Present Perfect

Homeschooling Part 2

2009-11-14T20:32:00.000-08:00

How Do I Begin With Homeschooling?

1 Write down your reason for homeschooling. This way, when you get immersed in the process, you can go back and review the reason why you decided to homeschool in the first place. Talk to your child, too, so that you are on the same page with the decision to homeschool, especially if the child is being pulled out of the traditional school system.

2 Take the steps one at a time. Do not concern yourself with the entire elementary or high school level. Use the first year as the determining year whether you will do homeschooling for the long haul or not.

3 Choose the curriculum. (Separate essay on that later.) I suggest you use one publisher for your first year so that you see the scope and coverage as a whole.

4 Contact your homeschool institutional covering. There are schools who accept homeschoolers. Bible-believing Christian churches will be able to point you to them. You may want to do this for record-keeping and official report cards.

5 Set-up your homeschool area at home. It can be as simple as the bedroom or the dining room or the living room. The important thing is to have some semblance of order so that the physical environment fosters learning.

6 Study the curriculum. There is no better way to prepare than this.

These steps are simplistic, of course. You will want to talk to homeschooling parents to glean from their experiences, too. However way you go, homeschool can be fun, fulfilling, and rewarding for those who brave the move. Happy homeschooling!

Why Every Mom Should be a Stage Mom

2009-11-08T07:53:00.000-08:00

One of the toughest challenges an Artistic Director faces is handling stage mothers. Often, the most talented artists are those with the "most" stage moms. Understandably so. Stage moms gain their names because of their very high-level involvement in their children's artistic endeavors or careers. The connotation, however, has become sorely negative because many have overstepped the bounds. And the Artistic Director has no choice but to deal with them.

Despite the stigma to the name, there is merit to being a stage mom. In my ballet school, for example, the dancers who have made it to the international stage are those whose moms are very involved in their daughters' dance careers. They are there almost every class, every rehearsal, and certainly every performance. They do not only offer their physical presence; they also offer their two cents' worth on everything! Name the country's ballerinas, and you can be sure they have a stage mom right next to them.

Personally, I like stage moms. It makes it easier for me when the parent understands the dynamics and demands of our extremely competitive art. When parents have that kind of understanding, the terms become clearer and the procedure of rising to the top becomes defined. Oftentimes, I get parents who are highly involved with their kids when they are very young. Then, they start letting go when the children reach pre-teens, which is probably the most critical time when the parents are most needed.

My colleagues will agree that it is easy to promise the stars when the parents are right behind their children, especially in this art called ballet where costs are high and training/rehearsal schedules are painfully rigorous. Conversely, I have also seen much talent go to waste because parents let the reins go at some point.

As a Mom, I, too, am unashamedly a stage mom. Not to worry, I know the boundaries. But if this term means getting involved in my sons' lives as called for, whether they are 5 or 25, I will play the part.

And all the stage moms say, Amen!

Am I Too Old To Dance Ballet?

2009-10-21T05:44:00.000-07:00

Regrets always come in the end. Some regrets we can rectify and still act upon; others come just a trifle bit late. For instance, is there such a thing as being too late to dance ballet?

In truth, ballet is age-bound. We start training very young so that the bones (or cartilages) are still pliant and the classes are rigorous, especially for those who envision a professional career at the end of the road. In Russia, children aged 9 (or 8 if exceptionally gifted) enter the ballet academy and train everyday, along with academic classes. They graduate at 16 or 17 and embark on a professional dancing career in one of Russia's professional companies like the Kirov or Boshoi. It is a similar scenario at the Paris Opera. In most parts of the world, children start ballet training much younger, say 4 to 6, but with less frequency during the week, often interspersing the classes with other co-curricular activities to academic lessons. It is the serious student who pursues dance, later on, to a higher discipline until he or she reaches the professional stage.

As true as that might all be, it is never too late to dance ballet especially if we just want to do so for the pleasure of it, for the love of it, or for the passion of dance. There are schools that offer adult ballet and make less demands of their students than professional environments. For as long as our goals are realistic, we can enjoy the tip of the iceberg that ballet offers. Taking actual lessons also gives us a greater depth of appreciation when we watch performances.

Whether 6 or 36, the dance floor beckons. For those who make it to the stage, be it as fairy or queen or wili or court lady, the experience is breathtakingly beautiful.

