What keeps Halili-Cruz dancers on their toes

You can spot a winner mile away. A winner loves what she’s doing so much, she’s not content on being the best just once. She keeps on being the best many times over. That’s what keeps her on her toes, like a ballerina constantly doing the pirouette to the audience’s oohs and aahs.

Shirley Halili-Cruz, owner and director of the Halili-Cruz School of Ballet, is literally and figuratively always on her toes. She is forever coaxing young ladies to stand up straight, point their toes, arch their slim arms and sway gently to the beat of a classical song in her studio along Quezon Ave., Quezon City. And her efforts are paying off — handsomely.

Her group, which went to Singapore to represent the Philippines at the 10th Asian Pacific Dance Competition, went home with majority of the first prizes in different categories. They won several gold trophies (first prizes) in the Classical Ballet, Neo Classical, Demi Character Dance, Modern Jazz and National categories.

They also won four perpetual trophies for getting the highest grade in all major entries in the professional category.

And it’s not the first time they have done this. Bringing honor to the country in international tilts has become a pleasant habit for the group.

Philippine Ambassador to Singapore Belen Anota, seeing Shirley and company in action, tells them, “I encourage you to continue bringing pride and honor to our country. You are our young ambassadors.”

She notes, “The Halili-Cruz delegation represented the Philippines so well they earned the respect of the foreigners (who came from 10 other Asia-Pacific countries). The foreigners cheered, clapped and congratulated the Filipinos. Indeed world-class talents! They made us Filipinos proud!”

What’s their winning formula? What does the Philippine team have which its rivals don’t? In a country where ballet is regarded as a rich person’s turf, how has Shirley and company managed to make it a priority in student’s (and her parents’) to-do list?

Shirley has a ready answer.

“The difference lies in the emotion. Our dancers move with heart and soul. You see it in their faces,” she says.

The panel of international judges sees it offstage, too. They see it in how seriously Shirley’s dancers take, not just the performance, but the rehearsals as well. You see, in this competition, the battle is waged, not only on the Lee Foundation Theatre stage, but also in the rehearsal hall, where judges observe the candidates’ every move.

The judges saw Shirley tell her dancers, “Strive for excellence. Do your best!” They saw how the dancers obeyed their mentor, like a flock of birds going where their leader wants to take them to.

In the process, the dancers benefit not just the school, but themselves as well. How many times has a girl blossomed from an awkward dancer to a graceful swan because of this? How many shy girls have gained confidence to perform before huge crowds, thanks to this gentle prodding to be the best?

That, more than the trophies and medals, is the high Shirley gets from her job, year in and year out. Because she has trained the girls not to settle for mediocrity, Shirley has produced ballerinas who excel not only on stage, but in school as well.

“Ninety percent of my students land in the honors list of their respective classes,” reports Shirley.

Ballet lessons start 3:30 p.m., or shortly after classes in school are over. Academics always takes precedence over other things.

Sometimes, Shirley reports, the teachers understand. They sometimes excuse their students from classes to join a crucial ballet practice, especially for a big competition, which takes months to prepare.

Sometimes, special children join the classes of their more able counterparts. This way, they learn compassion for the deaf-mute, those with Down’s Syndrome, etc.

The training is not just about technique. Like winning, it’s also about attitude. Everything, after all, starts in the mind. The rest, like pieces of a jigsaw puzzle, will just fall into place.

Falling into place is how things are faring in Shirley’s ballet school. She reports that enrollment is at an all-time high. In fact, they have to turn down prospective enrollees.

Only those with the passion and the will for ballet are accepted. Not only that. The girls’ parents should prove they support their daughter’s passion enough to chauffeur and chaperone her come rehearsal and performance time.

Like all good things, it’s a sacrifice as well as a source of joy. The two, like hard work and excellence, can’t do without the other.

Shirley Halili-Cruz has known this all along. No wonder she keeps on producing winners who do not only make themselves proud, but their country as well.