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I lived a forgotten dream!

Karylle and Christian Bautista in RamaHari

It's been awhile since my last post. Despite my fatigue from my daily "Showtime" and rehearsals for the revival of "Rama Hari," the pop ballet musical that's opening Friday, Nov. 30 at the Cultural Center of the Philippines, nothing could stop me from sharing what happened today.

Today, I lived my dream…well, sort of…

I danced on the CCP main theater stage. I sang most of the time but I was able to do my everyday twirls (if you know me, you'd know I randomly twirl several times a day) on "THE STAGE."

I even met the very handsome premiere danseur Nonoy Froilan. I found a way to dance with him as he corrected our little dance number to be more true to the original that he performed in 1980.

I wore my rotting ballet shoes and then my new Bloch pointe shoes when I joined the Ballet Philippines (BP) dancers. When BP founder Alice Reyes saw me, she giggled and asked me to go on pointe and she said "nice feet" to which i let out a super kilig sound which I cannot recreate in words.

Forgotten dreams never leave you

Allow me to explain.

I spent most of my childhood as a ballerina from the age of 3 to 13. Early on, my bratty self would throw a tantrum which my yaya had to deal with as she put on my pink tights or electric blue unitard for me. (I was so fashion forward then haha!)

Still, I went to ballet class every Saturday, dancing after a taekwondo class I attended in a little studio on the top floor of the old Virra Mall (V-Mall today).

Among those that stand out in a quick collage of memories:

• Sitting in the wings of the Meralco theater in a yellow tutu with gold trimmings for my first recital with Mrs. Amelia Garcia Yulo.

• Awkwardly freezing and dancing as I wore my pink tutu in Burnham Park in Baguio.

• Smiling through my "unprofessionally" white makeup, which I know call my "foundation day" photos.

• And, of course me, proudly performing in my tutu in the CCP Little Theater which gave me license to tell my mom when she did "Larawan" that I beat her to performing at the CCP.

My dad made me quit ballet

I was a happy ballerina. It gave me my identity apart from my mom. She was the singer and I the "ballerina girl," just like the poster in my room which quoted the song by Lionel Richie (whom most of you know as Nicole Richie's dad).

My dad made me quit ballet at age 13 because he said I was walking in "first position" and would never be able to do sports if I continued on with dancing. In fact, I couldn't walk in a straight line! I would literally dream about dancing for years and I was always so good in my dreams.

But it wasn't until "Showtime" that I got my first ever chance to do a ballet number inspired by the Natalie Portman movie, "Black Swan." I guess the ballerina in me found its way out every once in awhile.

Two weekends only

My childhood fantasy takes another shape and form in "Rama Hari," which was written by maestro Ryan Cayabyab in 1980 when he was only 26.

I play Sita and Christian Bautista, my favorite partner onstage, plays Rama. Our alternates are OJ Mariano and Kalila Aguilos. Also in the cast are Robert Sena and Noel Rayos, my Prince from my first musical play "The Little Mermaid."

I'd love to see you and your friends and family at the CCP beginning Friday, Nov. 30, when "Rama Hari" opens.

Don't take too long to get your tickets as we are only running for two weekends.

Please check out www.ballet.ph for details. Students get 50% discount and SM Advantage Card holders get 30% off.

On the first weekend, you may buy 2 tickets and get another one free exclusively at the Ballet Philippines office (551-1003, 551-7919).

Tickets are available at Ticket World (891-9999) and the CCP Box Office.