Dancing with the Pros

2009-10-19T04:31:00.000-07:00

I knew it would take a lot of work to bring my dancers to Meralco Theatre to rehearse with Philippine Ballet Theatre. We come all the way from International Christian Academy Sucat, Paranaque. Permits, car pools, schedules, etc all had to be arranged for it to work. It wasn't like we had to go there everyday. But, still, joining the show meant a lot of sacrifice - for me, for the dancers, for their parents.

Still and all, we braved it. I knew that it would take more than taking classes and the sparse performances a school affords, albeit in prestigious theatres, in order to polish even technically brilliant dancers. Something just clicks when a dancer is thrust into the arena of the pros and they actually "see" seasoned dancers take class, rehearse, sweat it out, perform, et al. It was all part of raising the bar.

The same is true with life. I realize that the quest for greatness necessitates that I constantly follow the footsteps of those greater than I or those who have trekked life ahead of me, and learn from them. It takes a genuine humility to do so perennially. The gems culled from what pans before me are lessons I can't pick up from school institutions, at least, not to the degree I will glean as when I immerse myself in the field.

Dancing with the pros.

My dancers are tired. So am I, hoarse voice for a week and all. But, we are the richer for having taken the challenge. I'd like to think that our dancing got better, our character more solid.

Thank you, Philippine Ballet Theatre!

Chelo B. Gemina, Artistic Director, Acts Manila

Homeschooling Part 1

2009-07-23T09:04:00.000-07:00

What is home-schooling? Is it just doing schoolwork at home? What is the spirit behind home-schooling? Why home-school? What does it take to home-school? What about socialization? What about accreditation? Is this less expensive than going to regular school? And the list of questions goes on.

I will attempt to answer some frequently-asked-questions about this controversial topic, albeit in bits and pieces. I do so because of the many phone calls I receive from interested parents from different socio-economic & religious backgrounds. I home-schooled my older son, Michael Joshua, who landed a full college scholarship in Music Production at the De La Salle College of Saint Benilde and graduated this year. He is now taking a 5-week summer course at the Berklee College of Music in Boston, MA. He was home-schooled from grade 2 up to 4th year high school. Michael is the youngest male black-belt holder in Aikido in Asia, trained under Sensei Xavier Baylon. I home-school my younger son, Nathan Samuel, age 11, now in 6th grade and taking piano lessons under Ms. Joanne Lorico and soccer training under Coach Jojo Durian.

What Is Home-Schooling?
To start, home-schooling is being educated at home, simply stated. Often, it is the parent who serves as the teacher although in some cases, a hired tutor can do the teaching. This means that subjects, normally studied in traditional school, are all taught at home. Each home-school is different because the reasons why families go into home-schooling vary, too. Some home-schooling families purchase a complete curriculum while others purchase here and there and adapt their own. The decision re: which curriculum to use depends largely on the goals of the home-schooling family and considers the strengths & weaknesses of the child(ren) being home-schooled.

Why Do Families Home-school?
There are different reasons why families home-school. Some do so because of special needs of children. Others home-school because of religious convictions. Still others do because the parents feel that they are able to impart their values alongside academics better than hired teachers can. There are those who travel frequently and only the home-school parameters can accommodate the uniqueness of their circumstances. Many young people who are either in show business or arts or sports are home-schooled in order to cope with the demands of shootings, specialty classes or training. Both the gifted and children whose learning styles are not in sync with traditional education also go the route of home-schooling because of greater flexibility.

What Does It Take to Home-school?
I wish everyone could home-school, but the reality is: home-schooling is not for everybody. Home-schooling entails a lot of time and commitment that not everyone is willing to make. While it helps to have some educational attainment, what is more important is the heart to impart to the child. There are successful home-schoolers who never finished college. The availability of a wealth of curricula - complete from teacher's guide to worksheets to answer keys - makes it tons easier to do the job. It does take some degree of organization because the home-school teacher needs to plot what he/she will teach for the school year & allow adjustments for variables like delays. Depending on the age of the child & the learning style, patience is a virtue especially when home-schooling younger children.

To be Continued

How To Be a Better Listener

2009-07-14T08:55:00.000-07:00

It was my Dad who taught me how to be a good listener. I must have been in grade 7 when I experimented with a classmate after ballet class and I just sat there and listened to my friend relate stories about how her day went & episodes about her boyfriend. I could not really relate to everything she was saying but I mustered strength to listen and give her encouragement to talk. At the end of the conversation, or what seemed more like a monologue, she said, "Boy, it was really great talking to you!" I hardly said anything! She really did all the talking.

