CEBU, Philippines - Agnes is a Greek word meaning lamb, holy and pure. I learned to appreciate the spiritual dimension of ballet with Agnes.
Cultural performances are a way of life here in Naga City, Camarines Sur. There was a time here when there were performances every week – there is a musical concert, dance concert and ballet performances. I attend all these and mostly it is because the tickets come at P30 or P100 at the maximum.
I was particularly captivated with the artistry and discipline in ballet. This was how I met Dr. Agnes Saberon. She is a dentist but mostly she is a ballet dancer and teacher and this was how I started to frequent the Agneiszka Ballet Arts Center.
Agnes was obliging as she encouraged me to join the workouts. You might say I felt like a lamb for the slaughter when I first went through the regimen. But then you must come holy and pure, meaning you have to leave all your inhibitions, reservations and adult worries behind to learn the artistry of ballet like lamb or a toddler learning to walk.
Agneiszka Ballet Arts Center is the first ballet school in Naga City having been established in 1962 or about 48 years. Although it was originally called Cinderella, it was later changed to Agneiszka because it is the Polish name for Agnes.
You might say that pioneering a ballet school in Naga City needs the heart of a lamb. You can’t put too much expectation to it, and you need to take in the hard work and show sincerity for people to believe in the dance and a community to espouse ballet. As I had a moment of chat with her, Agnes shares her thoughts on ballet. Excerpts:
RUTH: What of ballet do you want to tell people?
AGNES: Ballet is about the artistry of the heart, the expression of the spirit in dance. It is about emotion and a longing to translate music in dance.
RUTH: Would you say that learning ballet is expensive?
AGNES: When you want to excel in a craft or art, when you want to bring the best of your artistry, nothing is expensive. Yes in ballet you spend for being enrolled to the discipline just like you would be enrolled as a nurse, a doctor, a lawyer or any other profession. In ballet you will be spending for costumes, accessories and recital fees.
RUTH: Why would you say ballet is coordinated with exercise?
AGNES: Because ballet is the mother of all dances, it is in the basic movement of ballet that you do all the stretches, flexibility and controlled movements. Once you have controlled movements it is here where your muscles are strengthened and firmed. The exercises in ballet create a system that aligns movement in your body automatically. It is very healthy for children and teenagers because these are ages when their body develops and it is in ballet that they lengthen their legs and torsos. That is why I am very particular with movement. Children who are bow-legged or have sickle toes can be corrected with ballet.
Ballet is a good exercise for busy moms or dads who just want to do some stretch and relaxation without having to go through heavy strain or hardcore workout in a gym. In ballet you just feel your body and dance with gusto. You dance with gusto because you have a feel what you are doing.
RUTH: How did you start your school?
AGNES: We were the first ballet school in Naga. We started in 1962. We hired teachers from Manila. I started ballet at the age of 2 because of my aunt. My mother used to say that they would find me sleeping under the ballet bar. My aunt is a soprano and a pianist. It used to be that ballet is so tiring with a session in the morning and another in the afternoon but now we have adopted a syllabus.
I continued with ballet even through my college years when I took up dentistry but stopped when I took the board exam. After the board exam I went back to teaching ballet.
RUTH: What is the future of ballet in Naga City?
AGNES: Ballet is also about exploration. Through the years I have seen how my students explore the movement of their bodies in the execution of a dance. Every year we have three performances, we have a summer recital, a foundation concert and a Christmas ballet concert. There is always the audience for us and in many ways the applause is uplifting. That we are now almost half a century as a ballet school gives us optimism that we have a century ahead of us. Exploration and artistry bears no time.