Quarantine creativity: On the move with Jessica Pearl Dames
(Fourth of a series)
For people so used to expressing themselves through dance and movement in a spacious studio, the enhanced community quarantine can be a soul-crushing experience. Being in a confined space day after day and unable to do their daily class and rehearsals can indeed be challenging. But fortunately, Ballet Manila’s dancers are finding ways to improvise on their fitness regimen while also filling their time with creative alternatives. This series reveals what some of these artists have been up to in lockdown mode.
Taking on the dance challenge posed by choreographer PJ Rebullida, Jessica Pearl Dames creates a piece to one of her favorite songs.
By Susan A. De Guzman
Ballet Manila soloist Jessica Pearl Dames is not one to back down from a challenge – especially when it involves dance. So when choreographer PJ Rebullida of Galaw.Co Dance Theater tagged her for a dance challenge, she was instantly game to do it.
“He posted a video of himself showing his amazing Kuya PJ moves,” Pearl enthuses. “It was posted on his Instagram and his company’s Instagram, the Galaw Company. The challenge was to show your moves and heart in this time of quarantine and you have to tag five people to do the challenge also. Then I saw that I was tagged, I got excited!”
Pearl chose Regina Spektor’s On the Radio to dance to. This song was a favorite of hers since she was a student at the Philippine High School for the Arts in Makiling and had actually choreographed another piece to it back then.
Pearl strikes a pose for an impromptu pictorial. Photo by Sean Pelegrin
Pearl has had an interest in choreography since her high school days when she got to make short pieces for class and collaborated with fellow students on a dance production for their thesis during senior year. A few years ago, she had the chance to choreograph Ballet Manila trainee Monique Valera’s contemporary piece for the CCP Ballet Competition.
For the dance challenge, Pearl says she didn’t really have an exact concept in mind. “I just improvised on our couch. Walang iniisip, kung ano lang nararamdaman ko sa music na ‘yun (I wasn’t thinking of anything, I just moved in keeping with what I was feeling with that music.”
Pearl shared two clips of her choreography on Facebook where, incidentally, she has also been posting her dance moves using the TikTok app. With the latter, she has been getting so many likes for her versions of Jennifer Lopez and Shakira’s Superbowl half-time performances where she uses a tube of Berocca vitamin supplement as her microphone. At one point, she joked in another post, “Sawa na ako mag-Superbowl, kay Lady Gaga naman (I’m tired of doing the Superbowl; I’ll try Lady Gaga now).”
The ballerina has been keeping busy since the quarantine began in mid-March. During the first week, she and twin sister Pia did an impromptu pictorial with their fellow Ballet Manila dancer (and Pearl’s boyfriend) Sean Pelegrin who is a photography enthusiast.
“It was just for fun, para lang may magawa kami (so that we could do something),” Pearl recalls. “Our wall is plain white, so it’s just easy to take pictures. The photos turned out nice, thanks to Sean.”
For Pearl, being unable to go to the studio is not an excuse to be idle. She and Pia have been taking regular class at home even if the space in their condo unit is limited, with chairs doubling as the barre. She also still works out, in an effort to stay healthy. She also does cooking and cleaning chores.
Pearl is taking the quarantine in stride, while also looking forward to the day when she can return to the studio. “Kahit na ganito ang sitwasyon, try ko pa rin na maging positive kahit papaano (Even if the situation is like this, I still try to be positive somehow).”
Pearl is having fun with the TikTok app and has already shared several clips on Facebook, including her take on Jennifer Lopez's Superbowl performance.