I don't think I gained much from the content of what she said. But, that day, I discovered the secret of making another human being feel important and valued simply by listening well. I listened not only with my ears but also with my eyes, my gestures, and my heart. I knew my friend considered me a friend for life. More importantly, I gained the priceless lesson of learning how to empathize with others and enter into their hurts. Because of that, I also gained the right to speak into her life because she knew I cared.

People can tell when our lines are lip service. People can read between the lines. People can feel when the sympathy is real. People can also hear what we're not saying.

If we all listen, really listen, we would certainly have a less-wounded world.

The Michael for Berklee PayPal donate button is up!

2009-04-08T02:22:00.000-07:00

The Michael for Berklee (michaelgemina.com) PayPal donate button is here!

To Answer Everybody's Questions

In response to everybody's questions about my son...

My son, Michael Gemina, is a 20 year-old drummer who was accepted at Berklee College of Music in Boston, MA for their 5-week summer performance program. Just last month, Michael finished his 3-year Music Production & Sound Engineering course at the De La Salle College of Saint Benilde on Full Scholarship. Michael won in 3 different inter-band competitions here in Manila, one in which he was awarded Best Drummer. His band, Private Publiko, recently launched an album which hit the radio this month. He has been a part of our church worship team as drummer (Victory, known as Every Nation worldwide) for the last 7 years. As an aside, he is the youngest male black-belter in Aikido in Asia.

We feel that this gift in Music is God-given and we are moving heaven and earth to make this dream come true. Michael has had his heart set on Berklee even before he entered college.

Coming from his home-school background of 10 years, Michael was disheartened at how young people his age live either aimlessly or in mediocrity. His vision is to excel in what he does so that he can make an impact in his generation and inspire others to live excellent lives that will honor God and affect society for the better. By God's grace, when he returns, he would like to share what he will have learned with other young people by teaching part-time in his alma mater and going full blast as a drum artist.

Our means are limited. We look to family, friends, and patrons who will help him run with his vision. My former ballet student & godfather of musicians, Paul Pajo, help set up his fan page and we are rallying 1000 true fans (friends) to give $10 USD each (about P500) to raise approximately P500,000 to cover the cost of tuition, plane fare & accommodations.

We brave this move, in humility, because we, too, have sown our own financial seeds in the area of education in the past. We applied for scholarship, but, Berklee grants this only to high school graduates. Michael is above the age limit.

If you wish to help, please click on the donate button below

Those in the Philippines may deposit at:
Bank: Banco De Oro
Account Name: Maria Lucia B. Gemina or Gerry Gemina
Account Number: 1470000871

Our family wishes to thank the following patrons: my mentor Mary, Eileen De Matta, Stephan & Mish Suarez, Jojo & Divi Malolos, Ayessa Balat, Joan Crisanto, Mona Gonzalez, Rean & Tes Tirol, Toops & Jan Manlapig, Fred & Ashley Magbanua, Lawrence Laureta, Miel & Mash Maguigad, Jun/Mina/Aaron Yap, Irma Bringas Aguado, Liza Aldaba, John & Chotto Go, & Botond and Binky Bognar, Alvin & Liezl Borromeo, Tanya Aritao, Cliff & Cres Logan, Caleb Galaraga, Ichet Lacsina, Miguel Calayan, Grace Marci, Michael & Pia Paderes and an anonymous donor.

We also wish to thank those who have done liaison work on our behalf between the US and Manila: Pastor Steve Murrell, Pastor Jun & Mabel Lee and Mrs. Binky Bognar. Special thanks to Paul Pajo, godfather of musicians who conceived of the Michael-for-Berklee campaign. Thank you all for lending us wings when ours can't seem to fly. We will always be grateful.

To honor God and advance His kingdom in the performing arts. Thank you. :-)

The Company of Acts Manila Dancers

2009-03-23T23:31:00.000-07:00

The Company of Acts Manila (TCOA) goes onstage for its conglomerate schools annual ballet performance at the Cultural Center of the Philippines (Little Theater) on May 30 & 31, 2009.

The show, "Noah's Ark" features animals two by two in pretty ballet costumes weaved by the creative choreographies of Jun Saagundo, Jan Manlapig, Pia Paderes, Beth Ciudad, Johanna Sotto, & Producer Chelo B. Gemina.

Participating schools: International Christian Academy, STI Academy, VCS Ballet, International British Academy, Palms Country Club, and Shekinah Ballet School.

