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.

Ang dancer, kapag hindi ina-apply ’yung correction, kahit 1,000 times mo uulitin walang mangyayari. ’Yun ang problema ng mga nagre-rehearse. Like sa class – diyan nagsa-start lahat sa class. Kung paano mo i-take ’yung class mo, seriously dapat, pag sumayaw ka, ganyan din. Magre-reflect talaga sa sayaw ’yun. Pag nagka-class ako, talagang focused ako. Yung tipong huwag n’yo muna akong istorbohin kasi nagse-seryoso ako dito. No time for chika-chika habang nagde-demo. Makikinig ka sa correction kasi ia-apply mo sa sarili mo. That’s how you grow. ’Yun ’yung ina-apply ko sa mga younger generation dito. Hindi ibig sabihin na kino-correct ko itong tao na ’to eh wala kang pakialam. It applies to all! Sabi ko pag nag-correct ako dito, pay attention kasi malay mo mali din pala ’yung ginagawa mo, hindi mo lang alam. ’Yung corps, du’n ako tutok na tutok lagi kasi ’yan, kapag hindi nagsabay, ibig sabihin… anong klaseng company meron ka? ’Yun ang gusto kong ipagpatuloy, kung ano ’yung sinimulan nila Shaz [former co-artistic director Osias Barroso].

When a dancer doesn’t apply the correction, even if he repeats it 1,000 times, nothing will happen. That’s the problem of those rehearsing. Like in class – everything starts in class. How you take your class, and it should be seriously, should also be the same way you dance. It will really reflect on your dancing. When I take a class, I’m really focused. Like, don’t disturb me because I’m being very serious here. There’s no time for gossip when someone’s doing a demo. You have to listen to the correction because you will apply it to yourself. That’s how you grow. That’s what I’m trying to apply to the younger generation here. Just because I corrected someone else doesn’t mean it has nothing to do with you. It applies to all. I tell them that when I make a correction here, pay attention because you might be doing it incorrectly too but you just didn’t know. The corps is what we are focusing on because if they’re not dancing as one… what kind of a company do we have? That’s what we want to continue – what Shaz and others started.

Top photo: Gerardo “Geri” Francisco Jr. (right), seen here rehearsing Ibong Adarna with principal dancer Joshua Enciso and Ballet Manila’s male corps, is meticulous when it comes to details. Photo by Giselle P. Kasilag