I still remember when I was 8 years old, after school. I would rush to my parent's room, open the AC then turn on the tv and switch it to a certain channel. It wasn't cartoon network or some local cartoon station-- it was a hip-hop dance class program. Well, I really did not know it was hip-hop but I recall, I was dancing to ICE, ICE Baby led by a choreographer who wore an orange baggy jeans paired with a checkered vest. I remember vividly, I would follow the steps exactly as how I see it. Dancing for me wasn't really a skill for me at that time. The fact that I was 8 and I was chubby, I guess dancing doesn't suit me that time but I know it was something I look foward to doing at the end of the day. Anyway, I believe that's what led me to become what I am now-- a dancer.

Singing and Swimming were my priorities when I got to high school. Both of them were my first love.

Dancing to me at that time was just something I could do when I go clubbing. I know for myself that I know how to follow the beat when I dance. I had that in me.

Aside from that, I just dance at home. Watch a couple of MTV's try to follow the steps but put my style to it.  I make my own moves. I wasn't even a part of the dance club, I was on the swim team. 

My dancing skills got better when I joined a class of a known dance studio here in the Philippines--Powerdance. I learned jazz and hip-hop and the value of discipline. Though hip-hop wasn't the studio's forte but still that made me enhance my skills more. Eventually, my classmates let me choreograph their dance. To my shock, it turned out well. Thereon, I was declared as a dancer. I knew my steps weren't the usual steps a high school student would do.

I felt I was unique at some point because again, Im an early bloomer. I was exposed to the life outside of our caged catholic school.
 

Clubbing for me at my age is a lifestyle. When I was 14, I met a couple of my friend's sister at the club. Luckily, they are breakdancers. Not just ordinary ones, the best ones. I met the Pioneer of Breakdance and Hip-hop in the Philippines, Jmasta. He taught me to dance, streetdance. He elevated my skills and taught me breakdance at  Airdance. Met the coolest and simplest people on earth. I loved breakdance more than anything else. However, there was one point when I gave up on it. I had an injury. I broke my big toe on my right foot as I was catching a fall from a handstand. I try to come back after Ive recovered, but my body won't push itself further.

I figured it's not a reason for me to stop.

I realized at least I have breakdance as a foundation for me. I need to move forward. I chose streetdance. Come 15, I decided to leave swimming for dancing. I joined the dance club. Moreso, tried to join the dance team. Unfortunately, I didn't make it to the cut. That time, I felt my world was about to collapse. The only thing I want, I didn't get. I knew it was unfair because some of the girls chosen were incompetent. To the point that, some people dispised the dance coach. I cried. But I just told myself, that Im gonna show them what they're missing out on. I graduated still as a dancer even more a still as swimmer and singer.

College, I said im gonna get it this time.

Unfortunately, the college I got into doesn't have a streetdance club. Only a cheerdance team and folk dance. Though the cheerdance team does hip-hop from time to time. So I decided to go and be a part of the cheerdance. It wasn't my genre at all. But I had to stay, expecting that hip-hop would one day show up and I'd get to dance it again. After a couple of months, I left the team. I can't take too much of it. Im not the cheerleader type. Plus, the practice is killing me and I don't feel good vibes on the people im working with. In addition,  I go home like 11:30 pm. It was stress for me.

Learning that I can't have my game on my school. I decided to go back to my roots. Instead, I danced in front of my mirror again. Created steps again. To just let my body flow back to it's true rhythm--hip-hop. My moves got sharp due to the influences of the cheerdance. It was good but it wasn't right-- it looked like I was forcing it. Like I was dancing for a cheering squad not for the sake of streetdance. 
 
I went back to my Airdance family. Went back to Underground hip-hop dance.

We danced together, we laughed and cried together. It was something more than dancing. It's family. I enjoyed dancing above all else when im with them. Everyone's real. No one desired to have fame just recognizition. We ruled the clubs not to boast but because it's what our bodies have been looking forward to do. We did it with smiles on our faces. The ultimate price for us is appreciation for what each could do and for what the Lord could do. We danced from within.

It's an amazing feeling, when Im dancing.

It's like when Im caught with the beat, my feet and my heart seems to dance to it too. Like it's for me it's a moment where im at my happiest... no worries.... no problems. I let go and im at peace. It's like when people appreciate what I do, I don't think of myself anymore I think about God and how amazing is this gift that he gave me.

Thank God for the rhythm,
Thank God for movement,
Thank God for giving me the heart of a freestyler.

"I'll dance with you whenever and wherever you want to. No 1's, 2's and 3's. For it's my heart that dictates my steps and my body that follows beat. So, don't ask my why my steps don't repeat. Dear, It's my soul's choreography."
-twinkletoedwoman