From a daddy’s girl who always receives words of encouragement to a son who received “tough love” as a form of discipline. Our Ballet Manila artists have varied stories about how their fathers have raised them, but the goal seems to be the same – so that they’d grow up to be responsible and strong enough to go after their dreams. To celebrate Father’s Day, our dancers share the best lessons they’ve learned from the man they call Dad, Daddy, Papa or Tatay and how he continues to inspire them.

Sean Pelegrin, company artist

Natutunan ko po sa father ko ‘yung pagiging respectful, responsible at hardworking. Natutunan ko po ito dahil ganu’n din po siya. Sobrang respectful po siya sa mga taong deserve po ng respect niya lalo na po ‘yung mga mas nakakatanda sa kanya. Sobrang responsible din po siya sa aming family kasi kahit kailan di niya po kami pinabayaan or pinahamak. Sobrang hardworking din po niya kasi kahit kailan di po siya tumigil mag-work para matustusan ang pangangailangan po namin ng family ko sa araw-araw. (What I learned from my father is to be respectful, responsible and hardworking. I learned this because that’s also how he is. He’s very respectful of people who deserve his respect specially those who are older than he is. He’s very responsible because he’s always taken care of us and put us in harm’s way. He’s also very hardworking because he never stopped working to provide for all our daily needs.)

Si Papa din po ay super strict at parang friend din po. Strict na matututo ka po na maging disiplinado at responsible na tao at parang friend din po kasi nakakausap ko po at tinutulungan po ako pagdating sa problema. Ina-apply ko po ito sa aking sarili sa pamamagitan ng pag-respect po sa mga nakakatanda, being responsible po sa buhay sa loob at labas ng sayaw at ang maging hardworking po lalo na sa sayaw. (Papa is also super strict, but he is also like a friend. He’s strict in teaching us to be disciplined and responsible and he’s like a friend because you can talk to him and he helps you when it comes to problems. I apply this to myself by respecting others specially my elders, by being responsible in life in and out of dance, and to be hardworking particularly in dance.)

Top photo: Sean Pelegrin describes his Papa, Raymond Victor Pelegrin, as respectful, responsible and hardworking.