I am a obsessive compulsive dancer (OCD). Yup!! You read that right, 'dancer' not the disorder. I just love to dance anywhere and everywhere.
I've always been interested in dance, from watching a exquisite statuesque of a ballerina to the raw staunchness of a crumper. Watching videos and live performances, I admit I got slightly jealous but it was accompanied with great admiration too.
Like I said, I've always had a certain interest in dance but I danced like I had to left feet. Just like anything you like, though you are bad at it, you try try again. For me I think the scariest part for me was stage fright. I still get it till this day and I am still working on how I can overcome it. I can certainly say that's my biggest weakness. I get stage fright from playing sports to public speaking. I'm usually very talkative and social but when all eyes and attention are on me, I freeze up and sweat profusely. Long story short, I was really bad at dancing.
I first started around November 2014. I joined Slimmers World Gym at Pasay Road, Makati to have a healthier lifestyle. One night while working out I noticed that a Urban HipHop class and I remember watching mesmerized on how cool it looked and how the instructor, Marvin Palustre moved, that night I told myself I would try it out the next day. I went back the next day, very fidgety, nervous and apprehensive. To say I was timid or shy was an understatement, I was terrified. I quickly went to the back left corner, trying to hide so hopefully no one would see me and judge my terrible dance moves. Just like expected, I danced with two left feet. Though I was terrible, I soon discovered that I actually really liked it and I just stick with it. Like the saying goes, "At first you don't succeed, try try again" and "practice makes perfect", well I stuck with it and I can say I am glad I did for I am honestly 200% better then I started. I learn quick.
From that day onward, I joined all the dance classes from zumba to quickstep and of course urban hiphop, all in the attempts to better hone my craft and generally improve from ground zero. And it did work, I have improved a lot over the past year.
Around February of 2015, there was a slight dispute at Slimmers World that caused the firing of my favorite choreographer, Marvin who taught Urban Hip-Hop. We (his loyal students) decided that we did not need the gym to still enjoy our dance, so we found a studio in Makati and started having regular classes every Saturday. From there, we met other crews and other dancers and made great friendships. With this, I was able to learn from and experience different genres of hip-hop with many amazing world class Filipino choreographers, all bettering my skill.
My favorite genre so far is sexy hip-hop with Marc Devon, who is a former G-Force dancer and choreographer. I could probably say that is my forte right now, but again I am just learning so maybe I will experience something new and like that better. I also really enjoy choreography styling by Adam Alonzo. Adam is a world choreographer who just recently came from a tour in Japan and India under the Urban Camp. His style is slow sharp movements, very technical and precise. Its difficult the for amateurs like myself but he is an amazing choreographer and breaks it down so that we can all catch it easily.
My first public performance was with dancers I met from the studio we danced at every Saturday. It was a annual "social media day" celebrated around the world and this year an organization, pinoyexchange.com, wanted to have a flash mob dance to initiate the event. A flash mob is basically when a group of people unexpectedly form in a public place and perform a piece to entertain, it draws in the crowd and creates buzz. We practiced for about a week and were prepared for the event. I was terrified because I had never performed in front of people before, and I was planning to invite my family to watch me, which was more nerve wrecking. The sun was blazing and I was sweating but we performed and it went off without a hitch. I was truly proud of myself.
I was just recently part of a documentary film, Traslacio, as seen in my previous post, as a dancer. It ws a great priviledge and I learned a lot. Read more on it here.
I am truly grateful I started dancing. Though it may have been a bit later then expected, I have learned a lot and have gained a new passion in my life. Cheers to more and more years of dance.
Like I said, I've always had a certain interest in dance but I danced like I had to left feet. Just like anything you like, though you are bad at it, you try try again. For me I think the scariest part for me was stage fright. I still get it till this day and I am still working on how I can overcome it. I can certainly say that's my biggest weakness. I get stage fright from playing sports to public speaking. I'm usually very talkative and social but when all eyes and attention are on me, I freeze up and sweat profusely. Long story short, I was really bad at dancing.
I first started around November 2014. I joined Slimmers World Gym at Pasay Road, Makati to have a healthier lifestyle. One night while working out I noticed that a Urban HipHop class and I remember watching mesmerized on how cool it looked and how the instructor, Marvin Palustre moved, that night I told myself I would try it out the next day. I went back the next day, very fidgety, nervous and apprehensive. To say I was timid or shy was an understatement, I was terrified. I quickly went to the back left corner, trying to hide so hopefully no one would see me and judge my terrible dance moves. Just like expected, I danced with two left feet. Though I was terrible, I soon discovered that I actually really liked it and I just stick with it. Like the saying goes, "At first you don't succeed, try try again" and "practice makes perfect", well I stuck with it and I can say I am glad I did for I am honestly 200% better then I started. I learn quick.
Around February of 2015, there was a slight dispute at Slimmers World that caused the firing of my favorite choreographer, Marvin who taught Urban Hip-Hop. We (his loyal students) decided that we did not need the gym to still enjoy our dance, so we found a studio in Makati and started having regular classes every Saturday. From there, we met other crews and other dancers and made great friendships. With this, I was able to learn from and experience different genres of hip-hop with many amazing world class Filipino choreographers, all bettering my skill.
My favorite genre so far is sexy hip-hop with Marc Devon, who is a former G-Force dancer and choreographer. I could probably say that is my forte right now, but again I am just learning so maybe I will experience something new and like that better. I also really enjoy choreography styling by Adam Alonzo. Adam is a world choreographer who just recently came from a tour in Japan and India under the Urban Camp. His style is slow sharp movements, very technical and precise. Its difficult the for amateurs like myself but he is an amazing choreographer and breaks it down so that we can all catch it easily.
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| Posing with Adam Alonzo |
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| Dance class with Marc Devon, former G-Force dancer and choreographer |
My first public performance was with dancers I met from the studio we danced at every Saturday. It was a annual "social media day" celebrated around the world and this year an organization, pinoyexchange.com, wanted to have a flash mob dance to initiate the event. A flash mob is basically when a group of people unexpectedly form in a public place and perform a piece to entertain, it draws in the crowd and creates buzz. We practiced for about a week and were prepared for the event. I was terrified because I had never performed in front of people before, and I was planning to invite my family to watch me, which was more nerve wrecking. The sun was blazing and I was sweating but we performed and it went off without a hitch. I was truly proud of myself.
I was just recently part of a documentary film, Traslacio, as seen in my previous post, as a dancer. It ws a great priviledge and I learned a lot. Read more on it here.
I am truly grateful I started dancing. Though it may have been a bit later then expected, I have learned a lot and have gained a new passion in my life. Cheers to more and more years of dance.
i never thought you dance ;D it fits you great
ReplyDeleteIt's good to see someone has a great passion on something. Although dance was never my thing but I do like dancing (as in watching haha). Also I envy that you had a great teacher for your dance because I never had great teacher for my greatest passion which is basketball. I hope you'll achieve both happiness and performance through dancing and keep up the good work Mason.
ReplyDeleteWell I strongly do agree that practice really makes perfection possible. DANCING for me is like a drug because once you try it, you can't stop it. I hope I could also have a regular schedule of dance sessions like you. :D Keep grooving and don't let your body stop moving Mason ;D
ReplyDeleteoh! I'm surprised you knew how to dance? :D its okay if you had two left foot at first, all dancers went through to that., as what you said practice will lead you to a perfect one., just dance as long as your body moving, I love dancing as well and I dance whenever my body feel like wanting to move.. haha :D
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