Blogs from Jupiter

I miss dancing with my Standard dance instructor, Gigi. She’s currently in the US for a series of shows, competitions and trainings; teaching couples and other dance instructors. She just turned pro a month ago, and she’s taking advantage of this new leash while her knowledge is still fresh. Good thing I started taking dance workshops to compensate her absence. I could have booked lessons with my Latin dance instructor, Jaja, but I am so into Standard right now; one dance at a time because Latin and Standard are two different disciplines.

I am attending the social dancing workshops of Edgar Borromeo, the country’s five-time undefeated amateur standard dancesports champion, at the Valle Verde Country Club. He’s one heck of a teacher! Very professional and disciplined; strict but you get to really understand the why’s and how’s of every move and step. Assisting Edgar is his wife Anna, who usually takes on with the lady participants. Edgar focuses more with the male students as the male dancer leads the female in a routine. Aside from knowing what the next step is, it is important for us men to know the hand and body signals to lead, move and position a female partner.

For this particular workshop, Edgar is teaching the basics; the right steps like when to heel, toe and flick; the right head, body and arm postures; and the right angles and lines of a particular dance. He’s teaching us the basics of both Latin and Standard; and even though I already know some of the basics in Latin, it pays to learn them again. I particularly enjoy Edgar’s Standard lessons because I am learning it from the No. 1 professional male standard dancer in the Philippines. But of course, my ever dearest Manang Gigi (he he he) is irreplaceable. Actually, there’s not much difference with the way Edgar and Gigi teach, both are impeccable, down to the minutest detail of a step and move. And they won’t really stop until you get it right. I now understand where Gi got the temperament; Edgar is also Gigi’s mentor.

My Latin instructor, Jaja (whom I also miss), on the other hand, has her own whims in teaching. She’s the most patient, persistent and persevering, so far. She wouldn’t let me sit. I would only have breaks when I need to replenish myself with water or go to the washroom either to pee or change clothes (I tell you, you sweat more in dancing than in weight training). She wouldn’t stop until my feet hurt! Of course, dancing non-stop has its advantages: you lose more weight, you get a lot of cardio to pump your heart, and more importantly, dancing really relieves stress. The only not so nice part is that you get to have ginger toes. But a dancer is not a dancer when his or her feet are not black and blue and the colors of the rainbow.

I am actually considering a part time career in ballroom as a dance instructor. You see, DIs earn quite a sum. But this would really take quite awhile because I still have a lot to learn. It might or might not happen. Nevertheless, the dancing continues.

Doctors always prescribe dancing as the exercise and physical regimen for old people. Our senior citizens, especially our grandmothers, are the ones you often see in the ballroom. In my case, not only I enjoy dancing but I also enjoy the company of old people. I have the patience and I’m well trained through the years to deal with the tantrums and sometimes obnoxious ways of old crabby people. I especially enjoy listening to them when they talk non-stop. You see, all they need is a little attention, and someone who could listen to them. And besides, dancing with older people is effortless!

So, if you want someone to take care of (or shall we say babysit?) your mothers and grandmothers on a Friday or Saturday night, feel free to drop me a line. I could also teach the lolas a little of hip hop! =)