I love spaghetti
I used to think the Filipino dance scene worked like a circuit: a route or movement that starts and finishes in the same place.
But after several years of navigating this landscape, I actually think it's more like spaghetti. A big bowl of spaghetti.
We know that there are several methods of consuming spaghetti. You can swirl and scoop with a fork, or shorten each bite using a knife. You can even organize the noodles on a spoon first.
Will you join a school and learn its syllabus? Will you come in as a freelancer with an unconventional practice? Do you have to perform on a stage before you can call yourself a professional dancer?
Entering this space where “timing is everything” could be daunting to the inexperienced. And the only way to do it is to dive right in, and with no hesitation. Or else risk the possibility of injury: a bruised ankle or bruised ego.
How do you like your spaghetti? Classical or contemporary? Excessive or minimalist? Meatballs or hotdog slices?
My mom let me join my first ballet class at the age of three. I trained for many hours and yet nothing hurt. Spaghetti was sweet and comforting.
As time passed, my relationship with spaghetti became more and more intense. New ingredients were added to the mix, such as modern dance and jazz. This made it interesting again, and I had spaghetti almost every day of the week.
And then it reached a point where I got sick of it entirely. It became stale, and so did I. What seemed minuscule at the time ended up drastically changing my life. A break from spaghetti was all I needed.
What if there was more budget allotted to the dance sector—the same sector that is a viable necessity to its country? What if cultural venues replaced commercial malls? What if a career in dance (on its own) could actually pay the bills and more?
Down the rabbit hole of graphic design and film I went. And the further I did, the clearer it became: I needed spaghetti. I finally wanted to have it again. COVID-19 didn’t stop me from reuniting with spaghetti. This time with my own recipe, which I now get to share aplenty through FIFTH WALL®.
So how does one stay inside the bowl?
I have observed the many challenges that my immediate dance circle has had to weave through, especially during this post-pandemic world we all live in. Routines and priorities have greatly shifted for artists and institutions alike. And while audiences have gained better access to the art form with the help of technology, creators are still struggling to produce and present their work due to financial constraints.
What if there was more budget allotted to the dance sector—the same sector that is a viable necessity to its country? What if cultural venues replaced commercial malls? What if a career in dance (on its own) could actually pay the bills and more?
Questions and answers that constantly hold space in my mind. In the meantime, I’ll just be here savoring every moment with my bowl of spaghetti.