From the boardroom to the ballroom

Anna Marie Periquet, chairman of the Young Entrepreneurs Group of Asia-Pacific (YEG-AP) and the chairman of the Philippines Council of Women Entrepreneurs for Asia-Pacific has been keeping a secret for over a year now. Today, it is no longer a secret.

Not known to many, this multi-faceted business, government and civic leader takes time off from her busy schedule by indulging in her number one passion — dance.

Anna is a DanceSport champion in the Latin American dance discipline. Together with one of the Philippine’s top Latin competitors, dance partner Larry Iguidez, Jr., they have been consistently receiving accolades from various local and international competitions in the past year.

True to her advocacy on entrepreneurship, Anna turned her passion for dance by establishing her latest business venture, Kessel Dance and Fitness Manila last September 22, 2008 at the 5th Level, The Learning Center, Walter Mart Makati. The opening was marked by a grand gala show featuring world-class dance and fitness performers, Philippine and World dancesport champions and the Kessel Dance academe.

“Kessel Dance and Fitness Manila will not only develop dancers but will highlight the importance of dance to one’s health and wellness,” Anna narrates.

“We make classes available to suit all levels, all ages. We will also be regularly hosting master classes and workshops in various dance disciplines with guest foreign dance masters, coaches and international champions. The accurate instruction of our classes is our major priority. Thus, our roster of teachers is skillfully trained, competent, and accredited with their respective dance, fitness and sports national and international organizations,” Anna adds.

After extensive dancesport trainings and practices in the morning, Anna runs off to her office and transforms herself into the business suit clad entrepreneur the private sector has come to know.

Anna was appointed by former President Fidel V. Ramos as Youth Sector Representative in the 10th Congress of the House of Representatives. She is the author of Republic Act 8525, or the “Adopt-a-School Act of 1998” which seeks to provide for access to quality education.

Pirouetting from the boardroom to the ballroom, Anna takes a bow.