By Jv Ramos 

The third month of 2020 was a big one for principal dancer Romeo Peralta. After dancing roles in Ballet Manila’s double-bill season-ender, Carmina Burana and La Traviata, this young father of three boys was prepping for their first family trip out of the country when the lockdown hit.  “Pupunta sana kami ng Legoland (in Korea). Actually, may ticket na kami at kinuha na rin namin ng mga passport ang mga bata. Pero ayun nga, nag-pandemic, so di kami natuloy.” (We were supposed to travel to Legoland. Actually, we already had our tickets and we had already gotten passports for the three boys. But our planned trip didn’t push through because of the pandemic.)

He recalls being preoccupied with rehearsing for the Ibong Adarna tour when the supposedly two-week community lockdown was announced. “So, noong two weeks na ‘yon, ginagawa ko lang ang usual to keep fit at home.  Stretching, workout, and weightlifting. Pero hindi todong pag-wo-workout ang ginagawa ko, dahil makakabalik naman kami kaagad sa studio. Di ko inexpect na magtatagal ng halos dalawang taon ang lockdown. Actually, wala naman talaga sa atin ang nag-expect na ganito ang mangyayari.” (During the first two weeks of lockdown, I was just doing what I’d usually do to stay fit at home. Stretching, workout, and weightlifting. But I wasn’t giving it my all yet, because in my head, we were going to be back in the studio in no time. I didn’t expect the community lockdown to last for so long. None of us did.)

It was during the fourth month of community quarantine that he realized that things were bound to really change as far as work was concerned. Ballet Manila’s online company classes that seemed refreshing at first began to be a real challenge, while teaching for The Lisa Macuja School of Ballet made the ambience at home very different. 

“It was fun at first kasi nga bago ang setup,” comments Romeo when asked about having company class through Zoom. “So exciting talaga noong una to make up for lost days. Pero nang nagtagal, nang na-feel ko na na sumasakit na ang tuhod ko sa kaka-jump dito sa bahay na puro cement at hardwood floors, naging challenging na. Mahirap talaga na wala sa studio ang dancer.” (Zoom company classes were fun at first since we were dealing with a new setup. It was also very exciting to make up for lost days. But when it lasted longer, and when I began to feel knee pain due to all the jumping I’d do on cement and hardwood floors, things became rather challenging. It’s really difficult for a dancer to not be in a studio.)

As for the classes he’d teach, Romeo notes that the home setup makes it difficult for learning due to the amount of distractions present. “Di mo maiiwasan na ma-distract ang bata kung may dumaan. Tapos, dahil iba-iba ang setup at ang mga gadgets ng bata, di mo maiiwasan ang mag-repeat ng mga itinituro mo dahil sa connection o kaya naman ang view.” (It’s inevitable for kids to be distracted when someone passes by. And then, because we all have different gadgets, you can’t avoid repeating what you teach because of bad Internet connection or because their view is limited since they’re just using a phone.)

“One thing na wala talaga sa online ay ang 360-degree view,” continues Romeo. “Challenge talaga na isang side lang ang nakikita mo o kaya naman isang area lang ng katawan. Kailangan mo i-explain nang isa-isa para makuha nila ang technique. Kailangan mo i-explain kung ano ang dapat ma-feel ng muscle, kung saan patungo ang toes. Mas detailed ka dapat magsalita kung nagtuturo online.” (One thing that’s unfortunately not present in online classes is the 360-degree view. It’s really a challenge to only see one side or just a particular area. Here, you really have to take the time to explain for students to get the technique. You have to tell them how the muscle should feel, to which direction the toes should point. You really have to explain things meticulously when teaching online.)

Despite the struggle, this Ballet Manila artist is determined to be present in every class and to give his all in teaching. “Noong kaka-vaccinate lang namin ni Sofie, hindi namin ma-lift ang mga vaccinated arms namin, pero nagturo pa rin kami. Si Sofie ang nag-de-demo sa isang side at sa akin naman ang kabila. Itinuloy pa rin namin ang pagturo at hindi talaga dapat pabayaan ang estudyante.” (When we had just been vaccinated, Sofie and I couldn’t lift our vaccinated arms. Despite this, we pushed through with our class. Sofie took care of demonstrating one side and I did the other. We continued teaching because we didn’t want to leave the students hanging.)

Having three kids who are homeschooling, Romeo and his wife Sofia, a member of the Ballet Manila faculty, didn’t have to adjust much during the pandemic. Their three sons were used to e-learning so they could be left in one area studying while their parents were handling classes. “Iyong sabi nilang lagi mong nakikita ang mga anak mo sa bahay, dahil nga homeschool ay hindi totoo,” says the danseur laughing. “Dahil sunod-sunod ang klase, busy ako sa pagturo at busy sila sa homeschool, may days na minsan lang kami magkita.” (Those who say that you see your kids more often because everyone is just at home are wrong. There are days when I’d hardly see my kids because we’re all very busy. My classes are scheduled one after the other, and the kids are preoccupied with homeschool.)