Featured in photo are TCOA members (from left to right): Angel Pastores, Bea Perez, Angeli Patino, Christine Saavedra, Uriel Lastrilla and Jiselle Magbanua.

Enrollment for ballet is open all year round.

Filipino Drummer's Beat is Berklee

2009-03-23T10:28:00.000-07:00

20 year-old Filipino drummer, Michael Gemina, is elated with his acceptance to Berklee College of Music in Boston, MA for their 5-week summer workshop. Michael, who is graduating as a Music Production Major & Scholar at De La Salle College of Saint Benilde this term says it is his big dream.

"When I entered Benilde 3 years ago, I was determined to learn all I could to contribute my part in raising the standard of excellence & professionalism in the Philippine music industry. I am thankful for the excellent education I received from professors who were industry practitioners as well. If granted a U.S. visa & with God's provision for the course, I am even more determined to learn from the best of the best in order to take it back to our country and put the Philippines at the helm of the contemporary music scene. I want my life to count and inspire other young people my age to fulfill their destiny in God. As I go to Berklee, I want to be a blessing to that school, too. I am doing this not just for me but for others who will follow after me. I can't do it alone. Next to God and my family, I need my countrymen behind me, too."

Get to know Michael: www.michaelgemina.com

Life 101 Corner: Ballerina Princess

2009-01-17T01:45:00.000-08:00

She started dancing ballet in her primary years. Quiet girl with sleepy eyes. Consistent honor student. Never missed a class except during exams, and always, with permission. Ballet-wise, her technique was clean. Beautiful dancer, inside & out. Her admirers are countless. Children adore her.

The terror that I am as a ballet director, it was she who composed the text messages to say that she & her classmates would miss my class for this or that-related school requirement. They all knew that with her, I would acquiesce.

There was something about this girl: everything was proper, everything was in place. Her love for God most especially striking: she lived the Word and still does. I told her that her destiny was to sit with kings - the halls of high-level leadership. I was not surprised that out of hundreds who applied for the United World Colleges scholarships last year, she was awarded the post for New Mexico, USA. And when she finally flew off last September, her dorm turned out to be, prophetically, a literal castle!

In my last ballet recital, she played the role of ESTHER, the biblical queen who came to royal position for such a time as the Jews needed a voice to plead their lives to the King. Today, we have a young Esther training in the halls of UWC and we await the fulfillment of her destiny to be the voice for God's people in her future place of assignment. And, who knows, she might just marry into royal lineage?

Laura Angeline Pastores. Daughter of the King. Destined for greatness.

Happy New Year!

2009-01-01T08:17:00.000-08:00

I like New Year. First, it allows me to leave behind all the disappointments, failures, and hurts of the past year and face the new one with hope, excitement, and faith. Second, I like things that are new - new seasons, new goals, new plans.... They take on a deeper meaning because they are "new" in the sense that they come forth from the lessons of the past. And third, the festive air welcomes my soul into a vast avenue of endless possibilities.

Despite the bleakness that the newspapers and television offer day in & day out, I look forward to a great 2009. No matter how daunting it gets, I am challenged to rise to the occasion. I am just about ready for the bite.

Cheers.

English Corner: Spelling

2008-12-25T06:14:00.000-08:00

Almost everyone in the Philippines owns a cell phone - from the sophisticated executive to the street vendors. In this day and age, it is a necessity. Thankfully, the cell phone has made communications easier and conveying & receiving messages are literally at our fingertips. Why, even children 7-8 years old use cell phones.

The down side to this is the deterioration of spelling & grammar of everyone, especially the youth. Acronyms replace full spelling in an attempt to squeeze in letters in one "send". English teachers are up in arms, parents are worried, and students...do not care.

I have made a quiet resolution to use full spelling as much as I can afford the time. When sending text messages to students, I spell out the words. Non-negotiable.

Just like using the right utensil for eating, impeccable English proficiency is becoming rare among Filipino youth. Let's help do something about it.

Tumblers by Tes

2008-12-09T06:30:00.000-08:00

My friend, Tes Tirol, came up to me and told me about some ballet tumblers she designed & asked if I wanted to help sell them to ballet students. I've been extremely busy (when was I ever not???) and so I diplomatically said, "Ok, let's see it."

Her husband, Rean, brought the tumblers and, lo and behold, oh, they are the prettiest ballet tumblers I have ever seen, in pink & lavander hues.

