Gianne's Art of Teaching
Manang Gianne.
The venue was the Agape Hall, a small and cozy structure within the compound of the Carmelite Monastery in Manadalagan, Bacolod City. Here, Ma. Gilleanna Janella "Gianne" Sanchez proudly paraded about 150 students last November 22, 2008, in what would be their mid-year show, an opportune time for them to be evaluated aside from showing their dancing prowess. The show was simple, without fancy costumes and expensive backdrops, because the evening's attention was focused on the dancers and their talent. The students ranged from 4 -18 years old, displaying everything that Gianne had taught them from classical ballet, modern ballet, and jazz. With the help of her sister Georgette, and their mother's full support, the students tiptoed, twirled, and gyrated much to the delight of the audience. A surprise came in the form of a dance number from the group headed by her mother, Janette Garcia Sanchez, and some members of her "Platinum Class": Annette Garbanzos, Dr. Letty Barandino, Amy Lizares, Luci Lizares, Jo Villanueva, Dionne Arroyo, and Cristina Jalandoni. Who says only the young can dance to a beat??
Being a daughter of a prima ballerina, it was but natural for Gianne to follow in the footsteps of her mother, and her older sister, Georgette. Where Georgette has opted to dance with companies like the Ballet Philippines and the ABC Dance Company in Austria, Gianne has chosen a dancing career mentoring children in her mother's ballet school, the Garcia Sanchez Dance Company.
The entire dance company.
Her love for dance started at the age of two, when she started learning the basics of classical ballet and jazz within the four walls of her mother's ballet school. From here, she moved on to become a dance scholar of the Cultural Center of the Philippines while taking up Behavioral Sciences at the De La Salle University in Manila.
Her knowledge of dance grew to include modern ballet and street jazz. Being with the CCP meant being a part of various dance recitals such as Coppelia, the Nutcracker, Sleeping Beauty, and Snow White. To fulfill her curriculum, she was asked to be a teaching assistant for ballet workshops. It was through this that she realized what her dream role would be. As soon as she graduated from college, Gianne decided to return to Bacolod, and assist in her mother's ballet school. Thirty-six years since Janette started the school, Gianne is now the company's Principal.
Jazz dancers giving their best.
Like a chameleon adapting to its surroundings, Gianne assumes various roles as mentor, where she becomes a patient and caring teacher to her baby ballet class, or a strict instructor demanding nothing but the best in her junior and senior classes. But underneath all the roles, Gianne is everyone's "big sister", which is why she will forever be their "Manang Gianne", even if their muscles ache and their toes are blistered. Aside from learning the art of dance, she has turned teaching the dance into an art, all of which are expressed in her various musical productions. Hers is a dance company where students not only learn classical ballet, jazz, and contemporary dance, but they also become one big happy (dancing!) family.
Post production celebration….on stage!.