Olympics Of Dance

Jemima and Victor in Black Swan pas de deux

Dancers in the Philippines are unsung heroes. I should know... been there, done that!

Victor Maguad as Sigfried

Lately, though, some of them are getting media attention: 1) because they have literally worked their way into our national consciousness, 2) they arre really good at what they do, 3) cyberspace just has a way of finding those little "unknowns" who eventually leave a mark on this planet because they have made their passion thei life's work.

Victor  Maguad and Jemima Reyes

Three of these dancers from Ballet Philippines will be showing their mettle in Jackson, Mississippi when they compete in the Olympics of Dance and at Varna, Bulgaria. Actually, four dancers if you count Jayson Pascasio who happens to be now based in the US but has his roots reaching far back to Ballet Philippines as a soloist.

Jemima as Odile

Jemima Reyes, Victor Maguad and Monica Gana will be making the Philippines proud when they represent the country this year in the world's most prestigious dance competitions. As of this writing, Jemima and Victor are already in Jackson where they are in the thick of preparations for their choreographies. The duo will be performing the Black Swan pas de deux, Diana and Acteon and Alden Lugnasin's contemporary piece Aku, along with some required choreographies. Jayson, to their surprise, is also a competitor.

Monica Gana as Esmeralda

Monica Gana, on the other hand, will be awaiting her turn when she goes to Varna, Bulgaria to do her best and show the stuff she's made of. Her repertoire includes solo variations from La Bayadere ( Gamzatti), Esmeralda, Don Quixote (Kitri), Flames of Paris and Giselle. 

Monica Gana as Kitri

All of these dancers are extremely young and at the top of their game. The last time we bagged a trophy was when JM Cordero and Candice Adea competed. They won the silver medal in Jackson and Gold in Helsinki, Finland. That was four years ago. And YES, preparations to compete can sometimes take that long to pursue. I'm praying this year's crop reaps all the awards they deserve!