Learning from past mistakes, Sean Pelegrin reworks his fitness habits and emerges as his best self
By Jv Ramos
Ballet dancers are often referred to as performing athletes. They must have the strength and stamina to withstand the demands of their profession and yet also possess grace and poise to make it seem like what they do on stage is easy. In this series, Ballet Manila’s ballerinas and danseurs share how they stay in tip-top shape, following a fitness, diet and wellness regimen suited to their specific needs.
Sean Pelegrin as the Nutcracker Prince in The Nutcracker: Clara’s Journey (2023): Ballet Sports Science has helped increase his flexibility, agility and stamina. Photo by Giselle P. Kasilag
Ballet Manila soloist Sean Pelegrin has been dancing for a long time. In fact, even before he did his formal training in ballet with the Steps Dance Studio, he was dabbling in hip-hop. “Chubby ako noong bata at sa pagsasayaw lang nag-start magbago ang katawan ko,” he shares. “Pero hindi ito naging consistent. Taba-payat-taba-payat ako nang ilang taon!” (I was chubby as a kid, and my body only changed when I began dancing. But this wasn’t a consistent thing. I would swing from being chubby to thin for so many years.)
During his days as a student, he attributed his weight swings to stress as he found it hard to balance academics on one hand and ballet training and competitions on the other. And in his years as a ballet professional, it had been because he was “on and off” with his fitness routine.
By following a consistent fitness regimen, Ballet Manila soloist Sean Pelegrin says he has managed to avoid the weight swings that used to hound him. Photo by Jessica Pearl Dames
“Noong 2023 lang talaga ako nag-decide na ibigay ko na ang lahat-lahat sa ballet,” Sean relates. “At nagpapasalamat ako na ito naman ay nag-pay-off! Hindi pa rin – at sana hindi na rin talaga – ako lumaki.” (It was only in 2023 that I decided to give ballet my all. And I’m very thankful that my hard work paid off. I have not gained weight – and I hope I don’t do so again.)
How our subject was able to achieve this had a lot to do with self-discipline, learning from a fitness coach, building healthy habits with other dancers, and really understanding what works for his body and not.
Asked about the big changes that he did, Sean says he doesn’t go the “starvation” route anymore. “Dati kasi kapag na-feel ko na lumalaki ako, pinipilit ko talaga na hindi ako kumain. Hindi pala ito tama. Dahil bukod sa pagkawala ng fats, nawawala rin ang muscles mo na sobrang importante sa aming mga dancers.” (Before, whenever I felt I’d gained weight, I would force myself to not eat anything. I’ve learned this is not right. Because other than draining fats, you also lose your muscles which is very important for us dancers.)
To address weight gain these days, Sean instead skips the rice and avoids anything with sugar. “Mabuti na lang, hindi talaga ako ma-dessert na tao,” claims the soloist. “Nag-de-dessert lang ako at nagmamatamis na inumin kung feel ko lang or siguro rin naman kung may special occasion.” (It’s a good thing that I’m not very fond of dessert. I only eat dessert or consume sugary drinks when I feel like it or maybe when there’s a special occasion.) Here, he recalls drinking a lot of fresh mango juice when he and his longtime girlfriend, Ballet Manila principal dancer Jessica Pearl Dames, celebrated their recent anniversary with a buffet dinner.
Speaking of Pearl, Sean credits her for his better eating habits these days. “Sandwiches lang kami tuwing lunch, at si Pearl ang nagdadala nito. Ako ay isang tao na walang favorite na tinapay kaya naman kahit anong ipakain sa akin ni Pearl ay gusto ko. May tiwala din naman ako sa taste niya. Alam ko na lahat ng pipiliin niya, masarap!” (We only eat sandwiches during lunch and she’s the one who picks and brings the sandwiches. I really don’t have a favorite kind of bread, so I like whatever Pearl brings. I trust her taste. I know that anything she selects is delicious!)