Asked if the kids got more interested in dancing during the pandemic, this principal dancer shares that in the early months, his sons were into tap dancing. In fact, due to his wife, the kids in the compound they live in all learned tap and even had a mini recital after. “Pero later on, ibang kind of art na ang nahiligan nila. Arts and crafts na! Nag-e-enjoy silang magpinta ng stones or pots at pati na rin gumawa ng dreamcatcher. Different creative expression naman sila ngayon,” raves the proud father. (Later on, however, my sons got into a different kind of art form. They’re into arts and crafts! They enjoy activities like painting stones and pots and making dreamcatchers. They have a different kind of creative expression now.)

So, does Romeo find teaching easier given that he deals with his kids every day? He puts forward that with young dancers, the most important thing that they need to learn is to love ballet. “HIndi mo pwedeng i-overwhelm sila with technique and discipline. They need to love what they do first. In a way, mas strict ako towards my own kids rather than my students.” (You cannot overwhelm kids with technique and discipline. They need to love what they do first. In a way, I’m stricter towards my own kids rather than my students.) 

Though appreciation for the dance form is what he’s trying to mold, this doesn’t mean that his classes for young students are all fun and games. Exams are involved, so he finds it really fulfilling when kids, especially the playful-natured ones, are able to execute moves with the proper technique. “I am humbled when I see my students of different ages be able to do what I’ve taught them.” 

As for the dancing part, Romeo can’t help but feel down about how the pandemic has put the life he has always known on hold. “You’re used to dancing all the time, then matitigil na lang bigla, dahil nga sa COVID-19. Siyempre, nandiyan ang longing na sumayaw na – longing na nakaka-down talaga sa tagal. Romeo as a dancer is at a crossroads.” (When you’re used to dancing all the time and then all is taken away suddenly by a pandemic, you develop a longing to dance – a longing that pulls you down, especially when you have to wait for so long.) 

It’s also heartbreaking for Romeo that he had to give up his participation in Ballet Minis: Passages On Pointe, a series of short films that celebrate some of the company’s most loved performance pieces, due to tonsilitis. “Sobrang nag-flare up kaya kapag tumatalon ako, may sumasakit. Hindi ako maka-backbend; hindi ako masyadong makagalaw.  Of course, as a dancer, it’s your responsibility to give up a role that you cannot perform to the best of your ability. You have to think of what’s best for the company.” (My tonsils were really swollen so whenever I would jump, something would really hurt. I also couldn’t execute backbends; I couldn’t move that much.) 

Always a wise leader, he points out, “Mabigat ang feeling na hindi ka makasama sa isang project, pero ganyan talaga. Kasama ‘yan sa pagiging dancer – na sobrang willing ka, pero ang body mo ay hindi.”  (You really feel dejected when you’re unable to be part of a project. But that’s the way things are for dancers. There will always be times wherein you’re very willing to dance, but your body cannot do it.) To snap out of the blues, Romeo turns to his faith. “When you’re not okay, you pray more. And when it’s still not okay, you pray harder.” 

“During this pandemic, I learned how to really appreciate things and to slow down and enjoy every moment,” sums up Romeo. If pre-COVID-19 life consisted of a lot of quick adjustments to make every show go on, this time around, he is able to rest and really appreciate the little things. “I’m thankful for every company class I attend, every class I teach. I’m thankful that despite everything, my family is healthy and safe. I am thankful that the kids can play with their friends in the compound. There are really a lot of things to be grateful for.”

And though the future is unpredictable for him at the moment, Romeo fights to keep moving forward. “Dapat kapit lang. You have to keep holding on!” He adds that he can’t just give up, because there are people, like his young students for instance, who also expect to learn from him. 

Asked if there’s any role or happening that he looks forward to when things normalize again, the principal reiterates that he’d be happy to take on any dance that is assigned to him. “Pero kung ang pinag-uusapan ay what I’ll do kung wala na ang mga limitations, itutuloy ko ang Legoland trip namin na hanggang ngayon ay nababanggit pa rin ng kids kapag nagdadasal kami,” shares Romeo. “But for now, dapat maging grateful talaga tayo for what we have.” (But if we’re talking about what I'd do if there were less limitations, I’d pursue that trip to Legoland, which until today is being mentioned by my kids when we would pray… For now, however, we should be grateful for what we have.”