Annie's dance: Annie Divinagracia Sartorio talks about her passion for dancing, her school and family
With discipline, all other values like dedication and hard work follow and success will always be not far behind
Annie Divinagracia Sartorio is a famous personality in the field of dance. She is the directress of the Annie Divinagracia Sartorio School of Performing Arts, which teaches classical ballet. She is married to Joren Fuerte Sartorio. Their family owns AAJ Glassworks, Inc. that is involved in the fabrication and installation of glass and aluminum in the construction business. Joren works with the city government in the Office of the City Vice Mayor as the Executive Assistant of the Hon. Jed Mabilog, who is his best friend. Annie and Joren are blessed with three kids, namely Chardene,21; Joanne Therese, 13; and Anjo Niño, 10.
Know more about the woman behind this school in this interview.
Kathy M. Villalon (Kathy): Please narrate how your love for ballet started, memorable performances and why, your mentors and the challenges you went through in putting up your own ballet school.
Annie: My passion for dancing began when I was 9 years old. I was practically forced by my mother to attend jazz and Hawaiian lessons under Ting Garcia because I would rather play with my 6 brothers then, fearing that I might turn out to be a tomboy. I continued my jazz lessons with Joe Delina when I turned 10 years old and started to study ballet under Debbie Mondejar at age 11. I started dancing seriously after my first recital when Rene Dimacali took me to train with him when I was 12 years old while taking special classes under the tutelage of Mry Mae Asencio. I was in high school when I attended a workshop for a month with the Philippine Bayanihan Dance Company where I received the highest score when I performed the lead role in a performance that served as the audition.
Kathy: Were you able to join the Philippine Bayanihan Dance Company?
Annie: No because my parents did not allow me to study and stay in Manila. But, after four years of hiatus, I was invited back by Mr. Dimacali to perform with his school in a performance with Ballet Philippines during one of their tours in Iloilo City in 1986. This inspired me to wear my pointe shoes again. I auditioned with Ballet Philippines and became a company scholar in April, 1987. The rest, as they say, is history. A memorable and fulfilling one.
Kathy: What's your most memorable performance?
Annie: I consider all of my performances were memorable since I put my body and soul into every performance. The more memorable ones were during the 1989 Hongkong International Dance Festival were I performed in the neo-ethnic dance "Igorot" of Agnes Locsin and Edna Vida's "Vision of Fire" with Ballet Philippines to a standing ovation and chants of encore. The 1990 performance in the France International Dance Festival was memorable, too, where as representatives of the Philippines, we held our own against European dance companies who used to look down on Filipinos. They were all praises and we earned their respect. I also consider my lead role as the "Babaylan" in Agnes Locsin's "Encantada" as one of the most memorable. It was a very demanding and exhausting dance that elicited acclaim from the audience where I drew strength and inspiration.
Kathy: Who were your mentors?
Annie: Among my mentors, other than those I already mentioned, who honed me during my stint with Ballet Philippines are Agnes Locsin, Noordin Jumalon, Denisa Reyes, Nonoy Froilan, Mikhail Kukarev (Russian), Norman Walker (US), Luminita Dimitrescu (German), William Morgan (British), Rossanna Seravalli (US), Lane Gifford (US), and Claude Brumachon (French).
Kathy: In what way does ballet give you fulfillment?
Annie: I always get satisfaction from the smiles of an appreciative audience after every performance because I know that I have shared my God-given talent with others and have made them happy. As a matter of fact, I hold a show every December together with the Kawilihan U.S.A., where I am the Artisitc Director, for the less fortunate children of Iloilo City to allow them the opportunity to witness performances that are normally watched by the more affluent.
I also am happy to see my students metamorphose into accomplished performers who are able to compete with the best in the Philippines. In fact, some of them have joined renowned dance companies here and abroad.
Moreover, ballet has given me the opportunity to express my creativity through my choreographies such as "The Construction Worker" that won the gold medal in the III International Junior Delphic Games and at the same time rewarded me with the Lyra Award for Excellence in Choreography in the same competition.
