Scenes from a Ballet

I detest children. This is why I have cats.

I loathe dancing. This is why I swim.

I believe in karma. Which should explain why one morning, I found myself with 35 children ages 9 to 14 on a three-and-a-half-hour flight to Singapore. I thought of burying myself in the book Hannibal (where the main character eats human brains, kids’ included) so they’d leave me alone.

But surprise-surprise, they were the best-behaved kids I have had the pleasure to meet. They were among the 51 students (ages 9 to 23) of the Halili-Cruz School of Dance (HCSD) who competed in the 3rd Asia Pacific Dance Competition in Singapore last July 21 and 22. The students were accompanied by 14 parents, artistic director Shirley Halili-Cruz, her staff of four and this writer.

In spite of the early morning rain, the students had assembled at the airport as early as 5:30 a.m., wearing the prescribed white T-shirt, black pants and jacket with the words "Halili-Cruz School of Dance." It took an hour-and-a-half to check everyone in, and tag the luggage. Two students had carried passports expiring in a month so Shirley had to sign forms promising they would return to the Philippines – with trophies.

I had expected the kids to get restless, run around the airport and play, but they stayed where they were supposed to, quietly, while Shirley and the travel people smoothened everything out. Such was the students’ behavior during the entire trip, except of course, when they came away with 51 awards and six trophies (they cheered and jumped) at the end of the two-day dance competition held at the Overseas Family School on Paterson Road, Singapore.

But I am getting ahead of my story.

The flight was uneventful. Loading and unloading of luggage from Changi Airport to the bus to the hotel took another hour-and-a-half, but not a piece was lost, and no one pulled a tantrum.

We were given an hour to settle in our rooms and freshen up before again being bussed to meet the Philippine Ambassador Jesus Yabes, 3 p.m. at his residence.

After some inspiring words from the ambassador, we were offered refreshments and then bussed once more, this time to the school auditorium which Shirley booked for 5 p.m. rehearsals and blocking.

The kids had a quick lunch (finally) at 4:30 p.m.

Their last meal had been at 10 a.m. on the plane. If this is what it’s like to be a ballet dancer, I’d sell life insurance anytime.

Play Ballet

The kids woke up late the following morning. They had breakfast, while some of the parents (and myself) went shopping, then everyone met up for lunch. The next full meal would be after the four-hour dance competition which would start at 6:30 p.m.

Rehearsals were from 1p.m. to 4 p.m. at the school auditorium. Then it was time for makeup, costume, and last minute instructions and pep talk from Shirley.

There they were at the assigned gym, applying makeup and fixing each other’s hair. Some sat face-to-face, holding mirrors, checking each other’s lipstick. There were two suitcases full of extras: extra sleeve, extra stocking, extra salakot, even a sewing kit with colorful ribbons and beads.

Standing amid a flurry of chatty girls in leotards, tutus and pointe shoes was Shirley, the picture of poise and calm. Even as tiny ballerinas tugged at her shirt, clamoring for her attention, the 41-year-old artistic director of the dance school which bears her name, never once raised her voice.

"Miss, I can’t find my fan!"

"Miss, my skirt is all wrinkled from the trip!"

"Teacher Shirley, look at me!"

Teacher was pure patience and praise for her pupils, locating the lost fan, fixing the wrinkled skirt (producing another one when she had to), and finding time to compliment a pose: "Nice, yes, that’s it."

Meanwhile, the auditorium was slowly filling up with Singaporean students (who arrived by the busloads) and their parents (who arrived on foot or in cars).

All throughout the longish event, Singaporean and Malaysian children ran around, making noise, distracting performers and adjudicator Nicole Roland. Their attention was called a few times.

One parent observed: "You’ll never see Shirley’s students doing that. They’re very disciplined."

Indeed, Shirley’s students sat quietly at their designated spot, watching the performances. If they wanted to practice their steps, they would go out to the balcony.

Was Shirley strict like the proverbial mother superior? I asked.

Another parent laughed and shook her head. "She knows how to work with kids."

I asked Shirley how she got the best from her students.

"I teach them to love dance," she said simply.

What did she tell them before each performance?

