So I landed in Sydney tonight and spent forever at Immigration (it wasn't me, it was the volume of people) but I'm finally at my in betweener Hotel Pensione on George Street for meetings before the trip to Bundanon on Monday morning (where the Crossing Borders dance lab will be held).
While I have nothing to report (except I have arrived, weary yet safe and enthusiastic for the upcoming activities), I'll discuss some of the interesting things I've accomplished this week.
First of all, realizing that I would be missing the upcoming Nutcracker of Philippine Ballet Theater on the 19th, I stopped by Meralco last Wednesday evening to watch rehearsals and basically keep up with artistic director, Ron Jaynario. It's been a good year so far for PBT, with the highest headcount (audience turnout) this season. So proud of the company, especially without aggressive marketing. The ballet is shaping up well, with a strong corps made up of both newbies and relatively more senior company members (for example, Tiffany Mangulabnan is Dewdrop in Act 2, but is also a snowflake in Act 2) and no airs about rank or privelege, which is something PBT has always been known for.
Anyway, I'll be finishing the pre-show feature on PBT by tomorrow and will have it up on Runthru Online soon after.
I'm also getting stuff done for the Projects Committee of World Dance Alliance-Philippines. No official announcements yet, but if you're interested, you can send me an email through joelle.jacinto@gmail.com.
Before I go, I'll just share a short anecdote about going through immigration in the Philippines. On my departure card, I wrote that my occupation was "Writer." My immigrations officer asked me what publication I wrote for and I said Runthru Dance magazine. The officer beside her started asking me where can she get my magazine and that her daughter loved dance. I gave her the website address, but kind of in shock. I would never expect that, not in a million years. It made my day.
Hope you had a good day with dance in it, too.
