ballet dancers’ have short career spans. Their bodies get stiff and rigid once they reach a certain age. And international competitions only accept dancers 15-27 years old, a disconcerting fact because the dancers admit that greater opportunities thrive abroad.
“Before I entered college, I didn’t want to take performing arts because I was scared of my future. But my parents encouraged me. They said I can’t pursue something for money’s sake alone and that eventually, when I’m good enough, I’ll make a name for myself,” Jemima shares.
Besides, the dancers cannot see themselves doing anything else but dance. Save for Victor, who plans to venture into architecture when his career finally wanes. But for now he’s just enjoying the art he has loved for over 14 years. “Everyone can be a dancer, you can work it out if you want to as long as you have the passion for it, kung napipilitan ka lang, ‘wag na lang,” Victor says.
Jemima, meanwhile, ends with a statement that strikes a chord, “Media would be a big help [in promoting fine arts]. Everything that people love from pop culture to the arts are amplified by them. If only the media and the government emphasize the relevance of arts in Philippine culture then maybe more dancers like us will be inspired to embrace their crafts.”
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