"I try to make them less nervous. When they’re kids – I tell them not to think about the competition. ‘Maglaro lang kayo on stage. Have fun.’ When they’re a bit older like Cookee or Cheska or Michelle, I talk about technique. ‘Yung arabesque mo, make it more than 90 degrees’ Or we introduce some last-minute changes to the routine," she said.

This was not the first time that Shirley had brought her students (and a large number at that) to compete or perform abroad. Last year, they had gone to New York, Australia, Hong Kong, Singapore and Malaysia.

This year, they’ve been to Australia, Malaysia, Singapore and in October, they’re off to China.

"Ballet is a performing art; they should get out of the classroom and perform," said Shirley. She didn’t believe dance should culminate in a once-a-year recital, period.

"I do it for the kids. After competing abroad, they change. They become confident, more focused and disciplined. They also learn to be independent, because they pack their own clothes, they’re responsible for their things, they handle their allowance," she said.

In return, Shirley basks in her students’ success and the compliments. "People come up to me and say, ‘Ang galing ng Pinoy.’ Nakakataba ng puso! Pinoys are known to be good in music, now they know we are also good in dance."

The Competition

Step by step, gesture by gesture, from the classical Swan Lake Waltz to the traditional folk song Leron Leron Sinta to the Filipino contemporary music of Grace Nono – craft, tradition and creativity came alive. The cumulative impact of the 51 young dancers was exhilarating.

What took everyone’s breath away were the solo performances of Caron Balahadia (who won several awards in the recently held Perth Theatrical Festival). She has a beautifully proportioned body with powerful legs and a graceful jump, and above all, a stage presence that can’t be taught. Her rendition of Grace Nono’s Bagtasan (restaged by Anna Kathrina Cruz) was both mercurial and enchanting.

Tugging at the limelight were memorable performances of soloists Katrina Cabildo who danced Babae by Unang Lahi and Michelle Mendoza, who waltzed to Pamaypay ng Maynila. Gladys Baybayan, did some pretty mean leaping as the Jester in The Nutcracker. She faltered at the climax, yet she continued to dance and finished with a flourish and a smile. Charmaine Yu did a stunning Spanish Dance. Unknown to the audience, she had sprained her left ankle. Still, she wanted to perform, swollen ankle and all. Shirley changed the routine, less weight on the left foot, and Charmaine gave an outstanding performance.

What impressed me and the audience was the delightful ensemble numbers by Shirley’s young corps of sprites. From the charming Chinese Dance (music from The Nutcracker) to Variaciones (music from three classical pieces, original choreography by Shirley Halili-Cruz) to Ricky Martin’s She Bangs, where the CD skipped, but the girls kept on dancing, without missing a beat.

It was obvious, the students had been coached impeccably and they performed in the most elemental sense: to bring joy. Credit goes to Shirley Halili-Cruz and the teachers, Anna Lissa Tuazon, Caron Balahadia and Grace Garalde whose wistful choreography of Tanging Yaman (performed by Balahadia), moved a few Singaporean to tears.

Nicole Roland the adjudicator for the competition, had only wonderful things to say about Shirley’s students: "They exhibited excellent technique, they were well-trained, and were relaxed and comfortable onstage. The choreography was admirable, the costumes and music were beautiful."

Barbara Hannan, organizer of Commonwealth Society of Teachers of Dancing (CSTD) Singapore and Malaysia said: "The students displayed a high level of technique and performance."

Betty Tilley, Asian regional director of CSTD summed it up: "The Filipinos have a high standard of dance. They showed great diversity, they were supportive of each other, and they entered the competition with a wonderful spirit."

As for me, I learned two things during the two-day competition: One, you don’t need to be anorexic to dance ballet.

Some of the students (most of them kids) still have baby fat, others are on the verge of womanhood. But they were so spirited, after a few minutes of performing onstage, I didn’t see "chubby" anymore, I saw ballerinas.

Two, applause for the Filipinos was inevitable.

When the curtains went up, only the Filipinos applauded Filipinos. Bodies in various stages of adolescence faced the predominantly Singaporean crowd, in first position, then in second. Deep and graceful plies led to winning attitudes and more as simple steps added up to gorgeous phrases until the magic that is ballet enthralled the audience.

This was more than a student performance. It was a vision of the future and the dancing was bright.