By Giselle P. Kasilag

Even the briefest conversation with Ballet Manila principal dancer and choreographer Gerardo Francisco Jr. would be enough to make anyone doubt their vision. While the rest of the world sees only cups of hot coffee before them, he gleans movement from every mug that he sips from. While we see vegetables being sliced or sautéed, he discerns dance formations in the merry mix of ingredients before him. While we see people going about their ordinary lives, he envisions drama, adventure and comedy – all waiting to be told.

He is a visionary, reveling in the colors of the rainbow and their varying shades while the rest of us can only see the white light. He is a storyteller, relating the collective narratives of the Filipino people through his choreographies. He is not like us. And he is changing the landscape of Philippine dance one movement at a time.

And it is this that has earned for this 38-year-old dance professional a Ten Outstanding Young Men (TOYM) award this year from the Philippine Jaycees.

Geri’s extraordinary story began in the most typical of circumstances. He was the fourth among six children born to carinderia cooks from Iloilo. His was a simple childhood with no room for luxuries. But from this humble background, he learned the importance of hard work, resourcefulness, tenacity, generosity, and kindness – values that are at the core of every accomplishment he has ever achieved.

Dance became his expression of choice, and he has harnessed this gift to bring people together and share moments of joy with his community. As a member of Iloilo’s Dagyaw Theater and Dance Company, he danced and choreographed for its provincial, national and international productions – helping to bring recognition to the country and introduce Philippine folk dance to the rest of the world.

Though a late bloomer in ballet, he logged in the long hours needed not only to meet the high standards of Ballet Manila but to surpass what was required of a dancer. His diligence paid off as he qualified to compete against the world’s best danseurs in various international ballet competitions. While the medal eluded him, reaching the finals round meant that the world noticed the artistry and passion of the Filipino dancer, acknowledging that we can truly stand shoulder-to-shoulder with the finest that this western art form has to offer.

While his personal achievements have brought pride to the country, Geri’s generosity has compelled him to serve in a greater capacity. Armed with extensive experience, wealth of knowledge, and characteristic compassion, he has opened his heart to the next generation of dancers hoping to follow in his footsteps.

Presently in charge of Ballet Manila’s junior company, he mentors young artists, sharing with them the techniques that he learned from constantly performing. More importantly, he instills in them discipline and focus – tools vital to excel in the exacting art of ballet but also essential to become productive members of society. A father to three children, he understands the concerns of the youth which has made him an ideal mentor to fledgling talents.

Beyond coaching, Geri has also used his gifts to help young dancers achieve their dreams. He has choreographed numerous pieces for them to perform in various ballet competitions – taking the time to study each dancer’s strengths and weaknesses, and highlight their assets to their best advantage.

In the 2018 CCP Ballet Competition, he choreographed the contemporary pieces of four prize-winning dancers: Kiti-kiti for Joshua Enciso (first prize, senior male category); Takwil for Brian Sevilla (first prize, junior male category); Andres for Rafael Perez (second prize, junior male category); and Pi-ang for Alvin Dictado (third prize, junior male category). These artists are now professional danseurs and are members of Ballet Manila’s main company.

As a choreographer, Geri has shown the richness of Philippine culture in his works that are often drawn from the struggles of the past and the hopes for the future. His wide vocabulary of movements is drawn from folk dances that he has seen, studied and even performed while traveling all over the country to share the joy of dance – be it ballet, contemporary, or traditional. The conscious effort to preserve and pass on the Filipino dance traditions have resulted in some of his most critically acclaimed choreographies.

Fuga – an intense, fast-paced choreography about the challenges facing refugees after being forced to flee their home – was performed by Ballet Manila’s junior dancers Nicole Barroso and Joshua Enciso at the prestigious US International Ballet Competition in Jackson, Mississippi in 2018. So well-received by the audience, it was one of the pieces that helped propel Nicole to the finals and eventually earn for herself a Jury Encouragement Award.

Balikbayan (OFW), a moving commentary on the plight of Filipino workers abroad, won First Prize in the 2009 WifiBody Independent Contemporary Dance Festival for New Choreographer's Competition with Geri himself performing it together with then Ballet Manila junior principal dancer Rudy De Dios. It is now one of the treasured pieces in Ballet Manila’s repertoire.

Muro-ami, a dramatic depiction of the realities of child labor in the high seas, won the silver prize in the International Dance Festival 2017 held in Ninh Binh Province, Vietnam.

Ibong Adarna, Geri’s first full-length ballet based on the 16th century Filipino literary masterpiece, reaped seven major trophies from Aliw Awards and Gawad Buhay Awards after it premiered in 2017. It received hearty applause in the 2018 Karmiel Festival in Israel, with members of the crowd approaching the dancers to congratulate them on the piece and to share how the beautifully-told story of filial love and forgiveness had moved them. Now regarded as a true Filipino classic, Geri’s Ibong Adarna continues to be presented to high school students as a complementary teaching aid for Filipino literature classes.

With the distinctive Philippine flavor he infuses in his works, Geri has also been tapped to create choreographic pieces for programs presented during Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) and Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) events held in the Philippines. One of these numbers, as performed during the closing ceremonies of ASEAN 2017, even merited a Facebook post from Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong who wrote: “Thank you, Ballet Manila, for putting on a spectacular performance for us!”

With over 30 choreographies to his name – each one bearing a vocabulary of movements that is distinctly Filipino – being performed not just in the Philippines but in various parts of the world, Geri’s prolific output is an emerging language of contemporary dance that is truly Filipino in its form, function, sensibilities, and passion.

From modest beginnings, Geri has risen to the highest dancing position in a ballet company. Success for him has been more than just being his best, but also helping those around him achieve and even surpass what he has accomplished. He has lived every day of his life exemplifying the virtues of true service – offering his talent, time, and wisdom to preserve and promote Philippine culture through the creation of dance and by nurturing excellent dancers to ensure that it lives on.

And these are precisely the virtues that earned him the TOYM honor. Presented by the Junior Chamber International (JCI) in the Philippines, the award not only recognizes the achievements of the Filipino youth but honors their passionate service in nation-building.

With the theme “Celebrating excellence. Inspiring Filipinos,” TOYM 2019 also includes the following honorees: Dr. Marc Paul Jose Lopez (Medicine – Colon and Rectal Surgery), Rep. Alfredo Paolo Dumlao Vargas III (Public Service), Engr. Aisa Alvarez Mijeno (Science Technology and Engineering – Green Technology), Glenn Fiel Fernandez, Phd. (Political and Social Sciences – Youth Participation in Disaster Risk Reduction), Ziaur-Rahman Alonto Adiong (Government Service), Reynaldo Seville Abellana (Arts and Humanities – Classical Music), Alfonso Tomas Araullo (Journalism and Mass Communication – Broadcast Journalism), Casiano Hermopia Choresca Jr., Phd. (Agricultural Science – Fisheries and Agriculture), and Dino Carlo Reyes Chua (Business – Tourism).

In Geri’s case, his youth has been well spent on the beginnings of a legacy in dance that will benefit the nation and its future generations. As he continues to define and redefine the language of Filipino movement, his accomplishments serve to inspire younger generations to pursue creative endeavors that truly represent and exemplify what is remarkable about the Filipino people.