For adults only: Raising the barre

It’s never too late to dance to your heart’s content, as these ladies do. Mostly young professionals, some mid-lifers and a couple of senior citizens, they meet up every Wednesday for ballet dance classes at The Palms Country Club in Alabang and are pirouetting for their first dance recital this Sunday! They are trading their corporate suits, lab gowns and pumps for leotards, tutus and toe shoes.

These dancers are kept on their toes by ballet instructor named Venus Basas or “Teacher V,” who introduced an Absolute Beginner Ballet Class for Adults at a Sucat, Paranaque studio, which paused during the pandemic. Tcxhey relaunched the class in 2023 at their new studio in Palms Country Club Alabang. The class now boasts 30 members, including a molecular bacteriologist and a civil engineer!

Aiza with her daughters: ‘I get to inspire my two daughters (10 and four) to never stop dreaming and pursuing passions.’

One of the students, marketing and PR professional Aiza Garcia, 40, shares, “One of my greatest frustrations as a child was not being able to pursue my ballerina dreams. I only practiced for about two years before I stopped due to personal reasons.”

Aiza, a mother of two young girls, continues, “Beyond being the workout of choice, joining adult ballet helped me heal my inner child. It gave me balance, learning to love myself more as I rekindle my love for ballet.”

Molecular bacteriologist Celine Bernice Roxas, 33, who spends her working hours in a lab, adds, “We always have fun every class. I’ve also learned quite a bit of ballet combinations and workouts that I can use outside of class. I’ve gotten more active, better with coordination, and a little bit more flexible, too. My memory has also improved, in a way — having to remember the steps, tempo and presentation, alongside the music. I feel like my brain is constantly making new pathways every ballet class. It makes me feel younger, too.”

Mother and daughter Doris and Avin bond during ballet classes.

Like her classmates, all roads lead to ballet classes at the Palms every Wednesday for Celine.

“Imagine being in a laboratory all day, with everyday tasks being routine — my Wednesday class is the highlight of my week. I’m always looking forward to attending each session, and my week just isn’t complete if I miss one class. The barre routines and the center floor work I use to challenge myself to do better than last week’s me.”

Erika Llamas De Guzman, 34, a freelance civil engineer, believes she is building self-confidence with her new moves. “Joining ballet classes as an adult helped me to express myself through dance.”

“It helped me embrace and nurture my inner child. Being a parent, I need to tap my inner child to understand my daughter and healing this part of me helped me to be a better mother, wife, and person,” she adds. “I am grateful to my husband and daughter who have been very supportive all throughout. I have gained new friends, new goals, and self-confidence as well.”

PR and marketing professional Aiza Garcia, 40, is looking forward to her first ballet recital

Agriculture and business consultant and farmer Doris Lee, 50, has become a classmate of her daughter, artist Avin Del Rosario, 33, in this Symmetry Dance ballet class!

Doris loves the “mom and daughter bonding time” the ballet classes give her. “Besides nurturing our physical posture we (also) gained new relationships, friends.”

“Dancing is life!” Doris proclaims. “It trains my mind to focus and I enjoy dancing.” Her daughter Avin, for her part, shares: “It’s a fun class. I get to take it with my mom, and my classmates and teacher are amazing. It’s just girls supporting other girls and I just love it.”

Teacher V

“This (Symmetry) class offers a unique blend of physical exercise, artistic expression and mental stimulation that sets it apart from other forms of dance or fitness activities. There is inclusivity in this class. Adults of all ages, backgrounds and skill levels are welcome,” says Venus Basas or Teacher V, the woman who raised the barre for these adult ballet dancers.

“Unlike the traditional ballet training, which often starts at a young age, adult ballet classes cater to those who may be new to ballet or returning to it after a hiatus. The students in this class come from different backgrounds professionally, but there is a sense of community and support among them. Whether it’s through encouragement from me as a teacher or camaraderie with fellow dancers. I do believe this class will form lasting friendships and bonds as they journey through dance training.”

Venus started teaching adult ballet a long time ago, but took a break.

“I missed teaching the adult ballet classes because of the camaraderie that happens in the class and after the class. I have built life-long friends with most of my adult ballet students through the years,” she says.

“I wanted the class to allow adults to immerse themselves in a creative outlet and at the same time experience a sense of accomplishment that boosts confidence and self-esteem,” she elaborates.

The inner child and the fulfilled adult meet on the ballet floor with each dance step, and the symmetry is not just in their performance but inside themselves. They are truly dancing to their heart’s content. *