By Jv Ramos

Much of a ballerina’s life has to do with being able to adapt to changes, and this seems to be what principal dancer Jasmine Pia Dames has been experiencing this performance season. In the opening production last February, Martin Lawrance’s Romeo and Juliet, she was tasked to dance the role of the corrupt mayora, which involved a lot of acting and doing movements in high heels.

In one of their recent company tours, she and her fellow dancers had to go through an extensive classical repertoire on a modest stage while enduring scorching temperatures. And on top of the list was finding out that she’ll be taking on the lead role in Don Quixote just a month and a half before the show because the original Kitri, guest artist Katherine Barkman, would be unable to come while still healing from an injury.

“Nu’ng nalaman ko na ako na ang mag-ki-Kitri, sobrang nagising na ako agad. Hindi ko na kinailangan ng kape!” (When I found out that I’ll be dancing Kitri, I suddenly became wide awake. There was no need for me to have my coffee that morning.) Pia explains that while she had danced the role before, there was a big difference in having several months to prepare for a full-length classical ballet versus a few weeks. Not to mention, there’s a difference between rehearsing with a Basilio who’s part of Ballet Manila and partnering with a principal dancer from San Francisco Ballet.

But before Pia could process all that was happening, there was one thing she knew she had to do first. She messaged Katherine – formerly a Ballet Manila principal herself who’s now a soloist with San Francisco Ballet – to check on her and to wish her a full recovery. It was only after their exchange that Pia began to absorb the daunting but admittedly exciting prospect that lay ahead of her.

“Nag-worry ako noong una dahil ang personal training ko ay laging base sa current role ko. All this time, ang training ko ay para sa role ng Kitri’s friend. Oo, hindi ready ang katawan ko, pero kung binigyan ka ng opportunity na mag-full-length, dapat go lang! Dapat gawin mo ang best mo para ma-prepare mo ang sarili mo!” (I was worried at first because my personal training is based on my current role. All this time, my training was for dancing Kitri’s friend. Yes, my body wasn’t ready, but if you’re given the opportunity to dance a full-length, you’ll do all you can to prepare yourself.)

To get into the shoes of Kitri, her strengthening coach and boyfriend Robert Osorio, who started BalletSportSciencePh, designed a training program that would help Pia take on the highly technical role better than she did the first time around in 2017.

“Twenty-two ako nu’ng una kong sinayaw si Kitri, and kahit nagawa ko naman ang role, ayaw ko talaga nakikita ang mga videos ko noon. Marami kasi akong nakikita na puwede ko i-improve, at naaalala ko lang  ang sitwasyon ko dati.” (I was only twenty-two when I first danced Kitri, and while I was able to fulfill the role, I really don’t like seeing my old videos. I see so many things that I could have improved on and they remind me of my situation then.)

Here, the ballerina reveals that she was often in pain when she was in her early 20s – that behind her high jumps, the fouettés, and the castanet and fan stunts was a stress fracture and other leg injuries. “Grabe, sumasayaw ako ng Don Q na naka-tape ang buong leg ko! Hindi maganda ‘yon. Ayaw ko nang maulit ‘yon!” (I was dancing Don Q with my leg fully taped. That’s not a good thing. I wouldn’t want that to happen to me ever again!)

She continues, “Nangyari ‘yon dahil masyado akong naging kampante. Dahil alam ko na bravura dancer ako, naging kampante ako sa talent ko at napabayaan ko ang katawan ko. Hindi ko iniisip ang strength training dati, pero napaka-importante pala.” (I got into that situation because I took things for granted. Because I knew that I’m a bravura dancer, I just relied on my talent to get by and didn’t take care of my body. I wasn’t thinking before of strength training, which I’ve realized is really very important.)

Pia credits her continuous training with BalletSportSciencePh for the past few years as the key to her injury-free performance seasons and her ability to take on a wide variety of roles, even as she’s getting older.

“Baliktad ang nangyayari sa akin. Mas malakas na Kitri ang makikita ng audience kahit mas matanda na ako,” Pia, now 28, points out. “Sobrang satisfied ako sa progress na nakikita ko sa rehearsals. Walang sumasakit sa akin, at may lakas pa ako after rehearsals para sa extra workout ko.” (What’s happening to me is the opposite. The audience will see a stronger Kitri, even if I’m an older dancer. I’m very satisfied with the progress I’m seeing in rehearsals. I’m not feeling any pain beyond the normal, and I even have the energy afterwards for an extra workout.)

What’s especially thrilling about her preparations is being able to execute Kitri’s famous 32 fouettés – pirouettes performed with a circular whipping movement of the raised leg to the side. “Pagkatapos ng full-length ko ng Don Quixote, never ko na ulit ginawa ito; natatakot kasi ako na baka may sumakit ulit. Pero nu’ng sinubukan ko nu’ng isang araw, nagawa ko! Hindi pa malinis, pero nagawa ko. Nakakatuwa!” (After we wrapped up Don Quixote, I never tried it again because I was afraid that the pain would return. But when I tried doing it the other day, I managed to complete it. It’s not yet clean, but I did it. It feels great!) 

Asked if she’ll be doing any changes to the way she’ll portray the feisty character, the principal ballerina notes that since she’s been rehearsing with her original Basilio, principal danseur Gerardo Francisco Jr., her expressions and acting choices are very similar to what she’s done before. “Pero siyempre magbabago pag dumating na ang partner ko. Pag nakita ko na kung paano sumayaw si Esteban [Hernandez], alam ko na kung anong klaseng Kitri ang gagawin ko. Kailangan mo kasi i-match.” (But this will change when my partner arrives. Once I see how Esteban dances, I’ll know what to do with my Kitri. You have to know how to match your character with your partner’s.)

Excited to partner with the Mexican-born dancer, Pia has been watching videos of him online to have an idea on how he moves. “Malaking challenge rin na two weeks lang ako makakapag-rehearse na kasama ang partner ko. Pero kakayanin! Patuloy lang pag-ready ko!” (It’s also a challenge to only have two weeks to rehearse with your partner for a full-length. But I can do it! I just have to be consistent with the preparations.)

Pia expresses that her Ballet Manila family has a lot to do with keeping her motivated. “Noong unang moment pa lang na in-announce na ako ang sasayaw ng Kitri, ramdam na ramdam ko ang support nila sa akin at sobrang thankful ako du’n!” (Since the first moment it was announced that I was going to dance Kitri, I’ve felt the company’s support and I’m very thankful for it!)

The principal dancer underlines that despite the challenges of season performances and tours, she – like her colleagues in Ballet Manila – is delighted to dance in front of audiences once more. “Dahil hindi ko iniisip na may masakit, alam ko na mabibigay ko ang 100 percent ko ngayon!” (Because I’m not worried about pain, I’ll be able to offer my 100 percent when I dance Kitri this time.)