All the right moves

From a shared love for Michael Jackson to burning up the dance floor, Sarah Geronimo and Enrique Gil talk dreams and what it’s like to stay confident.

MANILA, Philippines - Dancing is slowly becoming one of the most famous forms of exercise. With Zumba classes and Just Dance, everyone is making the switch from good ol’ boring gym to fun, funky group jives. If you don’t have enough confidence to bust your moves in public, you can always turn to YouTube for a quick tutorial, or you can simply turn your TV on for instant inspiration from the country’s pop stars.

Chief among them is Sarah Geronimo. Her career started on Star For A Night, a singing contest in the early ‘00s, where she won the grand prize with her rendition of a Celine Dion song. Since then, she’s made a name for herself as a triple threat—a Whitney-esque singer, a strong dancer, and a bankable actress. Aside from her stint on ASAP, Sarah is now preparing for another season of the top-rated The Voice of the Philippines.

Another hot talent who’s catching fire with his strong dance moves is Enrique Gil. Unlike Sarah, his career started with small roles in indie films such as Pitas and Diego and His Brothers. He later joined Star Magic and played alongside notable actors in various soap operas. One of his most famous soap operas to date is Princess and I where he played the role of a prince alongside Kathryn Bernardo and Daniel Padilla. 

Aside from starting at an early age and having the late King of Pop Michael Jackson as their childhood hero, another thing that Sarah and Enrique have in common is the “Do The Moves” campaign alongside international pop star and former member of Black Eyed Peas Apl de Ap and actor Elmo Magalona.

The campaign launched last March 15 in Glorietta Activity Center with performances from endorsers Sarah, Enrique, and Elmo and the Philippine All Stars. Prior to the event, Rexona Teens visited different schools around the country to promote confidence and freshness through an audition process for the biggest Teen Dance Competition this year.

Despite their busy schedules, endorsers Sarah and Enrique took the time to talk to Young STAR about their dreams for the youth, self-expression through dance, and how they stay confident through it all.

YOUNG STAR: You’re known for your Whitney-esque style. What made you decide to incorporate more movement in your performances?

SARAH GERONIMO: No question naman talaga that Whitney Houston is one of my musical influences. (She’s) one of the international female artists na ina-admire ko. Pero bata pa lang ako, talagang si Michael Jackson na yung biggest musical influence ko. Sing and dance talaga yung gusto ko… pop music. Nung time na talagang usong-uso yung biritan, parang (naisip ko na) hindi pala talaga ako para dun. Oo, nakakabirit ako pero hindi sobrang taas. Mas naeenjoy ko pala talagang gawin yung kung ano yung gusto ko nung bata ako.

Is there a particular Michael Jackson performance or song that inspired you?

Wow. Yung “Dangerous” niya na album, pati yung In The Closet.

Now that you have more movements in your performances, rehearsals must be tougher than before. How do you boost your confidence whenever you feel down?

I’m blessed to have these people around me. The people I work with are very supportive and understanding kapag pagod ako. Kapag mabagal akong kumuha ng dance steps, kapag mataba ako, kapag may pimples ako. Ang lakas ng support system ko. Unang-una sa pamilya ko, sa mga magulang ko and yung glam team ko. Saka yung mga friends ko. It’s from them where I get my self-confidence.

After a day’s work, what do you do to unwind?

After work, I go out with my friends. I watch a movie. Magdi-dinner kami. Tapos marami kaming aso sa bahay. Yun talaga yung stress reliever ko.

Your idol Michael Jackson has a signature move which is the Moonwalk. If you were to name your own, what would you call it?

(Laughs) My bungisngis move.

What’s on your dance playlist? Like first thing in the morning, what’s your power song?

Gusto ko yung mga songs ng Sugar Ray. Mga When It’s Over. Songs ng Fly, ni Nelly Furtado like I’m Like A Bird. Pati yung Unwritten ni Natasha Bedingfield

What’s your message to anyone who wants to pursue their craft?

They really have to know what they really want. Mahirap din kasi mga bata pa. Wala namang masama kung at an early age open sila to trying a lot of things, di ba? Kung gusto nilang mag-basketball, mag-basketball sila. Kung gusto nilang kumanta, mag-singing lessons sila.

Hangga’t nandyan pa yung energy nila, yung kanilang drive to learn, wag silang titigil. At siguro dadating din yung point in their lives na malalaman na talaga nila kung ano yung passion nila. Importante na alam nila kung ano ang gusto nila, kung san sila magco-concentrate.

Like me, bata pa lang ako alam kong gusto ko na talagang maging performer, maging singer. Nothing should hold them back from doing what they enjoy doing.

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YOUNG STAR: We’ve seen you dance everywhere. Is it something you loved doing as a kid?

ENRIQUE GIL: No, bago lang. Kasi before, I had never danced, never sang, and never acted. Nung pumasok lang ako sa ABS-CBN, we had to learn. So when I learned how to dance konti, I got to say na, “okay ‘to ah.” So, I wanted to learn more.

As you were learning, did you have any inspirations?

Michael Jackson, Chris Brown, marami. Poppin’ Pete, and Mr. Wiggles. They’re like some of the best poppers out there.


If eyou were going to name your signature dance move, what would it be?

I don’t know. (Laughs) Something to do with like ”keep it fresh.“

Do you think dancing is an art form?

It is an art, and for me I also think it’s a sport. In a way, kasi pag may competition or like dance-offs or crew against crew, parang Olympics. And it’s really, really athletic. It’s even crazier than the stuff that you see in sports. We do (stunts), we do tricks, we breakdance. Para sa akin, it’s a sport and an art at the same time.

What’s on your day-to-day playlist?

(When I) wake up in the morning, I like to play house music like Joel Fletcher, Avicii, and Deorro. Tapos sa hapon, mga (relaxing music). Pag gabi, hip-hop na.

If ever you have a dance partner, dead or alive, who would it be?

King of Pop, any day. Michael Jackson talaga. If not Michael Jackson, Chris Brown. I’d love to work with him. And Les Twins! Hands down, they’re the best dancers I’ve seen so far.

What’s your message for the youth who want to pursue their art?

First you have to work on yourself. Confidence is number one because before I didn’t have enough. As in wala talaga. Only when I got in the this business, they brought me out of my shell. Parang I got to see what I could really do. I wouldn’t know that I could dance and act if I didn’t even try it in the first place. To try it, you need confidence. Believe in yourself. In order to say that, keep it fresh, stay confident, do what you gotta do.