Pinay ballerina faces new chapter in HK troupe's 'The Nutcracker'

It will be a cold and busy Christmas for Filipino ballerina Candice Adea, who recently

joined the Hong Kong Ballet after more than 10 years with Ballet Philippines.

 

While she won’t be in Manila for Christmas, the 26-year-old ballerina is expecting family

members to join her in Hong Kong, where she will be working over the holidays.

 

After her “Themes and Variations” debut this month, Adea is busy preparing for the

production of “The Nutcracker,” which will run from December 14 to 16 and 20 to 26.

 

Adea told GMA News Online in an email that since arriving in Hong Kong in September, she’s had a tight schedule, with rehearsals six days a week.

 

All-new experience  

While she’s been performing for more than a decade now, Adea said her debut with the

Hong Kong Ballet made her “nervous and excited.”

 

“I was nervous of the thought that I’ll be performing with a different group of dancers,

with a different kind of audience, different stage, different schedule, and different

environment," she said. "Everything is different from what I’ve been used to, but I’m taking all these

new things as a big opportunity for me to grow as an artist and as a person,” she added.

 

The Hong Kong Ballet has had a few Filipino dancers in the past, such as Victor,

Madrona, Conrad Dy-Liaco, Wendy Panganiban, Amuer Calderon, and Carlo Pacis.

 

Following in the footsteps of these highly esteemed Filipino dancers, Adea—who is the

only Filipino in the ballet company today—said she finds this experience a chance “to

share to all the people in Hong Kong what Filipino dancers have.”

 

In between rehearsals, Adea is adjusting to this new experience and getting used to the

train system and the daily commute between the theater and her apartment in Tsuen

Wan.

 

“It’s very difficult to be away from home because I have to adjust to a whole new

lifestyle. Since my family is away from me, there is nobody to depend on but myself,”

she said.

 

Fortunately she has a few friends in Hong Kong who have helped her settle down.

Thanks to the Internet, she is able to stay in touch with family in Manila without spending

a lot of money.

 

The idea that she is now an overseas Filipino worker or an expat hasn’t really occurred

to her.

 

“I’m just another person who does what she loves to do, which is dancing. It just

happens that I’m doing it here in Hong Kong,” she said.

 

Because of her busy schedule, Adea said hasn’t had the time to dwell on what she’s

actually missing in Manila, although she misses her friends and family—as well as the

food.

 

Homesickness aside, Adea wants to stay focused and be on top of her game.

 

For now, she is enjoying this new chapter and adventure in her life.

 

“[At the Hong Kong Ballet], I meet different nationalities. I’m exposed to different cultures

and different personalities. The best thing is I’m exposed to dancers with [who are

trained differently] and that’s how I’m learning a lot,” she said. - VVP, GMA News