A Pinoy at the Winter Olympics

Brilliant theater director Bobby Garcia sent me a note about Novy Bereber, a Filipino choreographer/dancer who performed at the opening of the Winter Olympics in Vancouver recently. He is the only Filipino to dance at the opening of the Winter Olympics. Novy was in the Asian tour of The King and I which Bobby directed. Novy has done work with the Philippine National Council of Culture and the Arts, devising and presenting Modern Dance Workshops throughout the archipelago. He also choreographed the dance presentation during the opening of the Cinemalaya National Independent Film Festival last year. He also created two new works for the WiFi Independent Dance Festival, To Whom It May Concern performed by Ballet Philippines and Inay which he performed. As one of the country’s leading choreographers, Novy has created works for the Ballet Philippines, Ballet Manila, and the premiere folkloric/contemporary dance company of the Visayas, Dagyaw. Novy was born in Capiz.

Excerpts from an interview with Novy:

1. Who are your idols?  

“I admire Oprah Winfrey and Kris Aquino because they are powerful women. They are passionate about the things they love, and they live their dreams.”

2. The best choreographer who ever lived?  

“For me, to know a choreographer is not through the simple viewing of his/her works but through the process of how they mold the dancers. I had the chance to work with Agnes Locsin, a woman with so much passion, and very exacting needs. As a choreographer, she was the one who made the strongest impression in my life.”

3. Your favorite dance piece?

“My choreography, titled To Whom It My Concern which is about the plight of Filipino dance artists in the Philippines.  I think our country is being careless about the great talents we produce.  International mass entertainment companies like Disney, Universal Studios, or cruise ships snap up talented Filipino artists and pay them a pittance. They still pay more than our local cultural art institutions.”

4. When was the time you really hated your job? 

“A long time ago when I was still dancing with Ballet Philippines and the director at the time didn’t like me. Hahahaha...so hindi ko rin sya gusto....hahhahaha.”

5. Why do roses have thorns?  

“To tell us that it’s not just beautiful to look at but that it has the ability to hurt if not handled carefully, parang tayo din mga tao.”

6. You are at the entrance of heaven, what do you think God will say to you? 

“My son, loka loka ka!”

7. If you have the power to eliminate one emotion in your life, what would it be?

“I wouldn’t eliminate any emotions but I would like to be mellowed and calmer in my emotions. Sometimes kasi sumasabog ako na parang bomba.”

8. Who were you named after? 

“Hahaha! I was born in the month of November that is why I was named NovyBereber.” 

9. What is the worst thing about being a dancer? The best? 

“The worse thing is when you’re injured. The best is when you make people happy and when you make them feel and understand a message through dance. Hindi ko ma-explain pero heaven sa saya...”

10. The most beautiful name of a woman? 

“The name of my lola — Fay.”

11. What was the best thing said about you? 

“I believe in you.”

12. If you were a wild flower, what would you be and why? 

“I would be a daffodil kasi  I could grow anywhere, in any condition, and still bloom.”

13. You are on a time travel, which period would you visit? 

“I would love to visit Manila before the Spaniards came. I would love to see kung anong culture meron tayo at maranasan ko magsalita ng Espanol para sosyal.”

14. If you were a dance, what would you be? 

“I would be modern ballet. Structured but free. It may seem easy and effortless to the untrained eye but beautiful and amazing to those who know it well.”

15. Which part of your body would you rather not have? 

“Nothing, I’m so happy with what I have.” 

16.If you had wings, where would you go? 

“Barcelona. I’ve never been there.”

17. If you were a fictional character, who would you be? Why? 

“I would be a cartoon — Peter Pan and Richie Rich combination.  I would stay young and beautiful hahaha at para may  access to a vast amount of wealth then I could dance forever without being injured and travel to all the places in the world and help starving artists.”

18.Write your epitaph? 

“Ganda mo!”

19.Who is your favorite dancer? Why? Your least favorite? 

“My favorite is the dancer who knows himself well enough to let his personality shine through the choreography; he also knows that he is not the best and listens to corrections and is willing to grow. My least favorite is the dancer  na akala it’s all about him, mayabang in short. ”