And, what's more, they're only P300 each!!! Steal, really.

Ssssh! Tes has other products soon to be out in the market, too. I told husband & wife to hurry up because I was not quite done with Christmas shopping.

If you love ballet items, just email Tes: tes.tirol@gmail.com.

Love the tumblers, Tes! Can't wait for the rest of the items!

Philippine Ballet Theatre's ANDRES

2008-12-01T08:52:00.000-08:00

Philippine Ballet Theater presented "Andres", the story of one of our Philippine heroes, Andres Bonifacio set to dance. It was shown on the last weekend of November at the CCP Main Theater.

I enjoyed the show, seeing it from the eyes of a Filipino. Admittedly, the younger dancers were "young" in their acting, perhaps, not having experienced too many moments of angst enough to capture the pain of our countrymen of old. Nevertheless, the tableaux, not just the literal one, did its job.

I was proud to see my student, Charmaine Bianca Perez, now several performances more mature. Her technique, of course, was flawless, as is so Bianca.

I was disturbed that the audience was not as numerous as the show deserved. No matter what justification goes behind the scenes, the many empty chairs speak for themselves.

Congratulations Philippine Ballet Theater. May our countrymen love the Philippines and our culture because of your efforts.

Persona

2008-11-24T08:26:00.000-08:00

I often listen to different types of speakers - motivational speakers, preachers, teachers, et al. I listen not only to what they are saying but also to what they are not saying. I wondered once why the same statement said by one speaker uttered by another means differently, registers with more depth, hits home a little more by more than just a sliver.

For instance, I have a mentor who tells me to read my book pretty much in the same way the next professor does, tells me to lock up to have quiet moments to recoup & re-charge, and tells me to my face what is possibly wrong with me at the time, hitting bull's eye about the deed but never demeaning the doer. And it dawns on me that the difference is the life beneath the words.

If that mentor tells me to read a book, she has read two or three. If she tells me to lock up for quiet moments, she has basked in the stillness of quietude. If she tells me what is wrong, it is because she has been that way herself and overcome.

That is why some speakers hit home. They live the lives they preach.

Simplify

2008-11-21T09:07:00.000-08:00

My younger son, Nathan, is, thankfully, an orderly boy. It took him a long time answering his Kumon sheets on his diagnostic entrance because he wanted to make sure the numbers were well-written. He insists that his pencils are sharpened before we do home-school, and cleans his table squeaky clean before and after working. It is really an easy task to teach and manage him. Recently, he piped in, "Mom! We have to 5S our home!" I had just heard about 5S from my husband who, explained to me that it is a system that puts order in an environment so that everything is in place and that there is a place for everything.

I have begun, at my younger son's cue, to simplify my home and, one by one, remove clutter. Moreover, I resolved to simplify my life on a bigger scale, and weed out the inessentials, if one could call it that. Sometimes, I tend to think that everything is important. When I review my day before I turn the final lights off, I realize that 40% could have been trashed.

I haven't figured out what 5S means in detail. But, it has helped me dramatically. Perhaps now, I will have the time to stop and smell the flowers on the way to the ice cream store.

Who Am I?

2008-11-11T05:06:00.000-08:00

We are never without the urgent. Bills demand to be paid. Tick lists have a way of getting longer than one is quick to do. Appointments gatecrash into each other. And we are left in a frenzy, never having time to do the important, the relevant, the significant.

This is why it is necessary to come back to the basic questions: Who am I? Why do I exist? Why am I here? The answers determine what we should do, priorities we should keep, and those things we should weed out.

Nature fulfills its raison d'etre simply by being. They do not even possess half the faculties humans do. Shows us how we learn some of life's best lessons from things around us. Sans words.

God Hears

2008-11-10T07:00:00.000-08:00

When everything seems to cave in, when the noise level rises above decibels no human can tolerate, and when the tiredness numbs and we are devoid of words...God hears the sighs uttered from the heart. And you know what? Believe it or not, we hear His whispers, still and small.

Peace.

Agreement of Subject and Verb Simplified

2008-11-08T08:13:00.000-08:00

At the risk of sounding simplistic, perhaps this will help determine the basic agreement of subject and verb:

The "s" (to make the subject plural generally and to add to the predicate for a singular subject) appears only once.

For example:
The boy sitS. Not: The boy sit.
The boyS sit. Not: The boys sits.

