My Kalimulan Experience : A Dream Come True

1990.  I was on my fourth year of high school.  I heard of the Kalimulan Dance Troupe.  As I like to dance (though I don't know if I really dance well,hehe), I thought of joining the group. Have thought about it over and over again.  And told myself, yes, I would definitely want to join the group.

But.

An announcement informed me that for anyone who wants to be a part of the Kalimulan Dance Troupe, one has to audition.  And with their own cultural dance number.

I froze.  

Audition? Dance Number? Oh NOOOOOOOO!!!

I don't have a dance number to use for the audition.  I don't even know how to make one.  :-(

I didn't know what to do then. 

I sigh.  And.  Just ignored the audition.  And moved on with life.

Or so I thought.

I studied in MSU-IIT for the next 4 1/2 years after high school.  And every time I see the Kalimulan group practice and perform (since 4th year high school), my heart ache, telling myself I could have been one of them if  I auditioned. 

Then I graduated college, worked at city hall. Somehow, forgotten about my Kalimulan dream.  Then 9 years ago, I married Pat,  a very close friend of Mr. Christian Aguado, the Director of Kalimulan Dance Troupe.  And every year, we get invited to attend the Kalimulan Anniversary celebration.  And we get to see it almost every year.

Which.  Brought me back to my dream that I thought I have already gotten over with.  Every time the Kalimulan performs, I imagined myself dancing with them.  My heart aches. Still.

But now.

After 23 years, from the day I set my mind on joining the Kalimulan. And. After 9 years of watching them perform, finally my wait is over. 

On the 25th Anniversary of Kalimulan, Pat (finally) asked Sir Christian if it would be possible for me to join the Kalimulan when they dance during the Pagpakanaog ni Sr. San Miguel.   Sir Christian said yes and told me to be on the practice day (every Sunday at 1:00pm-5:00pm) at the CASS Lobby of MSU-IIT.  That would be 4 Sundays before the Pagpakanaog, September 20, 2013.

I got excited.  Finally, a step to making my dream come true. :-D

Yet.  Something is not quite right.

Then it hit me!  Sundays are my class day for my cooking/ baking.  Ohhhhh nooooooo!!!!

Finally, my dream is now within reach.  Why does it have to have conflicts? huhuhu

Pat said I have to make a decision.

After a heart-to-heart talk with Pat,  we decided I take a leave of absence from my cooking class so I could join the Kalimulan practice.  But since I also don't want to totally miss the lessons in the cooking class, I asked my sister to attend in my behalf and video record the discussions.   I know then that the time for me has come to perform with Kalimulan when my Cooking Instructor gave me permission to be absent and allowed my sister to attend for me.   And my sister cancelled all her Sunday activities for me.   Weeeeeeeeeeehhhh! I was really all smiles from ear to ear.  :-D

Practice Day 1.  I was asked to just observe first the performers practice and probably choose a dance set that I would want to perform.  Pat went home to get a camera so I could video record all the dances.  

No practice for Day 2.  MSU-IIT Palakasan (Sports Fest).

So I have to content myself with the video.  I studied their moves and tried to memorize the sequence of the dance that I want to perform.

Practice Day 3.  Sir Christian was not around, but two Kalimulan members taught me the basics of the dance steps.   And they had me dance with a group to check.  For my first official practice, I did some mistakes.   BUT.  I was smiling from ear to ear when they told me I did ok.  One male member even commented that I could still be a Kalimulan dancer (Pwede pa ka mag Kalimulan mam.).  I was so happy I was wearing a big smile on my face as I walked out of campus.  And as much as I want to tell Pat, then and there, I can't .   I forgot my cellphone at home, hehehe...

Practice Day 4.  Last day of practice.  Officially, my second time yet to practice with the group.  And Sir Christian was there to watch the practice.  And I got so tensed.  I got conscious.  The result?  I made so many mistakes.  Grrrr....  Ulaw kaayo ko!!!  :-(

Tensed and pressured.  Even as I practice at home, I could not get the steps right. It came to a point where I thought of quitting. Of cancelling my performance.  But I know it would not be right.  It would definitely hurt Sir Christian if I don't show up on the day.

So, even if I lost confidence in me, I showed up.  And waited for our time to perform.

I can't describe the feeling I had when the first set of dancers started performing.  I really had goosebumps all over my body.  My heart felt so great.  And I can't help but smile to myself.

This is it.  Finally. :-D

Below are snapshots from my sister's video recording :

 

 

 

 

 

 

And, from a different angle, below are snapshots from Pat's video recording :

During the finale together with all of the performers :

 
Well, I did ok.  I had a few mistakes, yes.  But Pat said, for a first timer, I did better than some of the real dancers. Hmmm.... sipsip...hehehe...

 Photo with Pat before the performance.  All smiles. :-)

 

 Photo at our house, after the performance.  All smiles :-D

 I asked my sister to video record my performance. 

 

But, as the dance was about to finish, the camera's battery drained out.  So, the recording was not complete.  Good thing Pat also did a video recording.  Below is Pat's video on a different angle.

Thank you Lord for another dream come true.  Thank you Pat.  Thank you Sir Christian. :-D