Dancing Sun
Michael Divinagracia and Biging
Sta Maria.
Like the brightest star, The Annie Divinagracia-Sartorio School of Perfoming Arts (located at Sen. Benigno Aquino Avenue, across Smallville) shone its most dazzling when the dancing school presented their latest recital with BORN TO DANCE at the Colegio de San Jose Auditorium. The presentation was a revue of the different dances that the school offers like Classical Ballet, Belly Dance, Modern and Street Jazz, Tap Dance and lately the Taekwondo sport.
Little girls in their colorful tutus and costumes presented different dances from the Nutcracker Suite namely Waltz of the Flowers, Candy Cane, Red Flute, Russian Dance which brought a lot of smiles to their parents and relatives. Ending the first part of the recital was an ethereal number by the pretty and most promising Ma. Patricia Lim accompanied by Crimson Guirjem in Nutcracker pas de deux. The other young recitalists showed off their terpsichorean prowess by presenting some Filipiniana, Tap, Modern and Street Jazz numbers. A clear sign of new budding talents soon to bloom thanks to the tutelage of Artistic Director , Annie Divinagracia -Sartorio and competent choreographers like Earl Morales for Tap Dance, Abraham Pajemolin for Street Jazz and Joe Delina who is a pioneer in the field of jazz dancing..
Ma. Patricia Diaz Lim.
Highlights of the glittering danseuses were the special talents from Manila, like Lucky John Vicentino, company member of Ballet Philippines, Michael Divinagacia of Ballet Manila Company and dance scholar Gilda Mae Villanueva who graced and performed during the recital. One of the most beautiful to mention was the performance of Joce Mea “Biging” Sta. Maria, a protege of Maestra Annie Divinagracia - Sartorio and a double major graduate of the University of the Philippines in the Visayas who took extensive classes in modern dance and ballet in New York City and have been on workshop with renowned teachers like David Howard, Jack Hertzog and Noordin Jumalon. . She trip the light fantastic with her rendition from an excerpt of “Don Quixote” grandly and with a swan like agility together with equally powerful dancer Michael Divinagracia which awed all most everyone in the audience. A fine lady artist indeed to watch for in the world of classical ballet.
Also worth mentioning was the belly dance numbers by all ages. There was the Belly Kids which brought out the cuteness of every little girl; the mysterious Bombay Belly; the intriguing Jazz Belly; and the sultry Spanish Belly which had the two daring Rosales sisters Pangging and Pane together with Candy Susas, Maricar Tortola, Joan Bolivar, Diane Frances, Monina Escotin, Ma. Socorro Locsin, Kathleen Manzano and Margarita Guiritan performed with the show master and belly instructor himself , the admirable Joe Delina. It was a shining moment for the group.
At the end of the show it was the outstanding performances by all the students of the Annie Divingracia -Sartorio School of Performing Arts that sent forth a warm glow to the faces of everyone in the audience. It was just like witnessing the spectacle of the dancing sun, Bravo and Cheers!