DAY 16: FINALE

We just had a performance at the Millenium Stage of the Kennedy Center. It was awesome! The crowd was wonderful. The show was great, we had good reviews.

I had a lot of boo boos though. Mental-block, nervousness, mga kaaway ng dancer. Puro adlib tuloy ako. And during the interview, I said (of Allstars), “We are ACTUALLY going to defend our COUNTRY.” Bwahahaha! (Jhong: “May war ba?”) Kainis. And I spoke so fast that even I didn’t understad what I said. That’s why I’d always say, make me do anything, just don’t make me talk. Kahit Tagalog. LOL

Anyway, I’m kinda sad and glad that this is over. Glad that I’ll get to rest now (Ooops nope pala, coz I’ll be assisting Allstars in Vegas. Blep.) I think I am just sooo tired, physically. But yeah I’m sad coz we’ll all go home now. We, the participants, have grown attached to each other like brothers & sisters that I hate to think I’d say good-bye to them tomorrow. Even to the interpreters, especially my Vietnamese “nanay,” Le-Thu (she calls me “anuk“). But hey, dance is such a small community. We’re bound to meet each other someday, someplace.

Imma miss everyone. It was so amazing how 6 different people from 3 continents have bonded in such a short time. I guess it’s because we all have the same passion. Coming from 5 diverse cultures, hip hop was our common ground. I had such fond memories with them–the laughter, the way we communicated (we almost do sign language coz not everyone was good in English. I myself became better at my “carabao-English” LOL), our training & rehearsals… Hien, the very workaholic but efficient famous choreographer from Vietnam. It was always fun hanging out with him coz he is a lot like Reagan. Acting gay even though he’s married hahaha. And like Reagan, too, he was always the first one who’d disappear when we arrive in a city & I would just learn that he went shopping or sight-seeing… Sam, a rapper Palestine, who went to America knowing only “Yes” & “No.” Now, he can already strike up a conversation as long as it stops on “How are you?” Hehe! Among all of us, Sam was the most emotional about this trip. He says that this is like a dream that he doesn’t wake up to. I asked him once if there are a lot of dancers in his country & he said there weren’t many. The kids are too afraid to even walk on the streets because war is going on. He actually has a bullet mark on his right hand. My heart just goes out to him for sticking it out with his passion. Now I appreciate the scene back in the P.I. Mahirap pero at least ndi ka nakakaramdam ng takot… Scorben is a famous model who also dances in Lebanon. I would always tell him that he is like a baby in a huge man’s body coz he is soooo kulit! Hahaha!… Mauricio is a known choreographer & dancer in Argentina. I loved his solo piece (“Dancing” by Elisa) the most coz it was danced so passionately… Silvia is a dancer from Argentina, & she is, hands down, my most favorite female dancer now. Her moves are so intense & so powerful. She is the youngest among all of us (20 years old!), but she dances way beyond her age. I would always kid her, “Silvia is the best dancer in Argentina & the world,” & she would always laugh. She is like a little naive girl outside of the dance floor. But when she starts to move on stage, she transforms into a monster! And you know why I think, too, that she is the best? Coz she can wear tight-fitting outfit & do hip hop & I would see “street.” I can’t do that. I’d look ugly if I dance hip hop in tank-top & leggings.

* Us in front of the Watergate *

I will miss you all, my brothas & sistahs.

I just would like to thank the following:  Sir Tony Perez, Ms Jojie & Ms Martha of the US Embassy, Kennedy Center, the State Department, Jill Ross (you’re the best ate–older sister), Le-Thu, Connie & Samir. Lema for believing in me. Allstars for just allowing me to come here. Jhong & Tala for the inspiration. Hien, Silvia, Mauricio, Sam & Scorben for the friendship. And of course, BestFriend, salamat!

This program for me is not the culmination of my dance life, but the start of my never-ending search for knowledge & truth. I may have learned a lot but I still believe that I am a beginner. Coz learning doesn’t stop. But with whatever bullets I have got, I will try to use it to keep this movement alive.

Peace. Love. Unity.

Word.