“Samba Nights – Saan Ka Ba Nuong ‘68-’78?”
It is not often that I go to a ballroom dancing venue. Last year, when the SSS Human Resources Development Department organized ballroom dancing lessons for us employees as an anti-stress activity, I enlisted to join it over yoga. I attended the sessions faithfully and as a result I learned the basic steps of cha-cha, swing, reggae and boogie. I had a hard time mastering tango though!
There was a time that I was invited by officemates to practice ball room dancing in preparation to a ballroom dancing contest during the SSS Anniversary. The venue of our practice was hold your breath, the ballroom dancing venue in the Quezon Memorial Circle! No offense to sister Charito Planas, but the dance floor is cemented and electric fans, errr, industrial fans are all over place blowing fresh air as ventilation as we sweated it out!
Aside from acting, singing and writing, I really love dancing! That was the reason why when the batches 1968 and 1978 of my fraternity – the UPSILON SIGMA PHI decided that the fellowship that they will sponsor will be “SAMBA NIGHT- SAAN KA BA NOONG ’68-’78?” I looked forward with gusto to make sure that I will be able to attend that fellowship. The invitation to the fellowship said that the batches ’68 and ’78 encourages the brods and the sisters from the SIGMA DELTA PHI to attend the fellowship in Samba costumes, I even made a google search as to the description of a Samba costume! But, since the same invitation said that we can also come as we are, I decided not to buy a Samba costume.
Then came the exciting night – February 23! Just to be sure that I would be present, I lingered around the Ayala Malls the whole Saturday afternoon. You see, I left our house early that day to go to an audition for an independent movie production – Arkeofilms. The audition was held in a Citiland condominium unit in Pasong Tamo St. Makati. Since I live in far-away City of San Jose del Monte, Bulacan, I simply killed my time in the Makati area in between the audition and the fellowship. I proceeded to the venue of our fraternity fellowship at 6:30 p.m. the time indicated in the invitation.
Bykes Café is located in La Fuerza Building, 2241 Pasong Tamo St. Makati City. When I registered, there were only about five junior brods manning the registration table with the ever loyal Francis Diaz ’74. After, registering, I asked Francis why there were only few brods and it seemed to be so silent just to find out that the second floor was already filled up with brods and sisters!
The second floor is fully-airconditioned, spacious with huge wooden dance floor in its center which could accommodate at least 20 dancing couples and rows of tables with soft sofas and chairs encircling it. I was so impressed with the venue that the moment I saw the brods and sisters in the dance floor and those occupying the tables I smiled and told myself to look forward to an enjoyable evening of fellowship with my brods and sisters!
(to be continued)