Kathy: What's your favorite dance genre and why?
Annie: I have always been partial to classical ballet because this is the foundation for all dance forms. It develops the musicality, coordination of the body movements and enhances the correct posture of the body while at the same time builds body form that is lean and strong. I also like contemporary dance because it affords me more room for creativity to express my concepts and explore a wider range of music. Lately, I have been doing neo-classical ballet that appeals to a wider age group and can interest even the younger set.
The Sartorio family
Kathy: What major dance shows have you made in the last two years?
Annie: My dance school had its latest recital in May 2007 which I hold only every two years because I want the students to develop the proper form and technique before plunging them into performances that will eventually show their lack of readiness. Other shows that we staged in the last two years include an informal showcase to culminate the 2008 Summer Dance Workshop of the school, a dance concert during the Jamindan town fiesta, a Christmas presentation in Pototan and a show for the National Anesthesiologist Convention among others.
Kathy: What's your dream performance?
Annie: I would like to stage a full length show on the colorful history of Panay someday!
Kathy: What's your schedule of classes and how many students can you handle in one session?
Annie: I allow a maximum of 20 students per class. This is to allow me to efficiently manage the class, personally attend to the students and for effective absorption of the lessons by the students.
Kathy: What dances do you teach at your center?
Annie: Among the courses offered at the Annie Divinagracia Satorio School Perorming Arts are classical ballet, contemporary/modern dance, tap dance, belly dance and street jazz/hip hop. Additionally, classes in tae kwon do is also offered for those interested in martial arts.
Kathy: Describe your system of teaching dance.
Annie: At the Annie Divinagracia Sartorio School of Performing Arts, we teach classical ballet where I employ the Classical Ballet Training and Assessment Program of the Australian Conservatoire of Ballet and the Philippine Ballet Syllabus. I also inject techniques that I acquired from my stint with Ballet Philippines and the Cultural Center of the Philippines Dance School where I also served as a faculty. Lessons are conducted on a personalized basis with student-teachers monitoring the progress of the students in the class. We also constantly improve our methods and techniques by doing research and attending seminars and workshops to keep abreast with new developments.
Kathy: What are the important lessons you could give your students as regards dancing and how do you think can they apply these in their life?
Annie: I always emphasize the value of discipline to all my students whether they are in my class or in any activity they are in. With discipline, all other values like dedication and hard work follow and success will always be not far behind. Of course, I always tell them to pray and thank God for His blessings.
Kathy: Describe Annie Divinagracia Sartorio and what's the best dance step that is attuned to your personality?
Annie: They say that I am a disciplinarian and strict to which I totally agree because I only want the best and nothing must be half-baked lest we only deceive ourselves. I believe that the people who come to watch a show only deserve the best. Perhaps character dances that display a "suplada" personality like the Spanish dance?
Kathy: What are you like as a wife? As a mother?
Annie: When I am at home, I transform from a ballerina-teacher into a wife and mother who looks after the welfare of her husband and children. I see to it that I make up for the long hours that I spend during rehearsals by spending quality time with them like helping out in my children's homeworks, attending to their food and school needs, and making sure that there is a smile on my husband's face before he sleeps.
Kathy: I noticed that you're gifted with good skin. What's your beauty and skin regimen?
Annie: I see to it that my face is always clean and I make sure that I apply moisturizers regularly in the morning and before bedtime. I also use sunblock lotion before I go out for protection against sunlight that can cause unnecessary sunburn and damage the skin.
Kathy: Do you have other hobbies apart from dancing?
Annie: Our family loves the outdoors and traveling. When time allows, our free time is spent going to beaches (Boracay every summer) and resorts that allows us to bond and unwind from the daily stress of work. Long vacations are reserved for traveling to places that interest us.
Most of our weekends are saved for our family day and are usually spent in the malls and dining in our favorite restaurants. Otherwise, we spend our free time at home watching shows and movies on TV and catching up on the latest news.