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DANCE
PARTNERS
 DANCING
IS THE EXPRESSION OF MY LIFE
This
ain't my whole life story, but this should be a fair condensation of
that special aspect of my life devoted to the art and craft of dancing.
Some
36 years ago.....
...Mom enrolled me almost
simultaneously in piano classes and ballet school. Piano class was the
first of a series of activities meant to introduce me to a
"cultured lady's upbringing", (which I had hoped wouldn't stop
me from climbing trees and neighbors' roofs, playing cops and robbers
with my 4 brothers, and being captain of the soccer team.) I guess Mom
realized I should stop thinking I was a boy and learn to be a lady.
But
ballet class was also meant to develop my lung power. You see, I
suffered from wracking asthma attacks since I was 6 years old, making
even sleeping a chore. Mom had discovered the perfect solution for me.
Ballet was a great physical activity which would help me gain confidence
and poise while strengthening those lung muscles.
So
for 12 years, I spent most of my after-school hours in one dance school,
first as a ballet student, then as an assistant ballet teacher, and
later as a regular teacher and troupe performer of the Filipinescas
Dance Company. Since the Company was mainly a folkdance troupe, I was a
special performer for ballet and flamenco, and a support for folk
dancing, earning a huge sum for a high school student.
Quite
a long respite
Political activism and then
marriage intervened in college, both of which took me away from my
dancing for the next twenty years. Not much harm done, since I had not
clearly planned a career in dance anyway.
Public
relations is my profession, and just as anything I put my mind into, I
tried to learn everything I could and excel in it. I still handle major
PR accounts, am involved in social development and community programs
(health, women, poverty-alleviation, child education), and am very deep
into spirituality and computer technology. All very serious stuff
indeed. Dancing is the fun and hobby side of me. No, that's not exactly
right. Dancing is what makes me alive, just as painting makes a painter
alive. It's his expression of life.
I'm
back in my milieu
Five years ago, my mom introduced
me to ballroom dancing, and I've been hooked since. The first time I
stepped onto the ballroom floor with my dance instructor, images of my
youth flashed before me. Gradually, I remembered and relearned
principles from ballet school, and dance steps from many earlier social
dance sessions with my Mom and Dad. Thus it wasn't that difficult to
relearn the basics of Tango, Chachacha, Boogie, Twist, and Swing. I
could remember bits of the Charleston, Charanga and Pachanga, Jitterbug,
and a dozen or so of the hundreds of the 60s dances. The Latin dances
which I love are comparatively new dances for me.
Ssh....
I wouldn't even dare discuss this with my friends. But barely a year on
the floor, friends were quietly cheering me on, other amateur dancers
trying to copy my moves. I was the 'star' of the ballroom, with my fluid
moves, gracefully controlled arms and perfect turns. The dance
instructors (D.I.s) vied to dance with me. I tried several but chose to
continue regularly only with the better ones.
Accepting
a Challenge
After another year, when friends,
new acquaintances and dance instructors would approach me to teach them
the moves, I decided to take a challenge and organized the Heritage
Dance Center.
Indeed
it is a challenge! Something was, and still is, sorely missing in
Philippine ballroom -- professional training. I wasn't about to fill the
gap, but I knew I had enough background training and support resources
to create an edge.
In early 1997, I set up the Heritage
Dance Center, with my regular dance partner then as an associate.
Together we formulated a limited dance curriculum meant for
beginner dancers and aspiring dance instructors, based on the principle
that anyone can learn to dance and create for their own enjoyment.
I visited local dance schools, only to
find out that their ballroom instructors barely had any dance training
(the most was one year). I purchased and vociferously read dance and
human kinetics books. I visited Ms. Skippy Blair during my visit to the
U.S. and continue to learn from her. I made friends with several balikbayan
ballroom dancers, others from the Web, sought out data-filled websites,
contacted other dancers worldwide, all the while testing out new and
rediscovered theories and ideas, patterns, syncopations and
amalgamations with the few willing partners. The persistent inquiry,
research and testing continues.
Uncontrollable
Urge to Share
Somehow, dancing hasn't made me
rich financially (really wish it did), but my brain is ever full. To
make room for more, I have to send the processed information off
somewhere.
I
completed my book "Secrets of Modern Ballroom Dancing"
(summarized online as Victoria's Dance Secrets) which includes many of
the principles I've rediscovered and now share with my students. I
wrote weekly columns on dancing in Isyu opinion paper and
contributed stories and essays to the Ballroom Dancing Philippines
Magazine.
This website acts as a diary for
my own experiences on the social ballroom floor, and
is mainly another outlet for excess energies and desire to share the
knowledge I've gained from countless friends, fellow dancers and
strangers. I'm still into dance teaching this year but only part of the
time. My partner, Rene Canlas, handles most of the classes, since I
decided to produce an interactive CD on dance. Besides I want to
concentrate on programs through which we can continue to share our gifts
with groups of children, senior citizens and P.E. teachers instead. What
better and faster way is there to duplicate the sharing with others?
On partners
Rene and Vikky: So far, we're the best match!
"Great dancers are
not great because of
their technique; they're great because
of their passion." - Martha Graham |
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