HER love for ballet dancing probably started when she was watching the Barbie cartoon series.
She was only three years old at that time but Charisse Galang knew that she wanted to be a successful ballerina in the future.
But the journey to her dreams was never easy.
“Hindi po ako pinapakinggan ni Mama, mahal daw po mag-ballet,” 12-years-old Charisse recalled in an interview over the phone on Monday.
But this did not stop her from pursuing her dream.
Unknown to her mother, Rhaida, Charisse auditioned at Juan Sumulong Elementary School in Pasay City for ballet when she was nine years old.
“Noong first day po, pumasa ako pero noong finals hindi na po. Pero noong second day po, nag-audition ulit ako at natanggap,” she said.
This opened the door for a scholarship at Ballet Manila after she was chosen to be one of its scholars.
“She is highly disciplined and motivated,” Rhaida said of her daughter.
“She auditioned and qualified for a scholarship at Ballet Manila three years ago. Then there was a second audition which required her to practice ballet everyday.”
From Pasay City, Charisse’s family transferred to Cavite where she attended school. Because of the distance, she was unable to train everyday and as a result, her level in ballet dropped.
But this did not dampen Charisse’s spirit, nor her enthusiasm. Instead, she followed a routine to improve her ballet skills. She went to school in the morning, and earnestly trained at night. For a time, she also trained in gymnastics and clinched the gold medal as overall champion in Cavite.
One time, Charisse said she even collapsed because of strenuous training. During summer, she said, she would train six days a week, and seven hours every session.
“Dehydrated tapos hindi rin po ako nakapagdala ng baon,” she said.
Charisse said they also had to borrow money so she could commute from her school to Ballet Manila on Buendia Avenue which usually costs her P150 to P180 daily.
“Yun ang problema namin ni Mama….dati kaming nangungutang para may pamasahe,” she said.
Three years now into ballet, Charisse has been part of productions like The Nutcracker, Swan Lake and Sleeping Beauty.
She plans to continue her training, achieve significant progress, and someday make a mark. She also aspires to maintain her honor standing in school, with the same discipline since her first grade that elevated her to the honor roll.
Charisse is now among the “gifted” children featured in a recent Promil Pre-School milk TV commercial.
“I feel that this is something innate in her. Add to that her natural courage and determination,” her mother said.
“As a mother, I can only be proud of what she has achieved and I support her all the way. Looking back, I can truly say that all my sacrifices are well worth it,” said Rhaida, who is currently based in Riyadh.
Charisse’s mother decided to work abroad in 2006 after separating from her husband to support her two young children. Despite the odds, she bravely pressed on, armed only with her faith and fortitude to secure her children’s future.
“The challenges were varied and unrelenting, and there were times that I felt I wanted to give up. Before, I was sharing responsibilities with a partner, and to suddenly find myself raising my kids alone, it was really a shock,” she said.
“But I was determined to be the best mother to my daughters, and provide for them with the limited resources and capabilities I have. So I took on a number of jobs and sold anything – from street food to motorcycles – just so we could scrape a living. Then I realized I must sacrifice a lot in order to build a life my girls truly deserve. I had no choice but to leave them to become a caregiver abroad,” Rhaida recalled.
With her talents, Charisse now adds up to the growing number of “gifted” children in the country, which was estimated at 1.27 million based on a 2010 report of the Department of Education.
She also now belongs to the so-called “Gifted Movement” in the country.
Is she now under pressure to achieve her own dream? Charisse said the pressure was to achieve her dreams for her mom.
“I keep on believing to be a better ballerina and I really want to dance,” she said.
“My mother did not achieve her dreams so she wanted me to reach mine,” Charisse added. AC