A fitting journey through motion

Balik Indak dancers take center stage with Raflesia Bravo's "Kalul-wa." (Photo courtesy of Balik Indak)

Watching Journey Through Motion last January 25 reminded me once again that dance is for everybody, regardless of age and shape. It also proved that the performing art comes in various forms and expressions.

The dance concert, held at the IBG-KAL Theater in UP Diliman, featured performances ranging from pop and contemporary to belly dancing, in high heels, and using aerial apparatuses.

A sample of the belly dancing numbers that enlivened the show with colorful costumes and hypnotic movements (Photo: August Calderon, courtesy of House of Verde Klik)

It served as a showcase for the students of organizers Jill Ngo and Jen de Asis along with fellow teachers and choreographers Rihma Cruz and Fechie Briguel, plus guest collaborators Raflesia Bravo and Al Bernard Garcia of Balik Indak. Raflesia also directed the fast-paced and tightly staged production.

A dream come true for Jen de Asis

Performer, choreographer, and aerial arts teacher Jen de Asis is a prime mover of the dance concert. (Photo: Henzon Estrada, courtesy of Jen de Asis)

In Jen’s interview with The Fitness Advocate, she recalls being asked sometime July 2025 by Jill, “the belly dance goddess herself,” to collaborate on a recital and replying in the affirmative. Shen then got on board Rihma, who teaches chair and heels classes, as well as Fechie for contemporary dance and later on, Raflesia and Al.

Jen, a dancer and teacher of aerial arts, committed to do the choreography of all the hoop and hammock numbers while heading the production side.

They were initially set on a December playdate, but they proved to be too busy to keep the ball rolling until the holidays passed.

“Matagal ko na din gusto gumawa ng show na pagsama-samahin ang mga genres sa dance,” she says. “That's my dream.”

“And we don't want to call it a recital,” she points out. “We called it a dance concert, so the students would feel how to become a performer on stage. ’Yun ang story, especially sa Aerial Suite ko. Every dance piece has a story to tell.”

Jen ended up performing, too, in Fechie’s contemporary piece for two with Eden Tamayo, to the tune of the Diana Ross hit song, "Home."

Journey Through Motion means a lot to her as an organizer, choreographer, and performer.

“It really helped me handle everything with calmness,” she says, laughing. “Kasi hindi s’ya gano’n kadali as an organizer ng show.”

“As a choreographer naman,” she adds, “challenging for me to choreograph six aerial dance pieces, so [being calm] really helps me mentally and physically.”

Looking back, Jen can’t believe she’s accomplished all that on top of fulfilling her main jobs as a financial advisor and an events manager.

“Pero it's my passion,” she says of doing something along the lines of Journey Through Motion. “And ginawa ko s’ya from my heart, kaya I am thankful maganda lahat ng dance pieces.”

As a dancer, on the other, she describes her experience in the show as “super saya kasi I always love performing on stage” and, as she puts it, “dance is my life.”

Jen, 42, goes on sharing how her love affair with dance started: “When I was in high school, I remember before ako mag-enroll, una kong tinanong sa school if may dance troupe, hahaha!

“So do’n ako nag-start talaga sumayaw. Also, my two older sisters were professional dancers kasi, so na-influence nila ako, and I really love to dance.”

Along the way, she found herself auditioning for a spot in Danz Focus, a dance group founded by Joy Cancio—yes, the legendary member of Vicor Dancers in the 1980s and choreographer-cum-manager of the iconic SexBomb Dancers in the 2000s.

Joining Danz Focus gave Jen the opportunity to undergo an intensive training in dance, including formal lessons in jazz, ballet, tap, and dancesport. This prepared her well in performing with the dance group on noontime shows and in corporate events.

In March 2019, she discovered the aerial arts, starting with silks, hoop, and hammock. She persevered to learn until she was confident enough not only to perform the circus-like routines but also to teach them.

Jen says she loves “everything about performing” and choreographing dance pieces that tell a story through movement. She especially loves watching her students give life to her creations on stage.

Her message to get people into movement?

“Just keep on learning,” she says. “Be kind to yourself, if hindi makuha agad ang tamang movements.”

“Dance is a happy pill,” she adds. “It really helps us to gain strength. Regular dancing aids in weight management, strengthens bones, and provides a joyful, creative outlet for emotional expression.”

Also: “Walang age, weight, or gender sa dance. Kahit sino puwede.”

Ida's aerial dance journey

Aerial hoop is Ida Gerri Guevara's favorite apparatus. (Photo: Dom Cruz, courtesy of Ida Gerri Guevara)

When Ida Gerri Guevara started taking Jen de Asis’s classes in aerial hoop and hammock in 2025, she would only turn up “whenever and wherever” she could because her attendance heavily depended on her hectic schedule.

“I remember telling [Jen] I couldn’t join as often because work was really busy, and my motivation was low too,” she confesses in an interview with The Fitness Advocate.

“There were times when my free time felt like it should just be for resting, and I would lose the will to even get up and move.”