About 10 years old in this photo, Sean (third from left) didn’t have weight challenges yet as a scholar at Steps Dance Studio. At right is his younger brother Kyle who also tried ballet. Photo courtesy of Sean Pelegrin
Sean continues that since Pearl and her twin sister Jasmine Pia, also a principal dancer with Ballet Manila, have home-cooked meals often, his body has grown accustomed to eating his meat with vegetables – something that wouldn’t have happened if he was left alone to prepare his food. “Hindi ako maselan sa pagkain at wala akong hilig magluto, kaya ako ang klase ng tao na puwedeng kainin ang parehong pagkain araw-araw. Nagawa ko na ’yan dati sa Bicol express [a spicy dish originating from Bicol] and okay lang din sa akin ang kumain ng Century Tuna na may itlog na ako lang nagluto araw-araw.” (I’m not picky when I eat and I really have no interest in cooking, so I’m the type of person who can eat the same thing over and over again every day. I’ve done this with Bicol express and I’m okay with eating Century Tuna with egg that I’ve prepared myself every day.)
Sean recognizes that eating with people that have good eating habits really helps, and so does having the same people around when working out.
“Dahil sa Ballet Sports Science nagbago ang mga katawan namin, at ang kagandahan dito ay naiintindihan ni Coach Robert [Osorio] ang ginagawa namin bilang dancer,” says Sean with a very grateful tone. (Due to Ballet Sports Science, our bodies have changed, and the best thing about it is Coach Robert understands what we do as dancers.) According to Sean, Coach Robert, who’s behind Ballet Sports Science, doesn’t only look into fat loss and muscle gain, he also ensures that the dancers increase their flexibility, agility and stamina so their bodies can sustain the workload and take on bigger roles as the months go by.
“At tuwing may mga performances kami, nagagawa ni Coach Robert na bigyan kami ng workout routine na match sa role namin. May mga additional notes din siya sa technique, kagaya kung paano gawin ng tama ang mga lift para hindi naman mahatak ang mga muscle namin.” (And whenever we are given major roles, Coach Robert can come up with a workout routine that would support our roles. He also has additional notes regarding technique, such as how to lift properly so it doesn’t result in pulled muscles.) Sean then emphasizes that no matter how long you’ve danced and no matter how good you are, there are still so many new things to learn about taking care of one’s body.
Working out with colleagues, says Sean, is an enjoyable bonding activity. With him at the gym are Ballet Sports Science coach Robert Osorio (left) and principal dancers Joshua Enciso and Mark Sumaylo. Photo courtesy of Sean Pelegrin
“Kung wala siguro si Coach Robert, matagal na ako natigil dahil sa flexor tendinitis ko.” (If Coach Robert were not around, I would’ve long stopped dancing due to my flexor tendinitis.) Back in August 2022, Sean felt a great discomfort in his big toe, and he feared that this would be the start of his slowing down in Ballet Manila. “Simula ng retirement na talaga ang nasa isip ko kasi alam ko na hindi na ako batang danseur. Mabuti na lang na-rehab ng Ballet Sports Science!” (Starting my retirement plan was what I kept thinking at that time because I knew I wasn’t a young danseur anymore. It’s a good thing that my injury was rehabilitated through Ballet Sports Science.) From feeling pain in the latter part of 2022, he has become one of the busiest company dancers in 2023, even being promoted to soloist and welcoming guesting opportunities in various schools during his free time.
“Siguro isa na sa late realizations ko bilang dancer ay ang effect ng workouts sa katawan. Hindi lang ito pampapayat o pampalaki ng muscles. Kapag hindi ako nag-workout nang matagal, maraming masakit sa akin pagkatapos ng klase at rehearsal.” (Perhaps one of my late realizations as a dancer is the effect of workouts on the body. Workouts aren’t just for losing weight or gaining muscles. When I fail to do workouts for a long time, I feel a lot of aches in my body after class and rehearsal.) It’s because of this that Sean forces himself to still head to the studio’s gym, even when he just wants to relax after a long day. “Malaki talaga ang tulong ng extra workout sa long run.” (Workouts are so helpful to the body in the long run.)
Playing video games is his only form of relaxation nowadays, Sean shares. “Tuwing naglalaro kasi ako, nawawala sa isip ko ang lahat ng stress ng ballet. Nakakatuwa rin na ang mga kalaro ko ay company members din dito.” (Because whenever I play, I forget about the stress of ballet. It’s also nice that my playmates are also company members here.)
Sean notes that most Ballet Manila dancers are now into Ballet Sports Science. “Maingay sa gym kapag workout time na, pero sobrang saya naming lahat.” (It’s noisy in the gym when it’s workout time, but we’re all happy about being there together.) This soloist underlines that the road to fitness becomes easier with the support of your peers, but it all starts with allowing yourself to learn new things and the willingness to give dancing your all.
