Hey, it’s 3:00AM and I’m still awake, lying in bed while staring at the city lights, when suddenly a thought crossed my mind — another beautiful snippet from my childhood.
Around this week every year, our small town would celebrate the annual fiesta in honor of San Isidro Labrador. Back then, we would all look forward to the local carnival or funfair. Nothing too extravagant, just simple amusement rides, game booths, street foods, loud music, and the excitement of hopefully seeing your eye candy 😅
A week before the actual feast day, the local committee would already organize different competitions and nightly events — Ms. Gay, dance contests, singing contests, senior nights, children’s nights, and many more. Every night felt alive because there was always something happening, and people would gather as if it was the biggest celebration ever.
Out of all those events, my favorite was always the Dance Competition. It usually started around 8PM, but people would already flock to the venue an hour earlier just to get good seats. Contestants, on the other hand, arrived two or three hours ahead for blocking and rehearsals. The prizes weren’t even that big, yet participants from nearby towns still joined to try their luck. Some came for fun, some for exposure, while others were there hoping to be noticed, discover opportunities, or maybe even find love along the way.
As the clock struck eight in the evening, the disc jockey behind the stage would begin introducing the emcee using the most flowery and exaggerated adjectives imaginable — enough to give the host butterflies, as if they truly believed every single compliment being thrown their way 😅.
Personally, I’ve always had my own criteria when watching dance competitions. It is very similar to singing. Everything should move in harmony. A group should dance smoothly, stay synchronized with the music, and move together in a balanced and coordinated way. One dancer being out of sync can instantly affect the entire performance, which is why teamwork and chemistry on stage are very important. I also pay attention to the choice of music. Personally, I prefer songs that are relatable to all ages, properly mashed up, well-transitioned, and capable of keeping both the audience and dancers engaged from beginning to end. Good music selection already creates half of the performance’s impact.
The moment your group name gets called onto the stage, everything changes.
You suddenly feel a mix of emotions all at once — excitement, nervousness, pressure, fear, and adrenaline. 😵💫 That’s why confidence becomes very important the moment you step onto that stage. You constantly remind yourself why you’re there in the first place.
Because truthfully, there are moments when dancers get lost mentally.
Moments when they become overwhelmed.
Moments when shyness suddenly appears the second the spotlight hits them.
And sometimes, the noise and reactions from the crowd can become distracting too.
But once the music starts, you simply have to trust yourself.
And the only way to become truly confident while dancing is by memorizing the choreography religiously. Once the steps are already engraved into your mind and body, everything starts flowing naturally. Your movements begin syncing with the rhythm automatically, and eventually, your body simply follows the music without overthinking every move.
And of course — never forget to smile. 😁
No matter how nervous you are, smiling changes your entire stage presence. And if ever you miss a step? Bounce back immediately and keep smiling. We’re only human after all, mistakes are completely normal during live performances. What matters most is how you recover and continue performing confidently despite the pressure.
At the end of the day, performing on stage is already something to be proud of. Not everyone gets the opportunity to showcase their talent in front of a crowd, and honestly, doing that takes courage. Standing there, dancing your heart out under bright lights while everyone watches — that is never easy.
But once the performance is over, the feeling becomes incredibly fulfilling. And somehow, all the nervousness, exhaustion, and pressure instantly become worth it. 🥰
The Feast 🎭
Going back to those days, I can honestly say that this time of the year was one of the happiest moments of our childhood.
Everything felt exciting back then.
But before we could fully enjoy the festivities, we first had responsibilities to finish at my grandparents’ house. We could only watch the events or roam around once all the chores were done. And since my Lola’s house was located in a secluded area where we had to pass through rivers, uphill roads, and dark pathways just to reach the barangay proper, one of our aunties or uncles always had to accompany us. Otherwise, we had no choice but to stay home and sleep early.
And honestly, as kids, that felt like the greatest punishment ever 😅.
On the actual day of the fiesta celebration, we would wake up early and prepare ourselves for the mass. Everyone would dress properly, and the atmosphere already felt lively even in the morning. After attending the mass, we would head straight to our relatives’ houses for lunch gatherings.
As children, we were taught to show respect at all times, especially to elders. Since almost everyone invited during the feast were relatives, one thing expected from us before eating was to perform “mano” — kissing the hands of our older relatives as a sign of respect. Only after greeting everyone properly were we allowed to eat and mingle around.
And honestly, those gatherings were always loud, chaotic, and fun in the best possible way.
After lunch, we would immediately reunite with our cousins, and this became the perfect opportunity for us to quietly sneak away from the adults 😅. Our parents, titos, titas, and relatives would all be busy sitting around large tables, eating, laughing, storytelling, and catching up with each other.
Meanwhile, we already had a different mission in mind: The carnival.
Of course, being kids with almost no money, we couldn’t really afford the rides most of the time 😂. So instead of riding, we would simply roam around the carnival area, watch other kids scream and laugh on the rides, and enjoy the lively atmosphere around us.
And honestly? Even just watching felt fun enough back then.
We would walk around endlessly, stare at colorful lights, observe different game booths, and spend whatever little money we had on street foods instead. Simple joys.
Then once we got tired, we’d head back to our relatives’ house and wait for the adults to finish their never-ending conversations.
Sometimes though, we would secretly negotiate with our parents and ask if we could stay overnight and just go home the next day 😅. Not because we wanted more sleep — but because we wanted more time to roam around the carnival at night and enjoy even more activities.
Looking back now, I think those experiences somehow contributed to why I became such a wanderer today.
Because back then, we were unknowingly taught how to enjoy life in a simple yet responsible way — to appreciate small moments, value togetherness, explore places with curiosity, and create memories without needing extravagant things.
And honestly, those kinds of childhood memories are priceless. 🤑
