At one of dance’s biggest stages, these young Filipino talents will be going up against some of the best in the world
Local talent is on the rise and is putting the world on notice. From Bini’s KCON appearance to SB19’s First Take performances and even our representatives at the 2024 Paris Olympics, Filipino excellence is right up there with the best of the best.
As we continue to break past barriers and enter new arenas and platforms previously dominated by others, Adhika from St. Scholastica’s Academy of Marikina is next to represent the country and showcase Filipino talent at yet another global stage—World of Dance.
READ: Meet Devin Pornel, the Filipino-Chinese dancer who performed alongside Jung Kook
From July 28 to Aug. 1 at the Los Angeles Convention Center, Adhika will compete with world-class groups from over 50 countries and attempt to make it into the top 10 of the international junior team division championship. Doing so would grant them the opportunity to participate in the world finals, which includes top-placing teams from other divisions. The winner will receive a grand prize of $5,000 and the title of World of Dance Champion.
Do they have what it takes to win the crown? Certainly.
We visited Adhika during one of their rehearsals ahead of the team’s flight to Los Angeles and talked about the history of the group and their grueling road to the World of Dance Summit.
The making of Adhika
Coach Edi Jocson joined Adhika when it was first formed in 2017. Back then and coinciding with the introduction of senior high in the education system, the dance team was exclusive to seniors and is a totally separate group from the junior high dance club.
Jocson occasionally picked out younger students to train with Adhika during summer camp. However, they weren’t usually allowed to participate in competitions for fear of clashing with ongoing junior high club activities. In fact, it was only during their recently concluded fundraising concert and the World of Dance summit in Los Angeles that everyone from both senior and junior high was allowed to perform together on stage.
“This year we opened Adhika to the whole junior high so they’ll have six playing years. Sobrang gagaling pa sila and ’yun ’yung pinakamabibigay namin sa future ng Adhika,” says team captain Danielle “Yiel” Bulot (18), who is excited for the younger members despite her time on the team coming to a close.
Fellow senior and team treasurer Justine Mei Saito (18) adds, “It feels good to pass on these lessons to the juniors—last year kami ’yung tinuturuan ng mga seniors namin. Ngayon, kami na ’yung nag-i-inspire and nag-mo-motivate sa mga juniors.”
“I really feel grateful to be a part of this since not a lot of people my age get to experience this. I know it’s really hard to get to their level but once you get to be determined to keep up, to be at the same level as them, you get the chance to learn,” says youngest member Victoria Mendoza (12).
Aside from handling Adhika, Jocson is also the founder of dance teams 4DK and Class E (an all-girl troupe where most Adhika graduates go). He also leads the Metrobank Dance Company.
The climb to the World of Dance Summit
Adhika’s journey to World of Dance began in 2023 when the team finished last during the local qualifiers. Disheartened yet motivated, the group continued to dominate regional competitions, including Dance Supremacy High School Queens 2024 which they also won the previous year.
After that was a return to the World of Dance regional qualifiers stage at the UP Theater, where Adhika finished fourth despite being the crowd favorite.
“I’ll be honest medyo nag-expect kami siyempre crowd favorite, kaya nasaktan,” says Jocson, maintaining that just bouncing back from the previous year’s last-place finish was a good win for the team.
@adhk.ssam Introducing the #TooBadChallenge 😎🤘🏻dc: ADHIKA || choreo: @Edi @danielle #adhika #flavorshow #stscho #fyp ♬ Too Bad Challenge – ADHIKA
Outside the competition, Jocson also refers to another achievement they attained during the year—the release and subsequent success of their Too Bad challenge on TikTok. Choreographed by Jocson and Bulot, their dance to O Side Mafia’s “My Thang (Go Getta 2) went viral on the platform and was done by various celebrities and influencers including Niana Guerrero, Jungwon from Enhypen, Yeonjun from TXT, Bini, and many more.
@bini_aiahWe practiced this for hours♬ Too Bad Challenge – ADHIKA
But everything changed late in March of this year when Adhika received a special invitation from World of Dance headquarters to participate in the upcoming world finals.
Since then, the team has been training nine hours a day in preparation for the competition. Why push themselves to such a degree? A chip on their shoulders.
According to Jocson, “Gusto nila ipakita na kahit fourth place sila sa Pilipinas—sa worlds, champion or podium finisher. Ganun ’yung nagiging mentality nila kaya sinasagad nila sarili nila.”
But Jocson, as a coach who knows his players better than anyone, makes sure to keep an eye on those pushing themselves too far.
It’s a heavy weight to carry for a group of 30 or so high schoolers to represent the country at such a massive stage. But the kids of Adhika are more than ready to show the Filipinos’ talent for dance.
“It’s a blessing, and at the same time a burden and a big responsibility on our shoulders. Hindi porket nag-qualify, magpapabaya na. We need to maintain and even go beyond the level we’re at,” says Saito.
”We just hope everyone would support us—kahit di lang kami, as in dancers in general. We’ve been yearning for the support of the Filipino sa dance community and I hope so [in the] future mas ma-develop pa ’yung love and support for dance kasi super talented talaga ng mga Pinoy. Sayang lang talaga na we don’t get that much recognition compared to other sports,” says Bulot.