In the first erroneous sentence, the "s" should be added to the verb.
In the second erroneous sentence, the "s" only appears to make the subject plural.

Hope this helps. Of course, there are other rules. But, we can begin with this one. Happy speaking or writing!

Dimensions of Depth by Alice Guillermo

2008-11-08T07:03:00.000-08:00

It was an intimate gathering of hearts & minds when they launched " Dimensions in Depth" the book on Bettina's late husband and multi-awarded artist, Onib Olmedo. Daughters Gisela Olmedo-Araneta & Franjo Olmedo-Arias were, naturally, there, too, with their families. That was this afternoon at Powerbooks, Greenbelt 4, Makati.

I was fashionably late. A few minutes, but, nonetheless late enough not to have caught the names of those who spoke to honor Onib, the man & artist. That each one spoke with sincerity was expected - Onib elicited no less and the stature of the speakers could have allowed them no less either. I was spellbound by the meandering manner in which they wove their words into poetic prose, if that term were permitted in literary lingo. I realized that, since my U.P. Literary Circle days, it has been a while since I've had the sublime pleasure of being surrounded by professional writers in one gathering. It was exhilarating for the writer in me.

I understood why Onib was such a great artist. He was a writer, poet, artist. And he was excellent in all respects. His paintings showed his depth. His poetry showed his humor. His prose revealed his heart in words.

I went home and looked at my Onib Olmedo painting, the only one that hangs in my living room. I whisper a prayer, "Thank you, God, for the life of Onib. Thank you for his gift of making us see through his paintings, the truth about our souls."

To God Be All Glory!

2008-11-02T16:10:00.000-08:00

The ABAP Cup competition is finished. Praise God for His grace & anointing upon us. We are humbled at the privilege of having been awarded on several notes for ICA, STI Academy & talents inC.

INTERNATIONAL CHRISTIAN ACADEMY of T.Chelo & T.Jun
2nd place - Junior A category (ages 6-9), Classical
1st place - Senior A category (ages 12-15), Classical
1st place - Senior A category (ages 12-15), Contemporary (same dancers)
Joy Coronel Award for the Most Promising Female Dancer in Senior A category - Jiselle Ann Magbanua
Best Choreography for Jun Saagundo's "Sa Ngalan ng Ama" tied with Ecole de Ballet Manille

STI ACADEMY of T.Jan & T.Jun
3rd place - Junior A category (ages 6-9), Classical
1st place - Junior B category (ages 9-12), Classical
1st place - Junior B category (ages 9-12), Contemporary (same dancers)

talents inC of T.Pia
2nd place - Junior B category (ages 9-12), Classical

Our real victory, however, lies in the lives I witnessed backstage as the dancers prayed, "Lord, win or lose, we will dance for you." Our heart was to praise Jesus through our dancing. We prayed for victory, but not at the expense of character. God works in the heart, where no one sees. Perhaps this round we may have gotten the physical awards; but, it makes me wonder who, in God's eyes may have won the real gold: those who, perhaps, did not win but sowed seeds of silent praise to God; those who, perhaps, did not win but sincerely rejoiced for those who did. It makes me remember that the ultimate yardstick is His, who holds the hearts of men.

We accept the victory humbly. We know full well that it is by His dispensation that we won. And we give Him back all praise and all glory, as we ought.

My Ballet Mentor

2008-10-28T06:38:00.000-07:00

She brings about an air of aristocracy wherever she goes. We, her students, naturally bow our dancer's curtsey whenever she comes into the room. Decades ago, when dancers were called to perform for a VIP occasion, she insisted that the ballet dancers eat with the guests, then appropriately & formally dressed, instead of in the kitchen where they were originally assigned. In class, whether out of a passion or perfunctory rigmarole, she exacted elegance even in the minutest hair accessory. Holes in tights certainly had no room. On a tour with the company, she singlehandedly billeted us all away from the halls of a hospital accommodation and brought us to the best resort the city could offer, at her expense. In class, steps had to be executed in the beautiful Russian method. We danced. We danced.

Most of all, she taught us that we dance and we keep dancing because we love it. Inday Gaston-Manosa. Pillar in Philippine ballet. Mentor. Artist.

ABAP Cup 2008

2008-10-26T00:35:00.000-07:00

The Association of Ballet Academies Philippines (ABAP) holds the first-ever national ballet group (ensemble) competition this October 31, 2008 at the Meralco Theater. 17 schools will participate in several age & dance categories. The Philippine ballet scene is alive & well.