Walter Betito: Grace on crutches

CEBU, Philippines - Winning is never a purely physical matter. In fact, most winners attribute their great achievements to passion and perseverance. Many a time physical disability does not get in the way of attaining victory.

This idea is exemplified by Walter Betito, undoubtedly one of the best choreographers in Cebu. Despite being a person-with-disability or PWD, he has consistently been gaining praises in his works with various Sinulog contingents year after year.

Betito is currently the MAPEH (Music, Arts, Physical Education and Health) cultural coordinator of Abellana National School (ANS). On the sides, he has helped the Sinanduloy Dance Troupe of Tangub City and Abellana National School to separate victories in the Sinulog street dancing competition in the years past. Just recently, he helped the Municipality of Asturias garner its very first victory in the Sinulog sa Lalawigan.

He also won in the Milo Cheerdance Finals in 2004 and in the Alay Lakad Dance Meet cheerdance competition in 2005. His contribution in some of the cultural performances during the ASEAN Summit in Mandaue City in 2007 was also significant.

But during the height of his involvement in various types of group dance, Betito was diagnosed of osteomyelitis in 2002. The disease eventually cost him his right leg, from the thigh down. It was like iced water poured over his burning passion in dance choreography. 

Betito wouldn’t stop, even as the loss of one leg made it almost impossible for him to continue in his beloved art. “[It caused me] great hindrance to move and execute the figures [I had in my head],” Betito related. Then he realized he could get assistants to help him out, dance instructors and dance masters to execute the dance moves he thought up.

He is a lifetime member of the Philippine Folk Dance Society (PFDS-Manila). He also manages PFDS-Cebu and is a member of the board of directors of both the Cebu Colleges and Universities Choreographers Association and the Choreographers Guild of Central Visayas.

In his youth, Betito was an athletic scholar of the then Cebu Central Colleges, now University of Cebu. Then he learned Muslim dance routines, and left athletics. He enlisted in the school dance troupe, quickly rising to being the right hand of the group’s choreographer, Mr. Ceasar Nimor, who is his biggest inspiration in dance.

He made his own studies and explorations into different dance genres, which is important, he says, “so that you can create and choreograph your own.” But he cautioned, “Along the way, there are trials to face, discouragements to surmount.” One had to survive those, he said, in order to be in the line with recognized choreographers.

The ANS Dance Troupe has since become Betito’s constant involvement, aside from teaching. “I mold young individuals especially Grade 7 students to become good dancers or perhaps good choreographers,” he says. This is his way of motivating young people to show their love for the talents God has given them – by developing it.

Discipline is key. And it goes both for the choreographer and his dancers. “You should come on time so that everyone will follow [your example],” Betito emphasizes. It’s leadership by example.

There’s no doubt that Walter Betito’s dance of life has been made very difficult by his amputation. But for as long as there’s music playing in his mind, he swears to continue his dance. And, boy, how gracefully he dances – even on crutches! (FREEMAN)