In Their Own Words: Jessica Pearl Dames on being part of the corps de ballet
In their own words, the artists of Ballet Manila share their thoughts and experiences on not merely surviving but flourishing in the very challenging world of dance. This series is a collection of personal anecdotes, as well as words of wisdom that can be heartwarming, funny or dramatic, but always inspiring regardless of what field one is pursuing.
Kapag may narinig ako na nagsabi na madali lang maging part ng corps, gusto ko talagang sapakin ang taong iyon! Mahirap maging corps sa kahit anong ballet. Sa corps kasi ang strict. Isa lang sa inyo magkamali, damay na talaga ang lahat. At para maging sabay-sabay kayong lahat at maging magkakamukha, ilang oras kayo dapat mag-rehearse. Nakakailang ulit talaga kami para lang umayos ang sayaw.
May pressure talaga, lalo sa amin ni Pia [Dames, fellow principal dancer and twin sister]. Kami kasi ang laging nasa harap dahil sa height namin. Kami ang sinusunod so dapat alam na alam namin ang pag-enter, ang count, kung saan kami po-position sa stage... Mahirap mag-corps talaga, pero kung magawa mo ito nang tama, napakalaking fulfillment ito.
Whenever I hear someone claim that corps dancing is so easy, I really want to slap that person! It doesn’t matter what ballet is being staged, it’s always difficult to be part of the corps. One has to really be strict when one is part of the corps. If one of you makes a mistake, you’ll all be reprimanded. And to be able to achieve that synchronization and that identical look, numerous rehearsals should be done. We really go through a lot of repetition just to make a ballet look beautiful.
There’s real pressure in being a corps member, especially when it comes to me and Pia. Because of our height, we’re usually placed in front. We’re the ones that the other ballerinas follow, so we should really know when to enter, the proper counting, and where to position ourselves on stage… Being part of the corps is really difficult, but when you’re able to execute it right, it is such a huge fulfillment.
Top photo courtesy of Jessica Pearl Dames
Jessica Pearl Dames (center) says being part of the corps, like she was in this staging of Giselle (2019), is difficult but is a huge fulfillment when executed right. Photo by Giselle P. Kasilag
