Where Angels Fall....

Chapter 06

Summer

La Fayette Dance Company

That summer when he was in third year, Ryan decided to enter La Fayette, not as a dancer but as a student. Nang nasa building na siya ng La Fayette, agad siyang tumungo sa registration area, at kumuha ng enrollment form, one of the woman in the registration noticed him. It was his Music Teacher back then, Teacher Angeli.

"Oh, Mr. Janapin right? Why are you here? I mean, why are you enrolling, di ba nga PJAS alumni ka, you could have been one of the dancers ng company."

"Well teach, hindi ka nga nagkakamali, I'm enrolling for the LF dance classes, and to tell you the truth, hindi parin po ako gumagaling sa Jazz, I wanna learn from the experts."

"Oo nga no, muntik ka ngang di naka-graduate dahil sa Jazz na yan, to think under Teacher Lenin ka pa. By the way, mag-fill up ka na ng form at antayin mo nalang yung screening, I wish you luck."

"Thanks, Teach!"

Maraming nag-aaspire to become part of LF, both the dance company & the Dance Class. Almost 3 hours din nag-antay si Ryan, and it was already 1:30, nang magtawag sila for the screening.

Isang daang enrollees din ang nasa Amorsolo ballroom ng La Fayette for the screening, wala silang paki-alam sa background, whether galing Art school or not, whether may kaya o wala, girl, boy, gay, everything is welcome as long as you know how to dance and you know how to catch the nod of the screening committee. Sampu ang nag-screen sa mga aplikante para sa dance class. Kabilang dito ang may ari, Directress Ana, ang Art Director na si Madame Shin, pati narin ang Choreographers nila sina Joshua, Ice, Sky at George. Sa unang phase, nangalahati agad sila, 100 down to 50. Then nahati sila into groups, at unti unti nanaman silang nabawasan until 40 nalang ang natira.

25 slots lang ang available for the Dance Class kaya masasabi mong salang-sala ang pagpili doon. It was the dance routine of Ryan that makes him apart from the others. He performed Titanium, by Sia, pero he didn't do it in lyrical way, bagkus ay pang hip hop ang kanyang step. Nagtitinginan ang mga screening committee habang siya ay nagsasayaw.

"Ooooh, Paradox, he dances well" – sabi ni Madame Shin

"I think he's mine, the way he moves, pang contemporary Jazz siya" – sagot naman ni Sky.

"Angeli told me, PJAS alumna siya" – tugon ni Ice.

"Ahhh, kaya pala ganyan siya gumalaw, may training pala siya" – sambit ni George.

"Well, he got my score card." – sabi ni Joshua.

At mataas nga ang nakuha ni Ryan sa piece niya, dahilan para makapasok siya sa Top 25, he even got the highest score. Walo lang ang napunta sa Klase ni Teacher Sky, sila ay sina, Ryan, Renz, Kylie, Gabrielle, Nico, Marco at may isa pa daw na special pick named Coleen.

During the orientation, saka lang nagpakita si Coleen, she was stunningly beautiful. That time, napapatingin nalang si Ryan sa kanya, para bang he was star struck, at parang tumitibok ulit yung puso niya na matagal nang nagsara. He also noticed na may, pagkaka-hawig sila ni Directress Ana, pansin din niya na hindi pang sayaw ang tindig ng dalaga.

Nung nasa PJAS kasi sila, they were taught on proper posture, at kung paano tumindig ang isang dancer. Kaya alam ni Ryan kung into dancing ang isang tao o hindi.

After the orientation, tumungo si Ryan sa Restaurant nila which is managed by his Cousin Dred. Pinundar iyon ng Mama niya, when he was mid-first year. Hindi Business minded si Ryan, kaya he opted the managerial position. Pero gusto niya, siya yung nagseserve. Maliban sa Restaurant, may Souvenir and Toy shop din sila sa Tagaytay. After niya mabisita ang mga negosyo nila, he went straight home sa Alabang.

"Yan, dito ka ba kakain?" tanong ni Yaya Cita.

"Baka sa labas nalang po, bakit po?"

"Uuwi lang sana ako sa Valenzuela, dadalawin ko lang yung mga kapatid ko."

"Sige, Ya, kuha ka nalang diyan ng papasalubong mo sa kanila."

"Oh, sige iho, ikaw na bahala dito ah, at kapag lalabas kayo ng mga pinsan mo mamayang gabi, wag kang maglalasing. At dun ka na sa kanila matulog."

"Opo."

"Oh siya, aalis na ako, baka matraffic pa ako."

That night, hindi umalis ng bahay si Ryan. Siya ang nagluto ng dinner niya, nagmovie marathon lang siya mag-isa. He was trained to be independent, kaya kahit wala si Yaya Cita, kaya parin niya.

The next day, he woke up early, prepared his breakfast nag-ayos at pumasok sa La Fayette. 3 weeks din siya papasok, sa LF.

They were under Teacher Sky, Jazz Instructor, lyrical, interpretative, at contemporary dancer. Nag-umpisa na ang kanilang warm up, pero aanim parin sila. Then after the warm up, sa basics naman, until nakabuo sila ng whole routine. Ganun sila every week, aanim lang sila, madalang pumapasok si Coleen, at hindi pa siya nakakasabay. Nagtataka tuloy si Ryan kung bakit di siya pinapagalitan ni Teacher Sky. Among all of them, si Ryan lang yung talagang nakakasabay sa Contemporary Jazz. Medyo kailangan kasi ng lakas at flexibility dito. It's all about, liftings, jumps, turns, passe's, pivot and chasse.