Still, Ida found the time and the will to commit to joining Journey Through Motion.

“There’s just something about joining these kinds of shows that makes me happy,” she says. Her past shows include Elite Aerial Arts’ recital in 2023 and 2024.

“But honestly, the show itself felt like a bonus,” she points out. “What I really looked forward to were the workshops and training before the show—the process, the practice, meeting new sisters and brothers, and just having fun together.”

So, when Ida was invited by Jen to join the dance concert, she took it as a chance to push herself to move again.

“I also really love aerial hoop the most out of all the aerial classes I’ve tried,” she explains. “Plus, I ended up making a lot of good friends along the way, which made showing up feel less scary and more worth it.”

The aerialist in her element (Photo courtesy of Ida Gerri Guevara)

Ida sees the correlation between the dance concert’s advocacy for movement and her own fitness journey.

“When I first tried aerial hoop in early 2023, I thought I would be one of the oldest in class,” she recalls.

“I was also super conscious about my weight because I gained a lot, and I assumed everyone else would be really fit. But that didn’t matter at all. I was surrounded by people of different ages, body types, and backgrounds, and everyone was just nice and supportive.”

She then points out, “In this community, no one really judges you. People cheer for you, help you out, and genuinely celebrate your progress. There’s no body shaming and you also end up making friends.”

Ida (third row) with her fellow performers backstage (Photo courtesy of Ida Gerri Guevara)

Take it from Ida: “Before aerial, you couldn’t even make me get out of bed because of my mental health struggles.

“These activities helped me so much, especially being in a space that feels safe and non-judgmental.

"It made me realize that you can show up exactly as you are. I can say I’m a lot stronger now—mentally and physically. Yes, with muscles too.”

To get more people to move through her chosen artistic sport, Ida has this to say about trying out the aerial arts: “Just show up.”

And that’s the hardest part, she admits. “I know because I struggle with it too. But once you’re there, everything else doesn’t matter as much—who’s around, how you look, or if you think you’re ‘good enough.’

“You move, you enjoy the music, and you have fun. It’s also really good for your mental health. Just show up, and everything else will follow. You might be surprised by what your body can actually do. Also, you will be most welcome, and we’re here to cheer and root for you!”

A homecoming in motion for Anna

Anna Paras-Dimaculangan (center) has found her tribe in Balik Indak dance community. (Photo courtesy of Anna Paras-Dimaculangan)

Anna Paras-Dimaculangan marked her return to performing on stage with Journey Through Motion. The dance concert’s director, Raflesia Bravo, is a cofounder of the dance community that the performer belongs to: Balik Indak.

“She kindly got us a slot in the lineup,” Anna says of Raflesia, who’s also an actor and singer besides being a choreographer and dance teacher. Raflesia choreographed the stirring piece called "Kalul-wa" for one set of Balik Indak dancers, while her cofounder, Al Bernard Garcia, did the choreography of the mesmerizing "Sketches" for Anna's group.

“That meant a lot to me because I did not expect to be performing on stage again,” the returning dancer beams.

Anna then reflects on her dance journey in her interview with The Fitness Advocate.

“I was trained in ballet all my life, where technique is given premium,” she begins. “Fast forward to adulthood, most dance classes that were accessible to me only offered pop-up or one-off classes, which focused more on choreography versus technique.”

She makes it clear, though: “I have nothing against pop-ups but at this stage in my life, I need something that allows for progressive technique building.”

“It’s really more important now in my mid-30s because I’m not as strong as I was before. I feel safer dancing when I know that I’m doing it with the right technique,” she explains.

The answer came in late 2025, when Anna discovered Balk Indak to be “a dance community led by artists reigniting passion for movement and aiming to inspire and unite people from all walks of life through dance.”

Another attraction for her was the availability of series-based classes that were spread out in eight sessions within four weeks.

“Half of the class was all about technique before jumping into choreography,” she remarks. “The former helped us ease into the latter because the foundations are laid well.”

Anna's group performs Al Bernard Garcia's "Sketches." (Photo courtesy of Balik Indak)

She notes that “having classes over eight continuous sessions allowed me to see progress over time, both in technique and musicality, which helped me gain confidence.”

Aside from the quality of classes that Balik Indak offers, what she treasures most is the community that it has built.

“Each class starts with a community huddle, where everyone is asked a question based on a prompt to check on each one and to set the intention for the class,” she says.

“They’ve done a marvelous job creating a safe space for dancers like me who are ‘nagbabalik-indak.’ I may not be as strong a dancer as I was before, but I’ve never felt this much autonomy and ownership over my dance journey until I set foot in Balik Indak.”

Her conclusion: “With the right mindset and community, movement is possible for any age and in any shape.”

How?

“Among all forms of exercise, dancing stands out because it is a marriage of athletics and artistry,” she offers.

“We’ve all heard of that expression ‘two left feet,’ but I don’t really believe in that. There’s rhythm in all of us, no matter what age or shape. With the right dance community, you’ll find yours.”