Ralph Escamillan - Dancer

The first exposure for dance for me was a video of a dance group called “Philippine Allstars”, competing at World Hiphop 07. This was first time I saw Filipinos dancing, and at the time, I didn’t know that dance was an past time in Filipino culture. Sure I saw my parent get down on the dance floor at weddings, parties and other events but this was the first time I saw Filipino’s being represented in such a grand way. I searched the local studios for classes, and had to find a job cleaning at the studio in exchange for classes because my mother, at the time, could not afford it. After a few breakdancing classes i wanted to try other styles and explore the world of dance.

When I was you younger I said I would become one of three things:

1. Singer
2. Artist or
3. Chef

I wanted to be a chef in high school, and demanded the school to introduce a culinary program because of it. I also was very into art, thinking I could become an artist maybe. I was interested in Dataism and its retaliation to the politics of the times. Life drawing, sculpture and mixed media were my forte. Dancer should have been on that list, but iI never in a million years thought I would be dancing if you asked me at age 11. I had no sense of rhythm or hand-eye coordination. Who knew that dancing at first “recreationally” would manifest itself into something that I come to love.

I focus on dance because it is something that takes place every day. In a sense, we are all dancers – and as cheesy as that may sound, it is true. Dance was a way for me, like many artist, to express myself and was a tool to release my frustrations and anger towards life. The first time anyone told me that “you inspired me” also gave me another reason to keep dancing. I wanted to be able to touch and inspire others through dance. I wanted them to have imagination people and to think of their bodies as a way to communicate to the world and not merely a static object in space.

Ralph Escamillan - Dancer

I haven’t “chosen” contemporary dance, it more  chose me.  Contemporary dance has only recently come into my life in the past year in a half, but i think that I have always been thinking of dance in a contemporary way. I used to imagine moving space with my hands, watching little tornados form out of thin air… I was crazy.  I still train in other disciplines in dance such and hip-hop and freestyle dance, which has influenced my take on contemporary dance as well. Contemporary should innovate, be honest, and push the boundaries of the human body. It is one of the most challenging genres of dance because it requires a sense of maturity and confidence in one’s body.  I don’t like the idea of having labels and names for ones movement – so I think of myself more of a mover than anything else. Being a mover has changed my way of thinking in life and the basic fundamentals of dance can be used in everyday life.