I was first exposed to Philippine folk dancing back in my
high school years. At that time, I wasn't aware of how big the Philippine folk
dance community was. I also didn't realize the vast amount of dances that
existed and how meaningful each of these dances are. It wasn't until I started
to actively attend PCN's (Philippine Cultural Night) under the instruction of
Barangay and Kababayan Dance Troupe, that I really started to gain truthful
insight about Philippine folk dance. Ever since, I have been an active member
with goals of becoming a better dancer and to further expand my knowledge about
my culture and the Philippine folk dance community.
On a personal note, I have been
dancing for almost half of my life. Dancing has kept me going for many years
and has played a huge part in developing my identity. I enjoy learning
different types of dances to add to my dancing repertoire. Primarily, I dance
modern and hip-hop as well as old-school and funk style dances. Transitioning
from those styles to Philippine folk dance has been a huge challenge for me,
but regardless; I enjoy every challenge that is given to me because it tests me
as a person and as a dancer.
